These easy Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates are an unexpectedly delicious appetizer or sweet side dish! They have a pecan pie-ish flavor and come together with just 4 ingredients. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. 😊
As a dietitian, I love finding ways to use whole food ingredients to make delicious appetizers to bring to parties or have on hand for a healthy snack. These dates are such a crowd pleaser to bring to your next party! Or make a batch and enjoy them as a healthy dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth during the holidays.
Serve these goat cheese stuffed dates on a nice serving platter or in a pie pan...perfect for the hors d'oeuvres table! if you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my Date Snickers, Hot Chocolate Dates, or Sweet Potato Rounds with Whipped Ricotta & Date & Pecan Topping.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution Ideas
These goat cheese stuffed dates are made with simple ingredients. Below are some notes but be sure to check the recipe card for measurements.
- Medjool Dates - dates contain natural sugar so they're a great way to add sweetness. In recipes like this, they are a huge hit because they have almost a caramel flavor and texture!
- Goat Cheese - dates and creamy goat cheese pair great together and the cheese almost melts into the dates when they roast. If you prefer, you can use feta or cream cheese instead.
- Chopped Pecans - I like to use pecans because I always have some in my pantry at the holidays when I make this dates recipe. But you can use a different nut if you want! Walnuts or pistachios are some great options.
- Honey - this is optional, but adding a drizzle of honey or hot honey on top enhances the sweetness of the dates.
How to Make Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates
Below are the step-by-step instructions for how to make this easy recipe with photos I hope are helpful.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190°C). Slice your dates in the middle with a sharp knife. If your dates have pits, remove the pits.
- Step 2: Stuff the cavity of the dates with goat cheese. I use a small spoon for this and letting the cheese come to room temperature first makes it easier.
- Step 3: Roll the top of the dates with the goat cheese on them in the chopped pecans and arrange them in a pie pan or baking dish. Alternatively, arrange the dates in a pie pan or baking dish first and top each one with the pecans, gently pushing the nuts into the cheese.
- Step 4: Roast in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melty. Keep an eye on them around 15 minutes being careful not to burn the pecans. Optional: add a drizzle of honey.
Hint: use a small spoon to make stuffing the dates easier!
Video of How to Make Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates
Here's a video showing how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Dietitian Tip
Dates contain a lot of natural sweetness and fiber so they're a great option for a satisfying sweet appetizer if you're looking to cut back on added sugars! They also provide dietary fiber to support gut health and they have a caramel-like texture that pairs really well with soft cheese like in this recipe.
Variations
The best part about these goat cheese stuffed dates is you can customize them to your taste. Below are some ideas.
- Orange Thyme - add fresh thyme and orange zest for more seasonal flavor! I personally like to keep it simple but I've had them both ways and they're equally delicious.
- Lemon - add lemon zest on and use pine nuts instead of pecans for more of a spring or summer flavor. Finish them with balsamic glaze or a drizzle of hot honey,
- Flaky Sea Salt - add a pinch of sea salt before roasting to enhance the flavors.
- Blue Cheese - for a more savory flavor, use blue cheese in the cavity of the date instead of goat cheese.
Meal Prep and Storage
- Meal Prep - prep ahead by stuffing the dates with the goat cheese and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. When ready to make the dish, add the pecans and roast.
- Storage - store leftovers for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.
Expert Tips
- I suggest to use Medjool dates. Deglet Noors dates are smaller and harder to stuff. You can find pitted Medjool dates to save a step!
- To make the goat cheese easier to work with, let it come to room temperature before stuffing the dates.
- Pecans can burn easily so be sure to keep an eye on it around 15 minutes into roasting.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient rich option. Dates contain important nutrients including dietary fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. Goat cheese contains calcium and phosphorus and pecans provide manganese and zinc.
You can find dates in the produce section or the dried fruit and nut aisle of most grocery stores. You can also find them in the bulk section or purchase them on Amazon.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Easy Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates with Pecans & Honey
Equipment
- 1 pie pan or baking pan
Ingredients
- 20 Medjool Dates
- 4 oz goat cheese
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- drizzle honey (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190°C). Slice your dates in the middle with a sharp knife. If your dates have pits, remove the pits.
- Stuff the cavity of the dates with goat cheese. I use a small spoon for this and letting the cheese come to room temperature first makes it easier.
- Roll the goat cheese on the top of the dates in the chopped pecans and arrange them in a pie pan or baking dish. Alternatively, arrange the dates in a pie pan or baking dish first and top each one with the pecans, gently pushing the nuts into the cheese.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melty. Keep an eye on them around 15 minutes being careful not to burn the pecans. Optional: add a drizzle of honey.
Video
Notes
- I suggest to use Medjool dates. Deglet Noors dates are smaller and harder to stuff. You can find pitted Medjool dates to save a step!
- To make the goat cheese easier to work with, let it come to room temperature before stuffing the dates.
- Pecans can burn easily so be sure to keep an eye on it around 15 minutes into roasting.
- Prep - prep ahead by stuffing the dates with the goat cheese and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. When ready to make the dish, add the pecans and roast.
- Storage - store leftovers for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.
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