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This sweet & savory bacon-wrapped dates recipe couldn’t be easier or more delicious. Using only 2 ingredients for classic wrapped dates or 3 ingredients for a cheese-stuffed option, they’re a simple appetizer with BIG flavor, guaranteed to always be a hit at snacktime and parties alike.
🥓 What Makes This Recipe So Good
- While the cheese-stuffed option is delicious, you really only need 2 ingredients to make an incredible bacon-wrapped date appetizer. They’re so good on their own that I promise you won’t be disappointed if you skip the goat cheese. I’ve been making these for YEARS and still I whipped up a batch the other day and may or may not have eaten like 15 of them in one sitting…
- The dates are naturally sweet, and when you wrap them with salty, savory, smoky bacon, they transform into something else entirely. I mean, they don’t literally transform, obviously. You still have bacon wrapped around dates. But the way the flavors work together is just out-of-this-world incredible. Go ahead and plan to double the recipe because your guests are definitely going to scarf these down in no time.
- There’s something sort of zen-like about putting these together. Some dishes you really have to labor over. With bacon wrapped dates, though, you can get into a rhythm of stuffing (optional), wrapping, skewering, and placing that’s actually a little relaxing.
👩🏼🍳 Chef’s Tips
- If you can’t find or don’t have already-pitted dates, that’s totally fine. You’ll just need to remove the pit yourself! It’s super easy, so don’t panic. Just carefully cut a slit in the date lengthwise, being careful not to cut all the way through. Gently open the date and remove the pit. Repeat with the rest of the dates!
- I recommend using thin-cut bacon for this dish. Since it’s thinner, it’ll cook up faster, and it’s more likely to cook through evenly and crisp up nicely. We do bake the bacon for 10 minutes or so before wrapping it around the dates to give it a head start, but even still. With thick-cut bacon, you risk the inner layer not cooking as much as the outer layer, which can throw off the texture of the appetizer.
- Avoid overlapping too much of the bacon, or it’ll be too thick and will cook unevenly. I’ve found that cutting the bacon strips into thirds usually allows me to wrap a date completely without having to overlap the ends of the bacon too much. Sure, for some dates that might still be too long, and for others it might be just too short, but for the most part, it works well. If you’re able to wrap the bacon 1 ½ or even 2 times around the date, you’ll want to trim that piece of bacon down.
- If you like a good dipping sauce (who doesn’t), serve your bacon wrapped dates with honey, maple syrup, or even a little hot honey. This works for both the classic version and the cheese-stuffed dates, by the way! Goat cheese with a little honey is unbelievable.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! They’re best when they’re served warm, but you don’t have to keep them warm for the duration of your party. They also taste good lukewarm or at room temp. Bacon wrapped dates can safely sit at room temperature for a maximum of 2 hours.
Bacon and dates are incredible exactly how they are, but sometimes you want a little something more. I get it. Goat cheese is my cheese of choice for stuffed bacon-wrapped dates. You could also try feta, blue cheese, ricotta, mascarpone, Boursin, or even cream cheese. It just depends on the flavor and texture you’re craving.
Sure! Prepare the bacon as instructed in the recipe, then wrap it around the dates. Once the dates are wrapped securely, place the dates in an airtight container and refrigerate them up to 24 hours. Finish baking them straight from the fridge (add time as needed!) or let them come to room temperature before baking.
The best options are the oven and the air fryer! You don’t need long in either, just a few minutes or so until the dates are warmed-through completely. I recommend 350°F in the oven or 300°F in the air fryer. You can also reheat them under the broiler, if your broiler allows you to set it to “low” heat.
