5-Ingredient Cream Cheese Stuffed Dates with Hot Honey
Sweet, creamy, and irresistibly simple, these cream cheese stuffed dates make the perfect bite-sized appetizer for any occasion.
Stuffed dates are one of my favorite appetizers because they are so easy to make! If you love my Boursin-stuffed dates or Feta-stuffed dates with walnuts, you’ll love this recipe too.
Why you’ll love these cream cheese stuffed dates
- Quick: You only need 10 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to bake this appetizer.
- Easy: You need just 5 key ingredients to make these stuffed dates.
- Versatile: Swap the walnuts for another nut of choice.
Ingredients needed
Medjool dates: Medjool dates are a large, soft, sweet date variety which are great for snacks and appetizers.
Plain cream cheese: Plain cream cheese adds a nice creamy neutral flavour.
Walnuts: Walnuts add a nice crunchy texture to this appetizer.
Hot honey: I love the spicy and sweet taste hot honey adds to these dates.
Garnishes: Flaky salt and (optional) fresh thyme leaves or fresh minced rosemary are the perfect garnishes.
Key steps to making these stuffed dates
Prepare the dates: Prepare the dates, if not pitted, use a small sharp knife to make a slit lengthwise on one side of the date (do not slice all the way through) and remove the pits. Stuff each date with cream cheese and then place the stuffed dates on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts all over the stuffed dates.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until just warmed through.
Garnish and serve: Place the baked dates on a platter. Then, garnish with flaky salt, a drizzle of hot honey and fresh thyme leaves or fresh minced rosemary before serving.
Tips and tricks
- Make sure the dates are pitted before stuffing them.
- Plain cream cheese works best for this recipe.
- If you don’t have hot honey, regular honey is totally ok. You can add a pinch of chili flakes if you want a bit of spice instead.
- Double this delightful recipe to feed a crowd at holiday parties.
Variations and substitutions
Instead of walnuts: Try chopped pistachios or chopped pecans instead of walnuts.
Pomegranate arils: For a pop of colour during the holidays, add a sprinkle of pomegranate arils (pomegranate seeds) as a garnish.
Dairy-free: Make these stuffed dates dairy-free by using a high-quality dairy-free cream cheese.
Go nut free: Substitute nuts for a seed like pumpkin seed (pepitas) or sunflower seeds. Alternatively, try a nut-free granola or crispy bacon bits to add crunch instead.
FAQs
Medjool dates work best for this recipe as they are the easiest to stuff and hold their shape well when baked.
Go nut-free and add pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds instead. Alternatively, try a nut-free granola or crispy bacon bits to add crunch.
You can fully prep these ahead of time up to topping with the pistachios topping. If you plan on serving the roasted dates later in the day, place in the fridge until ready to roast. If you are going to roast within the hour, simply leave on the counter until ready to bake the dates.
How to store and reheat
Storing: Store any leftover dates in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Reheating: Enjoy as-is, reheat gently in the microwave or reheat at 325F for about 10-15 until the dates are warm.
More date appetizer recipes to love from the blog
- Baked Feta Appetizer with Dates, Pistachios & Honey
- Roasted Feta Stuffed Dates Appetizer with Walnuts
- Easy Roasted Boursin Stuffed Dates with Pistachios
5-Ingredient Cream Cheese Stuffed Dates with Hot Honey
Ingredients
- 12 medjool dates, pitted
- 4 ounces 125 grams plain cream cheese
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- Hot honey
- Flaky salt
- Optional: Fresh thyme or rosemary as garnish
Instructions
- Remove the cream cheese from the fridge while you preheat the oven to 375F.
- Line a small baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper.
- Prepare the dates, if not pitted, use a small sharp knife to make a slit lengthwise on one side of the date (do not slice all the way through) and remove the pits.
- Open the dates and stuff each date with 1 – 1 1/2 tsp of the plain cream cheese and place each stuffed date on the parchment lined baking sheet (or in the baking dish).
- Sprinkle the walnuts all over the top of the dates.
- Bake the dates for 10 minutes and then remove from the oven. Let the dates sit for 5 minutes before moving to a serving tray and garnish with hot honey and flaky salt. Serve immediately and enjoy!
