Twice Baked Potatoes (My Grandfather's Famous Recipe) (2024)

Published October 31, 2016. Last updated November 17, 2019 By Elizabeth Lindemann &nbsp&nbsp/&nbsp&nbspThis post may contain affiliate links.

I simply cannot remember a holiday mealwithout my late grandfather’s famous recipe for Twice Baked Potatoes. I can’t think of a better way to kick off #PotatoPalooza week than with the potato recipe that has the best memories for me, not the mention the MOST DELICIOUS taste ever!

Thank you so much to the Idaho Potato Commission for sponsoring this post! As always, all opinions and endorsem*nts are my own.

What is #PotatoPalooza, you ask? I’m glad you did. This week, I’ll be partnering with Panning the Globe and Omnivore’s Cookbook to bring you holiday potato recipes EVERY SINGLE DAY, Monday through Friday. That’s fifteen of the best, most delicious potato recipes that you can add to your holiday menu. (Thanks so much for the folks at theIdaho Potato Commission, who made this event happen!)

Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, folks(no pressure)!Christmasand Hanukkah are just a few weeks after that(again, no pressure).If there were ever a time to be thinking about potatoes, it’s now.

Lisa at Panning The Globe shares delicious international recipes adapted for the home cook. Maggie at Omnivore’s Cookbook shares delicious Chinese and Asian recipes, geared to non-Chinese home cooks. And I, as you know, write about real food for busy people- recipes made from wholesome ingredients that are freezable, make ahead, quick and easy, or made in the slow cooker.

To me, the star of any Thanksgiving meal is the potatoes. Turkey’s great, and so are green beans… but the potatoes. Mmm, mmm. And I have to say that this potato promotion is happening at an extremely convenient time, since my #1 pregnancy craving has been potatoes.

I’ve adapted these twice backed potatoes from my grandfather’s original recipe to be a bit creamier and healthier(well, healthier in that he used Crisco, and I used butter, which is at least a natural fat!). His story is very familiar to first generation Greek immigrants of his time: he co-owned a restaurant and made delicious, delicious food. The locals of Manchester, NH(where Roy’s Restaurant was located) can still recall the items on the menu and diningthere regularly.

I don’t believe that these potatoes were on his menu, but you can rest assured that they are damn delicious, as was everything else he cooked. I’m so happy to be able to share his recipe with you all, and with an even larger audience thanks to The Idaho Potato Commissionsponsoring this post and making me a featured blogger on their website! You can find the recipe on their website as well. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy that other families across America may enjoy my grandfather’s twice baked potatoes, and maybe even make it a tradition of their own :-)

Fair warning: this recipe for twice baked potatoes is pretty labor intensive. However, there are a couple of reasons why these are perfect to make for Thanksgiving, or any other holiday meal:

1. You can make them ahead of time. Just assemble them and keep in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to do the second round of baking. This means you could literally make them TODAY and have one dish prepared for your Thanksgiving meal. Make sure to defrost them/bring them to room temperature before putting them in the oven!
2. They freeze well. Unlike other twice baked potatoes, which can sometimes turn a funny texture in the freezer, these hold up beautifully. Why? All of the fat. I certainly didn’t skimp on the fat here- and in my opinion, you shouldn’t even give it a second thought when it comes to Thanksgiving. The fact that every starchy morsel of these potatoes is wrapped in cream and butter protects the texture from going haywire in your freezer.In addition to making them ahead of time and freezing, you can also freeze any leftovers you have(in the unlikely event thatare any, of course!).

This recipe serves 8 people and uses 4 potatoes. If you’re expecting more company for the holidays, you can very easily double it, or just add a few more potatoes to the mix and top off the other ingredients with estimated amounts. The recipe is very forgiving- using more or less cream, butter, or onions won’t make a difference.

Your life will be easier when making this recipe if you:

1. Mix the potatoes immediately.You should wait until they’re cool enough to handle, but once they are scooped out into a mixing bowl, don’t wait to add the cream, butter, onions, and parsley. Once, I waited for too long, and the texture of the potatoes turned gummy and dense. The hotter the potatoes are when you mix them, the fluffier they will be.
2. Use an electric hand mixer. It will make the smoothest consistency for the potatoes in the easiest way possible.(if you don’t have one, you can definitely use a masher and do it the old fashioned way.)
3. Use a wire rack on your baking sheet.It allows air to circulate around the entire potato, ensuring even cooking and crispy skin. Plus, if you put foil down over the baking sheet to catch any crumbs or drips, it makes cleanup a breeze!

Also, this post on how to make perfect baked potatoes may be helpful for you.

Be sure to check out theseBaked Potato Chips with Chinese BBQ Mix from Omnivore’s Cookbook (an awesome appetizer or snack to feed your guests), and thisRusset and Sweet Potato Tian with Brown Butter and Sage! And you’ll love this recipe for mashed potato cakes.

Recipe for Twice Baked Potatoes below- enjoy!