Hello perfect superbowl snack!
Or charcuterie board show stopper, salad topper, or just plain ol make them and eat them straight up in one sitting because you’re trapped inside during this snow tundra that has closed down everything in your town. Or is that just me? And the rest of southwest Michigan and Chicago???
No, really, it is frost-bitingly cold outside. Even theo (my right hand man australian shepherd sous-chef) looks at me with disgust when I go to let him outside.
With that said, these bacon wrapped dates are so so good. Like can’t stop eating them, burn your mouth because you couldn’t wait to pop one in your mouth, good. I mean I know it’s not a recipe many haven’t heard of. A chewy pitted date stuffed with amazingly creamy goat cheese that warms and oozes out of the date while it cooks. Then wrapped in a crispy strip of thick cut bacon. All to be simmered in a brown sugar stout hard sauce. The glaze perfectly cooks the bacon in the oven creating this crispy salty outer shell that once you bite into it is matched by the creamy warm goat cheese and deliciously sweet date.
YEAH, Incredible.
When I was making these, I had one thought in my mind the entire time. Superbowl Sunday.
One would think, since I am the last person to like football, why would I look forward to this day every year? And the answer is appetizers. I mean appetizers of all shapes and sizes. My absolute favorite course. Oh! And it does help that it is an excuse to also pair some of these appetizers with some great beers. For most people, that’s something to look forward to.
If you haven’t had a second, check out Watermark Brewing Company’s place. I am biased since it is my husbands place, but I have to say, best beers I’ve had. I even used one of their stouts called Bert’s Breakfast Stout for the hard sauce (totally optional btw) and the flavors really came together.
So yeah, I love super bowl Sunday. And this year I am going HAM. Starting with these bacon wrapped dates.
Oh, and guys, these are totally easy to make, just pop the pit out of the dates (or buy already pitted to cut the time even more) stuff with a little bit of goat cheese, wrap with half a piece of bacon and cook! By the time you’re done, this will have only take up 30 minutes of your time from start to finish, and your friends or family will be super impressed.
ENJOY!
Goat Cheese Bacon Wrapped Bourbon Glazed Dates
Ingredients
- 8 oz Goat Cheese
- 10 strips Bacon
- 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Bourbon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425
- Stuff each date with a tablespoon of goat cheese and wrap with bacon. Use a toothpick to keep the bacon closed and place seem side down in a cast iron skillet or pan.
- Once you have all of the dates wrapped, sprinkle the brown sugar over the dates in the pan. Then pour the beer over the brown sugar and dates. Heat on high 3 minutes until starting to bubble, then place in the oven.
- Bake 15-18 minutes or until brown, turning halfway through.
- Enjoy!