The Best Way To Cook Bacon Wrapped Dates To Ensure Crispy Perfection

For the ideal balance of sweet and savory, there is nothing like a bacon-wrapped date. The dried fruit is sticky and caramelized while the bacon lends a salty bite and craveable texture. It's no wonder these bites are the first to go at cocktail hours and potlucks.

When done well, the bacon is so crunchy that it almost seems like it was cooked before wrapping, but that's actually not the case. Food Republic spoke to Dominick DiBartolomeo, owner and president of The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills and Domenico's Foods, to get the dos and don'ts of these popular hors d'oeuvres. As DiBartolomeo explained, if you cook the bacon ahead of time, there is no way you will get the structural integrity necessary for a perfect bite: "You run the risk [of] the bacon being too crispy and crumbling and not being able to wrap the date," he said.

Instead, everything should be cooked at once. "Wrap the raw bacon around the date, and cook them in the oven until the bacon is nice and crispy," he shared. With your oven set to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, this will take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the slices. Pro tip: Skip preheating, and pop the bacon-wrapped dates right into a cold oven. This is the same concept behind why you should never use a hot pan to cook bacon. Instead, the gradual temperature change as the oven heats will encourage even cooking, fat rendering, and optimal crispiness.

For the purpose of making this dish, medjool dates are a popular pick because of their soft texture, large size, and wide availability, but you can use any variety of dried date you prefer. Barhi, hayani, khadrawi, or safawi dates would all also be good choices — just make sure they are pitted! As for the pork, the best bacon to use for wrapping anything from fruit to seafood is thin or standard slices. Meatier, thick-cut bacon will be challenging to get crispy when it's encasing another ingredient; the result will likely be a soggy bite.

The length of the slice can also affect texture. Using a full piece will double up the layers, meaning that the inner portions will probably not get crispy. Instead, wind just half a slice of bacon around the date in a corkscrew pattern — though some overlap is totally fine. You can also do a trial piece, and cut the bacon to fit the circumference of your dates. For extra assurance, secure the layer with a toothpick to keep it all taut.

This two-ingredient appetizer is pretty great on its own, but you can also embellish it to your heart's content. Try glazing the bacon to introduce more depth of flavor with something like honey and sharp Dijon mustard or maple syrup and a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. You can also stuff the dates with another crowd pleaser — cheese! Brie, blue, goat, or cream cheese would all be absolutely delicious.