We had so much fun with the Bloomin’ Baked Apples I shared last month that my whole family decided that we needed to make some more bloomin‘ recipes. I’ve seen the fabulous bloomin‘ onion bread recipes online and one of these days I am going to try it but we wanted to go with something else. We tossed around ideas for other things that could be cut in a similar way and we decided on potatoes! Baked potatoes are good anyway, but then when you cut them, cover them with oil and salt and top them with cheese and bacon, you know they have to be delicious!
To make bloomin‘ baked potatoes, cut the top off of the potatoes. I used Yukon Gold.
Wondering what kind of potatoes to use? Here is a great article about potatoes: How To Choose Potatoes
Use a small, thin, flexible knife to cut rings around the inside of the potato.
Flip the potato over and make cuts all the way around the potato, leaving a small space at the top uncut. (I put my thumb on the top of the potato and made the cuts around it.) These cuts go all the way through to the center of the potato.
Carefully flip the potato back over. If you need to make of the of the cuts deeper, do that now.
Cutting the potatoes takes a little patience like making French macarons, dipping gummy bears in chocolate and wrapping bacon around chicken pieces, but the results are so worth it! If you still aren’t sure, try making these slow cooker baked potatoes instead.
Brush the whole potato with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Place the potatoes on foil and bake at 425 degrees. After 30 minutes of baking, brush the tops with additional olive oil and sprinkle with more sea salt. Return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
(The picture above shows what the potatoes looked like after 30 minutes of baking.)
This is what my potatoes looked like after baking for 1 hour.
Why not add some shredded cheddar cheese to the potatoes?
Return them to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes to melt and toast the cheese.
Remove them from the oven, carefully transfer them to serving plates and sprinkle with crispy bacon bits.
Go ahead and add sour cream, onions and whatever else you want and then dig in! These bloomin‘ baked potatoes were as delicious as they look. My girls were both gone when I made them and they were so disappointed that they missed out. Even Zack, who doesn’t eat baked potatoes, love these ones! The potato skins were crisp and salty, the inner layers were soft and cheesy. These Bloomin’ Baked Potatoes would work as an outstanding side dish or as a party appetizer.
- 2 potatoes
- ½ cup olive oil
- Sea salt (or other coarse salt)
- 4 tablespoons cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons bacon bits
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut the top off of the potatoes.
- Use a small, thin, flexible knife to cut rings around the inside of the potato.
- Flip the potato over and make cuts all the way around the potato, leaving a small space at the top uncut.
- Carefully flip the potato back over. If you need to make of the of the cuts deeper, do that now.
- Brush the whole potato with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Place the potatoes on foil and bake at 425 degrees. After 30 minutes of baking, brush the tops with additional olive oil and sprinkle with more sea salt. Return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
- Top potatoes with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Return them to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes to melt and toast the cheese.
- Remove them from the oven, carefully transfer them to serving plates and sprinkle with crispy bacon bits.
Here are a few more recipes to try:
Bloomin’ Baked Apples
Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Meatballs
Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes
Hi, I'm Tonia, a lover of food and photography! Fill a gunny sack with delicious ingredients, tie on an apron and let's get cooking!
Thank you for sharing. I really want to make the potatoes but my dilema is…i only i have 1 oven and im making prime rib…would the potatos hold up if i baked them prior to the prime rib, then placed them back in the oven with toppings while carving the prime rib? Or what would you suggest?
Yes, that is how I would do it. Or you can put them on a lower rack in the oven.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us. These potatoes look amazing. Gonna have to try them. : )
Awesome idea, thanks!!!@ 😊
These were so delicious! My kids all loved them, and requested to have them more often! I wouldn’t change a thing about them, thanks so much for the great recipe!
These are gonna be on the table for Christmas along with the roast beast!! Genius!! THANK YOU. HAPPY HOLIDAYS 😊😊
First time reading/finding you! LOVE those potatoes! There are times when I want just a nuked potato and either over cook it or need to hit it again . . . resulting in the over cooked version. Can you help? I’m never too embarrassed to ask for help – and sometimes need it after spending over 75 years in the kitchen. haha
Hi Eleanor! Do you always buy the same kind of potatoes? My mom always makes “baked’ potatoes in the microwave. She scrubs the potatoes, pokes holes, puts them in a microwave-safe casserole dish, adds enough water to cover the bottom of the dish and cooks on high until soft. Every microwave is different, so you will have to check them but it usually takes me about 9 minutes. Best of luck! ~Tonia
Are you wrapping it in tin foil when your done? If not do so if it is a little undercooked it will continue to cook a bit in the tinfoil.
