Sweet Potato Skins

Bake the sweet potatoes

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Set a rack in the middle. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil.

2. Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes. Poke each one a few times with a fork, then set on the baking sheet.

3. Bake 40 to 55 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Smaller sweet potatoes may be ready closer to 40 minutes.

Scoop into boats

4. Cool 10 minutes. This helps steam escape so the skins crisp better later.

5. Slice lengthwise. Cut each sweet potato in half from end to end.

6. Scoop out most of the flesh into a bowl, leaving about 1/8 to 1/4 inch attached to the skin.

   Go gentle: Use a spoon and work slowly so you do not puncture or tear the skins. Keep the skins right on the sheet pan to keep things simple and less messy.

   Save the scooped sweet potato for another use (see Pip’s bonus tip below).

Crisp the skins

7. Brush the inside and edges of each skin with olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper.

8. First crisp: Place skins cut-side down and bake 10 minutes.

9. Second crisp: Flip skins cut-side up and bake 8 to 12 minutes more, until the edges look dry and lightly browned.

Make the filling

10. While the skins crisp, cook the bacon if you have not already. Crisp it, drain well, then crumble.

11. In a bowl, stir together sour cream, green onions, lime juice (if using), and the remaining 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Stir until smooth. Taste and add more salt only if it needs it.

12. Fold in most of the cheddar and most of the bacon, saving a little of each for topping.

Fill and finish

13. Cool the skins 3 to 5 minutes on the pan after crisping. This tiny pause prevents trapped steam from softening the bottoms.

14. Fill each skin with a heaping spoonful of the mixture. Sprinkle with the reserved cheddar and bacon.

15. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, just until the cheese melts and everything is hot.

16. Top and serve. Add extra green onions, a few pickled jalapeños (well drained), or hot sauce.

Holding tips

• Do not cover with foil once crisped. Covering traps steam and softens the bottoms.
• Vent if you must hold warm: Keep skins on a wire rack over a sheet pan in a 200°F oven, uncovered, up to 30 minutes.
• Fill close to serving: For the crunchiest result, crisp the skins first, then fill and do the final melt right before you serve.
• Avoid wet toppings: Drain anything briny or juicy (jalapeños, salsa, pico) and add it at the last second.

Pip’s bonus tip

That scooped sweet potato flesh is gold. Mash it with a pat of butter and a pinch of salt for a quick side, or stir it into pancake batter for a cozy breakfast situation.