Bacon wrapped dates are pitted dates wrapped in a piece of bacon and baked. In the Colorado State University recipe we follow, the bacon goes in a pan first until golden brown and slightly crisp in places, a third of a slice goes around each of 36 dates, and the tray bakes at 450°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
We make it with our thick cut America’s Best Uncured Bacon, which is our adaptation and untested. Below is the recipe as written, that one adaptation, a stuffed version from a university holiday cookbook, and a plan for tailgates, Halloween, and holiday trays.
- The recipe: two ingredients, bacon cooked first
- The bacon: thick cut, and the one adaptation
- Stuffed dates and devils on horseback
- Tailgates, Halloween, and the holiday tray
- Questions people ask
Bacon wrapped dates: the Colorado State University recipe
This is the Bacon Wrapped Dates recipe from the Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center at Colorado State University. It uses two ingredients and no filling. The university lists it at 18 servings of 2 pieces each.
- 1 pack center cut uncured bacon (our adaptation: 12 slices of America’s Best Uncured Bacon, counted by slice, not by pack or weight; see below)
- 36 whole pitted dates
- Heat the oven to 450°F.
- Cook the bacon. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add enough slices to cover the pan and cook until golden brown and slightly crisp in places, flipping halfway through. Move them to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with the rest, draining the grease as needed.
- Cut each slice into thirds.
- Wrap. Wrap one piece of bacon around each date and hold it with a toothpick.
- Bake. Set the dates on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Cool. Let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
The recipe gives 8 to 10 minutes for the bake and 5 to 10 minutes to cool. It gives no time for the pan step or the wrapping, and we have not timed the thick cut version, so we list no prep, cook, or total time here or in the recipe card. The recipe does not name a date variety; it says whole pitted dates.
Per 2 piece serving, the university lists 150 calories, 2.2 g protein, 1.4 g total fat, 36 g carbohydrate, 3.2 g fiber, and 90.5 mg sodium. Those figures are for its center cut bacon, not ours, so treat them as the recipe’s numbers rather than a label for this version.
The bacon: thick cut, cooked first, and the one adaptation
The recipe calls for one pack of center cut uncured bacon. It never gives a slice count, but its own steps do the math: 36 dates, one third of a slice each, is 12 slices.
Our adaptation is 12 slices of our uncured bacon, made with water, salt, turbinado sugar, and celery powder, and thick cut rather than center cut. Twelve slices is a count of slices, not a package and not a weight. Our product pages do not list slices per package, so we cannot say how many packages that is or how the weight compares with the source’s pack.
We have not test cooked the swap, so we mark it as an adaptation and promise nothing about how the thick cut slice turns out.
The recipe starts the bacon in the pan, then gives the wrapped dates the full 8 to 10 minute bake. USDA’s bacon and food safety page says cooking time depends on the thickness of the slice, the heat, and how crisp you want it. Follow the recipe’s own doneness cues at each step.
Check current availability on each page. All three are from Heritage Duroc hogs raised on family farms and slow smoked over real applewood:
- America’s Best Uncured Bacon, 2.25 lb packages in a 2 pack or a 3 pack
- the same uncured bacon in 12 oz packages, 6 or 8 to a box
- Peppered Uncured Bacon, the same slice finished with black pepper
Stuffed bacon wrapped dates and devils on horseback
Most of the top recipes online stuff the date with goat cheese or cream cheese before wrapping. The Colorado State recipe uses no filling, so we give it plain. For a stuffed version with a university source, the University of Arizona ALVSCE 2024 Holiday Cookbook (PDF) has Devils on Horseback, which wraps the bacon raw and bakes longer.
| Plain (Colorado State, the recipe above) | Stuffed: Devils on Horseback (University of Arizona cookbook) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | 36 whole pitted dates | 2 dozen pitted dates, sliced open lengthwise |
| Filling | None | About 1 teaspoon crumbled blue cheese each (1/2 cup total) |
| Bacon | Pan cooked first until golden and slightly crisp in places, cut into thirds | 12 slices raw, cut in half |
| Oven | 450°F, 8 to 10 minutes | 400°F, 20 to 25 minutes, until the bacon is crisp |
| Toothpicks | Yes | Yes, soaked in water 10 minutes first |
| Yield | 18 servings of 2 pieces | 2 dozen |
The cookbook says devils on horseback began in 19th century England and was thought to be served as a savory palate cleanser after dessert. We have not tested the raw wrap version with our thick cut slices, so we follow the plain recipe and list this one as a cited alternative.
Tailgates, Halloween, and the holiday tray
Dates wrapped in bacon fit the fall calendar. One tray of 36 pieces goes from pan to oven in the time a pregame show runs, and the same tray works for a Halloween party or a Thanksgiving weekend snack table. If you want a second tray for the same crowd, our jalapeno poppers with bacon follow another extension recipe.
For serving, USDA’s leftovers page says hot food stays hot at 140°F or warmer. Its rule for a tailgate in the sun: “Throw away all perishable foods that have been left in room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is over 90° F, such as at an outdoor picnic during summer).” Leftovers go in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking, keep 3 to 4 days, and reheat to 165°F.
Planning ahead for the holidays: our bacon ships frozen with dry ice by FedEx, and orders placed Tuesday through Friday deliver the following Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Holiday weeks are different, so check the shipping policy and the delivery window at checkout.
Bacon that arrives before the party goes straight into the freezer. USDA’s storage table gives bacon 7 days in the refrigerator or 4 months frozen, and says to observe any use by date on the package.
If bacon is on every tray from now to New Year’s, the uncured bacon subscription sends 3 or 6 of the 2.25 lb packages monthly or quarterly. The full line is in the bacon category. We wrote about how long bacon keeps in how long does bacon last.
Questions people ask about bacon wrapped dates
How long do you cook dates wrapped in bacon?
In the Colorado State recipe, the bacon is cooked in a pan first, then the wrapped dates bake 8 to 10 minutes at 450°F. In the University of Arizona cookbook version, raw bacon goes around the date and the tray bakes 20 to 25 minutes at 400°F until the bacon is crisp.
What can I stuff bacon wrapped dates with?
The Colorado State recipe uses no filling. The University of Arizona cookbook stuffs each date with about 1 teaspoon of crumbled blue cheese, Stilton or a cheese you prefer. The top recipes online use goat cheese or cream cheese.
What is the name for a bacon wrapped date?
Devils on horseback. The University of Arizona cookbook says the dish began in 19th century England.
Can you eat bacon wrapped dates cold?
Yes, if they were handled by USDA’s leftover rules: refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking, never left out more than 2 hours (1 hour when it is over 90°F), and eaten within 3 to 4 days. USDA keeps cold perishable food on a buffet at 40°F or below. To serve them hot again, USDA says reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Are bacon wrapped dates healthy?
Colorado State lists 150 calories, 1.4 g total fat, 36 g carbohydrate, and 3.2 g fiber per 2 piece serving of its recipe. Those numbers are for its center cut bacon, not the thick cut slice we use, and we have not calculated the adapted version.
Two ingredients, one tray, kickoff. Bacon wrapped dates from a university recipe, made with our thick cut applewood smoked slice as an adaptation we say is untested.
Order America’s Best Uncured Bacon, or browse the bacon category. It ships frozen from the farm shop.