Creamy bacon-wrapped dates are the ultimate party trick: sweet Medjool dates stuffed with a herbed cashew cream, then wrapped in bacon and baked until sizzling. The filling blends cashews with chives, basil, parsley, garlic, and lemon into something between a savory cream cheese and a pesto. Gooey, crunchy, sweet, and salty in one bite — they vanish from the plate in minutes.
SERVES 10 (2 PER PERSON)
I usually prep these, stage them in the oven and turn the oven on as soon as the first dinner guests arrive. Greeting guests with warm, gooey cashew cream, crunchy bacon and sweet dates always impresses them. These are usually gone within minutes!
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE FILLING:
1 cup/110 g raw, whole cashews filtered water for soaking
1/3 cup/80 ml water
1 heaping tbsp/20 g of nutritional yeast from non-GMO beets
2 tbsp/6 g chives, chopped
6 large basil leaves, chopped
¼ cup/10 g fresh parsley
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp/15 ml fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp lemon zest
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp sea salt
10 pieces of bacon, cut in half
20 Medjool dates, slit, seeds removed
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Place the cashews in a bowl and cover them with filtered water. Allow them to soak for 5 to 6 hours. Preheat oven to 400°F/204°C. Remove the cashews from the water, rinse them and place them in a food processor. Add ⅓ cup/80 ml filtered water and pulse until cashews are creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the rest of the filling ingredients (yeast, chives, basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, pepper) and pulse until they are well combined, about 1 more minute. Adjust salt to taste. Fill dates with cashew filling. Securely wrap each date in a half-piece of bacon. Arrange dates on a wire rack and set on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until bacon is cooked through. Serve warm.
Pro Tips
- Soak the cashews the full 5 to 6 hours so the cream blends completely smooth; rushed cashews leave gritty flecks in the filling.
- Pulse the filling ingredients in two stages as written — cashews alone first, then herbs — so the cream gets silky before the greens get chopped in.
- Wrap each date snugly with the seam-side down on the rack; the bacon shrinks as it renders and a loose wrap will unravel in the oven.
- Bake on a wire rack set over a sheet pan so the bacon crisps all the way around instead of sitting in its own fat.
- A food-grade squeeze or zip bag with the corner snipped makes filling the dates far less fiddly than a spoon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these bacon-wrapped dates ahead?
Yes — stuff and wrap them up to a day ahead and refrigerate on the rack, then bake straight from the fridge. They need a few extra minutes to cook through.
What can I use instead of cashews for the filling?
Soaked blanched almonds give a similar creamy result, though the texture will be slightly grainier. The herbs and lemon play the same role either way.
How do I know when they're done?
About 15 minutes at 400°F, until the bacon is cooked through and sizzling. If your bacon is thick-cut, give it a few extra minutes until the fat renders and the wrap crisps.
Are these dates dairy-free?
Completely — the creamy center comes from soaked cashews and nutritional yeast, so they suit dairy-free and paleo guests while still tasting rich.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- COOKING INSTRUCTIONS Place the cashews in a bowl and cover them with filtered water. Allow them to soak for 5 to 6 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400°F/204°C.
- Remove the cashews from the water, rinse them and place them in a food processor.
- Add ⅓ cup/80 ml filtered water and pulse until cashews are creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the rest of the filling ingredients (yeast, chives, basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, pepper) and pulse until they are well combined, about 1 more minute.
- Adjust salt to taste. Fill dates with cashew filling. Securely wrap each date in a half-piece of bacon.
- Arrange dates on a wire rack and set on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until bacon is cooked through.
- Serve warm.
