Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates With Hot Honey & Pistachios
These Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates With Hot Honey & Pistachios are one of my favorite appetizers to make. With simple prep and minimal ingredients, these little flavor bombs are an unctuous mix of creamy, crunchy, sweet, salty, and a little spicy. They are always a hit! Perfect for making ahead or making last minute, win win.
Ingredients
- 12 Medjool Dates Preferably pitted.
- 4 Oz Fresh Goat Cheese Softened.
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Pistachios
- Hot Honey For Drizzling See my recipe for making Hot Honey from scratch.
Instructions
- Preheat & Gather Ingredients: Remove the goat cheese from the fridge about half an hour before you are making these, to make the cheese easier to spread. This is not a must, if you are short on time.
- Preheat The Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°, this will take about 15 minutes.
- Prep The Dates: I used pitted Medjool Dates, which make for slightly quicker preparation. Either way the next step is the same. With a small knife, make a shallow cut lengthwise along the top of the date. If using pitted dates, this will reveal the hollow center where the pit used to be. If using whole dates, gently remove the pit which is now exposed. Gently pull open the date, to create a boat shape that will hold the cheese.
- Stuff The Dates: In a medium bowl, mix the goat cheese until it forms a smooth consistency that is easier to spread, versus crumble. Letting the cheese warm up slightly in advance, will help with this. With a small spoon, or spreader, scoop and fill the cavity of the date with the goat cheese. This can pop out the top a bit. Squeeze the date slightly to seal and hold the cheese inside.
- Warm In The Oven: Place the Stuffed Dates on a baking sheet. I did not line this first, as the dates do not make much mess. But if you prefer, line the sheet with parchment paper to ease clean up. Put the dates in the oven for about 10 mintues. Check them at 7 minutes, we want them to be warmed through with the cheese soft and creamy, but not browned.
- Drizzle, Sprinkle & Serve: Remove from the oven, plate the dates onto a serving platter or board. Drizzle with the hot honey and top with crushed pistachios and flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Wait to add the honey drizzle and crushed pistachio topping until right before serving.
- Serve with a cocktail pick to make handling and serving a breeze.
- Stuffed Dates should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Leftovers make a great snack to have in the fridge.
- To make ahead, simply stuff the dates and refrigerate in an airtight container. For best results, remove from the refridgerator 30 minutes before baking or serving to allow the cheese to warm and open up.