There are a lot of ways to stuff a date. Most of what I come across online either bakes them, wraps them in something, or buries them under a sauce. These goat cheese stuffed dates with honey and walnuts are the quiet version. A soft Medjool date, a spoonful of tangy goat cheese, a toasted walnut on top, and a little honey over everything.
I make mine cold, and that’s the version in this post. The only heat is toasting the walnuts, so you’re looking at about seventeen minutes from start to finish, and most of that is the oven working while you pit the dates.
What I like most is the balance. Dates are very sweet, goat cheese is sharp and a little salty, and the walnuts bring crunch with a touch of bitterness. Take any one of them away and the bite goes flat.
One thing to know early. The honey goes on last, right before you serve. I’ll explain why further down.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s quick, and almost hands-off. Ten minutes of prep, and the walnuts toast on their own while you work.
It looks like more effort than it was. A dark glossy date, a stripe of pale cheese, a golden walnut, and a little honey running onto the plate. Put a dozen on a white plate and it looks finished.
And there’s nothing fussy in it. Five ingredients, plus a little thyme if you have it. You can make most of it a day ahead, which matters when you’re feeding people.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Makes 12 stuffed dates, about 6 servings.
12 large Medjool dates – Plump and glossy, with slightly wrinkled skin. Buy Medjool, not Deglet Noor. The smaller, firmer ones don’t hold the cheese. If the dates feel hard or crusted with sugar, they’re old.
4 oz (113 g) plain goat cheese log – A plain log, not pre-crumbled. Crumbles are dry and won’t spread. Let it sit out about 20 minutes so it softens.
1/3 cup walnut halves, toasted – Twelve of the nicest halves go on top, one per date. Chop a few of the rest to sprinkle over the plate at the end.
2 tablespoons honey, plus a little extra – Regular wildflower or clover honey is what I use. It doesn’t need to be anything special.
A small pinch of flaky sea salt – It sharpens the sweetness. Just a pinch.
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (optional) – Pretty, and a little savory against the honey. Fine to skip.
How to Make Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates
Heat the oven to 350°F and spread the walnuts on a baking sheet. Toast them for six to eight minutes, until they smell nutty and look a shade darker. Watch them near the end. Walnuts go from toasted to bitter faster than you’d expect. Leave them on the pan to cool completely. Warm walnuts soften the cheese the moment they touch it.
While the walnuts toast, take the goat cheese out of the fridge. You want it soft enough to spread like thick frosting, which usually takes about twenty minutes on the counter.
Next, the dates. Cut a slit lengthwise down one side of each one, not all the way through, then open it and pull out the pit. Stop at a shallow slit. You’re making a pocket, not two halves. If you bought pitted dates, you only need to open the slit and you’ve saved yourself a minute.
Now fill them. Spoon about a teaspoon of the softened goat cheese into each date. A small spoon works fine. A zip-top bag with the corner snipped is faster and tidier. You want the cheese mounded just a little, not packed in.
Press a toasted walnut half into the cheese while it’s still soft. It sits better that way and doesn’t slide around on the plate. Then sprinkle a little of the chopped walnut over the top and around them.
Right before they go to the table, drizzle with honey and let a little of it pool on the plate. Add a pinch of flaky salt and scatter the thyme over the top, if you’re using it. Serve right away.
A finished date should look glossy, with creamy pale cheese, a golden walnut, and honey catching the light. If the cheese looks cracked or crumbly, it was too cold when you filled them.
Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates with Honey and Walnuts
Soft Medjool dates filled with tangy goat cheese, topped with a toasted walnut and finished with a thread of honey, an easy cold appetizer ready in about 17 minutes.
Ingredients 6 items
- To Finish
Instructions 6 steps
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1
Toast the walnuts
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 6 to 8 minutes, until fragrant and a shade darker. Watch them near the end. Leave them on the pan to cool completely.
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2
Soften the goat cheese
While the walnuts toast, take the goat cheese out of the fridge. Let it sit about 20 minutes, until it spreads like thick frosting.
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3
Pit the dates
Cut a shallow slit lengthwise down one side of each date, not all the way through. Open it and pull out the pit. If your dates are already pitted, just open the slit.
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4
Fill the dates
Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the softened goat cheese into each date, mounded slightly and not packed in. A small spoon works, or use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped.
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5
Top with walnuts
Press one toasted walnut half into the cheese while it is still soft. Chop a few of the remaining walnuts and sprinkle them over the top and around the dates.
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6
Finish and serve
Right before serving, drizzle with honey and let a little pool on the plate. Add a pinch of flaky salt and scatter the thyme over the top, if using. Serve right away.
