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• Bacon Wrapped Dates (Devils On Horseback) Are The Easiest Gourmet Appetizer Ever
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Bacon Wrapped Dates With Goat Cheese
• My Recipe Tips
• Bacon Wrapped Dates (4 Ingredient Appetizer) Recipe card
• More Bacon Wrapped Appetizers
• Recipe Reviews

Bacon Wrapped Dates (Devils On Horseback) Are The Easiest Gourmet Appetizer Ever

I first tried bacon wrapped dates on a trip to Coachella Valley, where most of the U.S. dates are grown. My husband and I did a little weekend getaway there, and dates were everywhere ! But it was this bacon wrapped version called devils on horseback that won our hearts. Here’s why I’ve been making them at home again and again since:

• Sweet, salty, crispy and creamy perfection – The combination of smoky bacon, tangy goat cheese, and sweet dates might sound simple, but the balance of flavors hits every note. The honey drizzle brings it all together with a glossy, caramelized finish.
• Tried and tested for the best texture – After testing a few different ways, I found I get the cripiest bacon and the best caramelized finish when I cut the bacon into thirds and drizzle on the honey towards the end of cooking.
• Just 4 simple ingredients – Plus toothpicks to keep it all wrapped.
• Easy to make ahead – I usually stuff these bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese and wrap them ahead of time, then bake right before serving — or right before heading out if I’m taking them to someone’s house. They’re one of my favorite easy appetizer recipes to bring!

Make this bacon wrapped dates recipe with me, and you’ll see why it’s such a winner at parties!

“Omg! These [devils on horseback] were such a hit at our dinner party. Wow, wow, wow, these are AMAZING! Thank you for the recipe. I’ll be making them often now.”

-Julia

More Reviews

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my bacon wrapped dates recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .

• Dates – I recommend Medjool dates , because they’re easy to find (I get them at my local warehouse club) and large enough for filling. I usually grab the pitted ones to save time, but you can pit them yourself, too. If you have extras, make bliss balls with them!
• Bacon – Get regular, not thick cut. Turkey bacon, pancetta, or prosciutto all work as well, but don’t get as crispy.
• Goat Cheese – The creamy, tangy goat cheese is so good with the sweet dates. I use the soft, spreadable kind that comes in a log, which is much easier to stuff inside the dates than the crumbled kind. Cream cheese works nicely, too.
• Honey – I use my Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Honey here, as the dates already have plenty of sugar. You can also use my sugar-free maple syrup .

Filling Variations:

You can mash chopped sun dried tomatoes , nuts (I love almonds, walnuts, or pecans for crunch), dried cranberries , or fresh herbs into the cheese before stuffing the mixture into the sweet dates.

How To Make Bacon Wrapped Dates With Goat Cheese

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

1. Stuff the dates. Use a small paring knife to cut a slit in each date so it opens like a little book, then scoop and spread the cream cheese inside.
2. Wrap the bacon. Roll the stuffed dates with bacon and secure it with a toothpick, then place on a baking sheet with a rack or in a baking dish . I find it works best to use strips of bacon cut into thirds.
3. Bake. Pop the bacon wrapped dates in the oven. In the last few minutes, drizzle with honey and bake again until caramelized.

My Recipe Tips

• Use room temperature cream cheese if you can. Cold still works, but it’s easier to spread inside the dates if it’s room temp.
• I used to cut the bacon slices in half, but now I prefer cutting them into thirds. It means less overlap, so the bacon cooks more evenly. A lot of overlapping prevents it from crisping up well.
• Don’t stretch the bacon before wrapping the dates. It shrinks as it cooks, so stretching can cause it to unravel, even with the toothpicks.
• I used a baking dish in these photos and it works fine, but now I prefer using this rack and baking sheet set . That way, the bacon wrapped dates don’t sit in grease and the bacon gets crispier.
• Flip the dates over before drizzling the honey. This helps the bacon cook more evenly and get crispy all around.
• I’ve also made these stuffed dates without bacon for a vegetarian friend. Just drizzle with honey and bake for a few minutes until caramelized. When I make both versions, I bake the bacon-wrapped ones first, then add the plain dates, drizzle everything with honey, and finish baking together until golden.
• Want a little heat? Mix some sriracha into the honey, or use my jalapeno hot honey instead. You can also sprinkle on a little cayenne pepper for a kick.
• Let them rest before serving. A few minutes out of the oven helps the cheese set slightly and the bacon gets even more crisp.

