Jump to recipeAppetizer · Amuse-Bouche

Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese

Soft Medjool dates, tangy goat cheese, and crisp bacon make a warm two-bite party favorite with a clean, easy-to-serve finish.

Warm bacon-wrapped Medjool dates with goat cheese sit on a small platter with crisp browned edges.

These small bites balance the deep sweetness of Medjool dates with tangy goat cheese and savory bacon. Baking them on a rack keeps the bacon exposed to hot air while excess fat falls into the lined pan.

Make a pocket without splitting the date

A lengthwise slit gives access to the pit and leaves the date intact as a small vessel. Keep the cut shallow enough that the soft fruit still closes around the cheese.

Keep the filling tucked in

A modest spoonful of peppered goat cheese fills each date without forcing the cut edges apart. The bacon wrap then acts as a snug outer layer, and a toothpick secures its overlap during roasting.

Goat-cheese-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon rest seam-side down on a wire rack before baking. — Stuffed dates are wrapped in bacon and secured before going onto the rack.

Let the rack crisp the bacon

The rack lifts each bite above the rendered fat, so the bacon can brown on its underside instead of sitting in grease. Leaving a little room around the dates helps the hot air move evenly.

Drain, rest, and serve warm

A short drain on paper towel removes excess fat without softening the bacon for long. Give the filling time to settle, then serve the bites warm with a clear reminder that the wooden picks are hot and must be discarded.

A close view shows crisp bacon around a tender date with tangy goat cheese in the center. — Crisp bacon folds around the glossy date, with goat cheese visible at the opening.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese

18 bites

52 minutes total

Ingredients

• 18 large Medjool dates
• 4 oz soft goat cheese
• 9 thin-cut bacon slices
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 18 food-safe wooden toothpicks

Method

Soak the toothpicks
Place the food-safe wooden toothpicks in a small bowl of water and soak for 10 minutes while the oven heats and you prepare the dates.
Look for: The toothpicks stay submerged until you are ready to secure the dates.
Prepare the oven and pan
Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil, then set a wire rack over the foil to catch rendered fat.
Look for: The wire rack sits level above the foil-lined pan with room for air to circulate.
Pit the dates
Make a lengthwise slit in each Medjool date and remove the pit, keeping the opposite side intact so each date opens like a small pocket.
Look for: Each date opens enough to fill but remains in one piece.
Season the cheese
Stir the soft goat cheese and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl until the pepper is evenly distributed and the cheese is easy to spoon.
Look for: The cheese is smooth enough to portion without crumbling.
Fill the dates
Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the seasoned goat cheese into each date, then press the cut edges gently together around the filling without squeezing it out.
Look for: The cheese sits inside each date with the opening nearly closed.
Wrap and secure
Cut each thin-cut bacon slice in half crosswise. Wrap one half around each stuffed date with a slight overlap on the underside, then secure through the overlap with a soaked toothpick.
Look for: The bacon fits snugly around each date and the toothpick holds the seam closed.
Arrange on the rack
Place the wrapped dates seam-side down on the wire rack, leaving a little space between them. Wash your hands and clean any surface or utensil that touched raw bacon before handling cooked food.
Look for: Every bite rests securely with its seam against the rack and no pieces are touching.
Bake until crisp
Bake at 400 F for 12 minutes, then turn each date with clean tongs if its exposed side is still pale. Continue baking for 8 to 12 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the dates are hot.
Look for: The bacon is browned and crisp around each date, with no raw-looking patches.
Drain and cool briefly
Use clean tongs to transfer the bites to a paper-towel-lined plate so excess fat drains away. Let them stand for 3 minutes; the dates and toothpicks will be very hot just out of the oven.
Look for: The paper towel absorbs excess fat and the filling settles enough to serve.
Serve warm
Arrange the bites on a small platter and serve warm. Tell guests the toothpicks are hot and not edible, and provide a small dish for discarding them.
Look for: The bites are warm, the bacon stays crisp, and guests have a clear place to discard toothpicks.