Description
These Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese are a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors wrapped in crispy bacon. Stuffed with creamy goat cheese and rolled in a spiced brown sugar mixture, they make an irresistible appetizer or snack that’s easy to prepare and bake.
Ingredients
Scale
Dates & Filling
- 2 (8 ounce) packages Pitted Medjool Dates (21 dates)
- 4 ounces soft goat cheese
Bacon & Spice Coating
- 7 slices thick-cut hickory smoked bacon
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon Ancho Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Optional
- Hot Honey (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut each slice of bacon into thirds lengthwise to prepare for wrapping.
- Make Spice Mix: In a small shallow bowl, combine brown sugar, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder to create a flavorful coating mixture.
- Prepare Dates: Gently hold each pitted date and carefully pry it open along the natural seam where the pit was removed without splitting completely in half. Take your time to separate the date.
- Stuff Dates: Spoon about ½ teaspoon of soft goat cheese into each opened date. Gently press the sides to close the date partially around the goat cheese, leaving some of the cheese visible.
- Wrap with Bacon: Wrap each stuffed date tightly with a third slice of bacon. Secure the bacon by inserting a toothpick through the center, ensuring to pierce both ends of the bacon where they meet to hold in place.
- Coat Dates: Roll each bacon-wrapped date generously in the brown sugar and spice mixture so it’s fully coated.
- Bake: Place the coated dates on a baking sheet spaced about 1 inch apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and caramelized.
- Serve: Serve the bacon wrapped dates warm as is or drizzle with hot honey for an added layer of sweetness and spice.
Notes
- The key to perfectly stuffed dates is to gently open them without splitting entirely to keep the filling secure.
- Using thick-cut hickory smoked bacon adds extra smoky flavor and holds up well during baking.
- Hot honey adds a lovely sweet and spicy contrast but can be omitted if preferred.
- Baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven; watch for crispy, caramelized bacon as the indicator.
- These appetizers can be prepared ahead and baked just before serving.
