Amazing 12 stuffed dates for parties

When guests are coming over, you want an appetizer that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen but actually took about ten minutes of actual work, right? Trust me, I know that high-pressure scenario well from my days juggling marketing projects and trying to host a decent gathering! That is why **stuffed dates** have become my absolute go-to. I’ve perfected this recipe for Elegant Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates with Bacon and Honey for my own family events. It’s the ultimate sweet and savory explosion that always looks totally gourmet. You are going to be amazed how simple it is to make these impressive bites using just a few pantry staples. These are proof that real-home-kitchen food can truly wow a crowd!

Why You Will Love These Easy Stuffed Dates Appetizer Bites

Seriously, these **stuffed dates** are little miracles when you’re hosting. You don’t need complicated cooking skills to make them look this elegant. I rely on recipes that deliver high impact with low effort, and this one is top of my list for any gathering. If you need **easy appetizer ideas for a crowd**, look no further!

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• They are lightning fast to assemble—I mean, 10 minutes tops!
• That perfect mix of creamy cheese, salty bacon, and sweet date is just *chef’s kiss*.
• They look fancy enough for a holiday party, but they’re totally approachable.
• Plus, they’re naturally gluten free, which is a huge bonus when you’re planning a menu!

If you want more ideas for party food that just *works*, you can always check out my main collection of Appetizers and Snacks.

Gathering Ingredients for Gourmet Stuffed Dates

Okay, let’s talk supplies. The beauty of these **stuffed dates** is that they use very few things, so you want to make sure what you grab is top-notch! For the base, you absolutely must use Medjool dates if you can find them. They are plump, naturally soft, and they hold up beautifully to baking. Don’t skimp here; the quality of the date makes or breaks these **elegant appetizer bites**.

You’ll need about 12 of those beauties. Then, we fill them with four ounces of soft goat cheese. Make sure that cheese is actually soft—pull it out about an hour before you start so it’s easy to work with. We wrap them up with six slices of bacon, cut in half, and finish off with a drizzle of honey and maybe some chopped pecans if you’re feeling fancy.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Stuffed Dates

I love the tang of goat cheese, but if your crowd isn’t into it, I totally get it. You can swap that out for good quality cream cheese to make **cream cheese stuffed dates**. It gives a milder flavor that might feel safer for first-timers. Also, while pecans add a great crunch, if someone has a nut allergy or you’re out, walnuts work just as well, or honestly, you can skip the nuts entirely. They are fantastic even with just the bacon and honey!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates Recipe

Time to get these beauties assembled! We are going for that ultimate **bacon wrapped stuffed dates appetizer** vibe, and it really is straightforward. Remember, these are quick enough for a last-minute gathering, but they taste like you spent the whole afternoon fussing over them. Make sure your oven is ready to go first!

First things first: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). I line my baking sheet with parchment paper. It’s one of those little steps my grandma championed that saves me so much scrubbing later—a shortcut worth taking! Now, grab your dates and let’s start filling them.

Prepping the Dates and Filling Them with Cheese

Take your Medjool dates and carefully slice them open down one side. Think of it like opening a tiny book; you want enough space for the cheese but you don’t want to cut it completely in half. Make sure you scoop out that pit if it’s still inside—nobody wants to bite into a pit! Then, take about a teaspoon of that room-temperature goat cheese and gently press it into the cavity. Close the date back up around the filling as best you can.

Wrapping and Baking Your Sweet and Savory Dates

This next part is crucial for that perfect texture: Take one half-slice of bacon and wrap it snugly around the middle of the stuffed date. If you’re having trouble keeping it closed, just poke a toothpick through to hold the bacon in place. Once they are all lined up on that parchment paper, they go into the hot oven for about 12 to 15 minutes. You want that bacon looking nice and crisp!

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As soon as they come out, hit them immediately with a drizzle of honey—that warmth makes the honey seep in just right. We serve these immediately so everyone enjoys the best of these **sweet and savory dates**!

If you want to see my favorite standalone recipe just for bacon wrapped ones, check out my post on Simple Bacon Wrapped Dates for another take. And if you are curious about roasting them without the bacon, this guide at Simple Recipes and Cooking Tips has some great roasting tips!

Tips for Perfect Roasted Stuffed Dates Recipe Results

Now that you know the basic steps for making these **stuffed dates**, let me share a couple of things I learned the hard way over hosting countless parties. Getting that bacon perfectly crisp without drying out the date is the main juggling act here. If your bacon is super thick, it might just steam instead of crisping up properly while baking. So here’s my trick: briefly microwave the bacon for just a minute or two beforehand. It renders some of that fat out before it even hits the oven!

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Also, when you are wrapping that bacon around the goat cheese, really try to overlap the ends slightly or secure them with a toothpick. If the bacon shifts, the hot cheese sometimes leaks out onto the pan, and honestly, no one wants a lonely pool of melted cheese when they were expecting a perfect bite. We want all that creamy goodness locked inside those sweet dates!

For more ideas on balancing that rich flavor, check out how the folks at Infinity Recipes nail that sweet and savory combination in their takes on these appetizers.

Making No Bake Stuffed Dates for Quick Party Snacks

Listen, sometimes you don’t even have fifteen minutes, or maybe the oven is already packed with eight other things you need for the party. Oops! That’s where the magic of **no bake stuffed dates** comes in handy. Good news: these are incredibly adaptable, and that little note in the original recipe actually covers it!

If you need these ready in under five minutes flat—total lifesaver mode—just skip the bacon and skip the oven entirely. Honestly, all you have to do is leave out that tricky bacon wrapping step. For the filling itself, stick with the goat cheese or, better yet, switch to plain cream cheese since it’s softer at room temperature and won’t need that gentle melt from the oven to become smooth.

