The sweetness of the Medjool dates pairs perfectly with the tanginess of the goat cheese and the smoky, salty, crispy bacon. It is like a salty, sweet, tangy love affair in your mouth.
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With the holidays approaching, these bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese are one of my go-to appetizers. They are easy to make and require only 5 ingredients. You can wow your guests with this fancy appetizer without spending much time in the kitchen. They are perfect for any party or any other special occasion. And they are so delicious that they disappear in no time at all!
The sweetness of the Medjool dates pairs perfectly with the tanginess of the goat cheese, and the smoky, salty, crispy bacon provides a delicious crunch. Take it up a notch by drizzling the roasted dates with a bit of honey.
It is like a salty, sweet, tangy love affair in your mouth. Salty from the bacon, deliciously sweet from the dates and the honey, and creamy and tangy from the goat cheese.
Why this recipe works
You can assemble these luscious bites ahead of time, so they are ready to bake as guests arrive. You can even bake them in advance and serve them at room temperature. However, I think they are best warm out of the oven.
Also, they are gluten-free and free of cow’s milk; most people can easily tolerate goat cheese.
For a nut-free version, omit the slivered almonds.
Suppose someone prefers not to eat pork or is vegetarian. In that case, you can leave the bacon off and simply finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to give them a nice salty touch the bacon would add.
Ingredients to use for this recipe
- Medjool Dates: Make sure to use these large soft, sweet dates. The smaller drier variety of baking dates that need to be soaked will not work with this recipe.
- Goat Cheese: I used plain but feel free to use an herbed one too if you like.
- Slivered Almonds
- Bacon: Buy a thin cut as it cooks evenly to perfect crispiness.
- Honey: preferably locally produced honey, when possible.
- Parsley: optional for garnish.
How to make these bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese
Place the top oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside. Or spray (or brush) a rack with some olive oil and fit over a sheet pan.
With a sharp knife, slice the dates lengthwise on one side to create an opening. Remove the pits and discard them. Set the dates aside.
Add the goat cheese, the almonds, and two tablespoons of honey to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
Using a small spoon, add a small amount of goat cheese mixture into the cavity of each date and gently squeeze closed. Set aside.
Cut the bacon slices in half. Place one-half slice of bacon on a clean work surface and place a stuffed date on top at one of the ends. Roll until the date is wrapped in the bacon and secure with a toothpick to hold it together.
Make sure that the bacon pieces wrap around the dates 1.5 times. If it’s covering more than that, trim your bacon slices, so they’re a little shorter. If the bacon layer is too thick, it won’t be crispy after cooking.
Repeat this process with the remaining stuffed dates.
Arrange the bacon-wrapped dates on the prepared baking sheet and place them in the oven. Bake until the bacon is evenly cooked and crispy, and the dates are heated through, for approximately 20-25 minutes.
Flip the dates a couple of times throughout the cooking time, using tongs, to ensure even bacon baking.
Remove from the oven and place the dates on a paper towel-lined plate. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with remaining honey, garnish with the fresh chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
Enjoy and watch them disappear!
Notes and Cooking Tips
These quick and easy appetizers are sure to be a big hit, so feel free to double or triple this recipe to make sure you have enough on hand.
A key factor is to use fresh, juicy Medjool dates (not the smaller drier variety of baking dates).
Make sure the goat cheese is at room temperature so it’s easy to mix and fill the dates with
Use thin-cut bacon, not thick-cut, as it cooks faster, evenly, and perfectly crisp.
Make sure that the bacon pieces wrap around the dates 1.5 times. If it’s covering more than that, trim your bacon slices, so they’re a little shorter. If the bacon layer is too thick, it won’t be crispy after cooking.
Use a small spoon to fill the dates with the goat cheese mixture. There is no need to use a piping bag -although it may seem to speed the process slightly.
Oven temperatures may vary; therefore, cooking times may vary according to your oven.
Cooking times may vary according to the thickness of your bacon. Monitor them closely after the 15-minute mark to avoid overcooking or burning.
Use a sheet pan fitted with a rack for more even and crispier results. When the dates are cooked on the lined baking sheet, they sit in their oils when the bacon fat renders. Both methods yield delicious stuffed dates, but they get golden brown all over and cook more evenly when done on a rack.
Variations for these stuffed dates
Wrap with prosciutto instead of bacon. Remember that prosciutto will cook and get nice and crisp faster than bacon. Therefore, you will need to decrease cooking time by half if using prosciutto.
For a vegetarian version of this appetizer, omit the bacon. Instead, simply finish the warm dates with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to give them a nice salty touch the bacon would add.
Use maple syrup instead of honey.
Replace the slivered almonds with chopped walnuts.
For a nut-free version, omit the slivered almonds or any other nuts.
Make-ahead tips
The dates can be assembled a day before baking and stored in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. Then, take them out of the fridge for about 5 minutes before baking.
