Make these delicious Bacon-Wrapped Dates with just 3 simple ingredients – crispy bacon, tender dates, and salty feta. They’re a quick, easy, and elegant appetizer for holiday parties and special occasions. With the perfect balance of savory and sweet, Bacon-Wrapped Dates are always a crowd favorite.
These are one of my favorite appetizers to serve at a Christmas party or New Year’s Eve celebration because they look impressive but they’re so easy to make. If you’re looking for some other easy showstoppers, try my baked brie with cranberries or cocktail meatballs. Bacon-Wrapped Dates are also a great way to add variety to classic delicious appetizers party favorites like stuffed mushrooms and deviled eggs.
If you’ve never had bacon-wrapped dates before, you’re going to want to make extra because they will disappear fast!
The combination of sweet dates with salty cheese and bacon is absolutely irresistible. You can easily double (or triple) this recipe for a crowd or just make a few to enjoy yourself as a healthy snack.
How To Make Bacon Wrapped Dates
Ingredients
- Bacon — Feel free to use your preferred bacon.
- Dates — You can use already pitted my medjool dates or remove the pit yourself.
- Feta cheese — Pre-crumbled feta or a block of feta both work great.
- Seasonings — A sprinkle of coarse salt and black pepper.
Instructions
Prepare and wrap the dates:
- Before you begin, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Prepare the dates by slicing (cut just a slit) each one lengthwise just enough to remove the pit inside. Be careful not to cut them completely in half.
- Stuff each date with a small amount of feta cheese where the pit used to be. The amount of feta will vary depending on the size of the date, but it’s about ½ teaspoon.
- Then, take each slice of bacon and cut it in half crosswise to create two shorter strips.
- Wrap each stuffed date with a half-strip of bacon and secure it with a toothpick. Thread the toothpick all the way through the bacon and date to hold everything together while it cooks.
Bake and serve:
- Place the bacon-wrapped dates on your prepared baking sheet or sheet pan, spacing them evenly apart.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the dates are heated through and the bacon is crispy to your liking. The cooking time will vary depending on the power of your oven and how crispy you like your bacon to be.
- Remove the bacon-wrapped dates from the oven and allow them to cool on a rack for a few minutes. Then, carefully remove the toothpicks.
- Season with coarse salt and black pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- For perfectly crispy bacon, use the toothpicks to turn the dates halfway through cooking.
- A little feta cheese goes a long way, so be careful not to overstuff the dates.
- Use regular-cut bacon, as thick-cut bacon will take longer to cook and won’t get as crispy.
- To ensure even cooking, don’t overlap the bacon when wrapping the dates. Wrap them just enough to cover the date and then secure with a toothpick.
- You can find dates near the produce section of your local grocery store.
How To Store Leftovers
- To Store: If there are any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Flash-freeze the bacon-wrapped dates in a single layer. Then, store them in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 1 month.
- To Reheat: If the dates are frozen, gently thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat them in a 350°F oven until they are heated through and the bacon is crispy.
What To Serve with Bacon Wrapped Dates
- Cheese board: Bacon-wrapped dates make a hearty and delicious addition to your holiday cheese board. For more pairing ideas and inspiration, check out my tutorial on how to make a cheese platter.
- Complementary bites: I like to use the extra bacon and make appetizers with complementary flavors. A couple of my favorites are these easy bacon wrapped scallops, bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers and low-carb bacon and cheese scones.
- Sweet and savory: Balance the salty flavor of the cheese and bacon with a sweet treat, like these bite-sized almond butter chocolate truffles or cranberry thumbprint cookies.
Recipe Variations
- Cheese: Feel free to swap the feta cheese for another crumbly cheese like blue cheese or gorgonzola. You could also opt for a smooth, creamy cheese like goat cheese, Boursin or cream cheese.
- Hot honey: Top these bacon-wrapped dates with a drizzle of hot honey just before serving. The combination of spicy, salty, and sweet is amazing!
- Fresh herbs: For even more flavor, add fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, thyme, or rosemary to the cheese stuffing.
- Dairy-free: Make a dairy-free version by substituting the cheese with an almond or cashew.
- Toppings: You can top your bacon-wrapped dates with maple syrup, honey, or chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, or pecans) to add some extra crunch.
Recommended Tools
- Toothpicks: The bacon-wrapped dates are held together with small toothpicks.
- Baking sheet: You’ll need a baking sheet with enough room to evenly space the dates.
- Small knife: A small, sharp knife is helpful for pitting the dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
To get a nice crispy texture, be sure to use regular-cut bacon, as thick-cut will take too long to cook. You can also use the toothpicks to turn the dates halfway through cooking to ensure that they crisp evenly on all sides. If you like extra crispy bacon, feel free to leave the dates in the oven a little bit longer, just remember to keep an eye on them.
Bacon-wrapped dates are best stuffed with cheese that doesn’t get too soft when it melts. I love this recipe with feta, but it also works really well with blue cheese, gorgonzola, or goat cheese.
You certainly can! There are a couple of options to make bacon-wrapped dates ahead of time.
1. Stuff and wrap the dates 1-2 days in advance depending on the freshness of your bacon, then cook and serve the dates immediately.
2. Cook the bacon-wrapped dates and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then, reheat the dates just before serving.
This term is believed to have originated in the UK in the late 19th century. Devils on Horseback are bacon-wrapped dates or prunes stuffed with nuts or cheese. The name likely comes from the contrast between the sweet fruit and savory bacon, creating a devilish flavor.
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Bacon Wrapped Dates
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Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- 16 dates
- ¼ cup feta cheese
- Coarse salt and black pepper
- Toothpicks
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Start by slicing with a small knife each date lengthwise, but be careful not to cut them completely in half—just enough to remove the pit.
- Once the pit is removed, take a small amount (about ½ teaspoon) of feta cheese and stuff it into each date where the pit used to be.
- Take a slice of bacon and cut it in half crosswise, creating two shorter bacon strips.
- Wrap each stuffed date with one of the shorter bacon strips. Secure the bacon in place by threading a toothpick through the bacon and the date. This will hold everything together during cooking.
- Place the bacon-wrapped dates on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Ensure they're evenly spaced out.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the bacon becomes crispy according to your taste. The baking time will depend on the power of your oven and also how crispy you like your bacon to be. Make sure the dates are heated through.
- Remove the bacon-wrapped dates from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. Carefully remove the toothpicks and season with coarse salt and black pepper before serving.
Tips
- Use a toothpick to turn the dates halfway through cooking for even, crispy bacon.
- Be careful not to overstuff the dates.
- Use regular-cut bacon, as thick-cut will take too long to cook.
- For even cooking, don’t overlap the bacon when you wrap the dates.
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Flash-freeze the bacon-wrapped dates in a single layer. Then, store them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1 month.
- To Reheat: If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat in a 350°F oven until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Barb Lovell says
This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to make! Thank you.
Olivia says
I’m thrilled about trying out this fantastic recipe. Thank you!