Description
There’s something magical about biting into a warm roasted date. The outside is sticky-sweet and caramel-like, while inside you’ll find creamy goat cheese and a little crunch from toasted walnuts. Top it with a drizzle of golden honey and suddenly you’ve got a bite-sized appetizer that feels fancy but takes almost no effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz Medjool dates, pitted
- 4 oz goat cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary (or thyme)
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Honey or hot honey for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make a small slit down each date (don’t cut all the way through). Fill with about a teaspoon of goat cheese.
- Mix walnuts, rosemary, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, salt, and olive oil until it sticks together like damp sand.
- Arrange dates on the pan, top each with walnut mixture, and bake for about 15 minutes until warm and toasty.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, transfer to a platter, and drizzle generously with honey. Serve warm.
Notes
Choose soft, plump Medjool dates. Let goat cheese come to room temp for easier spreading. Keep an eye on the oven to avoid burning the walnuts. Try blue cheese or cream cheese as variations. Wrap in bacon for extra flair.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 stuffed dates
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 5mg