Whether you’re looking for the perfect party appetizer or an impressive game day snack, this Recipe for Bacon Wrapped Dates is fun, easy and quick to make! They’re the perfect sweet and savoury combo and a treat that’ll have everyone coming back for more time and time again!
This Recipe for Bacon Wrapped Dates deserves a spot on your next menu. Is that a vague statement?! Cause I mean….they belong on ANY menu. These bad boys are great as a holiday appetizer, as a snack for your next party, as a treat to hold you over before dinner, as a show-stopping dish perfect for any game day or even as a dessert replacer. Yeah, I said it. They’re *almost* sweet enough to be considered a dessert. But the crisp salty bacon and crunchy almond snuggled into the centers might make you think otherwise. Either way, we don’t care! These Bacon Wrapped Dates are delicious morning, noon and night!
While most food bloggers are posting their Valentine’s best, I’m over here prepping the ultimate game day menu for the upcoming Super Bowl. Do I watch football? No. Does my boyfriend? Nope. But do we love food and entertaining and parties and know that the Super Bowl, for people like us, can only mean one thing? Yes, of course we do. What does super bowl mean to us, you ask? A smorgasbord of snacks, OBVIOUSLY. And I’d be damned if this recipe for bacon wrapped dates doesn’t get a front row seat at this year’s halftime show. Next to these Loaded Smoky Lentil Nachos, of course.
Although, I must admit… I don’t think ANYONE would be mad if their Valentine served up some of these Bacon Wrapped Dates as part of dinner. I know I wouldn’t be 😉
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE BACON WRAPPED DATES
Yup! That’s right! Just 3 ingredients is all you’re going to need to make these mouth-watering and highly addicting Bacon Wrapped Dates. Oh, and toothpicks! I mean, technically, those are kinda optional. If you don’t use them, simply lay the bacon down on the sheet pan seam side down so they don’t open while baking in the oven. Let’s talk about the 3 simple ingredients in a little more detail down below:
- Dates: Well, DUH! How could you make bacon wrapped dates without ’em?! Dates are sweet and have some subtle caramel notes. They might feel a little dry and unpliable at first touch but trust me, they’re easy to work with and you should be able to manage ’em pretty well. You shouldn’t have any problems sticking a full almond into each one, even if you’re a little forceful. But, be gentle and careful enough to keep them as intact as you can. You can get dates with pits or ones without. If you go with the unpitted version, you’ll simply have to remove the pit yourself (which should be a relatively easy and straightforward task). If you get the pitted version, the dates should already have an incision making it super easy and that much quicker to stuff ’em!
- Bacon: Adds the perfect salty and savoury touch to the sweet dates. Crisps up super nice around the dates as they bake in the oven. The sweet, salty and savoury combo is truly irresistible! I used plain bacon but smoked applewood or maple flavoured would add a nice touch 😉 Regular bacon is best in this recipe as thick cut will require extra cooking time and may not crisp up as nice as a thinner slice.
- Almonds: For the perfect crunch! Whole almonds are best in this recipe as one fits perfectly into each date. Blanched or unblanched would work just the same . But, salted and roasted would definitely add a little bit more flavour overall.
HOW TO MAKE BACON WRAPPED DATES (KEY TIPS)
- Cut the bacon strips into thirds. The dates aren’t very big and cutting each slice into thirds will give you the perfect size pieces to wrap the dates enough for them to perfectly crisp up in the oven. EXTRA TIP: Try to avoid using thick cut bacon as it will require more cooking time and won’t crisp up as nice as a thin slice is going to.
- Use a baking sheet with a wire rack, if you have one as it’ll give you the best results. The 360° air circulation will help these bacon wrapped dates crisp up evenly and in a good amount of time. If you don’t have one, a parchment lined baking sheet will do just fine. You’ll just have to flip them halfway through or keep alternating them a few times during baking to ensure even cooking. PRO TIP: If you are using a wire rack, be sure to grease it or spray it with cooking oil verrry well to prevent sticking!
- Either way, line the baking sheet with parchment paper before you start. Bacon is verrrrry messy and doing this will make the cleanup 10x easier!
