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Stuffed Dates

Stuffed dates with creamy goat cheese and a roasted almond are wrapped in bacon and baked until crisp. Finished with a light honey drizzle, these warm Mediterranean bites are ready in about 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 115
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Medjool dates
  • 24 Medjool dates, pitted
Goat cheese filling
  • 4 oz goat cheese
Almond center
  • 24 whole roasted almonds
Bacon wrap
  • 12 bacon, halved crosswise Use 12 slices, halved crosswise.
Honey glaze
  • 1 tbsp honey
Garnish
  • 0.5 Fresh thyme or flaky sea salt for garnish Use to garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment (visual cue: the oven reaches 400F before baking).
Stuff the dates
  1. Slit each Medjool date open along one side, then fill with a small spoonful of goat cheese and one whole roasted almond (visual cue: you can see the stuffing through the slit).
Wrap and bake
  1. Wrap each stuffed date in a half slice of bacon and place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet (visual cue: the bacon seam stays on the bottom).
  2. Bake at 400F for 15-18 minutes, turning once, until the bacon is crisp (visual cue: bacon looks browned and crisp at the edges).
Finish and serve
  1. Drizzle with honey, garnish with fresh thyme or flaky sea salt, and serve warm (visual cue: honey glazes the bacon and dates).

Notes

For the cleanest filling, use just enough goat cheese to lightly mound inside each date so the almond sits snugly. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat on a sheet pan at 350F for 5-7 minutes to re-crisp the bacon. Freezing is not recommended because the dates can soften after thawing. Dietary swap: use turkey bacon instead of pork bacon for a lighter option (bake time may stay similar).