Stuffed Dates: 13 Two-Bite Holiday Appetizers That Look Fancy and Take Minutes

Stuffed dates are the easiest fancy appetizer you can bring to Thanksgiving or a Christmas party: split, stuff, bake for 10 minutes and watch the platter empty before the turkey is carved. A video of seven stuffed date ideas passed 8 million views on Instagram this month, and a feta and Parmesan roasted version drew 1.5 million in less than a week. Soft Medjool dates are the best choice. Cut a slit down one side, pull out the pit, and you have a little sweet pocket ready for cheese, nuts, bacon or chocolate. Below you will find 12 sweet and salty ideas with simple steps, plus tips for making the platter ahead. Which one will you try first..

Stuffed Dates Start With the Viral Feta and Parmesan Bite

This is the version everyone is saving this fall. Dates get stuffed with a mix of creamy feta and nutty Parmesan, roasted until the cheese turns soft and golden, then drizzled with honey and covered in a crunchy walnut and herb topping. Sweet, salty, warm and crisp all in one bite. They take about 15 minutes from start to finish, and you can stuff them the night before. Would you eat them warm or at room temperature..

You will need: 20 Medjool dates, 4 oz feta crumbled, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp honey, 1/3 cup walnuts chopped, 1 tsp fresh thyme, flaky salt, black pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and line a pan. 2. Slit each date and remove the pit. 3. Mash the feta, Parmesan and oil and fill each date. 4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese is soft. 5. Toast the walnuts with the thyme in a dry pan. 6. Drizzle the dates with honey and top with walnuts, salt and pepper.

Bacon-Wrapped Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

This is the party classic that never sits on the tray for long. A little goat cheese goes inside each date, then a half slice of bacon wraps around it and bakes until crisp. A brush of maple syrup at the end makes them shine. Make a double batch, because these bacon-wrapped stuffed dates go first at every party. Are you a bacon fan?

You will need: 20 Medjool dates, 4 oz goat cheese, 10 slices bacon cut in half, 1 tbsp maple syrup, toothpicks, black pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and set a rack on a lined pan. 2. Pit the dates and fill each with a little goat cheese. 3. Wrap each date with half a slice of bacon. 4. Secure with a toothpick, seam side down. 5. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until the bacon is crisp. 6. Brush with maple syrup and add pepper.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Blue Cheese Dates

Blue cheese lovers, this one is for you. A little crumble of tangy blue cheese goes inside, then a thin slice of prosciutto wraps around the outside. They can go on a hot grill pan or in the oven for a few minutes until the ham crisps at the edges. The salty, funky cheese and sweet date are a perfect match with a glass of something bubbly.

You will need: 20 Medjool dates, 3 oz blue cheese crumbled, 10 thin slices prosciutto cut in half lengthwise, 1 tbsp balsamic glaze, toothpicks.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F or heat a grill pan. 2. Pit the dates and fill each with blue cheese. 3. Wrap each date with a strip of prosciutto. 4. Bake 8 minutes or grill 2 minutes per side. 5. Let them cool for 2 minutes. 6. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.

Devils on Horseback: Almond and Bacon Dates

In Britain they call these devils on horseback, and in Spain you find them in tapas bars. A whole toasted almond goes where the pit was, then bacon wraps around it. The crunch of the almond inside is a nice surprise. They are an old-school party bite that has been around for over a hundred years. Have you ever tried them?

You will need: 24 Medjool dates, 24 whole roasted almonds, 12 slices bacon cut in half, toothpicks, a pinch of smoked paprika.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F. 2. Pit the dates and push an almond into each one. 3. Wrap with half a slice of bacon. 4. Secure with a toothpick and set on a rack over a pan. 5. Sprinkle with smoked paprika. 6. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until crisp.

Whipped Ricotta, Honey and Pistachio Dates

These look like little pastries from a fancy bakery. Ricotta gets whipped until fluffy with a little honey and lemon zest, then piped into the dates. A shower of chopped pistachios adds color and crunch. They need no oven at all. They are lovely for a holiday brunch or a dessert board. Pistachio fans, which of these stuffed dates is your favorite so far?

You will need: 20 Medjool dates, 1 cup whole milk ricotta, 2 tbsp honey plus more for drizzling, zest of 1 orange or lemon, 1/3 cup shelled pistachios chopped, flaky salt.

How to make it: 1. Whip the ricotta, honey and zest for 2 minutes until fluffy. 2. Spoon it into a piping bag. 3. Slit and pit the dates. 4. Pipe ricotta into each date. 5. Sprinkle with pistachios and a little salt. 6. Drizzle with honey and chill until serving.

Brie and Cranberry Stuffed Dates for Christmas

Brie and cranberry is the flavor of the holidays, and it fits perfectly inside a date. A small cube of brie and a spoon of cranberry sauce go in, then the dates bake just until the cheese starts to melt. Top them with pecans and a tiny sprig of rosemary so they look like little Christmas gifts. They are best served warm.

You will need: 20 Medjool dates, 4 oz brie cut in 20 small pieces, 1/3 cup whole berry cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup chopped pecans, fresh rosemary.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Slit and pit the dates. 3. Tuck a piece of brie into each. 4. Top with a little cranberry sauce. 5. Bake 6 to 8 minutes until the brie softens. 6. Add pecans and rosemary and serve warm.

