Bacon-Wrapped Dates

Simple 3-ingredient Bacon-Wrapped Dates make the perfect party appetizer. Crispy bacon covered in sugar, then wrapped around a date and baked to perfection—what could be better?! 

Is there anything better than bacon-wrapped dates? Yes! Bacon-wrapped dates with brown sugar of course. This appetizer requires only three ingredients and comes together in about 30 minutes. Plus, who doesn't love bacon?! 

As much as I adore my bacon guacamole and my maple bacon scones, these dates are a recipe I come back to time and time again. They're a delicious party appetizer that everyone will adore, and the ultimate salty-sweet snack. 

If you're on the fence about dates, I still recommend trying these. I know Miguel "hates" dates by themselves, but he absolutely adores this recipe. Dates are the ultimate sweet and savory snack when wrapped in bacon!

These brown sugar dates are the perfect combination of flavors--they're a real crowd-pleaser. So whether you're going to a party or just having a few friends over, I highly recommend whipping these up.

Recipe features

• It's the perfect combination of salty and sweet in a bite-sized snack
• If you need a fairly quick party appetizer that people will LOVE, this is it!
• It's an excellent way to convince guests who are "weird" about dates that dates are in fact delicious

Ingredients

Dates - I always use deglet dates instead of medjool dates because most of the time, deglet dates are already pitted, whereas medjool datets you often have to remove the pit yourself. But, you can use either one in this recipe!

Bacon - Preferably a low-sugar bacon, since we're going to roll the bacon in brown sugar. 

Brown sugar - Light or dark will work.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare your baking sheet. Preheat the oven, then line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Step 2: Create an assembly line. Pour the dates into a bowl, the brown sugar into a separate bowl (or small plate) and put the bacon on a cutting board.

Step 3: Slice the bacon. Use a sharp knife to slice the bacon into thirds, creating a total of 24 pieces of bacon.  

Step 4: Assemble the dates. Grab a date in your hand, then wrap a slice of bacon around the date, using a toothpick to secure it. Dunk the bacon-wrapped date into the brown sugar, then place it directly onto your prepared baking sheet. Repeat this process for all two dozen dates.

Step 3: Bake the dates. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the dates for 12 minutes, flipping half way through so that the bacon cooks evenly. Optionally, you can sprinkle a little extra brown sugar overtop before serving. That's it!

Tips and FAQs

• I recommend using parchment paper instead of foil to line your baking pan because it creates less of a mess.
• The cook time will vary depending on the thickness of the bacon.
• Want to take these up a notch? Dip the bacon-wrapped dates in a little maple syrup before dipping them into the sugar, which will elevate the sweetness a bit. 

Do I have to use brown sugar?

Nope! If you want these to be less sweet, I recommend using maple bacon, and omitting the brown sugar. They'll still be sweet, but slightly less.

Can I stuff the dates with something?

Sure! If you're going to make stuffed dates, I recommend using medjool dates because they're a bit larger. Try stuffing them with goat cheese, whipped feta, cream cheese, almonds, or even pecans. 

Storage

• Refrigerator: Making these ahead of time? No problem. Make them, then store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours before you're going to serve them.
• Freezer: Wait for the cooked dates to cool, then place them in a single layer in a container, using parchment paper to separate the layers. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• To reheat: Place dates on a baking sheet and "bake" at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until they're warmed through.

More easy appetizers

• Parmesan Pear Crostini
• Caramelized Onion Dip
• Buttery Turkish Hummus

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in December 2018. It was updated with new text in December 2021.