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Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with Rosemary Honey…my new holiday appetizer. They’re quick, easy, and everyone loves these sweet and savory bites. Sweet dates stuffed with creamy goat cheese, wrapped in salty bacon, then tossed in a rosemary honey that’s hinted with just a touch of spice. Bake these bites up in the oven until the bacon is crisping and “candied”. There never seems to be enough of these bites…addictive, festive, and perfect for holiday entertaining!
Thanksgiving is just one week from this Thursday. How is it that we are already entering into the last two weeks of November? As crazy as it is, the holidays are officially upon us. The one thing that always comes with holiday craziness? Houseguests…or at least that’s the case over here.
Around here Thanksgivings are filled with not only our immediate family (so mom, dad, plus all six of my siblings). But also boyfriends, girlfriends, cousins, and usually an additional friend or two. Most years we end up having around 20 people. And they don’t just come for Thanksgiving Day, they come for Thanksgiving week. So let’s just say there are plenty of mouths to feed.
It’s tradition, and everyone loves being together. But this Thanksgiving…absolutely no one is coming. My family is heading to Tahoe to spend Thanksgiving at my brother’s new house. Word on the street is that it’s going to be a Mexican night…YIKES. I’m not one for breaking tradition, so for me, this does not sound ideal, but we’ll see what happens. Guessing my mom puts the veto on that.
Anyway, the point of this very long-winded story is that I usually have so many people to feed this time of year. Come Thanksgiving Day they all LOVE their snacks and cocktails before the big meal.
In recent years I’ve made these cranberry brie tarts and a huge cheese board. But this year I wanted to break out of my Brie “habit”. I almost used the word rut, but you can never be in a Brie rut…Brie is the BEST! In fact, you’ll probably be seeing a new Brie recipe very soon.
I wanted to try something very different…enter these dates. Oh, these dates. I could not love them more. They are so addicting!
Here is how you make these bacon wrapped dates.
It’s easy! Simply take extra soft Medjool dates, stuff them with creamy goat cheese, then wrap them in bacon.
But you know me, simply wrapping a date in bacon wasn’t enough, I had to give these a special touch. SO, I added in a rosemary honey that’s hinted with cayenne pepper. The honey gives these dates a sweet, savory, and spicy taste. The salty bacon with the sweet and spicy honey makes for the best combo, but beware, these are highly addictive. Yes, this is the third time I’ve used addictive in this post, but it truly best describes these dates.
Although these may not be the prettiest appetizer out there, trust me, you will LOVE this recipe.
Even my mom, who really doesn’t care for eating a whole date greatly enjoyed these. Especially warm out of the oven with an extra drizzle of honey and a walnut on top. Delicious.
Here’s why these are great…
For one, you can assemble these mini bites ahead of time, then just bake them off as guests arrive. You can serve them warm or at room temperature, though I think they are best warm out of the oven.
Two, these bites are finger foods. They are a bit sticky, so you may want to serve them with toothpicks or cocktails forks. Although in my book, allowing guests to enjoy with their hands is completely acceptable as well. These are a two-bite appetizer and perfect for snacking on while chatting.
Three, these happen to be gluten free. At least they are free of cows milk, and most people can easily tolerate goat cheese. They obviously won’t work for vegan guests, so be sure to have anther appetizer option. But If someone prefers to not eat pork, you can leave the bacon off a few of the dates and bake them separately. Then simply finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to give them a nice salty touch.
So you see? These are pretty close to being the perfect holiday appetizer, and the rosemary keeps them flavorful and festive too.
These are just as great for Thanksgiving as they will be for all upcoming holiday gatherings. I know I’ll be making these over and over throughout the holiday season.
If you make these goat cheese stuffed bacon wrapped dates with rosemary honey, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
watch the how to video:
Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates with Rosemary Honey
Servings: 24
Calories Per Serving: 60 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces creamy goat cheese
- 24 plump Medjool dates
- 12 slices thinly sliced bacon, cut in half
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper using more or less to taste
- kosher salt and black pepper
- candied or toasted walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Split the dates in half lengthwise, but don't cut the date all the way through. Remove the pit and discard. Stuff each date with goat cheese, then gently squeeze to seal. Wrap each date with bacon and place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dates.3. In a small bowl, combine the honey, rosemary, cayenne, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Evenly drizzle 1/2 the honey over the dates. The goal is to coat the bacon in honey so that it caramelizes in the oven. 4. Transfer to the oven and bake 20-25 minutes, until the bacon is crisping. Serve warm or room temperature with any remaining honey and walnuts, if desired.
Notes
To Make Ahead: the dates can be assembled and refrigerated for up to a day before baking. Drizzle with honey just before baking, then bake as directed.
