Fontina-Stuffed, Bacon-Wrapped Dates

This is quite possibly the most amazing appetizer I have ever made; I have never seen anything gobbled up by a crowd so quickly. Although it’s certainly not surprising as to why – combining moist, sweet dates with creamy cheese and salty, crisp bacon creates a flavor combination that is nothing short of fabulous. In addition to being one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted, this appetizer is a snap to throw together and takes mere minutes in the oven. You can easily prep the dates – stuffing and wrapping them – and as soon as guests show up, pop them in the oven. Unique and classy, this appetizer will impress guests and have them raving!

I had first planned to make two dates per person, since I was serving another relatively substantial appetizer (polenta pizza, which I will be sharing soon!). After fixing up the dates and having quite a bit left, I decided to bump it up to three per person and added more to the baking sheet. I could have easily planned on making four or five per person – these disappeared almost instantly.

If you can’t find fresh dates you could go ahead and use dried, but if available, I think the fresh are so much more flavorful. They are also moister, which provides a great contrast to the crispy bacon.

More great appetizers:

Traditional Hummus

Cheddar Ale Spread

Chicken Spread

1 year ago: Croissants

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Fontina-Stuffed, Bacon-Wrapped Dates

Prepare 3-4 dates (or more!) per person

Fresh dates

Fontina cheese, cut to fit inside the dates

Bacon, cut into 3″ pieces

1. Preheat broiler and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Slit the dates open, keeping the bottom in tact. Place a piece of cheese inside each date. Wrap bacon around the stuffed date, overlapping the ends on the bottom.

3. Broil for approximately 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn!

(Inspired by The Left Over Queen)