‘Tis the season, and this recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates with Almonds is a perfect way to kick off your holiday gathering. Think about it; sweet dates, stuffed with creamy cream cheese and crunchy almonds all wrapped up like a present with crispy smokey bacon. What’s not to love?
Let’s get real, just the idea of bacon-wrapped dates should send you into sensory overload. And, then I have upped the ante by stuffing the dates with cream cheese and almonds first! Let’s just say these Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates with Almonds are over the top delicious and I can promise you they will be a party favorite!
Another great thing about these Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates with Almonds is they can be made ahead. You can stuff them and wrap with bacon up to 2 days ahead of time. Then, on the big day, just pop in the oven right before you want to serve them. They are tasty served warm or at room temperature.
Dates are loaded with potassium and while I won’t try to convince you these luscious appetizers are healthy, a serving of dates has 50% more potassium than a serving of bananas.
If you like this recipe, you might also like these yummy appetizer recipes: Crispy Cheesy Southern Cheese Crackers, Easy Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms, and Baked Bacon Ranch Jalapeno Poppers. Want more appetizer recipes, click here!
How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates With Almonds
To make these flavorful morsels be sure to purchase dates which have already been pitted, preferably Medjool dates. But, don’t make the same mistake I did the first time I made stuffed dates. I put the package of dates in the refrigerator and they became so stiff I had a hard time opening them enough to stuff in the cream cheese and almonds.
You will also need cream cheese, salted and roasted whole almonds and, you guessed it, bacon.
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the cream cheese into 18 1 by 1/4 inch pieces.
To stuff the dates, look for the hole at the top of the date. Widen this hole with your finger and stuff 1 piece of cream cheese and 1 almond into each date. It’s easier to handle your cream cheese if it is very cold. I put the cream cheese in first and then used the almond to stuff it in.
Once the dates are stuffed, wrap a piece of bacon around each date and secure with a toothpick. My husband loves these so much, I always have to double the recipe to make sure we have enough for our guests.
Arrange dates with bacon seam side down on a wire rack on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will make your clean-up much easier.
Bake 10 minutes or until the bacon starts to brown, then turn over and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the bacon is brown and crispy.
Yum! I hope you love these delicious bite-size treats as much as we do!
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