- Handle the dates with care. They might seem a little hard to work with at first, especially if they’re a little more on the drier side. But trust me, they’re pretty pliable and easy to manage. If you really do find them that hard to work with, you can always soak them in boiling water for 10 minutes but I didn’t find that step necessary with mine.
- If you’re planning on serving these bacon wrapped dates at a party or gathering, use toothpicks. Not only will they hold the bacon seams together and the dates intact but they’ll make it super easy for these dates to be a grab and go snack or appetizer. But, fret not. If you don’t have any toothpicks on hand, simply cook the bacon wrapped dates seam side down on the baking sheet so they don’t come apart as they bake in the oven.
- Once you remove the bacon wrapped dates from the oven, transfer them to a paper towel lined plate for a few minutes before serving. This will soak up any remaining bacon grease and make sure the dates are not full of oil when you serve them.
- Eat ’em hot! These bacon wrapped dates are the perrrrfect treat hot and fresh out of the oven. That’s when the flavours are going to be the most profound and these things will be most addictive (so beware!!)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes! This easy 3 ingredient appetizer can be started in advance then baked just before serving. You can pit, stuff and wrap the dates and store them in an airtight container up to 24 hours before serving. When ready to cook, simply follow the instructions in the recipe card down below.
These bacon wrapped dates are best eaten fresh, hot and straight off the pan! The umami they have when they’re in that state simply can’t be beat! However, if you happen to have some leftover, store them in an airtight container and eat them within 24 hours. Simply reheat them in a hot oven until warmed through when ready to eat again.
The best kind of bacon to use for these bacon wrapped dates is regular, thin slices. Thick cut bacon won’t crisp up as nice or evenly and might require additional cooking time. You also might have to precook your bacon if it’s on the thicker side, which is not a necessary step if you use regular bacon.
Dates are pretty cool because they’re so versatile! This recipe for bacon wrapped dates is pretty simple (but don’t be fooled…it’s damn delicious!). With that being said, we only use a single whole almond to stuff ’em (roasted and salted will add the maximum flavour). On that note, though, dates in general can be stuffed with a ton of things to make them extra delicious! Goat cheese, peanut butter or fresh herbs are a few tasty ingredients you can stuff inside dates.
Bacon wrapped dates make a great holiday appetizer, party food or snack or great accompaniment to any meal! Serve them up with a large bowl of soup or salad, some chicken wings or nachos, or as a starter to any main dish. This Egg Roll in a Bowl, Philly Cheesesteak Casserole or Cauliflower Mac and Cheese all make great options.
RECIPE FOR BACON WRAPPED DATES
Whether you're looking for the perfect party appetizer or an impressive game day snack, this Recipe for Bacon Wrapped Dates is fun, easy and quick to make!
Ingredients
- 24 Whole Dry Dates
- 12 Bacon Strips
- 24 Whole Almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you have one, use one with a wire rack or place one over top as the 360° air circulation will give you best results. If you don't, just use the parchment lined baking sheet.
- If your dates still have the pits in them, carefully and simply remove them by making a small vertical incision into each date with a knife and pulling it out.
- Carefully insert a whole almond into each date, one at a time. This should be pretty easy to do as the dates are pretty malleable and easy to work with. Just be careful not to break the date into two halves.
- Cut the bacon strips into equal thirds.
- Put a date into the center of each piece of bacon and wrap it tightly inside. Either use a toothpick to secure the seams together or put the wrapped dates seam side down onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Line them up on the baking sheet or wire rack leaving enough space in between each to breathe.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the bacon is crisp to your liking. If you're not using a wire rack, you'll have to flip them once halfway through baking. Transfer the bacon wrapped dates to a paper towel lined plate for a few minutes to soak off some of the grease before serving. Eat hot!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 55Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 103mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 2g
Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.
IF YOU LOVE WRAPPING THINGS IN BACON AS MUCH AS I DO, THEN YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE FOR BACON WRAPPED BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND BACON WRAPPED WATER CHESTNUTS AS WELL!
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