So, these little things pack a sweet and salty punch! Bacon-wrapped Pecan Dates are sure to be a hit at your next party. They take a little bit of time to prepare but if you get some good, quality bacon, they’re a very honest recipe. Three ingredients is all it takes. Three.
I start with soaked and dried pecans. If you’re not familiar with why you should soak your nuts, then go here. I have a short explanation of the benefits.
I use nitrate/nitrite-free bacon. The bacon I used for these I picked up at a grocery store. I would have used our bacon from our pastured pig but it’s a little bit thicker and the taste is heavier. A thin strip of bacon makes it easier to wrap around these little guys. I cut the bacon lengthwise after it is partially baked.
Medjool dates is where it’s at folks. If you’ve never had them but love regular, smaller dates then seriously, you need to splurge and get yourself some of these. They are bigger, usually come with an easy-to-remove pit but are soft and chewy like nobody’s business. I use Medjool dates when I want to eat them whole, I use regular pitted dates if I am going to use them in a recipe or grind them up.
This recipe is SO easy it’s not even going to have a recipe card. It’s a simple, three ingredient recipe that any novice cook can put together but it makes you look like a genius chef because … bacon.
Here it is:
Decide how many dates you want to make. Prep them by removing the seed and replacing it with a whole pecan.
Partially bake half the bacon for the number of dates you’re making. For instance, if you’re making 20 dates, bake 10 pieces of bacon. Here are instructions on how to make bacon in the oven. Only bake it half way so it’s still pliable.
Remove the bacon from the oven and cut the strip in half, lengthwise.
Wrap around the date and secure with a toothpick.
Place the dates in the oven at 350˚ and bake until the bacon is crispy. About another 10 minutes but it will depend on your bacon and how much you cooked it the first time so watch it closely.
Remove from oven and serve immediately. Don’t burn your mouth eating them too soon. You’ll want to!