To freeze: Fill the dates with cheese, wrap them with bacon, and secure them with a toothpick. Freeze on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once frozen, transfer the dates to a freezer storage bag and freeze for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Then bake them as directed.
Storing leftovers
Store leftovers in a glass container and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days. Remove the dates from the fridge and reheat them in the oven on a baking sheet at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until the bacon is crisp again.
More Appetizer Recipes
If you love this recipe, you will want to try these appetizers also
- Caprese Skewers With a Balsamic Glaze
- Greek Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Feta Dip – Htipiti
- Greek Roasted Eggplant Dip – Melitzanosalata
- Roasted Garlic Hummus
Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese
Ingredients
- 24 large whole Medjool dates
- 6 oz plain goat cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 3 tbsp honey divided
- 12 slice thin-cut bacon
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley leaves finely chopped optional for garnish
Instructions
- Place the top oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside. Or spray (or brush) a rack with some olive oil and fit over a sheet pan.
- With a sharp knife, slice the dates lengthwise on one side to create an opening. Remove the pits and discard them. Set the dates aside.
- Add the goat cheese, the almonds, and two tablespoons of honey to a medium bowl and stir to combine.
- Using a small spoon, add a small amount of goat cheese mixture into the cavity of each date and gently squeeze closed. Set aside.
- Cut the bacon slices in half.
- Place one-half slice of bacon on a clean work surface and place a stuffed date on top at one of the ends. Roll until the date is wrapped in the bacon and secure with a toothpick to hold it together. Make sure that the bacon pieces wrap around the dates 1.5 times. If it's covering more than that, trim your bacon slices, so they're a little shorter. If the bacon layer is too thick, it won't be crispy after cooking.
- Repeat this process with the remaining stuffed dates.
- Arrange the bacon-wrapped dates on the prepared baking sheet and place them in the oven. Bake until the bacon is evenly cooked and crispy, and the dates are heated through, for approximately 20-25 minutes.
- Flip the dates a couple of times throughout the cooking time, using tongs, to ensure even bacon baking.
- Remove from the oven and place the dates on a paper towel-lined plate. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
- Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with remaining honey, garnish with the fresh chopped parsley, and serve.
Notes
Notes and Cooking Tips
- These quick and easy appetizers are sure to be a big hit, so feel free to double or triple this recipe to make sure you have enough on hand.
- A key factor is to use fresh, juicy Medjool dates (not the smaller drier variety of baking dates).
- Make sure the goat cheese is at room temperature so it’s easy to mix and fill the dates with
- Use thin-cut bacon, not thick-cut, as it cooks faster, evenly, and perfectly crisp.
- Use a small spoon to fill the dates with the goat cheese mixture. There is no need to use a piping bag -although it may seem to speed the process slightly.
- Oven temperatures may vary; therefore, cooking times may vary according to your oven.
- Cooking times may vary according to the thickness of your bacon. Monitor them closely after the 15-minute mark to avoid overcooking or burning.
- Use a sheet pan fitted with a rack for more even and crispier results. When the dates are cooked on the lined baking sheet, they sit in their oils when the bacon fat renders. Both methods yield delicious stuffed dates, but they get golden brown all over and cook more evenly when done on a rack.
Variations for these stuffed dates
- Wrap with prosciutto instead of bacon. Remember that prosciutto will cook and get nice and crisp faster than bacon. Therefore, you will need to decrease cooking time by half if using prosciutto.
- For a vegetarian version of this appetizer, omit the bacon. Instead, simply finish the warm dates with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to give them a nice salty touch the bacon would add.
- Use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Replace the slivered almonds with chopped walnuts.
- For a nut-free version, omit the slivered almonds or any other nuts.
Make-ahead tips
The dates can be assembled a day before baking and stored in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. Then, take them out of the fridge for about 5 minutes before baking. To freeze: Fill the dates with cheese, wrap them with bacon, and secure them with a toothpick. Freeze on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once frozen, transfer the dates to a freezer storage bag and freeze for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Then bake them as directed.Storing leftovers
Store leftovers in a glass container and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days. Remove the dates from the fridge and reheat them in the oven on a baking sheet at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until the bacon is crisp again.Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and for entertainment purposes only. This information comes from online calculators. Although eatmediterraneanfood.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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Easy Air Fryer Roasted Baby Potatoes
Great recipe and super easy to make. You can’t just have one so control yourselves.
Thank you, Vasilis! Indeed, they are addictive!
These were amazing and so simple to make. Will be making them for EVERY holiday!
Thank you, Elizabeth!
One of my all-time favorite appetizers! Love that sweet and salty combo.
Love the sweet-savory flavors here!
I remember having something like this at a party years ago! This recipe inspired me to recreate that and I had forgotten how delicious these little bites are! Such a great appetizer recipe!
Sweet dates and salty bacon? A perfect match, but with the cream goat cheese inside, wow, I was in heaven! These were soooo good! I want more!