Creamy Goat Cheese, Bacon and Date Dip

By Ali Slagle

Creamy Goat Cheese, Bacon and Date Dip
Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(2,320)
Comments
Read comments

This appetizer is like a bacon-wrapped date in dip form — and every bit as luxe, sweet and simultaneously smoky as that sounds. Here, as you swipe crusty bread through the smooth cheese, you’ll gather chunks of bacon and a bit of date, toffee-like from a quick fry in the meaty fat. You could embellish further, with nuts, chile or honey, or you could sip Champagne and dig in just as merrily — with friends hovering nearby for their turn.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 10ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
  • 4ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 2tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper
  • 5ounces thick-cut bacon, cut in ½-inch thick
  • 10Medjool dates, pitted and cut into quarters lengthwise, or roughly chopped
  • Honey, red-pepper flakes, black pepper, flaky salt, toasted sliced almonds or chopped pistachios, for garnish (optional)
  • Crusty bread, grainy crackers, endive or fennel, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

297 calories; 19 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 341 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the goat cheese, cream cheese, lemon juice and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Transfer to a 1-quart baking dish or ovenproof skillet, and spread into an even layer. Bake until warmed through and bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, then add the dates to the bacon fat in the skillet, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the insides are warm and the outsides blister, about 1 minute.

  3. Step 3

    Top the baked cheese with the dates and bacon, and garnish as you wish. Serve at once.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
2,320 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Meg D

People at last night’s party wanted to scoop this up with a spoon! Next time I will increase the cream cheese for texture, the goat cheese was a little too crumbly. Also a good add for next time — caramelized onions. Could use them to replace the bacon for vegetarians!

Chris

How exactly did you incorporate the fennel?

SugarFree

Made this with 8 oz honey goat cheese and 6 oz cream cheese. Followed the recipe otherwise till the topping. Every November I make a quart mason jar of honey fermented cranberries. 12 oz organic (or frozen) berries pulsed 2 times in processor just to crack, slices of crystallized ginger, finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange - covered with 24 oz raw honey. Cover and leave out in a cool, dark place 2 or 3 weeks, turning upside once daily, or stirring. Stick in fridge. Spoon some on dip!

Christy Lewis

Flavor was amazing, balanced and lovely -- but was never a dip as I expected - instead was crumbly - not a dip at all. So odd to have a NYT recipe not hit at all -- ) So next time will use this recipe as a Crostini topping - because the flavor was great -- added a bit of chopped rosemary to the top of the dip and it was really lovely. Just not a dip at all. (At the end of the party - when almost none of this was consumed, mixed 1 c. heavy cream(!!) into it to create a spread, which worked.)

Bianca

This is one of my crowd faves made it last holiday season and everyone has been asking for it since it’s literally what everyone is also looking forward to this year . Every invite asked “are you making your amazing date dip again?” My turkey is always a hit but everyone is obsessed with this dip and it’s probably the easiest thing on my menu.

Meinmunich

Ate with 6 endives and called it dinner.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.