Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: These bacon wrapped dates are stuffed with goat cheese and sprinkled with an insanely delicious brown sugar spice rub. They’re going to be the hit of your next party!
How long it takes: 55 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: toothpicks, sheet pan, oven-proof wire rack
Servings: 10 (3 dates each)
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Pin ItIf you haven’t had bacon wrapped dates before, you are missing out. The name is a little bit of a misnomer, because they’re actually cheese stuffed and bacon wrapped, as if the bacon wasn’t enticing enough. The sweet, salty, and chewy situation is completely irresistible, and they pair so well with an ice cold beer. (So do these salty soft pretzel bites with beer cheese dipping sauce!)
I served these stuffed dates as an appetizer at a belated family Christmas party that finally happened in January (Christmas break colds and fevers are the worst!). These were a huge hit! I was sort of hoping there would be a few left for my breakfast but that was just wishful thinking.
Delicious Bacon Wrapped Dates
Sweet, savory, and smoky. A trifecta of deliciousness! Bacon wrapped dates have an irresistible combination of flavors, and each element is perfectly balanced. In my opinion, the brown sugar spice rub is what really makes this recipe stand out. It drives that salty-sweet combination home and adds that extra something.
Contrasting textures. Flavor is important but textures matter a lot too—and like flavor, you want balance here. The chewy dates, gooey cheese, and crisp bacon give you a little bit of everything you want in a party snack.
Can be made ahead. You can prep this appetizer ahead and bake it immediately before serving, which is immensely helpful when hosting a party because it frees up your time for more demanding tasks.
Perfect for any occasion. Bacon wrapped dates are equally at home with game day foods as they are with more elevated apps for a formal party. They’re versatile like that.
Ingredient Notes
- Dates: I used Deglet Noor dates which are smaller and firmer than Medjool dates. They’re also slightly less expensive. Store unopened containers in the pantry but once you open the package, dates should be refrigerated.
- Thick-cut bacon: I tested both regular and thick-cut bacon for this recipe. We liked the thicker slices much better because when the bacon-wrapped dates are baked, the more thinly sliced bacon seemed to almost disappear. We were much happier with results using thick-cut bacon.
- Goat cheese: Buy a log of plain goat cheese. We also tested other types of cheese but found that “melting” types of cheese had a tendency to ooze out of the dates and became tough and chewy. Goat cheese stays inside the dates.
- Dark brown sugar: Dark brown sugar has more molasses flavor than light which means it stands up better to the other big flavors in this recipe. That said, light brown sugar is fine too.
- Spices: The spices we chose, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne, have a little bit of heat which works really well with the sweet dates, bacon, and cheese. The spices are mixed with brown sugar and used as a rub.
- Wooden toothpicks: You’ll need one toothpick per date to pin the bacon in place. They also make a nice little handle for serving.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Dates
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a sheet pan with foil. Set a wire rack over the baking sheet and coat it with nonstick spray. These two steps will make your life a lot easier when it comes to clean-up time.
Make a pocket in the dates. Use a sharp paring knife to cut a slit into the side of each date. While you’re doing this, you can make sure the pits have all been removed. Occasionally, you’ll find a stray pit or remnant of a pit and no one wants to bite down on one of those!
Stuff the dates. Tuck ¾ teaspoon of goat cheese into the slit that you cut in the dates. I know that doesn’t sound like a lot of cheese but if you try to squeeze in too much cheese, you won’t be able to pinch the edges of the dates together.
Wrap the dates. Cut the bacon into thirds. Wrap a piece of bacon around each date, closing up the cheese-stuffed slit as much as possible. Use a toothpick to hold the bacon in place. Refer to the photos to see how to do it. You want the cut side of the date facing up and the ends of the bacon facing down. That way the cheese doesn’t run out as it melts. You can stick the toothpick all the way into the date. It works perfectly as a little handle to hold the appetizer when it’s served.
Make the rub. Whisk the brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne in a small bowl, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar.
Make Ahead
To get a head start on your bacon wrapped dates, assemble them up to the point of the brown sugar rub, then place them in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake them, turn the oven on to preheat. Roll the dates in the brown sugar mixture, arrange them on the wire rack, and bake as directed.
Coat the dates. Roll the dates in the brown sugar rub; use gentle pressure to make sure it sticks.
Bake. If you’re serving them right away, bake the stuffed dates in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp. Let the baked dates cool for five minutes (or longer if you want) before serving them. You don’t want to burn yourself or your guests with the hot goat cheese!
Recipe Variations
- Change up the spice rub. If you want more spice than sugar, you can double the spices in this recipe. Maple sugar would also be delicious in the rub if you happen to have it on hand, or add extra cayenne for more heat.
- Try another cheese. As I mentioned above, I like to stuff these with goat cheese because it doesn’t run out of the dates when it’s heated. If you aren’t a fan of goat cheese, try another soft cheese, such as cream cheese, feta, gorgonzola or blue cheese.
- Substitute almonds. I’ve also seen bacon wrapped dates stuffed with an almond instead of cheese, and this is another great choice.. Almonds have a nice crunch and are really terrific with the sweet dates and salty bacon.
