If you’ve never had Bacon Wrapped Dates, you’re missing out. Crispy, smoky bacon surrounds a sweet date filled with tangy cheese for the ultimate sweet-salty combination. With only three ingredients, party food doesn’t get much easier than this.
We’ve never been fans of dates on their own, but these are something else. If you prefer dried figs to dates, trim the fig stem, snip the top open, and follow the rest of the steps as written. We have a phenomenal fig and walnut fruit spread, too.
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Bacon Wrapped Dates
Bacon Wrapped Dates: the ultimate sweet-salty combination.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 24 large pitted dates
- 4 oz plain goat cheese (or Gorgonzola), crumbled
- 12 slices of smoked center cut bacon, cut in half lengthwise
Instructions
- Place oven rack in bottom position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and place a wire rack on one of the sheets (we’re going to drain off as much excess fat as possible in the first cooking stage). Set aside.
- Cut a slit lengthwise in the top of each date (scissors work well). Generously stuff each of the dates with goat cheese and pinch the tops to close.
- Wrap each date tightly with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. The bacon should wrap around about 1 1/2 times.
- Place the dates on the wire rack on the prepared sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Flip and bake another 8 minutes.
- Remove from oven and transfer dates to the other foil-lined pan (we’re going to finish crisping the bacon). Return to bottom oven rack and cook another 4 minutes each side, or until bacon is crispy on all sides.
- Drain on paper towel lined plate and serve warm or at room temperature. Let drain and rest for a minimum of 10 minutes after removing from oven. The centers are very hot.
Notes
Use a savory smoked bacon, not a sweet one. Thinner cuts work best. Center cut bacon just has the fatty ends trimmed off, so you can buy regular bacon, trim about an inch off of each end and then cut in half lengthwise.
Do the prep work ahead of time. The dates/figs can be stuffed and wrapped, then tightly covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for several hours to a day.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Snacks, Party Foods, Appetizers
- Method: Baking
Yum!