Garlic and Cheese Crosscut Baked Potatoes

The crosscuts start to spread as the potatoes bake, leaving little channels across the tops. Those openings are exactly where the garlic butter and melted cheese settle, so each bite gets more than a coating on the surface.

I make these garlic and cheese crosscut baked potatoes with large russets because their fluffy centers bake up tender while the potatoes stay intact enough to hold their shape. Cutting only partway through takes a little care, but it’s worth slowing down for: the potato should fan open, not split into pieces.

Once the cheddar and Parmesan melt into the cuts, the tops are buttery and savory, with soft potato underneath. Give them a few minutes to rest before serving, and the cheese stays nestled where you brushed it.

Why Those Crosscuts Stop Short of the Bottom

The cuts do two jobs at once: they open up more potato surface for the oil and seasonings, then give the garlic butter and cheese somewhere to settle. That’s what makes a crosscut potato different from one with a single slit across the top. You get little pockets of topping all the way across, rather than one narrow line of flavor.

Cutting all the way through works against that. The potato needs to stay whole while it bakes, or the sections can spread and lose the sturdy shape that makes them easy to serve. Aim for a shallow, even crosshatch about 1/4 inch deep. The cuts should be visible, but the bottom of each potato should remain unbroken.

Once the potatoes are tender, the openings will have widened and become easy to brush into. You don’t need to pry them apart; let the butter and cheese find their way into the cuts while the potato is still intact.

Why Russets Hold the Crosshatch Better Than Waxy Potatoes

• Russet potatoes — Their starchy flesh turns fluffy as it bakes, while the large, sturdy shape gives you room to make an even crosshatch. Scrub and dry them before cutting; a dry surface takes the olive oil and seasoning more evenly.
• Olive oil — It coats the cut tops before baking and helps the salt and pepper cling. Use an oil you like the taste of, but there’s no need to reach for an expensive finishing oil since it goes into the oven.
• Unsalted butter and garlic — Butter carries the minced garlic over the potato surface and into the cuts. Freshly minced garlic spreads through the butter more evenly than large pieces, so you get garlic in each brushful.
• Sharp cheddar and Parmesan — Sharp cheddar brings the familiar rich, melty layer; Parmesan adds a more concentrated, savory edge. Freshly grated Parmesan has a softer texture, but packaged grated Parmesan works when convenience matters.

From Shallow Cuts to Melted Cheese in Four Stages

Score the Tops Without Cutting Through

Heat the oven to 425°F and set a rimmed baking sheet on the counter. Cut a crosshatch pattern about 1/4 inch deep across the top of each scrubbed, dried potato, stopping before the knife reaches the bottom. Set them cut side up on the baking sheet, then brush with olive oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper. If the cuts are deep enough to open but the potatoes still hold together, you’ve got the right depth.

Bake Until the Centers Turn Tender

Bake the potatoes for 55 to 70 minutes, until the centers are fork-tender and the cuts have opened. The surface should look split along the crosshatch, not sealed flat. Potato size and oven differences affect where they land in that time range, so use the fork test rather than pulling them out while the centers are still firm. If your fork meets resistance, they need more time.

Warm the Garlic Gently in Butter

While the potatoes bake, melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Keep the heat low; garlic can turn bitter if it browns, and you want a mellow, fragrant butter to brush over the potatoes. Take the saucepan off the heat once the garlic smells aromatic.

Brush, Top, and Let the Cheese Melt

Brush the garlic butter over the tops and down into the open cuts, then add the cheddar and Parmesan. Return the baking sheet to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, just until the cheese has melted over the potatoes. Leave them on the baking sheet to rest for 5 minutes before serving. The cheese should look soft and glossy, not browned from an extended bake.

Two Simple Ways to Change the Cheese and Garlic Finish

Questions That Come Up Before the Potatoes Go in the Oven

Garlic and Cheese Crosscut Baked Potatoes

Garlic and cheese crosscut baked potatoes are baked until their centers are fork-tender and the cuts open, then finished with garlic butter, cheddar, and Parmesan. The crosshatched tops hold the melted cheese in every cut.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 9 minutes mins

Resting 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 24 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 560

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the potatoes

• 4 russet potatoes large (8 to 10 ounces each), scrubbed and dried
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 0.25 tsp black pepper

For the garlic butter and cheese

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Equipment

• 1 rimmed baking sheet

Method

 

Prepare the potatoes

1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
2. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the counter.
3. Cut a crosshatch pattern about 1/4 inch deep across the top of each potato, taking care not to cut all the way through.
4. Arrange the potatoes cut side up on the baking sheet.
5. Brush the potatoes with the olive oil.
6. Season the potatoes with the salt and pepper.
7. Bake for 55 to 70 minutes, until the centers are fork-tender and the cuts have opened.

Make the garlic butter and finish

1. While the potatoes bake, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
2. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
3. Brush the garlic butter over and into the potato cuts.
4. Top with the cheddar and Parmesan.
5. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
6. Let the potatoes rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Cut the crosshatch about 1/4 inch deep so the potatoes open without falling apart. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the potatoes can become mealy. For a dairy-free option, use plant-based butter and dairy-free cheddar and Parmesan-style shreds.