Well well well well well. What have we here on a Monday morning? To my hungry eyes, this looks like bacon wrapped dates: soft, sweet Medjool dates stuffed with creamy, tangy goat cheese wrapped in salty, smoky bacon and baked to crispy-soft perfection.
Wait, it’s not actually Monday, is it?
A few months ago I decided to start a dinner club. I don’t even really know what that means except that I invited a few friends over for dinner, and we all made or brought something delicious and then got overly personal in the best way by talking for hours through dinner and drinks and dessert, and then I invited everyone to do it all over again the next month. Repeat x forever because I love it that much. If you’ve ever thought about doing something like this, let me just say: now is your time. Invite, eat, connect, and be glad you did it. ♡
One of my friends brought these bacon wrapped dates as an appetizer during our first DCM –> dinner club meeting –> because sometimes life is hard and I can’t be more creative than that with a dinner club name. Come on, you guys, just GIVE ME A BREAK.
We all bellied up to the peninsula in our kitchen and she unwrapped the foil from the Bacon Wrapped Date plate and BAM. They disappeared. So awesome, so alarming, and so right.
The soft, melty goat cheese instead the warm, plumped up date (how much do you like it when I say plumped up date? mixed feelings here) wrapped in the little bite-sized pieces of bacon was the absolute perfect three-way combo for our food-cray group of girls.
Obsessed doesn’t even touch it.
Fast forward to a few months ago – I went to California and like I do with all my friends, I had the urge to make Bacon Wrapped Dates for a group of food bloggers. This was about the time I realized that, considering that this is my #1 favorite appetizer in the whole wide world, I should probably know HOW TO MAKE THEM.
Like, geeeeez self. Get with the program already. (I’m the teeth-baring cringe emoji right now.)
Since I’ve now officially learned it for myself and made them one bajillion and one times, I think it’s time for me to share the magic.
Because you must. You just must.
Your salty-sweet, melty-cheese loving mouth is going to love them like whoa.
Okay, pause. This is my sideways baking trick.
Basically what this is is me dealing with my annoyance about the bottoms of these little guys getting crispy-bacon while the sides stay chewy-bacon. It’s not evenly cooked and it’s not okay.
So my solution: stick a toothpick in each one and then use the toothpick to turn the Bacon Wrapped Dates every so often so that they get cooked on every side.
Crispy-bacon all around makes for a better party anyway.
Now what I want you to do is this: go to the store and pick up these three ingredients – bacon, goat cheese, and dates. Make these bacon wrapped dates and try them. I KNOW, RIGHT?! SO GOOD, RIGHT?! and now share them // try to share them // think about sharing them while sitting on the couch enjoying your bacon wrapped date appetizer party.
I’m virtually cheers-ing you on this Monday-but-not-Monday-in-spirit morning.
Cheers!
- 8 slices bacon (I find that thin bacon works better)
- 16 dates
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- toothpicks
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice the dates lengthwise on one side to create an opening. Remove the pit.
- Using a spoon, stuff a small amount of goat cheese into the cavity of each date and press the sides together to close.
- Cut the bacon slices in half. Wrap each date with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
- Arrange evenly on a baking sheet with raised edges (otherwise grease will get everywhere) and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the dates and use the toothpick to turn each one so it's laying on its side. Bake for another 5-8 minutes, until browned to your liking, and turn the dates to the other side and repeat. Remove from the oven, place on a paper towel lined plate, and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
For crispier bacon, bake longer.
Usually my bacon pieces wrap around the dates 1.5 times. If it's wrapping more than twice around the date, trim your bacon slices so they're a little shorter. If that bacon layer is too thick, it won't cook.
Keep leftovers in the fridge.
Nutrition information is for two bacon wrapped dates.
I’ve wrapped bacon just around anything but not dates before. Will have to try these!
I know it! Bacon = love. It’s that simple. I mean, have you seen the bacon bouquets you can make now? Who doesn’t want a bouquet out of bacon, flower, bah. But I’m going to use the fancy toothpicks, you know, the umbrella ones!