Serving Ideas
Whether you’re having a cocktail party or a Super Bowl party, you’ll want to have a nice selection of appetizers and cocktails. Here are a few suggestions (it’s by no means an exhaustive list!).
- Appetizers. Sausage pinwheels are another fun finger food, and butternut squash crostini with ricotta are always popular at parties. Actually, crostini with any topping is a good idea and they are super versatile. Bacon wrapped water chestnuts with a tangy barbecue sauce are a great choice. Scroll down for more appetizer ideas below.
- Cocktails. Negroni cocktails make an excellent pairing with bacon wrapped dates. We also love this festive vanilla bourbon fizz or an apple cider mule (fall Moscow mule). Simple white wine spritzers are always a hit.
- Dips. I wouldn’t necessarily dip the bacon wrapped dates (although you could) but I don’t think any party spread is complete without at least one dip. Try this crab rangoon dip (it’s amazing!) or slow cooker spinach artichoke dip.
Refrigerate: Store leftover bacon wrapped dates in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: I like to reheat these bacon wrapped dates in the air fryer at 350ºF, but the regular oven works too; just remember to keep the slit side up so the cheese doesn’t spill out and don’t overheat them.
More Appetizer Recipes
Bacon Wrapped Dates
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) pitted dates, about 30 dates (Deglet Noor works best)
- 4 oz. log plain goat cheese
- 1 pkg. (16 oz.) thick cut bacon (see note)
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar (light brown is okay, too)
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pinch cayenne powder, or up to ⅛ teaspoon
- 30 wooden toothpicks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with foil. Place an oven-safe wire baking rack on top of the baking sheet. Spray baking rack lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- With a sharp paring knife, cut a small slit in each date, making sure not to slice all the way. (Be sure to remove pits if you didn't buy pitted dates or if any fragments remain). Fill the opening of each date with about ¾ teaspoon goat cheese. Pinch the opening closed around the cheese.1 pkg. (8 oz.) pitted dates, about 30 dates, 4 oz. log plain goat cheese
- Cut strips of bacon into thirds. Wrap a piece of bacon around each cheese-filled date and secure with a toothpick. It’s best if the cut side of the date is facing up and the ends of the bacon are facing down (see photos).1 pkg. (16 oz.) thick cut bacon
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne; stir with a fork until well-combined.¼ cup dark brown sugar, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 pinch cayenne powder, or up to ⅛ teaspoon
- Roll the stuffed wrapped dates in sugar mixture, pressing down lightly to secure it to the dates. Place the dates on the wire rack with the ends of the bacon facing down so the cheese doesn’t run out of the top slit.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is cooked. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. The toothpicks can remain in the dates to be used as handles.
Notes
- Bacon: We used thick cut Oscar Mayer bacon. If you use a thinner or thicker bacon, cook time will vary slightly. Keep an eye on them towards the end of baking time so the bacon doesn’t get too brown.
- Servings: I usually figure on about 3 stuffed dates per person but that would depend on what you’re serving along with them.
- Kick it up a notch. The brown sugar topping is subtle and not spicy. If you want bolder flavor, try doubling all the spices and keeping the brown sugar measurement the same.
- Stuff them with almonds. A whole almond stuffed in each date is a great alternative to cheese. In fact, you may want to do a double batch: one with cheese and one with almonds!
- Make ahead: The stuffed dates can be made an hour or two ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake. However, if you want to make them a day or two ahead, assemble the stuffed dates up to the point of the brown sugar rub, then refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake them, turn the oven on to preheat. Roll the dates in the brown sugar mixture, arrange them on the wire rack, and bake as directed.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
I want to use this recipe, for the bacon wrapped dates and possibly add a partial asparagus spear. The only problem I may run into is that they will be served at a wedding reception and I will not be able to use the oven (private home and warm weather). Can I bake them just before I leave home and place in my glass casserole dish that will be placed in the special carry-all bag with the enclosed hot pack? They shouldn’t get too dried out, if any at all, do you think? The wedding and reception will be on August 6, 2022. Thank you, for any suggestions, you have and will be greatly appreciated!
I would be a little worried about food safety and not keeping them at a safe temperature. They’d probably taste fine that way but I can’t advise on the safety aspect of it, sorry.
I make it with Blue cheese and partially cook the bacon and then wrap and bake. I want to try the spice rub next time I make these.
Sounds delicious! I love the spice rub, it adds a lot of spicy sweet flavor.
I made up an extra large batch for Christmas dinner… we’re excited to try them!
I hope you loved them!
Rachel congratulations on the recipe, big family had to make two portions of this. Loved it so much practice thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Excited to make these for a party we’re going to tonight. Would it work to make these ahead of time and reheat at the party?
I think I’m too late, but I’m not sure that’s the best method…I’d wrap them and get them all ready and then bake them at the party if possible. Otherwise they might get a little dry…
Did you try it?
those look dangerously good
Great idea. Might even pop some liver in mine as well
Interesting! I hope you love them!