🫕 Other Party-Perfect Dishes Your Guests Will Love
- Garlicky Broiled Shrimp
- Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Salad
- Air Fryer Potato Skins
- 3-Ingredient Boursin Dip
- Perfect Deviled Eggs with Bacon
- 4-Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip
- Memphis-Style Cheese & Sausage Plate
- Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms
- Bacon-Wrapped Scallops with Herb-Butter Sauce
- Banana Pudding Brownies
- Creamy Jalapeño Popper Dip (Low Carb, Keto)
2-Ingredient Bacon-Wrapped Dates (with Stuffed Option)
Ingredients
For Classic Bacon-Wrapped Dates
- 6 slices thin-cut bacon cut into equal thirds
- 18 pitted dates see Notes
For Cheese-Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Dates
- 6 slices thin-cut bacon cut into equal thirds
- 18 dates pitted, see Notes
- 3-6 tablespoons goat cheese divided, to taste
Equipment
- Oven
- Large baking sheet
- Wire baking rack
- Cutting board optional, for stuffed dates
- Sharp paring knife optional, for stuffed dates
- Spoon optional, for stuffed dates
- 18 toothpicks
Instructions
For Classic Bacon-Wrapped Dates
- Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Fit large baking sheet with wire baking rack.
- Arrange 18 bacon pieces evenly across wire rack, making sure pieces do not overlap.
- Place baking sheet in preheated oven. Cook bacon 10 minutes or until some fat has rendered but bacon is still floppy.
- When bacon is ready, carefully removing baking sheet from oven and set aside. Let bacon rest until cooled enough to handle easily.
- Once bacon has cooled enough, wrap 1 piece of bacon around middle of 1 date. Bring ends of bacon together on other side of date and secure with toothpick, pushing toothpick through both ends of bacon at once and skewering date and other side of bacon.
- Place bacon-wrapped date on wire rack and repeat until all dates have been wrapped and skewered.
- Once all dates have been wrapped, return baking sheet to preheated oven. Bake 10 minutes more or until bacon is crisp, firm, and richly orange-red in color. Adjust bake time as needed, checking doneness often to avoid burning bacon.
- Carefully remove baking sheet from oven and set aside. Let bacon-wrapped dates cool 2 to 3 minutes then transfer to serving platter. Serve warm.
For Cheese-Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Dates
- Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Fit large baking sheet with wire baking rack.
- Arrange 18 bacon pieces evenly across wire rack, making sure pieces do not overlap.
- Place baking sheet in preheated oven. Cook bacon 10 minutes or until some fat has rendered but bacon is still floppy.
- When bacon is ready, carefully removing baking sheet from oven and set aside. Let bacon rest until cooled enough to handle easily.
- While bacon cools, carefully cut each date lengthwise, starting at one end of date and slicing to other end, being careful not to cut through date completely.
- Gently open each date. Spoon ½ to 1 teaspoon goat cheese into each date as desired, gently packing goat cheese into date with spoon when needed. Once filled, lightly press date closed and set aside. Repeat until all dates have been stuffed with goat cheese.
- Once bacon has cooled enough, wrap 1 piece of bacon around middle of 1 reassembled date. Bring ends of bacon together on either side of date without cutline down center. Secure with toothpick, pushing toothpick through both ends of bacon at once, skewering date and other side of bacon.
- Place bacon-wrapped stuffed date on wire rack and repeat until all dates have been wrapped and skewered.
- Once all dates have been wrapped, return baking sheet to preheated oven. Bake 10 minutes more or until bacon is crisp, firm, and richly orange-red in color. Adjust bake time as needed, checking doneness often to avoid burning bacon.
- Carefully remove baking sheet from oven and set aside. Let bacon-wrapped dates cool 2 to 3 minutes then transfer to serving platter. Serve warm.
Notes
- Dates: You can use any type of date. I prefer Deglet Noor for a better bacon-to-date ratio, and they’re often already pitted. Medjool are delicious and rich, too, with a softer, more substantial flesh.
- Cheese: How much cheese you’ll use per date depends on your preferences and the size of the cavity left once the date pit is removed. Packing the cheese into the cavity will help you fit more cheese in.
- Make it Whole30/Paleo: Use sugar-free, compatible bacon. Do not use goat cheese.
Video
Nutrition Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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I’ve made this for years. Sometimes I put almonds in the dates and soak them in sherry before wrapping and baking
Thanks for the tip, Karen! Glad you enjoy!