The bacon starts to brown at the edges while the dates turn glossy and soft, and the whole tray smells savory-sweet before it’s even out of the oven. I make these bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese when I want an appetizer that feels special but doesn’t need a long list of ingredients. Each Medjool date gets a small spoonful of softened goat cheese, then a half slice of regular-cut bacon to hold everything together.
The wire rack does useful work here: it lifts the dates above the drippings so the bacon can brown all around instead of sitting in rendered fat. Turning them halfway through helps both sides crisp. Let them rest for five minutes when they come out; the filling is hot, and that brief pause makes the bites easier to pick up and serve warm.
Kitchen Note
Give the dates the full five-minute rest after baking. The goat cheese is molten when they first come out, and a short pause lets the filling settle while the bacon stays crisp.
Save these bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese for an appetizer with crisp bacon and a warm, tangy center.
Why the Wire Rack Matters More Than a Longer Bake
Bacon wrapped around a date has a small but important challenge: the bottom is pressed against the pan while the top is exposed to the oven. If the dates sit directly on a flat baking sheet, the underside can spend the bake surrounded by rendered bacon fat. The rack raises each bite above those drippings, giving hot air room to circulate around the bacon.
That’s why I use both foil and a rack rather than choosing one or the other. The foil lines the rimmed sheet and catches the fat; the rack keeps the dates out of it. Turning the bites halfway through gives the side that started underneath a chance to brown, too. The goal isn’t to bake the dates until they’re dry or hard. Pull them when the bacon is browned and crisp, then let the dates rest before serving. The sweet, tender fruit and creamy filling stay tucked inside their crisp bacon wrapping.
Medjool Dates, Soft Goat Cheese, and the Bacon That Fits Them
- Large Medjool dates — Their size gives you room to open the existing slit and add goat cheese without the fruit falling apart. Choose dates that feel soft and pliable rather than dried out; smaller dates are harder to fill and wrap neatly. Buy them pitted, or remove any pits before you start.
- Goat cheese — Its tangy, creamy character gives a useful contrast to the dates’ sweetness, and softening it makes a small amount easy to tuck inside. A fresh package from the grocery store works well; there’s no need for a specialty aged cheese. Keep the filling modest so the slit can close around it. A different cheese won’t give quite the same tang or texture, so I stick with goat cheese for this version.
- Regular-cut bacon — Regular-cut slices wrap around the dates without overwhelming them and have time to brown during the bake. Thick-cut bacon is a poor direct swap here because its thicker layer may not turn crisp in the same window. Cut each slice crosswise in half so there’s enough bacon for a snug wrap around each date.
- Wooden toothpicks — These hold the bacon in place as it heats and shrinks. Check that each toothpick goes through the bacon securely, and set the wrapped date seam side down on the rack so the loose edge stays against the surface.
How to Wrap Each Date So the Bacon Browns Evenly
Set Up the Foil-Lined Rack
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line an 18×13-inch rimmed baking sheet with foil, then set a wire rack on top. The rim contains the drippings, while the rack keeps the dates elevated as they bake. Get the pan ready before filling the dates so the wrapped bites can go straight onto the rack.
Fill Along the Date’s Natural Slit
Open each pitted date along its slit rather than cutting it in half. Add about 1 teaspoon of softened goat cheese inside each one. If the opening is forced too wide, the date can split; ease it open just enough to hold the filling. The cheese should sit inside the fruit, not spill out over the edges.
Wrap and Secure the Bacon
Wrap each filled date with one half slice of bacon and secure it with a wooden toothpick. Place every date seam side down on the rack, leaving space between the bites. A snug wrap helps the bacon stay in place as it cooks. If a piece looks loose, reposition the bacon before it goes into the oven rather than trying to fix it halfway through baking.
Turn Once, Then Rest Before Serving
Bake for 20–25 minutes, turning the dates halfway through. Look for bacon that’s browned and crisp all around; color is a better cue than expecting every slice to look exactly alike. Let the dates rest for 5 minutes before serving them warm. The filling will be hot straight from the oven, so give it that pause before anyone takes a bite.
Small Changes for a More Date-Forward Bite
Dairy-free, without the goat cheese
Leave out the goat cheese and wrap the pitted dates in bacon as usual. The result is less creamy and more focused on the sweet date and savory bacon, so it’s a straightforward option when dairy doesn’t work for the menu.
A lightly filled, date-forward version
Use a thinner smear of goat cheese in each slit instead of filling it generously. You’ll get less tangy creaminess in each bite and more of the Medjool date’s chewy sweetness, with a little more room for the slit to close around the filling.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days. The bacon softens in the refrigerator, and the dates become firmer when cold.
- Freezer: They can be frozen after baking. Arrange them in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months; the goat cheese may be a little less smooth after thawing.
- Reheating: Reheat in the oven until hot throughout and the bacon has crisped again. A microwave warms them quickly but leaves the bacon soft, so avoid it when you want that crisp exterior.
Questions That Come Up Before the Tray Goes In
Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Line an 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on the sheet.
- Open each date along its slit.
- Fill each date with about 1 teaspoon goat cheese.
- Wrap each date with a half slice of bacon.
- Secure each wrapped date with a toothpick.
- Place the dates seam side down on the rack.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, turning the dates halfway through, until the bacon is browned and crisp.
- Let the dates rest for 5 minutes before serving warm.