bacon wrapped dates skewered with toothpicks on white plate

Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates

Goat cheese is one of my all-time favorite cheeses. You can fry it in goat cheese balls, dip it like this blueberry balsamic goat cheese dip or toss it in roasted squash & goat cheese pasta or stuff it in these Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Dates. Whatever you do, you really can’t go wrong!

Any time I go out to a new restaurant with friends, they make fun of me because 90% of the time if there is something on the menu with goat cheese, that is what I am ordering. It just adds such an amazing flavor to any recipe, not to mention the creamy smooth texture.

fingers holding bacon wrapped goat cheese stuffed date

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Bacon wrapped dates are an appetizer recipe that have been around for quite some time. There isn’t anything all that innovative about these Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Dates, but making them with the Air Fryer cuts down the cooking time a significant amount, not to mention crisps them up to absolute perfection.

If you want to try something a little different, you can stuff a whole roasted almond inside of the goat cheese. Try this on a few of your stuffed dates to see which way you prefer them! It adds a nice crunch and flavor.

Some people like to simply wrap their dates in bacon and call it a day. You can certainly do that in the Air Fryer as well. I, of course, can’t pass up stuffing them with creamy goat cheese. The balance of crispy and salty bacon, sweet Medjool dates and tangy goat cheese is perfection. It really can’t get much better. So why mess with a good thing?!

bacon, goat cheese and dates wrapped on cutting board

How to make bacon wrapped dates in the Air Fryer

This Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Date recipe makes 12 dates, but if you are making these for a party, I highly suggest double or tripling the recipe. They will go fast!

To make this easy appetizer, you will need the following three ingredients

12 Medjool dates, pitted

2 oz. chèvre goat cheese

4 slices bacon

Slice each date lengthwise on one side. Stuff each date with as much goat cheese as you can squeeze inside. If you are using a tube of goat cheese, an easy trick to stuffing dates is snipping the corner of the tube and squeezing it into the dates like a piping bag.

Slice your bacon into thirds and wrap a piece of bacon around each goat cheese stuffed date and secure with a toothpick.

goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped with bacon and toothpick on cutting board

crispy bacon wrapped goat cheese date on platter

What kind of bacon to use for bacon wrapped dates

When it comes to selecting the bacon for your stuffed dates, you don’t want to go too thick. If you get the very thin sliced bacon, it will crisp up fast, but be sure to cut down on cooking time a little.

If you go for a really thick sliced bacon, it will take too long to fully cook the bacon and the goat cheese and date will become dried out. Avoid anything that says thick sliced on the package to be safe.

Arrange the bacon wrapped goat cheese dates in the Air Fryer basket and cook at 390F for 10 minutes. Check on the dates to see if the bacon is fully cooked and crisp. Most likely they will need a few more minutes, so give the Air Fryer basket a quick shake and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

bacon wrapped goat cheese dates in Air Fryer basket

bacon wrapped date with toothpick on plate

How to serve bacon wrapped dates

When the bacon is nice and crisp, remove the goat cheese stuffed dates from the Air Fryer basket and set on a paper towel lined plate. Serve immediately!

While bacon wrapped dates are best served warm, they aren’t one of those appetizers that you HAVE to keep warmed throughout your party. Allowing them to cool to room temperature is just fine and they will still taste great.

If you want to up your game for presentation, you can garnish the bacon wrapped dates with some fresh diced herbs such as thyme or rosemary.

bacon wrapped goat cheese dates with toothpicks on platter

How to reheat bacon wrapped dates

If for some crazy reason, your party guests don’t gobble up all your bacon wrapped dates, don’t fret! Pop them in a resealable container and refrigerate for up to 7 days.

To reheat the bacon wrapped dates, pop them in an Air Fryer and cook at 300F for 4-5 minutes, just until heated through. They will still taste great!

white platter with bacon wrapped goat cheese dates

More impressive Air Fryer appetizers!

If you are looking for more elegant appetizers that you can make in your Air Fryer, we have got you covered! Air Fryers aren’t just for heating chicken strips and fries, although they are great for that. Here are some of our favorite party appetizers that are sure to impress your guests!

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp – Skip the deep fryer for this classic appetizer!

Air Fryer Peach & Prosciutto Pizza – Slice up this amazing pizza into small pieces and enjoy as a delicious flatbread.

Balsamic Glazed Bacon Wrapped Squash – This recipe doesn’t call for an Air Fryer, but I’ve made it many times and just adjusted the cooking time down. It is SO GOOD!

Air Fryer Artichoke Hearts – Offer some more variety with these golden crispy artichokes.

Air Fryer Avocado Chicken Egg Rolls – This hearty and healthy appetizer is a fantastic finger food with great flavor.