To Make Vegetarian: skip wrapping each date in bacon. Instead roast the goat cheese stuffed dates drizzled with honey. Then, serve with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to replace that saltiness that bacon would add.
Made these for a Friendsgiving, so yum! I was asked multiple times if there were more because they were gone after 10 minutes! The hint of cayenne and drizzle of honey really balance each other out nicely. Cannot wait to make again!
Hey Alex,
Awesome! Love to hear that you liked the recipe, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Happy Holidays! xx
Can I make these ahead of time and then keep them in a crockpot on warm? I was thinking to try and put some kind of moisture on the bottom like extra honey glaze and keep it bottom and put in the dates? Do you think this could work? Thanks! 🙂 can’t wait to try them!
Hey Carly,
Sure, I think that would be a nice idea! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Completely annihilated after 25 min
Hey there,
So sorry, not sure what you mean? Please let me know how I can help! xTieghan
We make these every year as an appetizer for Thanksgiving and they are ALWAYS a hit. This year we bbq’d them because we didn’t have enough room in the oven (large turkey!). Bbq’ing was not the best move, unless you love extra charred bacon. Regardless though, Tieghan always knocks it out of the park with all her dishes. We love having Tieghan in our kitchen. We appreciate you!!
Hi Hannah,
I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
I think I want to try these with prosciutto instead of bacon… any thoughts on difference in preparations or cooking time? Thanks!
Hey Courtney,
The prosciutto will cook up faster than the bacon so just keep an eye on it. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Hi! I always make bacon wrapped dates as an easy appetizer, I like the spin of adding cheese. But, goat cheese isn’t for everyone. Do you have an alternative cheese that would be good? Thanks!
Hi Jessie,
Blue cheese and feta would also be great options here. I hope you love this recipe! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
I used t make these but with an almond in the middle:) Delish!
Love this idea!!
I made these tonight and I know it’s operator error, but all the honey mixture basically melted off and then burnt on the pan. Maybe I drizzled too much on them or it’s the quality of honey (just local honey)? I wanna make these all the time, but not if my house is smokey and the bottom side of the bacon gets honey burnt.
Hey Ami,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! It sounds like you may have used too much honey, you just want a light drizzle. Have the best day! xTieghan
Just wanted to let you know that every-time I make this recipe I get rave reviews. The last time I made this I mixed cayenne, rosemary, salt and pepper in with the Goat Cheese before stuffing the dates and it added a tad bit more spice to it.
Thanks for all of your posts on here and instagram, love your recipes.
Great idea, I may do the same.
Awesome — my kids (ok, grown kids) ask for these every winter holiday. The cayenne is a good addition for added sparkle, and yes, adding salt for the vegan option I will do next time and often for the vegan option I add a pecan or chopped walnut and herbs/maple syrup. So glad I found Half-Baked Harvest. And so glad you have a Recipe Box option on your website! This will make it easy to find recipes at holidays!
Hey there,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
As an Arab who is so used to eating dates a lot, this unique change of flavors was absolutely AMAZING
Hey Aisha,
Wonderful! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving the recipe a try!! xTieghan
Just made these for the first time yesterday and they were a hit! Even people who didn’t think they liked dates or goat cheese were going back for seconds! Will definitely be adding this to my app rotation!
Hey Kat,
I am thrilled that you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Have an awesome week:) xTieghan
I made these for my New Years charcuterie board & they were good, but I had an issue with the honey drizzle. It just dripped off the bacon onto the pan and then proceeded to burn as the bites cooked in the oven. Thank goodness I lined my pan & the burned honey stayed behind when I lifted the bacon wrapped dates up. My bacon didn’t end up crispy or caramelized as I would have liked, but I drizzled the remaining honey over the top and they were yummy. Would do again, but would probably just coat the bacon in brown sugar before wrapping, then put the honey on when they come out the oven. Happy Holidays!
Hey Lizzy,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am sorry you had issues with the honey! Happy New Year! xTieghan
LOVE THESE! Made them twice already and they were popular. If you have a picky eater just use whipped cream cheese instead of goat cheese and it comes out pretty much the same. Make sure you make extras, these disappear quickly. ☺️
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a go, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
These were alright. I like the idea of the salty sweet, but the flavors didn’t pop. I’m thinking the date just overpowered the other ingredients. Maybe I should have stuffed a bit more goat cheese in there? Cute idea, but probably won’t make again.
Hey Jessica,
So sorry you did not enjoy the recipe, please let me know if I can help in anyway! Happy New Year! xTieghan
These were a hit! I made a large batch and have some left in the refrigerator. Would it be OK to bake one week later?
Hey Erica,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! I would pop these in the freezer:) Happy New Year! xTieghan