Twice-Baked Potatoes Vs Potato Skins: What's The Difference?

Potato skins are an undisputed pillar of the unofficial ultimate football watch party eats Hall of Fame — and their cousin, twice-baked potatoes, are no less heralded in their own arena. These potato-based snacks are tailor-made for showcasing all the loaded-baked-potato toppings that foodies know, love, and crave from cheese to sour cream, bacon bits, and chives. But, what exactly is the difference between potato skins and twice-baked potatoes? If you slam the potato skins back in the oven to crisp up a little more, does that count as twice-baked? (Short answer: "No.")

Potato skins tote nostalgic ties to American house parties of the 1980s, and while the dish's history may be a little hazy, the snack has even inspired store-bought spinoffs like TGI Fridays frozen cheddar and bacon loaded potato skins, which can be found in the freezer aisle at most supermarkets. Twice-baked potatoes, on the other hand, are a steakhouse staple and foodies will probably never find a pre-made version in the grocery store freezer aisle. Why not?

Potato skins are halved, hollowed-out, crispy potato skins filled with a heap of cheese-dominant toppings. Twice-baked potatoes are potato skins filled with a heartier, creamier stuffing that also includes mashed potatoes — and that's just scratching the surface (literally).

Potato skins are all about the deep-fried texture and flavor that can be achieved in your home oven. To make potato skins, the spuds are baked over high heat (around 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-40 minutes) to crisp up the skins and soften the insides. Then, the potatoes are halved lengthwise and the insides are scooped out, then returned to the oven to roast face-down. After this second bake, the crisp skins are sprinkled with cheese and loaded with toppings, and typically returned to the oven for a final time to melt the cheese. For an extra crispy bite, you can pop 'em under the broiler for a few minutes to finish.

The most fun part of making these playful snacks is loading 'em up with your favorite toppings. A copious amount of gooey melted cheese is crucial, but you can experiment with different types of cheese from white cheddar to Monterey jack or even a spicy pepper jack. From there, you could toss in crumbled bacon, sour cream, green onions, or any other topping your heart desires. A dollop of sour cream stirred with chopped chives delivers a colorful and flavorful moisture element to garnish, and buffalo chicken with blue cheese makes a killer elevated potato skin filling. Potato skins are also a great opportunity for showcasing any flavorful homemade compound butters you may have waiting in your fridge.

Twice-baked potatoes are essentially mashed potatoes served in a potato skin boat. This dish takes a regular baked potato to the next level. On the first bake, the potatoes are roasted until tender for roughly one hour, making the skin crispy and the insides soft. From there, the potato insides are scooped out of the skin and mashed with a rich kaleidoscope of classic baked potato toppings like cheese, bacon, and sour cream. Also, unlike potato skins, milk and butter are folded into the potato filling to create a soft loaded-mashed-potato mixture, which gets spooned back into the sturdy potato skins, topped with a layer of cheese, and baked once more to warm for about 15 minutes. 

You can mash the filling together by hand for a coarser texture or use a handheld electric mixer for smoother silkiness. Pro tip: To avoid tearing the delicate potato skins, scoop using a regular cereal spoon, and it's always a solid move to bake one extra potato just in case. Other mix-ins could include diced broccoli florets, horseradish cream, ground sausage, sriracha, or even a little chili. You could also experiment with different cheeses and fillings to customize or elevate your spuds, like smoked cheddar and sage, goat cheese and chives, feta and dill, or nutty gruyere and mushrooms. To complete the meal, pair your twice-baked potatoes with roasted chicken, ribeye steak, or juicy pork chops and a fresh green salad. 

The chief difference between these spud-centric dishes is that potato skins showcase the skin, while twice-baked potatoes showcase the "meat" of the potato. Potato skins are crispy while twice-baked potatoes are plush and soft. Also, twice-baked potatoes are more of a fork-and-knife entree or side dish, whereas potato skins are a handheld appetizer through and through. You're likely to spy potato skins on the menu at your local pub, and more likely to find twice-baked potatoes on the menu at a steakhouse.

With both of these dishes, it's all about performing as a vehicle, and since the name of the game here is structural integrity, a potato that's high in starch and low in moisture like a russet is the ideal choice for making both dishes. Russets are also among the largest varieties of potatoes, which performs well for this entree dish. Both dishes are also a great way to use up leftover baked potatoes, which notoriously do not reheat well (unless bone-dry taters are your thing. In which case, blink twice if you need help). After making a batch of potato skins, you'll end up with a large bowl of tender scooped-out potato insides (leftovers lovers, rejoice!). These can be turned into mashed potatoes, fried into potato pancakes, or used to make shepherd's pie.