Food Recipes Appetizers Crispy Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates 5.0 (4,160) Add your rating & review Stuffed with creamy goat cheese and roasted almonds, these dates are a delectable savory snack perfect for cocktail parties. By Jimmy Bradley Jimmy Bradley Jimmy Bradley is a celebrated American chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author who operated two beloved New York restaurants — The Red Cat and The Harrison — for decades. His recipes have been featured in Food & Wine, The New York Times, and Bon Appetit, and he's appeared on Bravo's Top Chef Masters. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 21, 2023 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 35 mins Yield: 16 dates Jump to recipe These dates are a fantastic option on a cocktail party buffet, as part of a cheese and charcuterie platter, or served with a small salad as a plated appetizer for a dinner party. Frequently asked questions What are dates? Dates are a tropical stone fruit that comes from the date palm trees that are native to Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq. In the U.S., these trees thrive in warm climates and are grown in California, Florida, and Arizona. Dates have a rich culinary history that goes back to their use in the Fertile Crescent between Egypt and Mesopotamia as far back as 4000 B.C. What can you make with dates? Dates can be eaten as a snack, or used in sweet and savory baking and cooking. Try them in baked goods like Date and Walnut Rugelach with Tahini Glaze as well as savory main dishes like Spiced Duck Breasts with Mandarin Oranges and Dates. Make ahead The dates can be prepared and stuffed a day in advance; store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen If you are hosting a crowd of people, you can easily double or triple this recipe. Be sure to buy Medjool dates for this recipe; they are larger and softer than other varieties, and so are easier to stuff. Also, they have a rich, sweet flavor that contrasts the tangy goat cheese and salty bacon nicely. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 16 large Medjool dates 16 roasted almonds Scant 1/4 cup mild goat cheese, crumbled 8 slices of bacon (about 7 ounces), halved crosswise Directions Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut a lengthwise slit in each of the dates and remove the pits. Stuff each one with an almond and about 1/2 teaspoon of the goat cheese. Pinch the dates closed to seal them up. Wrap each date securely in a piece of bacon. Arrange the dates, seam side down, on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Bake the stuffed dates for about 20 minutes, or until the bacon is browned and crisp; turn each date after 10 minutes. Serve the stuffed dates warm or at room temperature. Originally appeared: March 2001 Rate It Print