Bacon-wrapped dates are Medjool dates pitted, stuffed with almond or blue cheese, wrapped in half a strip of bacon, and broiled until the bacon crisps and the date collapses into something molten and jammy. The old British name is devils on horseback, a Victorian working-class snack that runs alongside its sibling, angels on horseback, which is the same idea with an oyster instead of a date. It is the most reliable crowd-pleaser on this page: sweet, salty, smoky, soft, and crisp, all in two bites.
They can be assembled a day ahead and broiled at the last minute. They do not hold once cooked, so they are the final thing you make and the first thing that vanishes.
Why It Works: Two Textures on One Clock
The whole dish is a timing problem. The bacon needs enough heat and time to render its fat and go crisp, and the date needs to soften and warm through without the sugar in it scorching. Under the broiler those two things happen at slightly different rates, so the moves are: use thin-cut bacon, not thick, so it crisps before the date burns; par-cook the bacon slightly if it is very thick; wrap so the loose end is tucked under, held by nothing but its own weight and a toothpick if needed; and turn them once. Pull them the moment the bacon is crisp on top and the dates are glistening.
A drizzle of something sharp at the end, sherry vinegar or a squeeze of lemon or a little hot honey, cuts the richness and is what takes them from good to gone in thirty seconds.
Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Serves 4, about 16 dates. Prep 15 minutes, cook 15 minutes, total about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 16 Medjool dates
- 8 slices thin-cut bacon, halved crosswise
- Filling, choose one: 16 whole roasted almonds, or 3 ounces blue cheese, or 3 ounces Manchego cut into batons, or Marcona almonds
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or hot honey, to finish
- Toothpicks
Method
- Heat the broiler and set a rack about 6 inches below it. Line a sheet pan with foil and set a wire rack on top if you have one, so the fat drips away.
- Make a lengthwise slit in each date and lift out the pit. Push in the filling and pinch the date most of the way closed around it.
- Wrap each date in a half strip of bacon, starting and ending on the same side so the loose end sits underneath. Secure with a toothpick if the bacon will not stay.
- Arrange seam side down on the rack, not touching. Broil 6 to 8 minutes, until the top is crisp and the bacon fat has rendered.
- Turn each date with tongs and broil another 3 to 5 minutes until crisp all over and the dates look glossy and swollen.
- Move to a serving plate, drizzle with the sherry vinegar or hot honey, and serve hot.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated by calculation for one of four servings, four dates, with the almond filling, not lab verified.
| Calories | Protein | Carbohydrate | Fat | Fiber | Sugars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 320 | 8 g | 44 g | 13 g | 5 g | 37 g |
Tips and Variations
- Oven instead of broiler: bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once. Slower, more forgiving, slightly less crisp.
- Angels on horseback: the same wrap around a shucked oyster instead of a date, broiled just until the bacon crisps and the oyster plumps.
- Stuffing combos: blue cheese plus a walnut half, or Manchego plus a sliver of chorizo, or goat cheese plus a basil leaf.
- Make ahead: stuff and wrap up to a day in advance, keep refrigerated on the tray, and broil straight from cold, adding a minute or two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my bacon not crisping before the dates burn?
The bacon is too thick. Thin-cut bacon renders and crisps in the time a date needs to warm through. If all you have is thick-cut, lay it on a pan and par-cook it in the oven for five minutes first, until it is limp and half-rendered, then wrap.
Do I need to soak the dates?
Only if they are very dry and hard. Medjool dates are usually soft and sticky straight from the box. If yours are stiff, cover them with hot water for ten minutes and pat dry before stuffing.
What is the best cheese to stuff them with?
Blue cheese is the classic pairing, since its sharpness cuts the sweetness of the date. Manchego is milder and melts nicely. Goat cheese is tangy and creamy. All three work; it depends who is eating.
Can I skip the toothpick?
Often yes, if you wrap so the loose end is tucked under and set the date seam side down. The bacon shrinks as it cooks and grips the date. Toothpicks are insurance for a full tray.
How far ahead can I make these?
Assemble up to a day ahead and refrigerate. Broil within a few minutes of serving. They go from crisp to chewy as they cool and do not reheat well.
Tools for the Job
A sheet pan, a rack to keep them out of the fat, and tongs.
- Silicone Baking and Grill Mat
- 13-Inch Damascus Chef Knife
- Medium Solid Acacia Serving Platter
- Kitchen Essentials
More Appetizers
See all appetizers, or start with these.
Who Is Writing This
I am Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary training in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-time 4-Diamond chef. More about me here. If a step did not make sense, get in touch and I will fix it.
Thank you for cooking this one with us. From all of us at Wine Drop Cookery.
Devils on horseback dates to Victorian England, with the Oxford English Dictionary putting the earliest reference at 1885, alongside its sibling angels on horseback, bacon-wrapped oysters, per the reference entry on devils on horseback.