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 6 slices Bacon (cut into thirds crosswise) ▢
• 18 medium Medjool dates (pitted) ▢
• 3 1/2 oz Goat cheese (I used the creamy kind) ▢
• 1 1/2 tbsp Honey (I used my natural Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Honey , but regular works) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Slice the dates lengthwise, but not all the way through. They should open like a clamshell. Remove the pits at this stage if your dates are not already pitted.
3. Use a spoon to stuff the dates with goat cheese.
4. Wrap each date with a third slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick . Place in the baking dish or baking sheet (I prefer this set ), in a single layer. Don’t crowd the dish too much.
5. Bake bacon wrapped dates in the oven for 10 minutes .
6. Remove the baking dish and drizzle the honey over the dates. Put the baking dish back and bake for about 10 more minutes , or until the bacon is crispy to your liking.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes .

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 2 bacon wrapped dates

• Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get perfectly crispy bacon, plus a couple variations.
• Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
• Meal prep: Stuff and wrap the dates ahead of time, then refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. Perfect for getting a head start on party prep!
• Reheat: Pop these in the oven again to crisp the bacon. I don’t recommend the microwave, which makes them soggy.
• Freeze: You can freeze bacon wrapped dates either cooked or uncooked. To prevent sticking together, I freeze on a sheet pan first, then transfer to a zip lock bag once solid. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months.
• Note on nutrition info: I used Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Honey for these numbers. The sugar content comes from the dates. Regular honey will be even higher in sugar.

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

Bacon Wrapped Dates (Devils On Horseback)

More Bacon Wrapped Appetizers

If you like these devils on horseback appetizers, try one of my other bacon wrapped appetizers next:

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

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The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

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Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Bacon Wrapped Dates (4 Ingredient Appetizer)

Bacon wrapped dates (a.k.a. devils on horseback) are sweet, salty, and creamy all in one. An easy appetizer with just 4 simple ingredients!

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/bacon-wrapped-dates/

Ingredients

• 6 slices Bacon (cut into thirds crosswise)
• 18 medium Medjool dates (pitted)
• 3 1/2 oz Goat cheese (I used the creamy kind)
• 1 1/2 tbsp Honey (I used my natural Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Honey , but regular works)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Slice the dates lengthwise, but not all the way through. They should open like a clamshell. Remove the pits at this stage if your dates are not already pitted.
3. Use a spoon to stuff the dates with goat cheese.
4. Wrap each date with a third slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick . Place in the baking dish or baking sheet (I prefer this set ), in a single layer. Don’t crowd the dish too much.
5. Bake bacon wrapped dates in the oven for 10 minutes .
6. Remove the baking dish and drizzle the honey over the dates. Put the baking dish back and bake for about 10 more minutes , or until the bacon is crispy to your liking.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes .

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 2 bacon wrapped dates

• Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get perfectly crispy bacon, plus a couple variations.
• Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
• Meal prep: Stuff and wrap the dates ahead of time, then refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking. Perfect for getting a head start on party prep!
• Reheat: Pop these in the oven again to crisp the bacon. I don’t recommend the microwave, which makes them soggy.
• Freeze: You can freeze bacon wrapped dates either cooked or uncooked. To prevent sticking together, I freeze on a sheet pan first, then transfer to a zip lock bag once solid. They’ll keep well for up to 3 months.
• Note on nutrition info: I used Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Honey for these numbers. The sugar content comes from the dates. Regular honey will be even higher in sugar.

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)