Bacon wrapped dates may be a cliche worth making if only for making something both simple and classic for a cocktail party spread. Sweet, salty, savory. There’s a lot to praise and for an admittedly non-vegetarian option it will go a long way towards covering your bases. Or make it for yourself and don’t worry about quantities because it’s completely up to you how much you make.

Choosing your bacon is probably the most important decision as there are a shockingly diverse range of bacon flavors floating around, cured and uncured, and thick and thin bacon. You, however, can’t really go wrong with a bacon that you’d eat on it’s own. Thinner bacon will be easier to wrap around the dates without toothpicks. Thicker bacon is more bacon so if you like your bacon ratio to be very pro-bacon it’s worth considering a thicker cut.

For myself, applewood smoked thick cut bacon, with toothpicks, uncured. The recipe is more assembly than anything else. Don’t forget to buy some blue cheese or almonds to go with them!

Pitted dates (however many)
Half as many slices (thick or thin) uncured bacon
Toothpicks (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 and cover a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Cut the bacon in half-lengths and wrap each date in the bacon. For thicker bacon, and if you have toothpicks, knit the bacon together so it doesn’t fall apart. Bake for 25-30 minutes, at 15 minutes turn over the pieces with tongs so they get nice and browned on all sides.