Tender and sweet dates are stuffed with goat cheese and topped with walnuts. A fine drizzle of honey makes them indulgent, balanced, and supremely satisfying for that aching sweet tooth. Perfect for a quick and easy naturally sweet snack, OR for serving with charcuterie. These Stuffed Dates with Goat Cheese and Walnuts are sure to become a new favorite!
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Sometimes I get an intense craving for something sweet, and while I certainly indulge when needed, sometimes it's nice to find something naturally sweet and satisfying. The idea for these stuffed dates with goat cheese and walnuts was born out of that urge for something sweet, salty, and absolutely indulgent.
I keep dates and walnuts on hand ALL of the time, and try to buy goat cheese when I remember. So this was an easy appetizer to put together. If you don't have the ingredients on hand, no worries: it takes just 3 simple ingredients that are inexpensive and widely available.
Why Use Goat Cheese?
Goat cheese is one of my favorite cheeses, especially when paired with deep flavors like caramelly dates and (my absolutely favorite) roasted red peppers. Goat cheese is supremely creamy, rich, and entirely spreadable. It makes an excellent (and slightly bougie) substitute for cream cheese, and is just an all around great cheese to keep in your refrigerator.
And so it seemed like a natural fit to make these sweet and salty dates with goat cheese and walnuts. Creamy, soft, salty, sweet, and a bit of crunch. What more can you ask for!?
Ingredients
- Dates: You can use any variety you like, but opt for pitted dates for the sake of convenience. I used Deglet Noor because that's what I have on hand, but if you have Medjool feel free to use those in their place.
- Goat cheese: This is spreadable, soft, and has a unique flavor that holds its own against the strong flavor of the dates.
- Walnuts: I used smaller pieces I found in my bag of walnut halves, but you could cut your walnut halves in half, and that would be the perfect size for a Deglet Noor date.
- Honey: This is an optional addition, but a drizzle of honey makes these goat cheese stuffed dates absolutely decadent!
How to Make Stuffed Walnuts with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
Open the dates using the split that was made to remove the seeds. If the seeds were punched out, use a knife to cut a vertical line and open each date up. Place it on a plate.
Spoon a small amount of goat cheese into each date, smoothing it down and pressing it into the date.
Top each goat cheese stuffed date with a walnut piece.
Repeat until all of the dates have been stuffed, and topped with a walnut piece.
Dates are very sweet as is, but a small drizzle of honey makes them ultra sweet and satisfying for a treat. Serve immediately.
Variations and Substitutions
Nuts: You can substitute the walnuts for any nut of your choice, keeping in mind that it will change the flavor and experience. I would recommend pecans or pistachios for the best flavor combinations.
Cheese: You can substitute the goat cheese for a soft cheese of your choice. Many enjoy cream cheese stuffed dates, but blue cheese or feta stuffed dates might be lovely.
Honey: While the drizzle of honey is absolutely optional, if you'd like a touch of something sweet you can substitute it for pure maple syrup, or a delicious fig jam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any soft or slightly sharp cheese goes well with dates. Goat cheese, being quite soft and mild in flavor is able to easily be spread inside of a small date. Feta cheese is a great flavor combination, but is a little harder to keep inside of the date. For that reason, goat cheese is generally better suited for stuffing dates.
Medjool dates are one of the most popular dates, thanks to their large size, soft texture, and ability to retain moisture. All dates taste very similar, but the small variations make for the greatest impact in texture and experience rather than flavor.
Medjool dates are large, soft, and more moist than other dates available. They are great eaten fresh, and have a subtle caramel flavor.
For the best results, keep your dates sealed in an airtight bag or container. If possible, keep them in the fridge if you're going to be storing them for a longer period of time. The moist air in a refrigerator will keep them moist for longer.
More Delicious Recipes Using Dates:
- Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Sweetened with Dates - Farmhouse on Boone
- Paleo Avocado Fudge Frosting - Empowered Sustenance
- Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese - Pinch of Yum
- Peanut Butter Cup Energy Bites - Minimalist Baker
More Naturally Sweetened Treats:
- Maple Candied Walnuts
- Honey Sweetened Coffee Frappe
- Mango Pineapple Kefir Smoothie
- Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal
Stuffed Dates with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
These Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates with Walnuts are SO simple to make, and are perfect for serving at a party or with charcuterie. Great for a healthy snack to satisfy that sweet tooth.
Ingredients
- 20 deglet noor dates, split (or 10 Medjool dates)
- ⅓ cup goat cheese
- ¼ cup walnut pieces
- Honey, for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Open the dates using the split that was made to remove the seeds. If the seeds were punched out, use a knife to cut a vertical line and open each date up. Place it on a plate.
- Spoon a small amount of goat cheese into each date, smoothing it down and pressing it into the date.
- Top each goat cheese stuffed date with a walnut piece.
- Repeat until all of the dates have been stuffed, and topped with a walnut piece.
- Dates are very sweet as is, but a small drizzle of honey makes them ultra sweet and satisfying for a treat.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Storage: If you'd like to store these stuffed dates with goat cheese for later, cover them tightly and place in the refrigerator. Serve within 1 day for the best results.
Substitutions: Feel free to substitute the goat cheese for any soft cheese, and the walnuts for your favorite nut. Pecans and pistachios would go especially well.
Honey Drizzle: This is COMPLETELY optional, and not at all necessary. I like to serve mine with a small jar of honey because the odd drizzle makes them ultra sweet and satisfying. Maple syrup, or some fig jam with a small spoon would work well too.
Dates: If you don't have deglet noor dates available or on hand, you can use about half as many Medjool dates, which are much larger.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 5 Stuffed DatesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 192Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 87mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 3gSugar: 23gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information is an estimate only.
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