With just 3 ingredients, few appetizers are simpler and will be gone faster than Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese. Sure to be a hit at your next party!
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Top a rimmed baking sheet with a baking rack. (Tip: For easier clean up, cover the baking sheet with foil.)
Pitted dates should have a small opening in them; if not, slice them open on one side. Smear a dollop of goat cheese inside each date and press the date closed around the cheese.
Cut the bacon slices into thirds. Wrap each date in a bacon piece tightly and secure with a toothpick.
Place wrapped dates on the baking rack. Bake for about 17-22 minutes, flipping them over halfway through so they cook evenly, until the bacon is browned and crispy. (Depending on the thickness of your bacon, cooking time can vary. Keep a close eye on them.)
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes/Tips
If your dates aren't pitted, slice them open lengthwise just enough to open them and remove the pits.
Make sure to buy thin-cut, not thick-cut bacon. You can roll out the bacon with a rolling pin, if it's not thin enough.
We found that the larger Medjool dates were too large and sweet for this recipe. We recommend the cheaper and smaller ones.
Bacon pieces typically wrap around the dates 1.5 times. If it’s wrapping more than twice around the date, trim your bacon slices so they’re a little shorter.