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Stuffed Dates

Stuffed dates with creamy goat cheese and whole roasted almonds, wrapped in bacon and baked until crisp. Finished with a quick honey drizzle for a glossy, warm appetizer.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 145
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Medjool dates
  • 24 Medjool dates, pitted
Goat cheese
  • 4 oz goat cheese
Whole roasted almonds
  • 24 whole roasted almonds
Bacon
  • 12 slice bacon, halved crosswise
Honey
  • 1 tbsp honey
Garnish
  • 1 Fresh thyme or flaky sea salt for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment so the bacon releases easily.
  2. Slit each Medjool date open along one side, keeping the date mostly intact so it can be filled.
Stuff and wrap
  1. Fill each date with a small spoonful of goat cheese and one roasted almond so each bite has a creamy center and nut inside.
  2. Wrap each stuffed date in a half slice of bacon and place them seam-side down on the baking sheet to help the bacon stay in place.
Bake and finish
  1. Bake at 400F for 15-18 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the bacon is crisp.
  2. Drizzle the baked dates with honey, then garnish with thyme or flaky sea salt and serve warm.

Notes

For neat filling, use a small spoon to portion the goat cheese and press the date halves closed just enough to hold the almond. Serve right away for the crispiest bacon; leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 3 days and rewarm at 350F for 6-8 minutes. Freezing is not recommended because the dates soften. For a lower-fat swap, use reduced-fat goat cheese.