Bacon bouquets?? Amazing. Thanks for the tip, Laura! 🙂
These are one of my favorite appetizers! My friend makes these for our dinner club and as you said they are ALWAYS a hit. Sweet, salty, and creamy what could be better?
Yes – you know, girl! they’re the best.
They had almost this very dish at the tapas restaurant I used to work at. We couldn’t get enough of it! Yours look even better 🙂
Thanks Sarah! 😀 Appreciate that!
I made mine with feta, but I like the idea of goat cheese. It hits all the right notes. Great party food.
This looks absolutely delicious! A must try at our next dinner party! 🙂
We learned this in a cooking class I attended– they were finished with a drizzle of honey after coming out of the oven.
Yes! Love that! Ali from Gimme Some Oven put some black pepper all over them at our get together… so good!
These look great! I love anything with goat cheese
I’m not even a huge fan of bacon but these look fantastic. I love Medjool dates and I have been cooking them in the oven at a low temp to make them tougher and less sticky and then slathering them in homemade almond butter. This is a nice mix up for a more savory option though. Thanks for sharing!
Yes – Medjool dates + almond butter = best ever!
Dates stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon blankies! How is it actually Monday? 😉
The sideways baking trick is going to be a great trick to use!
Yeah – such a weird little hack but it makes it easier to get the bacon evenly cooked! 🙂
This recipe is what my DREAMS are made of! Sweet, salty, bacon… emphasis on the bacon. I love how friend potlucks/dinner parties introduce you to new recipes that instantly become your favorite!
This is one of our favorite apps…EVERYONE loves them, even if at first they’re skeptical of the whole combo…and a lot of people don’t think they even like dates…until they try them with cheese and bacon…then they’re sold. Sometimes we use blue cheese too…gives them a bit more edge…
Right? LOVE the idea of the blue cheese Ramona! I’ll have to try that.
Y.U.M. this has all of my favorite things in one bite sized treat! Great tip for getting all sides of the bacon nice and brown!
These remind me of one of my favorite tapas! You really can’t go wrong with sweet, sticky dates, creamy goat cheese and bacon — pretty much the dream team of ingredients….
I had these served at a wine and cheese and they are seriously the best thing ever. I was literally reminiscing yesterday about how fabulous they were. They are that good- I literally daydream about them.
Haha! I’m sure you’re not the only one, Lauren, 😉
These are really great. Has anyone one used the precooked bacon?
So perfect & only 3 ingredients! Love these little party poppers!
Thanks Emily! Great blog name! Our new dog is named Sage… so… I’m a super fan. 🙂
There is a place in Chicago that we used to go just for their bacon wrapped dates..they were out of this world. The idea of goat cheese just takes them to the next level. Genius!
it has to be cafe lababareba
Hey, you just solved my “What’s for dinner tonight” dilemma, party or no. Well, it sounds like it just became a party. Thank you!
Party for Monday dinner! I’ll be right over.
Dates! I love them! We will have to try this for summer barbecue.
Gosh so so creative!!!!
Wow! Happy Monday to you. I am salivating…DEFINITELY going to try these babies!
Oh yum! I have made stuffed dates with ricotta that were tasty, but OMG why did I never think of goat cheese? I just bet that ups the flavor to a whole new level!
Ricotta sounds great too! But yes – goat cheese will always have my heart.
There is no way this ISN’T good! Looks so good!
Thanks Derek! Hope you like them!
They don’t look very pretty but since I’m milking my goats again and will have goat cheese coming out of everything, I’m sure I’ll give these a try, and from the sounds of it I’m sure I’ll be addicted.
Homemade goat cheese – Yum!
They serve these at my favorite restaurant in San Francisco. I can’t wait to make them at home!!!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Would the restaurant happen to be called Magnolias? We had them there in San Francisco and loved them!
Wrap anything around bacon and it becomes a winner…pineapple, potato tots, cheese, etc. Dates are my all time favorite…thanks for the reminder….