Bacon Wrapped Dates With Goat Cheese

This bacon wrapped dates recipe features sweet Medjool dates filled with creamy goat cheese, wrapped in bacon, and finished with a honey drizzle. Perfect for cocktail parties, holiday dinners, or any elegant occasion! 

Need an easy yet elegant appetizer to impress your guests? These bacon wrapped dates recipe is your answer.

They make such a fun, sweet, and savory dish. They cook in minutes and are seriously addictive.

Why this recipe works

These dates may look incredibly fancy, but they are ridiculously easy to whip up.

• Incredible flavor and texture. With every bite, you’ll experience an irresistible explosion of sweet, savory, and creamy flavors.
• Quick and easy. Stuffed dates wrapped in bacon are not only show-stopping, but also one of easiest and fastest appetizers you can throw together on a whim. 
• Versatile. You can easily swap the creamy goat cheese filling and the golden honey drizzle with a wide range of fillings and toppings to make this recipe your own.

Ingredients needed

These bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese are so easy and besides the name saken ingredients, there isn’t much else needed to make. Here is what you’ll need:

• Medjool dates. These dates are large and sweet with a soft, pliable texture, making them the best type for stuffing. You can use deglet noor dates if that’s what you already have at home, but just know they’re smaller, drier, and less sweet.  
• Bacon. Use regular, thin-cut bacon with a higher ratio of meat to fat. I don’t recommend thick-cut bacon, as it’s not as easy to wrap around the dates and takes longer to get crispy. 
• Goat cheese. This is the best cheese for stuffed dates! Its spreadable consistency makes it easy to stuff while its tangy, slightly salty flavor complements the caramel-like sweetness of the dates beautifully.
• Honey. It adds an extra layer of sweetness while creating a caramelized, sticky glaze during baking.

How to make bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese

Dates wrapped in bacon are easy to make: just remember to choose dates that are fresh, firm, and larger if possible.

Stuff with goat cheese: Make a small incision down the center of each date and remove the pits. Stuff each one with goat cheese.  

Wrap in bacon: Gently pinch the dates closed and wrap each one with a half-slice of bacon. Secure the bacon with a toothpick, then place the dates on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Bake until crispy: Drizzle honey over the top of each date, then bake until the bacon is crispy.

How to make air fryer bacon wrapped dates

Did you know you can make bacon wrapped dates in the air fryer? Here’s the process to do so:

1. Prepare the dates as instructed.
2. Place them in a greased air fryer basket.
3. Air fry at 200C/400F for 10 minutes.

Be sure to air fry the dates in a single layer to ensure even cooking.

Tips to make the best recipe

• Soften the goat cheese. Take the goat cheese out of the fridge and set it on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes before making this recipe. The softened goat cheese will be much easier to work with!
• Consider par-cooking the bacon. If you want the bacon around the dates to be extra crispy, pan-fry or bake it until it’s just starting to brown but is still pliable.
• Cool before serving. The goat cheese filling will be very hot fresh out of the oven, so it’s best to let the dates cool slightly before serving.

Flavor variations 

Change the fillings and toppings in this sophisticated snack to find your perfect flavor:

Cheese. Feel free to substitute the goat cheese for blue cheese, cream cheese, mascarpone, brie, or ricotta. 

Nuts. For a warm nutty flavor and a pleasant crunch, leave room inside each date for an almond, walnut, pecan, or pistachio.

Dairy free alternatives. To make dairy free stuffed dates, experiment by filling the dates with vegan cream cheese, peanut butter, or almond butter. 

Topping ideas. Try drizzling maple syrup or sprinkling brown sugar over the assembled dates before baking. After baking, sprinkle shredded coconut or orange zest on top for an enhanced taste, texture, and presentation.

Storage instructions

To store: Allow the leftovers to cool before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. 

To freeze: The leftovers also freeze well for up to 2 months. Just thaw them in the refrigerator before reheating.

To reheat: Lay the dates on a baking sheet and reheat them in a 350ºF (175ºC) oven until they’re heated through and the bacon is crispy.

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