Description
Discover six delicious ways to enjoy stuffed dates, featuring a mix of sweet and savory fillings like goat cheese with pistachios and hot honey, brie with pecans and rosemary, ricotta with sun-dried tomatoes and basil, and indulgent chocolate and nut butter combinations. These easy, no-cook stuffed dates are perfect for quick snacks or elegant party appetizers.
Ingredients
Base
- 12 soft Medjool dates, pitted
Goat Cheese, Pistachio & Hot Honey Filling
- 4 ounces goat cheese, softened (e.g., Trader Joe’s Caramelized Onion)
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios
- 3 tablespoons hot honey, or to taste
Brie, Pecan & Rosemary Filling
- 4 ounces brie cheese, cut into 12 small pieces (about 1 teaspoon each)
- 12 pecan halves
- Chopped fresh rosemary (amount as preferred)
Ricotta, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Filling
- 4 ounces ricotta cheese
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
- 12 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves
- 12 fresh basil leaves
Snickers (Peanut Butter Chocolate) Filling
- 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup roasted salted peanuts, finely chopped, divided
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips, melted
Almond Butter Raspberry Filling
- 6 tablespoons creamy almond butter
- 12 fresh raspberries
Chunky Monkey (Banana, Peanut Butter, Chocolate) Filling
- 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 12 thin banana slices
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips, melted
Instructions
- Prepare the Dates: With the tip of a small, sharp knife, make a slit lengthwise in each date and carefully remove the pit. Arrange the pitted dates on a plate or on a parchment-lined baking sheet if you plan to warm them later.
- Goat Cheese, Pistachio & Hot Honey Stuffing: Using a small spreader or spoon, fill each date with softened goat cheese. Sprinkle chopped pistachios over the cheese-stuffed dates, then drizzle with hot honey to taste.
- Brie, Pecan & Rosemary Stuffing: Insert a piece of brie and a pecan half inside each date. Sprinkle the stuffed dates with freshly chopped rosemary to enhance the flavor.
- Ricotta, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Stuffing: In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese with kosher salt and optional lemon zest. Stuff each date with the ricotta mixture, add half a sun-dried tomato, and top with a fresh basil leaf.
- Snickers Style Stuffing: Fill each date with about one teaspoon of creamy peanut butter and a pinch of finely chopped roasted peanuts. Dip each filled date in melted dark chocolate and finish by sprinkling additional chopped peanuts on top.
- Almond Butter Raspberry Stuffing: Stuff each date with one and a half teaspoons of creamy almond butter. Press a fresh raspberry into the center of the almond butter filling.
- Chunky Monkey Stuffing: Fill each date with one teaspoon of creamy peanut butter and place a thin banana slice on top. Drizzle melted dark chocolate over each stuffed date for a rich finish.
- Optional Warming Step: If desired, warm the goat cheese and brie stuffed dates by placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 350°F oven for several minutes until heated through. Avoid warming the chocolate variations as the chocolate will melt undesirably.
Notes
- To serve warm, bake the goat cheese and brie stuffed dates at 350°F on a parchment-lined baking sheet for a few minutes just before serving. Avoid baking chocolate-filled dates.
- Store any leftover stuffed dates in an airtight container refrigerated up to 3 days.
- If stacking stuffed dates for storage, interleave parchment or wax paper to prevent sticking.
- Nutritional information provided corresponds to the Goat Cheese, Pistachio, and Hot Honey variation.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes (optional 5 minutes if warming goat cheese and brie versions)
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