Tips & Substitutions
Add the honey last, right before serving. If it sits on the dates, it soaks into the date and the walnut and the topping loses its shine and crunch.
If the cheese crumbles as you press it in, it is too cold. Give it the full 20 minutes on the counter. For a smoother filling, beat it with a fork for about 30 seconds or stir in 1 teaspoon of cream cheese.
If the dates feel stiff or dry, soak them in hot water for 5 minutes, then pat them completely dry. A wet date will not hold the cheese.
Assemble the dates (cheese and walnuts only) up to 24 hours ahead and keep them in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge. Add the honey, salt and thyme just before serving. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, though the walnuts soften with time.
On a party table, keep them out for no more than about 2 hours, then return them to the fridge.
Pistachios can replace the walnuts, ricotta is a milder swap for goat cheese, and toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds work for a nut-free version.
My “Don’t-Tear-the-Dates” Mini Guide
- Dates too stiff or dry? Soak them in hot water for 5 minutes, then pat them completely dry. A wet date won’t hold the cheese.
- Cheese crumbling as you press it in? It’s too cold. Give it the full 20 minutes on the counter. If it still looks grainy, beat it with a fork for about 30 seconds. For something smoother, stir in a teaspoon of cream cheese.
- Cheese oozing out the sides? Either there’s too much or it’s too warm. A teaspoon per date is plenty. If it keeps squeezing out, put the tray in the fridge for 10 minutes after topping.
- Dates splitting in two? Your slit went too deep. Cut shallow, and open the date gently.
- Honey too early? It soaks into the date and the walnut as it sits, and the topping loses its shine and its crunch. Honey goes on last.
- Walnuts sliding off? Press them in while the cheese is still soft. Once it chills and firms up, they won’t stay.
Helpful Tips
If you’d like a change, pistachios instead of walnuts look prettier, with a greener color on the plate. Ricotta is a milder swap for guests who find goat cheese too tangy. If you like some heat, hot honey is an easy swap for the regular honey. Go lightly with it the first time.
You can assemble the dates up to 24 hours ahead. Cheese and walnuts only, in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge. Add the honey, salt and thyme just before serving. To save more time, toast the walnuts the day before and keep them in a jar.
On a party table, they’ll sit happily on a board next to sliced apples or pears, crackers, olives and Marcona almonds. For something to drink, sparkling apple cider or sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon goes well. Because the oven is only for the walnuts, they’re an easy appetizer for a busy Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The walnuts soften with time, so they’re best the day you make them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze goat cheese stuffed dates?
I haven’t tried it. Goat cheese tends to turn crumbly after thawing, so I’d skip freezing unless you really need to. If you do, freeze them without the honey, and thaw them in the fridge overnight.
How far ahead can I make stuffed dates?
Up to 24 hours. Fill them and add the walnuts, keep them in the fridge, and add the honey right before serving.
Do you have to remove the pit?
Yes. The pit is hard and inedible, and taking it out is what makes the pocket for the cheese. Some brands sell Medjools already pitted, which is easier.
Can you bake or warm goat cheese stuffed dates?
Can you freeze goat cheese stuffed dates?
I haven’t tried it. Goat cheese tends to turn crumbly after thawing, so I’d skip freezing unless you really need to. If you do, freeze them without the honey, and thaw them in the fridge overnight.
How far ahead can I make stuffed dates?
Up to 24 hours. Fill them and add the walnuts, keep them in the fridge, and add the honey right before serving.
Do you have to remove the pit?
Yes. The pit is hard and inedible, and taking it out is what makes the pocket for the cheese. Some brands sell Medjools already pitted, which is easier.
What kind of dates should I use?
Medjool. They’re large, soft and caramel-like. Deglet Noor dates are smaller and drier, so they don’t hold much filling.
How long can they sit out on a table?
Treat them like any cheese appetizer. Keep them out for no more than about two hours, then put them back in the fridge.
Are goat cheese stuffed dates healthy?
They’re a lightly sweetened snack, with fiber from the dates and some protein and fat from the cheese and walnuts. They’re still high in natural sugar, so I think of them as an appetizer, not something to snack on all afternoon.
What can I use instead of goat cheese?
Ricotta is the closest in texture. Cream cheese and mascarpone also work, and blue cheese if you want something bolder.
Can I make these without nuts?
Yes. Toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds give you the crunch.
Final Thoughts
Goat cheese stuffed dates with honey and walnuts are what I make when I want something that looks careful and doesn’t take much. A few good ingredients, in the right order, with the honey held back until the end.
Put them on a plate with some sliced apples and something cold to drink. That’s really all they need.
