Baked Goat Cheese Dip with Bacon and Dates

Get the party started by serving up this epic Baked Goat Cheese Dip with Bacon and Dates!  It’s got all the good stuff: smoky bacon, sweet dates, warm spice from black pepper, creamy tang from goat cheese, and smooth swoop-worthy texture from cream cheese.  Make it this weekend and invite friends for happy hour, it’s sure to be a hit.

The inspiration for this recipe was the popular appetizer bacon-wrapped dates.  They disappear in an instant at any gathering, but they are pretty fussy to prepare!  This dip streamlines the process, but doesn’t skip any of the flavor.  Baking the creamy goat cheese and cream cheese base means the dip is cozy, warm, and fragrant with both the salty and sweet aromas.

Bacon does a lot of heavy-lifting when building a flavor base for any recipe.  It’s even better when paired with a bright herbal note, like the parsley in this baked goat cheese dip.  For another recipe where bacon and parsley are featured, try this Melted Leek and Bacon Pasta!  Bacon pairs perfectly with sage, too.  Check out this fall-favorite Pumpkin and Bacon Bisque.

Ingredients

I include ingredient notes here when I think they’ll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!

• Bacon - Use a thick-cut bacon for extra hearty texture in the dip.  Depending on how thickly cut the bacon is, this recipe needs between 5 and 8 slices.
• Medjool Dates - Buy your dates pitted for the easiest prep!  If you can only find dates with the pits still in, slice them vertically and remove the long pit before chopping them into ½-inch pieces.
• Goat Cheese - Any plain goat cheese that you enjoy on crackers or in other recipes will work here. To make whipping the cheese up into a soft texture extra easy, leave the goat cheese on the counter for a half hour before starting the recipe to help it come to room temperature.
• Cream Cheese - Cream cheese is the magic ingredient that gives any creamy dip a perfectly spreadable texture.  Use full fat cream cheese or a reduced fat option for this dip.  It’s also great to have the cream cheese at room temperature before whipping it together with the goat cheese for the quickest prep.
• Parsley - Just a couple of tablespoons of chopped parsley bring a bright and fresh flavor to the dip!  Use Italian parsley or curly parsley for this recipe.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F and find a pie dish or an oven-safe dish with a 1-quart capacity to bake the dip in.

Chop the bacon into ½-inch pieces.  Cut the dates in quarters lengthwise and then chop those pieces into ½-inch pieces.

Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add the bacon and cook it, stirring often, to render out the fat and crisp up the pieces.

When the bacon is about 2-3 minutes from being fully crispy, add the dates.  Stir them often to caramelize their sugars and soften the dates.

Drain the bacon and date mixture on a clean kitchen towel or a piece of brown paper bag.  Set the bacon and date mixture aside.

Add the softened cream cheese and goat cheese to a medium bowl.

Whip the cheeses together until they are smooth and well combined with a light texture.

Add half of the bacon and date mixture to the cheese mixture along with the ground black pepper.

Fold the bacon, dates, and pepper into the cheese until well blended.

Spread the dip into the bottom of the pie pan or baking dish to form an even layer.

Top the dip with the remaining bacon and date mixture, sprinkling the pieces evenly over the dip.

Bake the dip for 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the topping is crisp and fragrant.

Top the dip with the chopped parsley and serve!

Substitutions and Variations

The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!

• Add Extra Herbs - Parsley is a great pair with the bacon in this dip, but rosemary and thyme make excellent options, too!  Add finely chopped rosemary or thyme to the cheese mixture before baking to get the most out of these herbal additions. 
• Use Blue Cheese - Swap 4 ounces of blue cheese for the goat cheese if you know you have blue cheese lovers to share this recipe with.  It’s a delicious flavor punch to have that tangy and slightly funky blue cheese in the mix.
• Swap Bacon for Pecans - To make a vegetarian dip, toast and chop 1 cup of pecan halves and use them in place of the bacon.  Because there aren’t any bacon drippings to warm up the date pieces with, bake this version of the dip for an extra 4-5 minutes to make sure everything is warmed through.
• Use Pre-Cooked Bacon - Speed up the prep and use pre-cooked bacon strips in this recipe!  It still helps to warm up the bacon pieces and the dates together in a skillet for a few minutes before adding them to the cheese mixture.

Equipment

Use a standard 9-inch pie pan or pie dish to bake and serve this baked goat cheese dip to your crew.  Any oven-safe baking dish with a 1-quart capacity will work as well.  Don’t use a larger capacity baking dish or the dip will be spread too thin and bake too quickly in the oven.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this baked goat cheese dip with a variety of crackers, crostini, bagel chips, flatbreads, or warm bread slices.  Rosemary crackers compliment the flavors in the dip well, as do simple butter or club crackers.

Storage

Any leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours of sitting at room temperature.  Store them in an airtight container for up to three days.  Reheat leftover dip in the microwave in short 15-20 second bursts to avoid overheating the dip.

Make Ahead Options

The dip can be prepared all the way up to the baking step up to two days before serving.  Simply bring it to room temperature before baking it as directed in the recipe and garnishing with the parsley.