Cheesy Bacon-Wrapped Dates
An easy recipe for bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with Fontina cheese. Only THREE ingredients and they can be assembled ahead of time. This is a perfect appetizer for any party or holiday!
The original recipe for Fontina-Stuffed Bacon-Wrapped Dates was published on August 25, 2009; I have since adjusted how the recipe is made and have updated the photos.
The first time that I made bacon-wrapped dates, I was hugely suspicious of the combination of dates, cheese and bacon. Which is incredibly silly, as I already know how amazing cheese and bacon are together and EVERYONE knows that sweet (dates) and salty to together like peanut butter and jelly. As it turns out, the combination could not be more amazing. Between the soft, sweet dates, the creamy melted cheese and the crisp, salty bacon – it’s pure heaven.
I made this sporadically for awhile, then two years ago, I made them as an appetizer for Thanksgiving the first year that we hosted at our house. Everyone went absolutely CRAZY over them. Like, could not stop eating them and fighting over the last ones, even as dinner was being served. Needless to say, bacon-wrapped dates have become a staple at holidays and family get-togethers.
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When I first started making these, I used a smaller piece of bacon and broiled them in the oven. I soon learned that there is no such thing as too much bacon, and using the broiler wasn’t a very reliable way of ensuring that all of the bacon was cooked through. I have since found that baking at a relatively high temperature for a longer period of time ensures that the bacon is cooked completely, and it also sort of caramelizes the bacon grease and melted cheese together underneath the dates. Which… oh my gosh, so, SO good.
One of the things I love most about this bacon-wrapped dates recipe is that you can assemble them up to a day ahead, which is what I do almost every time I make them. I put the pan in the refrigerator overnight and then all I need to do is preheat the oven and pop them in when I’m ready! This is especially helpful on a busy holiday.
Since first having these two years ago, my cousin has made them and taken them to numerous parties, and she always gets the same reaction – people say they never realized how much they like dates. It’s amazing what a little cheese and bacon can do :)
Your party repertoire should definitely include these cheesy bacon-wrapped dates!
One year ago: Salted Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Four years ago: Congo Bars
Six years ago: Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Cheesy Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Ingredients
- 24 dates, pitted
- 3 ounces (85.05 g) Fontina cheese
- 12 slices bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slit the dates open lengthwise, keeping the bottom in tact. Place a sliver of cheese inside each date. Wrap half a piece of bacon around each stuffed date.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the dates halfway through baking, until the cheese bubbling and the bacon is browned and cooked thoroughly. Serve immediately.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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OMG – these sound wonderful! Can they be cooked and reheated at the party? I can hardly wait!!
Yes, absolutely! Enjoy!
These would be perfect for a party. One of our local casual upper scale restaurants have them on the menu and they are very popular.
I made these as well as the homemade Cheez-its for an Oscar party on Sunday and they turned out fabulous! Everyone loved them! He best part is how easy they are and yet come off as very sophisticated. Definitely take the advice about not using a bigger “sliver” of cheese. I put as big of a piece as I could manage in each one. These took less than ten minutes to assemble, 15 minutes to cook, and tasted fantastic. They are my new favorite appetizer. Definitely a crowd-pleaser!
As always, thank you, thank you, thank you, Michelle!
I was just looking at a pile of dates I have and wondering what on earth I wanted to do with them… score! Thanks for a tasty, tasty recipe!
YUMYUMYUM! These sound incredible!
I love bacon wrapped dates, but so often they are stuffed with blue cheese which I can’t stand – so I LOVE that you used fontina in here!! I can’t wait to try that – yum!!
Hi Michelle: When you say to turn the dates half way through, do you mean turn the pan in the oven? or turn the individual dates over? Also, I noticed you answered Trent’s comment about precooking the bacon but did not publish the actual comment; I would like to know about precooking the bacon and if that makes these even crispier.
Keep up the good work! I love getting your emails every day and especially on Friday when I can see how your beautiful boy has grown each week.
Hi Susan, Turn the dates over. I would pre-bake if you were only going to broil them. However, baking them for this length of time at a high temperature will get the bacon nice and crispy!
These are also amazing stuffed with goat cheese!
Hi Michelle! I can highly recommend these, I have been making them since you last posted the recipe! Although I do sometimes swap out the cheese for blanched almonds for my dairy free friends, which is also delicious and maybe slightly less naughty :)
Bacon makes everyone perfect! I want to try these!
I made these. For my liking, the cheese wasn’t strong enough to offset the sweet of the date. So, I used blue cheese the next time I made them and they were out of this world!
Where in most grocery would you find FRESH dates? I’ve seen them packaged but I think they might be dried. Thanks. Looks so good and I want to try.
I found them in the produce section. They were in a plastic tub, much like a smaller version of how some lettuces come packaged.
Hi Lexy, In my grocery store, the fresh dates are sold in the produce section.
I made these for the first time last Friday for a birthday brunch and it was the favorite thing on the buffet. So simple to make, and SO simple to come across as a gourmet chef – teehee! I couldn’t find Fontina cheese, so I used Gouda. Fantastic! I will definitely be making these again, and I won’t give up on the Fontina search. Thanks, Michelle!
A hit!! I used the precooked bacon. I put ithem in the oven at 350 for 5 minutes, then turned the broiler on. Cheese was melted without burning the bacon.
Just wondered if there is an Italian name for this wonderful appetizer.
Hi Connie, Not that I’m aware of… whatever Italian is for “amazingly delicious and addictive”! :)
These were great! People were unsure about trying them but once they did they couldn’t stop. Thanks!
Making these for a Christmas party tonight. Googled “bacon wrapped dates” and this is what I got. A great tapas restaurant in Atlanta used to make these- “Dream Dates”, they were called. It’s since closed, so I’m hoping these are a great substitute. Thanks for the great recipes!
These are delicious! I made them for my family at thanksgiving and they were devoured!
Hi there Michelle. I have tried several of your recipes, even added my own flare to a couple and I absoultely love everything I’ve made from your recipes. I’m wanting to try this one this weekend, I’ve been looking all over for fontina cheese though and I’m having a hard time. Is there a substitute you could recommend?
Thanks Michelle!
Hi Michelle, You could really substitute any favorite cheese that melts well – white cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, Gruyere, etc.
I made these for a Fat Tuesday party. I used regular old cream cheese, though. I didn’t really care for them (but some of my friends fell in love), and now I have leftover dates to use before they expire.
They did fulfill my goal of getting everyone to eat something new, so thanks for the recipe!
I have never had a date in my life but I loved the idea of them so I made them the other night. My husband and I had them 2 nights straight!! They are amazing. The only thing is I subsituted turkey bacon for regular bacon because I cant stand regular bacon. They were delicious though!!!!!
Sounds like a fabulous flavor combination
Avriesa – What about substituting turkey bacon?
Sarah – So glad everyone enjoyed these! They’re a great crowd-pleaser, aren’t they? Thanks for stopping back and sharing your results!