Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes

The first cut into a twice-baked potato can go sideways fast: the skin splits, the filling falls through, and the best part ends up stuck to the spoon. I leave a little potato attached to each skin so it can hold the filling through its second trip in the air fryer. These Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes come out with a soft, buttery center and a melted cheddar top, without turning on the oven.

I cook the potatoes whole first, then scoop and mash the centers with butter, sour cream, milk, cheddar, salt, and pepper. That first cook gives the insides time to soften before they’re mixed, while the second, shorter cook warms the filling and melts the cheese. A few sliced green onions finish each potato with a fresh, savory bite.

Why Similar-Size Russets Keep the First Air-Fry Predictable

Potatoes that look close in size tend to finish at about the same time. That matters here because both potatoes cook whole before you cut them open; if one is much larger, its center may still feel firm when the smaller one is ready. Choosing two russets around the same size gives you a better shot at soft centers and skins that are sturdy enough to refill.

Russets also suit this two-stage treatment. Their fluffy interiors mash readily with the butter, sour cream, and milk, while their skins hold the filling once the potato has been scooped. A waxier potato won’t give you the same light mash, and its skin may be less satisfying as a little bowl. The knife test is still your best guide, since potato shape and air fryer performance vary even when the potatoes look like a matched pair.

What the Russets, Dairy, and Sharp Cheddar Each Bring

• Russet potatoes — Their starchy flesh turns fluffy when cooked and mashed, and the skins make practical shells for the filling. Choose firm potatoes without soft spots; russets are the right choice for this texture, rather than a waxy variety.
• Olive oil and kosher salt — A thin coating of oil helps the salt cling to the outside and seasons the skin as it cooks. Use the divided salt in its two separate stages so the potato flesh and the skin both get seasoned.
• Butter, sour cream, and milk — Butter gives the mash richness, sour cream adds a pleasant tang, and milk loosens the cooked potato so the filling is easy to spoon back into the shells. Sour cream is doing more than adding moisture, so leaving it out changes both the taste and texture.
• Sharp cheddar — Its stronger flavor comes through in the creamy filling and the melted layer on top. Shred the cheese before you start assembling; it’s easier to divide between the filling and the topping that way.
• Black pepper and green onions — Pepper adds a little warmth to the mash, while sliced green onions bring a fresh finish after cooking. Keep the onions for the final sprinkle if you want their flavor to stay bright.

From Whole Potato to Hot, Cheesy Filling

Season the skins evenly

Preheat a 5- to 6-quart air fryer to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes and dry them well, then prick each potato several times with a fork. Rub them with the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt; drying first helps the oil coat the skin instead of sliding over a damp surface.

Cook until a knife slides in easily

Set the potatoes in the air fryer and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, turning them halfway through. Check the center with a knife rather than relying only on the outside color. The potato is ready when the knife slides easily into the center; if the middle still feels firm, it needs more cooking before you scoop it.

Mash the filling without losing the shells

Let the potatoes cool for 10 minutes, then cut each one in half lengthwise. Scoop the flesh into a bowl, leaving about 1/4-inch-thick shells so they can support the filling. Mash the potato with the butter, sour cream, milk, 1/4 cup of the cheddar, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper until combined. Stop once the mixture comes together; a few soft bits are preferable to a filling worked past that point.

Melt the cheddar over the filled potatoes

Spoon the mash back into the shells and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar over the tops. Air-fry the filled potatoes at 375°F for 5 to 8 minutes, until they’re hot throughout and the cheese is melted. Finish with the sliced green onions, then let the potatoes rest for 5 minutes before serving so the filling settles.

Two Small Changes Using the Same Ingredients

Questions That Come Up While Making These Potatoes

Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes

Air fryer twice baked potatoes are filled with a creamy butter, sour cream, and cheddar mixture, then air-fried until hot with melted cheese on top. Green onions add a fresh finish to the crisp potato shells.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 47 minutes mins

cooling and resting 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 320

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 russet potatoes large (about 10 ounces each)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt divided
• 2 tbsp butter
• 0.25 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp milk
• 0.5 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded, divided
• 0.125 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp green onions sliced

Equipment

• 1 5- to 6-quart air fryer

Method

 

1. Preheat a 5- to 6-quart air fryer to 400°F.
2. Scrub and dry the potatoes, then prick each several times with a fork.
3. Rub the potatoes with the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
4. Air-fry the potatoes for 35 to 45 minutes, turning halfway through, until a knife slides easily into the centers.
5. Let the potatoes cool for 10 minutes.
6. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise.
7. Scoop the flesh into a bowl, leaving about 1/4-inch-thick shells.
8. Mash the potato flesh with the butter, sour cream, milk, 1/4 cup of the cheddar, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper until combined.
9. Spoon the filling back into the potato shells and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheddar.
10. Air-fry the filled potatoes at 375°F for 5 to 8 minutes, until hot throughout and the cheese is melted.
11. Sprinkle with the green onions.
12. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

For sturdy shells, leave about 1/4-inch of potato when scooping. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days; freezing is possible, though the filling may soften after thawing. For a dairy-free version, use dairy-free butter, sour cream, milk, and cheddar.