I gotta tell ya, I never thought about eating Bacon Wrapped Dates. Recipes, I’ve seen, but back me up here, folks, doesn’t it sound kind of weird? Maybe I just thought that’s because I haven’t really tried them before. So I’m here to tell you weird they are, but weirdly delish in the most Gobsmacking way! These ones have a little extra bit of deliciousness. They’re Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates

I feel like I’ve missed out on this deliciousness because I was so wrong in my initial assessment and never made them before. Yep, I was wrong. Mark it on your calendars, lol! I was wrong, wrong, wrong! I mean really, who knew? These Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates are mouth-watering, sweet, sticky, crispy, chewy, smoky deliciousness.

About Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates:

So when I made these for my folks when I was down in South Dakota, helping them out, the three of us, along with their sweet Home Health worker just stood around the end of the table, surrounding the tray and one by one devoured them. We didn’t even stop to sit down!

Sometimes these are called “Devils on Horseback” and I can see why – you’ll be carried away by them and you’ll be led into temptation. It’s hard to stop eating these! Aw, sweet temptation! Oh, Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates – where have you been all my life?!

These are super easy to make – really, it’s pretty much just assembly, and they can be stuffed with all kinds of things. I used Bleu Cheese, but goat cheese, Manchego or just about any cheese you’d like will be dreamy. Good flavorful cheese will help offset some of that sweet, sweet date flavor. You might want to stuff these with Mango Chutney or Almonds. I really liked the almond version – they stayed slightly crunchy and it was such a nice contrast of textures. Now keep in mind that almonds won’t be able to be skewered, which is my own little innovation to the recipe.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates

Making Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates:

The stuffing was surprisingly easy, although a little sticky. I found it easiest to cut all the bacon, lay it out on a tray, add all the dates, best to use pitted, and only after they were laid all out in rows, filling each with a dab of cheese. It doesn’t take much. The dates may need to be opened up. Then it’s simply a matter of wrapping.

While each date is traditionally held closed with a toothpick and they’re baked on a tray (line it with foil) I don’t like fiddling a whole lot while these cook, and they have to be turned.

I decided, instead, to skewer these little suckers, leaving space between them, which was easy to do since they were all laid out in neat little rows. I just ran the skewers through each in turn, holding each date in place as the skewer went through, making sure the bacon ends were secured by the skewer.

Then for maximum chewy crispness, onto a rack they went. When serving, remove the skewers, or else some guest will probably just grab the whole skewer and run off to a corner, growling at anyone that comes near, and will happily gnaw these right off the stick like a feral animal! I suggest adding a toothpick to each so they are easy to handle.

Saving Money on Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates:

Dates:

• Dates, like most dried fruit, will be at a low from the fall through the end of Christmas week. You’ll find best pricing at markets (Asian, Middle Eastern, etc.) and farm supply stores. Pick the quality that fits your recipe and/or budget.
• If in flimsy packaging, rewrap well or place in a heavy ziploc. If hardened or sugar crystallizes, use in recipes where the dates are cooked. Add a bit of baking soda to facilitate softening.

Bacon:

• Know your regular, good sale, and rock bottom pricing. Stock up at rock bottom, usually about half price, and usually before a holiday. Not being brand loyal gives more opportunities to save. Bacon freezes well and takes up little room.
• Discount stores like Aldi or Lidl have great pricing, but beware of the cheapest bacon. As a rule, buyers’ clubs have better quality at a low, not necessarily the cheapest price.

Better Near Deli Cheese: 

• Don’t let the prices of “near deli” cheese deter you from enjoying them. They’ll usually have more flavor than other cheeses, which means more bang for your buck.
• Both Aldi and Lidl have a decent prices on deli cheese, but check your buyers’ club, especially during the holiday season.
• If neither the discount grocery nor the buyers’ clubs are an option, watch the sales on “near deli” cheese. If your store has hangtags (coupons), pick them up and hang on to them until a great sale happens.
• Once opened, use soft cheese promptly, but know that unopened, most have a long shelf life in the fridge, much longer than dated.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates

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• Author: mollie kirby
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: varies
• Category: Appetizer
• Cuisine: Spanish

Ingredients

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• 1 package of pitted dates
• 1/2 package of regular (not thick cut) bacon, sliced into 1/4’s
• 4 ounces of soft cheese, such as bleu cheese, goat cheese or other flavorful substitute.

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I’ll be sharing Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates at our very own Throwback Thursday Link Party as well as at Fiesta Friday, hosted this week by Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju and Sandhya @ Indfused. Come and join us! 🙂