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Dates for Thanksgiving

These are the Thanksgiving version. Cream cheese gets mixed with pumpkin puree, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice, then piped into the dates. Toasted pepitas on top give a salty crunch. They taste like a bite of pumpkin cheesecake. They are a great appetizer to set out while the turkey rests, and kids love them too.

You will need: 20 Medjool dates, 4 oz cream cheese softened, 3 tbsp pumpkin puree, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 cup toasted salted pepitas, cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Beat the cream cheese, pumpkin, maple syrup and spice until smooth. 2. Spoon into a piping bag. 3. Slit and pit the dates. 4. Pipe the filling into each date. 5. Top with pepitas. 6. Dust with cinnamon and chill until serving.

Cream Cheese and Almond Dates, Spanish Style

In Spain, datiles rellenos are a simple, much loved appetizer. Each date is filled with soft cream cheese and topped with a toasted almond or walnut. They take ten minutes and need no cooking at all, which makes them the easiest stuffed dates on this list. Arrange them on a pretty plate with a few herbs and they look like a caterer made them.

You will need: 20 Medjool dates, 4 oz cream cheese or soft goat cheese, 20 toasted almonds or walnut halves, 1 tbsp honey, fresh mint or parsley leaves.

How to make it: 1. Slit and pit the dates. 2. Stir the honey into the cream cheese. 3. Spoon or pipe the cheese into each date. 4. Press an almond or walnut on top. 5. Arrange on a plate with herbs. 6. Chill until serving.

Pecan Pie Stuffed Dates

Pecan pie in one bite, with no crust to roll. A little butter, brown sugar and chopped pecans get mixed into a sticky filling, then spooned into the dates and baked until bubbly. A pinch of flaky salt on top makes the flavor pop. They are a perfect sweet bite for the Thanksgiving dessert table. Which do you love more: pecan pie or pumpkin pie?

You will need: 20 Medjool dates, 1/2 cup pecans finely chopped, 2 tbsp butter melted, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp vanilla, pinch of cinnamon, flaky salt, 20 pecan halves.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F. 2. Mix the chopped pecans, butter, sugar, syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. 3. Slit and pit the dates. 4. Fill each with the pecan mixture and top with a pecan half. 5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until bubbly. 6. Cool 5 minutes and sprinkle with salt.

Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Candy Bar Dates

This is the sweet version that went viral as a homemade candy bar. Each date gets a spoon of peanut butter and a few peanuts, then a dip in melted dark chocolate. Once it sets, it tastes like a famous caramel peanut candy bar. Keep them in the fridge. They are a fun no-bake treat for the holiday cookie tray. For more party bite ideas, see our holiday appetizers your guests will talk about.

You will need: 20 Medjool dates, 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, 8 oz dark chocolate, 1 tsp coconut oil, flaky salt, chopped pistachios or sprinkles for decorating.

How to make it: 1. Slit and pit the dates. 2. Fill each with peanut butter and press in a few peanuts. 3. Freeze 15 minutes. 4. Melt the chocolate with the coconut oil. 5. Dip each date and set on parchment. 6. Top with salt or pistachios and chill until set.

Caramel Nut Stuffed Dates

These are for anyone who loves a sticky, sweet bite. The dates are filled with a mix of chopped nuts, then drizzled with warm caramel and a little flaky salt. They are a nice change from heavy pies and cakes after a big dinner. Set out a bowl with toothpicks and let guests help themselves. Do you like salted caramel or plain?

You will need: 20 Medjool dates, 1/2 cup mixed nuts chopped (almonds, walnuts, pecans), 1/3 cup thick caramel sauce, flaky sea salt, toothpicks.

How to make it: 1. Slit and pit the dates. 2. Fill each with chopped nuts. 3. Arrange on a serving plate. 4. Warm the caramel sauce. 5. Drizzle it over the dates. 6. Sprinkle with flaky salt and serve.

Ancient Roman Honey Dates, 2,000 Years Old

Stuffed dates are not a new trend at all. The Roman cookbook known as Apicius includes dulcia domestica, or homemade sweets: dates stuffed with nuts or pine nuts, rolled in a little salt and cooked in honey. People are still making it today. It is a fun story to tell at the table, and it shows that the best ideas never go out of style.

You will need: 20 dates, 20 walnut halves or 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1/2 cup honey, a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper.

How to make it: 1. Pit the dates. 2. Stuff each with a walnut half or a few pine nuts. 3. Roll lightly in a pinch of salt. 4. Warm the honey in a small pan. 5. Simmer the dates in the honey for 3 to 4 minutes, turning them. 6. Sprinkle with pepper and cool before serving.

Make-Ahead Stuffed Dates Platter Tips

Stuffed dates are perfect for busy hosts. Stuff them a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Bake the warm ones right before guests arrive, and set out the cold ones straight from the fridge. Mix sweet and savory on one board with cheese, crackers and grapes. For more ideas, watch this pro chefs’ go-to appetizers video from Bon Appetit. Which of these stuffed dates will you make first?

You will need: A large board or platter, small bowls for honey and nuts, toothpicks, cheese, crackers, grapes, fresh herbs for garnish, parchment paper.

How to make it: 1. Stuff all the dates the day before. 2. Keep them covered in the fridge. 3. Bake the warm kinds just before guests arrive. 4. Set out the cold kinds 15 minutes early. 5. Arrange sweet and savory on separate sides. 6. Add cheese, crackers, grapes and herbs to fill gaps.