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Dec 30, 2012

Mini Twice-Baked Potato Appetizers

These Mini Twice-Baked Potato Appetizers are are pretty much "comfort food meets the cocktail hour."

These Mini Twice-Baked Potato Appetizers are are pretty much "comfort food meets the cocktail hour."

The next time you throw a cocktail party or host a game day party, give these mini twice-baked potatoes a try. You will be a very popular host.

I have made these tiny potatoes many, many times. They are easy to prepare, can be assembled in advance, are transportable, and are almost impossible to mess up. Plus, when your guests are beginning to feel the need for some real food after a few cocktails, these are perfect.

These Mini Twice-Baked Potato Appetizers are are pretty much "comfort food meets the cocktail hour."



The hardest part about making these mini twice-baked potatoes is scooping out the potato flesh without breaking through the skins. I used baby Yukon Gold potatoes and the skins are fairly delicate. I use a demitasse spoon and make sure to leave about 1/4 to 3/8 inch of flesh to hold the skin together.
These Mini Twice-Baked Potato Appetizers are are pretty much "comfort food meets the cocktail hour."
These Mini Twice-Baked Potato Appetizers are are pretty much "comfort food meets the cocktail hour."

I like to use the smallest potatoes I can find, even though they are a bit of a pain. Tiny potatoes leave no doubt that these are finger food. No forks required. 

Make-ahead tip: These mini twice-baked potato appetizers can be assembled in advance, refrigerated or frozen, and baked later if you prefer. You and your guests will love them.
These Mini Twice-Baked Potato Appetizers are are pretty much "comfort food meets the cocktail hour."
potatoes, twice-baked potatoes
appetizers
American
Yield: 16 appetizers

MIni Twice Baked Potato Appetizers

ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon Gold or red potatoes, about 16 potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 1/2 ounces cooked and crumbled crispy bacon
  • 3 tablespoons sliced chives, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1 teaspoon dried chopped onions
  • 1/3 cup (plus more if necessary) sour cream
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not canned)

instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes in the olive oil, 1/2 of the thyme, salt, and pepper. Pierce the potatoes once with a fork. 
  2. Bake the potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, until they feel tender when pierced with a toothpick. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool enough to handle. 
  3. With a sharp knife, slice the tops off of the potatoes and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Discard the tops. 
  4. With a potato masher or a large fork, mash the potatoes. Add the bacon, chives (reserving some for sprinkling later), salt and pepper to taste, the rest of the thyme, the onions, and the sour cream, and mix until combined. 
  5. With a small spoon, stuff the mixture in all of the potato shells, mounding the tops. Place the shells on a baking sheet (I used the same one I just used to bake the potatoes) and top each with the Parmesan cheese. At this point, you can refrigerate the potatoes to bake later if you prefer. 
  6. Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through. Garnish with the rest of the chives. 
Created using The Recipes Generator

Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Appetizers, 2009

Would you like to comment?

  1. Yum .. this looks amazing! Wish I could make it tonight but will definitely be making soon ... happy NEW year!

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    Replies
    1. Happy New Year to you! I have eaten these as a main course when it's just me. True confession. Don't tell anyone.

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  2. I've seen this floating around on Google+! Great job, I can't wait to try them, I LOVE potato anything! ~Nicole Shepherd :)

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    1. Thanks Nicole! There's something about mini anything that makes them so much more appealing. And you are right. Potatoes? Can't miss.

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  3. Oh my, I was just thinking of making baked potatoes tonight. Now I'm inspired. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy the game!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you BettyAnn! You too. These potatoes are killer.

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  4. Can these be frozen and then reheated?

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  5. These will be perfect for Christmas snacking. Can I use cheddar rather than parmesean cheese? My family prefers cheddar.

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    Replies
    1. I'm sure it would be fine. Cheddar sounds fantastic.

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  6. My family is vegetarian so I was thinking of omitting the bacon and adding jalapenos. What do you think?

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    Replies
    1. I'm sure that would be perfect. You actually wouldn't need to substitute anything. Just leave the bacon out.

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    2. If i want to substitute bacon with anything, what would that be? really want to add some form of meat in this.

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  7. Going to make these as a side to a Chili cook off! I plan to make them a day ahead. Once I'm ready to bake them, is it still 15 min OR do I need to bake them longer since they are coming out of the fridge and not room temp? Let me know!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Lindsay, you might want to bring them out of the fridge and bring them to room temp first. If that's not possible, you might add a couple of minutes or so. They're pretty small, so they'll heat up pretty fast. They are perfect for a chili cookoff! These are one of my most popular recipes!

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