Baked Potato Sour Cream (Printable)
Fluffy baked potatoes with creamy sour cream and fresh chives, perfect as a satisfying side or snack.
# What You'll Need:
→ Potatoes
01 - 4 large russet potatoes
→ Toppings
02 - 1 cup sour cream
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
05 - Salt, to taste
06 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Set the oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Wash each potato thoroughly under running water and dry completely.
03 - Poke each potato several times with a fork to allow steam to escape during cooking.
04 - Place potatoes directly on the oven rack or on a baking tray and bake for 55 to 60 minutes until skins are crisp and a fork slides in easily.
05 - Remove from oven and let potatoes rest for 5 minutes.
06 - Cut each potato lengthwise without slicing all the way through. Gently press the ends to fluff the interior.
07 - If using, add a dollop of unsalted butter; season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
08 - Spoon sour cream generously onto each potato and sprinkle with finely chopped chives. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's foolproof enough for a busy weeknight yet fancy enough to serve when friends drop by—nobody needs to know it took ten minutes of hands-on work
- That crispy skin hiding a cloud-soft interior is a texture combination that somehow makes everything taste better, from a simple dinner to a fancy dinner party
- You can make these ahead and reheat them, which means you can feed a crowd without standing over the stove at the last minute
02 -
- Those fork pricks aren't just decoration—they're essential for preventing your potato from bursting in the oven and making a mess of your beautiful dinner
- Squeezing the potato gently after it's cooked breaks up the starch and creates that fluffiness inside—skip this step and you'll have a dense, brick-like potato
03 -
- Choose potatoes that are similar in size so they bake evenly—one potato won't be undercooked while another is overcooked
- The magic happens in those five minutes of resting time after baking, when the potato continues to cook slightly from residual heat and the flavors settle