This is a super easy appetizer that only requires a handful of ingredients and tastes absolutely delicious! They can be prepared in advance and only take 20 minutes in the oven. Your guests will love them!
Bacon-wrapped dates are a delicious appetizer. Here, the dates are filled with goat cheese and pecans, wrapped in bacon and tossed lightly in brown sugar. Once baked, they flavours and textures come together beautifully! Your tastebuds will thank you!
If you’re having guests over and are looking for an easy appetizer recipe, then this one hits the mark. They can be prepared early in the day or a day before, just save tossing in brown sugar and baking until right before serving time. They only require 5 items, and it is easy to adjust the quantity to however many are needed (just stuff more or less!).
We’ve often included these into our regular rotation of appetizer meals. I also tend to include it in our Spanish Tapas meal that we have when we are craving a variety of different bites. We often have leftovers, so we just reheat them in the oven at 350°F for 6-8 minutes. They remain absolutely delicious when eaten cold; I can’t even describe how goood they are! Very easy and just as tasty!
If you and your family love appetizer meals as much as we do, I recommend you checking out some of my other posts, including Appetizer Arancini Bites, Asian meatballs, Chicken Wings with Mango Barbeque Sauce, or Butter Bean dip. Check back again as I post even more delectable appetizers, including Two-Bite Arancini balls, and Roasted Jalapeno Poppers.
So let’s get to it!
Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese Ingredients
Bacon – Bacon has certainly gone up in price over the years! It always amazes me, so I keep an eye for good deals on a low sodium brand that I prefer to buy from the grocery store. My family prefers just regular bacon for this dish, though you could easily mix it up with a maple-flavoured bacon, though that would certainly make it even sweeter.
Medjool Dates – Medjool dates are not your ordinary date. They are soft and chewy, with a smooth texture and a caramel-like taste. Medjool dates are larger than most regular dates as well. They are high in fiber and many other nutrients, making them great on their own as a healthy snack. Be sure to remove the seeds though, which are easy enough to peel from the centre.
Though they many seem pricey, they can be kept in the refrigerator for up to six months. They can also be frozen and kept in the freezer for up to one year.
Goat Cheese – Goat cheese is derived from goat’s milk. It is a source of protein and calcium, and for some it can be more easily digested than cheeses made from cow’s milk. It’s tangy flavour pairs well with the sweetness of the dates and the saltiness of the bacon. Plus goat cheese and pecans go hand in hand, as we often pair them on top of salads.
Pecans – Pecans are a tree nut that are high in fiber and other nutrients that include copper, manganese, thiamine, and zinc. Eating pecans daily may help to reduce cholesterol levels and boost metabolic health. For these reasons, consume them year-round, not just at the holidays!
Brown Sugar – Brown sugar is different from white sugar due to the addition of molasses, giving it a richer overall flavour. Here it is used to balance the tangy and salty elements of the goat cheese and bacon. Be sure to keep an eye on the wrapped dates in the oven as you don’t want these to burn. Definitely not the flavour you want!
Non-stick spray – I use a spray bottle that contains vegetable oil. I use this to lightly spray the pan. Store-bought sprays work fine too, so use what you have available.
Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese Tools
Below are some kitchen tools that although they may not be required, are certainly great to have in the kitchen.
Scale – having a scale is helpful when measuring out some of the dry ingredients. There are plenty of great digital scales on the market, and you don’t need to spend a fortune. I recommend one that doesn’t take up too much space.
Toothpicks – Just regular sized toothpicks are used here to hold the bacon in place as it cooks in the oven. They can be removed from the dates once they are cooked, or feel free to leave them in place. Just don’t bite into them!
Small Bowl or Shallow dish – This makes it easy to toss the assembled bacon-wrapped dates in the brown sugar to coat.
Baking Sheet & Aluminum Foil– To make for easy cleanup, I line the baking sheets with aluminum foil. Next, I place a cooling rack that fits the baking sheet on top. I recommend spraying the cooling rack with some cooking oil (like vegetable oil), to ensure that the bacon-wrapped dates don’t stick and tear.
Measuring cups and spoons – this recipe uses standard measuring tools.
In addition you will also need tongs, a chef’s knife and a chopping board.
Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese
This is a super easy appetizer that only requires a handful of ingredients and tastes absolutely delicious! They can be prepared in advance and only take 20 minutes in the oven. Your guests will love them!
5
servings10
minutes20
minutes30
minutesIngredients
8 bacon slices, halved
16 medjool dates, pitted
3 -4oz. goat cheese, at room temperature
16 pecan halves
1/4 cup brown sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare baking sheet with aluminum foil, cooling rack, and cooking spray.
- To prepare the dates, slice lengthwise just part-way through. Gently remove the pits.
- Next, using a small spoon, fill the cavity of each date. Place a pecan half and press into one of the sides. (sometimes I use two halves if they fit). Now press the two halves together to close the date.
- Taking one half of a bacon slice, wrap it around each date and secure with a toothpick. Avoid having too much of an overlap of the bacon, as it won’t crisp up if there is a double layer.
- One at a time, toss each bacon-wrapped date into the brown sugar and press the sugar to coat it fully. Place the date on the prepared baking sheet until all dates are prepared.
- Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and turn the dates over. Return to oven and bake for an additional 8 minutes.
- If the brown sugar still requires caramelization, then adjust the oven to broil, and broil for about 1 minute per side. Monitor closely, as you don’t want them to burn at this stage!
- Remove dates from the oven and allow to cool.
- Serve once they are warm to the touch.
- Enjoy!
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