Instead of wrapping, just fill that date cavity generously with your chosen **simple date filling ideas**. Once stuffed, top them immediately with your pecans or maybe some coarse sea salt. That’s it! They are ready to serve immediately. They are just as delicious, and they are perfect **quick party snacks** for that last-minute “Oh no, they’re here!” moment. If you’re looking for other super fast snacks that don’t require heating anything up, you might find something useful in my guide to Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe—even if you aren’t making BBQ sauce, that post has some great fast-prep inspiration!

Serving Suggestions for These Elegant Appetizer Bites

You’ve made the most gorgeous, flavor-packed **stuffed dates**—now, how do you present them so everyone knows they are eating something truly special? That’s the final step in making them feel gourmet! I love putting these out when we have friends over for wine night because they pair so beautifully with nearly any drink.

Since these are so sweet and savory, they are naturals on a big charcuterie board. If you assemble a board, place these bacon-wrapped beauties right next to some mild, creamy cheeses or contrasting salty olives. They act as the perfect transition bite between the salty meats and the fruit!

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They go exceptionally well with a crisp white wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc, because the acidity cuts through the richness of the bacon and goat cheese so nicely. If you are more of a red wine person, try something light, maybe a Pinot Noir. If you’re looking for another star appetizer to put on your platter, you should definitely check out my Cheese Ball Recipe; it’s always the first thing gone!

And if you want to see another fantastic combination of sweet and savory that uses dates, you have to check out the recipe from Cook Beam for their feta and honey topping. It shows you just how versatile these little fruits are for creating fantastic **elegant appetizer bites**!

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Stuffed Dates

Okay, let’s be honest in my house, these **stuffed dates** barely ever make it to the next day! But if you happen to have a few survivors after a party, you absolutely want to store them properly. Since these use cheese and bacon, we need to keep food safety in mind.

Pop any leftovers into an airtight container. I toss them right into the fridge. They’ll keep well for about three days like that, though the texture won’t be quite as amazing on day two as it was fresh out of the oven.

The bacon is going to lose a little bit of its crispness overnight once it’s refrigerated. So, if you want to enjoy them the way they were meant to be enjoyed, you gotta reheat them! Don’t even think about the microwave unless you want soggy bacon—trust me on this one. Pop them back onto a baking sheet at about 350°F (175°C) for just about 5 to 7 minutes. That quick blast of dry heat warms the cheese back up and helps crisp that bacon right back up. They’ll taste almost brand new!

Frequently Asked Questions About Stuffed Dates

Can I use dried dates instead of Medjool dates for stuffed dates?

Oh, that’s a good question about the dates! I really, really push for Medjool dates when you’re making **stuffed dates**. They are just naturally softer and bigger than regular dried dates you grab at the store, which makes prepping them—pitting and stuffing them—so much easier. If you absolutely have to use the smaller, drier ones, you might need to soak them in a little warm water for about ten minutes before you start, and definitely cut the amount of cheese filling way back so you don’t overwhelm the date!

What cheese works well in stuffed dates besides goat cheese?

If goat cheese isn’t your jam, don’t throw in the towel! This concept of putting **simple date filling ideas** into that sweet fruit is universal. Cream cheese is probably the next best substitute; it makes for a very mild, super creamy bite. You could also try stirring some garlic and herbs into the cream cheese! If you want something really punchy, a good quality blue cheese is fantastic, and I’ve seen people use Boursin with great success. Feta is another one that brings a nice saltiness if you like things a little tangier!

Are these bacon wrapped stuffed dates appetizer bites suitable for holidays?

Absolutely, yes! These are my go-to for almost every major get-together we host. They fall perfectly into that category of **holiday finger foods**. Why? Because they look like you worked really hard on them—they’re fancy, they’re bacon-wrapped, they taste amazing—but honestly, the prep time is barely anything. You can make a huge batch in under 30 minutes total, which means more time mingling and less time stuck over the stove! For more on my philosophy and background in the kitchen, you can always visit my About Me page.

Sharing Your Experience with Stuffed Dates

Now that you’ve made these incredible **stuffed dates**, I’d absolutely love to hear what you thought! Did you stick with the bacon and goat cheese, or did you try a different one of those **simple date filling ideas**?

Please leave a quick rating below! And if you shared photos of your **elegant appetizer bites** on social media, tag me—I love seeing how my recipes turn out in your kitchens! Come browse more ideas on my main blog page.

Elegant Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates with Bacon and Honey Drizzle

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Make these elegant stuffed dates with goat cheese and bacon for an impressive sweet and savory appetizer that is simple to prepare for any party or gathering.

• Author: Carla Davis
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Total Time: 25 min
• Yield: 12 servings 1x
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

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• 12 Medjool dates
• 4 ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature
• 6 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon chopped pecans (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Carefully slice each date lengthwise down one side, opening it slightly like a book. Remove the pit if present.
3. Stuff each date cavity with about 1 teaspoon of soft goat cheese. Gently press the date closed around the cheese.
4. Wrap one half-slice of bacon tightly around the center of each stuffed date. Secure the bacon with a toothpick if necessary.
5. Place the bacon-wrapped stuffed dates on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp.
7. Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle the warm dates with honey.
8. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, if using. Serve warm for the best flavor.

Notes

• For a quicker version, you can skip the bacon and make these no bake stuffed dates by simply filling them with cream cheese and topping with nuts.
• If you prefer a crispier bacon, cook the bacon slightly before wrapping the dates, or increase the baking time by a few minutes.
• These elegant appetizer bites are naturally gluten free.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 date
• Calories: 110
• Sugar: 8
• Sodium: 95
• Fat: 7
• Saturated Fat: 3
• Unsaturated Fat: 4
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 10
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 3
• Cholesterol: 15