Just stumbled across this and suddenly I want a potato. This is a genius idea. Pinned!!
We made these tonight. They were really good but didn’t “bloom”. Do you have any suggestions?
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed them! I’m not really sure but it might have been the kind of potatoes or possibly they were cut deep enough or close enough to the center of the potatoes. ~Tonia
Great idea!! I’m going to try this with sweet potatoes; mix some maple syrup in sour cream, add a bit of butter and brown sugar, and candy some bacon. Totally (disgustingly, really!) unhealthy for the body, but oh, so soothing for the soul! Thanks for sharing!
Tried these with Cream Delight (Aussie, dunno if you have them) and they are super delicious! Perfectly soft and chewy. Thanks so much for sharing!
I just tried making potatoes like this and they were awesome! Definitely doing it this way from now on instead of the traditional baked potato. Can’t say no to crispy + soft + salty 😉
This is pure genius! Thank you for sharing…
Made the bloomin’ baked potatoes and they were awesome! Thanks for sharing a great idea!
Going to try them all wiil let you know later how mine turned out.
I am a old cook never seen potatoes cooked like this, looks delish, so does your apple dish,nice job
You seems to be simply authentic, not clever.
Being auhentic is better than being clever, is’nt it?
Being authentic is higher than being clever!
I am so going to try these tonight as a side to go with my jalapeno cream cheese stuffed bacon wrapped pork loin!
I am already a sucker for potatoes but this looks extra yummy! Definitely want to give it a try.
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I am going to fix these potatoes for my youngest son’s birthday dinner (he’s 36 today)…his favorite foods are baked potatoes, fries and burgers. These will be a great side with the burgers. Thank you…I’ll pin & comment after preparing.
I’ve never seen potatoes prepped like this before! Pinning and definitely plan on making as soon as I can 🙂
I think I want to use the bacon and cheese from the potato on an apple!!! (Makes my mouth water just thinking about it!!)
Going to give the potatoes a try they look yummy! So does the apples but no buddy likes Carmel .
Thank you for allowing the printing of the recipe. I will be subscribing to the site!
You are very welcome and I’m delighted to have you as a follower!
What an awesome idea! Must try soon:)
Another great idea! Love them both. You are famous! 🙂
Wow Tonia, I don’t know which one I want to try first the apple or the potato!! What great ideas!
such a fun way to serve potatoes! love it
Thanks so much Heather!
This is amazing, Tonia!! Such a fabulous idea!
Thanks so much Lyuba!
Hi, When you put the potato back in oven, do you cover with aluminum foil again, or leave it open? These look delicious and going to try them… thanks
Hi Mary,
I did not cover them with foil. I set them on the foil in the oven rather than setting them on the oven rack, due to the olive oil on the potatoes. I wanted them to be uncovered so that they could get crispy! Enjoy!
~Tonia
What a great idea! These look so good!
This recipe is amazing, enough said 🙂
Thank you Beth!
This looks so delicious! My hubby will go crazy for it!
Thank you Ami! My husband loved it too!
All I am going to say is “yum”
Thanks Rhonda! I’ll bet your kids would love them!
Thanks for sharing this simple and delicious recipe. I am an enormous fan of sweet potatoes and am always looking for easy and tasty ways to eat them. Next time, I will make these beauties your way!
Thanks Angelina! Sweet potatoes are next on my list!
These look incredible! Everyone likes potatoes, cheese and bacon — definitely pinning!
So true! Thank you Ashley!
Oh god these baked potatoes look delicious! Love that you cut the potato so that all the cheesey goodness fills the insides.. definitely something that I need to try next time I make baked potatoes!
The more cheesey goodness the better, right? Thanks Thalia!
LOVE THIS! Pinned 🙂
Thanks so much Averie!