These Bacon and Bourbon Blue Cheese Potato Skins are a fan favorite every year for game day and the Super Bowl!
Aren’t potato skins some of the best snacks for watching sports?
They are such a classic appetizer and perfect for those homegating parties when entertaining family and friends.
And potato-anything is a winner in my book, just like these Bacon and Bourbon Blue Cheese Potato Skins!
The Bourbon Blue Cheese Sauce is the foundation of these potato skins.
This sauce started as a steak topper but I have been using it on everything!
And all of the potato skin variations have become rather popular around here, so I knew I had to combine the two in one amazing dish!
Each year for the Super Bowl, I get input for what people want me to bring. And something tells me that this year, potato skins will be on that list.
This is also our most popular potato skin recipe out of all the variations on the site!
Table of Contents
Making Potato Skin Shells
You can find detailed instructions on how to make the best potato skin shells here!
It is my favorite technique as I found using baked potatoes were just too soft and difficult to work with. Plus my technique above is so much faster!
You can also find pre made potato skin shells, without the fillings, in many grocery stores. Look in the area where the french fries are.
The topping possibilities are endless! Now that I have a recipe for perfect potato skins, it is somewhat dangerous because they are so good!
For a fast and easy appetizer, make the Bourbon Blue Cheese Sauce and the Potato Skin Shells in advance. Then you will be able to make these Bacon and Bourbon Blue Cheese Potato Skins in less than 20 minutes!
I am a big fan of making as much as I can in advance, because time always seems to fly when you are busy!
What do you think would be a great filling for potato skins?
Check out our other Potato Skin flavors!
Smoky Chicken Enchilada Potato Skins
Bacon and Bourbon Blue Cheese Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 12 potato skin shells (see note for recipe)
- 1 1/2 cups bourbon blue cheese sauce (see note for recipe)
- 3/4 cup monterey jack cheese shredded (or Mozzarella)
- 2-3 strips bacon cooked and chopped, optional
- 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles for garnish, optional
- 1-2 green onions sliced, for garnish, optional
- sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Make sure your Bourbon Blue Cheese Sauce and potato skin shells are ready to go. See notes for recipes. This can be done in advance or immediately before.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Once your potato skins are prepared (see note below for recipe), place them skin side down on a large cookie sheet.
- Fill each potato skin shell with the blue cheese sauce. If the sauce is thin, reduce the sauce over medium-low heat to thicken first. (Thin sauce will leak out of the potato skin when bitten into. You want the sauce to be similar in consistency of queso).
- Top each potato skin with the monterey jack cheese. You may need more or less depending on the exact size and shape of your potatoes.
- Sprinkle the bacon over each potato skin. Again, you may need more or less depending on how much bacon you like and the size of the potatoes. The pictures above show two slices worth of bacon.
- Place the potato skins in the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and is starting to turn a light brown, approximately 12-15 minutes.
- Remove the potato skins from the oven. If they have gotten too greasy, dab with a paper towel. Sprinkle with additional blue cheese crumbles and green onions if using. Serve warm with any leftover blue cheese sauce and sour cream for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Game Day Recipes
Potato Skin Recipes
Philly Cheesesteak Potato Skins
Philly Cheesesteak Potato Skins are packed with the same ingredients as the popular sandwich!
Balsamic Chicken Bruschetta Potato Skins
Balsamic Chicken Bruschetta Potato Skins are a light take on potato skins full of Italian flavors.
Spinach Artichoke Dip Potato Skins
Spinach Artichoke Dip Potato Skins use a variation of the popular dip in finger food
Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins
Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins are a fun new way to enjoy the same flavors as buffalo wings
Jalapeno Popper Potato Skins
Jalapeno Popper Potato Skins are full of a jalapeno cheese dip, with or without bacon
Green Chili Potato Skins
One of my favorites, Green Chili Potato Skins let the green chile peppers shine
Cubano Potato Skins
Inspired by the sandwich, Cubano Potato Skins are packed with ham, pickles, cheese, and mustard.
Wow, I haven’t made potato skins in years — I’m talking YEARS. These look really outstanding and such a delicious combination of flavors. My husband is particular to blue cheese, so I may have to try this for the playoffs this weekend!
Bourbon in a potato skin? Yes please! My husband would love these and perfect game day food.
You had me at bacon and bourbon… My husband would be forever in debt to me if I made these.
Perfect game day food! My family would gobble these up!
Oh drool! Serious, serious drool! I love, love, LOVE potato skins, and you just classed it up a bit with bourbon and blue cheese! Naaaice!
Oh drool! Serious, serious drool! I love, love, LOVE potato skins, and you just classed it up a bit with bourbon and blue cheese! Naaaice!
Oh my gosh I was already hungry and now I want to shove these in my face. These look amazing! I’m going to bookmark this 🙂
These sound amazing! I love your recipes! But dumb question, do you bake your potato skins in advance, then refrigerate them? Then day of fill and bake them again?
Hi Alyssa,
Thank you! They really are fantastic! (And no dumb questions 🙂 ) I have made them both ways. I often make them in advance, like the day before, and throw the shells in a tupperware and refrigerate until go-time. I have also baked them and then gone straight into filling them and finishing them off (as soon as they are cool enough to touch!) I have seen no difference in quality, just whatever works best for your schedule!
All versions are technically baked twice: once when you make the shells themselves, upside down. And then again when they are filled which is really just to get everything melted and warm since the potatoes are cooked through on the first round in the shell making process.
I hope this helps! Let me know how they turn out, I am sure you will love them!
These look absolutely amazing. WOW. Great flavor combination!
These were delicious! Thank you for the creative spin on potato skins!
Question… Have you tried freezing the sauce? I doubled it and have lots left over. Not sure if the heavy cream and bourbon would freeze well though…
Thanks, Ali! I am glad you liked them! I have not tried freezing it, although I know you can freeze dairy in general. It might separate a little when thawed. You could try whisking it back together and see if it sticks. If you try it out, let me know how it goes!
Kim. Oh my god. You are speaking to my SOUL with this recipe! Potatoes, bourbon blue cheese, bacon, sour cream, cheese, I can’t. I’m speechless. This is literally like the most perfect recipe ever. I’m making this IMMEDIATELY!