Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Pistachios
Make these elegant, sweet and salty stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. This quick appetizer combines creamy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios, and smoky bacon for a party favorite.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 12 pieces
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Lactose
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 Medjool dates
- 4 ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- 12 thin slices bacon, cut in half crosswise
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional, for glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Carefully slice each date lengthwise down one side and remove the pit. Gently open the date slightly.
- Fill the cavity of each date with about 1 teaspoon of soft goat cheese.
- Press a few pieces of chopped pistachio into the goat cheese filling.
- Wrap one half-slice of bacon tightly around the center of each stuffed date, securing the filling. You may need a toothpick to hold the bacon in place if it does not stay wrapped.
- Place the wrapped dates seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- If using, brush the tops lightly with maple syrup.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving. Remove toothpicks before serving.
Notes
- If you prefer a less intense flavor, use cream cheese instead of goat cheese.
- For a smokier flavor, use applewood smoked bacon.
- If you do not want to bake, you can pan-fry the bacon separately until mostly cooked, then stuff the dates and secure with a toothpick, serving them cold or at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 date
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 13
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 15