what temperature for baked potatoes

For classic, fluffy baked potatoes with crisp skin, set your oven to about 400°F (204°C) and bake until the centers reach roughly 205–210°F internally, usually 45–60 minutes for medium russets.

Quick Scoop

• Best oven temperature: 400°F (204°C) for most standard russet potatoes.

• Internal doneness temp: about 205–210°F (96–99°C) in the thickest part of the potato.

• Typical timing: 45–60 minutes at 400°F for medium potatoes; smaller cook a bit faster, larger can take up to 75+ minutes.

• Lower temps (350–375°F): work, but take longer and can give denser insides and less crisp skin.

• Hotter ovens (425–450°F): give extra‑crispy skins but increase the risk of the outside overbrowning before the center is perfect.

Simple method

1. Heat oven to 400°F (204°C).

2. Scrub potatoes, dry well, poke a few holes with a fork.
3. Rub lightly with oil and salt if you like crisp, seasoned skin.
4. Bake on the rack (with a tray underneath) until a fork slides in easily or an instant‑read thermometer in the center reads about 205–210°F.

5. Rest a few minutes, then split and fluff with a fork before adding toppings.

Tiny bonus tip

• Skip wrapping in foil if you want a true baked texture—foil traps steam and makes the skin soft and more “boiled” than baked.

TL;DR: Use 400°F, aim for about 205–210°F inside, and adjust time by potato size.