Creamy Goat Cheese, Bacon and Date Dip Recipe (2024)

People at last night’s party wanted to scoop this up with a spoon! Next time I will increase the cream cheese for texture, the goat cheese was a little too crumbly. Also a good add for next time — caramelized onions. Could use them to replace the bacon for vegetarians!

How exactly did you incorporate the fennel?

Made this with 8 oz honey goat cheese and 6 oz cream cheese. Followed the recipe otherwise till the topping.Every November I make a quart mason jar of honey fermented cranberries. 12 oz organic (or frozen) berries pulsed 2 times in processor just to crack, slices of crystallized ginger, finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange - covered with 24 oz raw honey.Cover and leave out in a cool, dark place 2 or 3 weeks, turning upside once daily, or stirring. Stick in fridge. Spoon some on dip!

This dip is amazing! Made it last night for a group of friends and everyone loved it. I served it with fennel and some grainy crackers - the fennel is KEY. It cuts through the richness of the dip. Pairs so well together. Will definitely be making this again and again. Baked it for a full 25 minutes.

Vegetarian: Take thick slices of Provolone cheese, fry until we’ll browned on both sides - it may separate and not stay as one big piece. After it has cooled, cut into pieces and use like bacon.

I made this for a Super Bowl party and it was amazing. Totally devoured. I made it essentially the same way it was written. The small differences I made were as follows: I mixed a large handful dates (roughly chopped but NOT cooked in bacon grease) and half the bacon into the cheese mixture when I baked it. I then sprinkled another large handful of chopped dates, the other half of the bacon and a large handful of chopped pistachios when I pulled the dish out of the oven. Totally recommend.

This dip is amazing! I used an 8 oz block of cream cheese and the goat cheese, creamed it and mixed it with a mixer. Baked it a little longer than the recipe said, did a half lb bacon, 1/2 cup of slivered almonds browned in the bacon grease and cut up data and browned in bacon grease. Topped the baked cheese off with the bacon/almond/date mix on the top. Sprinkled a little red pepper flakes, and drizzled with honey. We baked some baguette slices until toasted. It was one of the best dips ever!

Try toasted walnuts instead of bacon. Skip Step 2 entirely and just add with the dates in Step 3.

If you have vegetarians to serve, there are several bacon substitutes that will give that salty smoky taste to the dip. My favorites are smoky tempeh strips and Benevolent Bacon. Both are available in supermarkets, even in the small town where I live a good part of the year.

Added 2tbs cream and 1 tbsp mayonnaise because it was dry and pasty on the first go. Easy and it’s a always a big hit! Use high quality Medjool dates. Also, instead of the honey drizzle I used maple syrup. A much nicer addition I think.

Delicious! Topped with toasted sliced almonds and honey - it was a big hit at our Women's Club Christmas Party.

For bacon-take thick slices of Provolone, fry in pan until it is well browned. After it cools, cut into small pieces and use as bacon

This recipe was awesome! I didn't even add any of the recommended garnish, and it was wonderful. The sweet dates and the salty bacon, along with the tangy cheeses, it's just amazing.

Could you substitute dried figs for the dates?

I will be trying this with baking the dip at home, prepping the toppings and waiting until my destination to add the toppings before rewarming the dip in the oven.

This was absolutely fantastic!! I used 8oz goat cheese and 8oz cream cheese together for it and turned out so well!!!

This is the recipe where we discovered that we don’t like goat cheese, particularly baked goat cheese. We picked the toppings off and enjoyed them, and scraped the funky and crumbly base goop in the trash.

It helps to have a clear idea of what you think of goat cheese. I thought I knew well enough, but I was wrong. This dish is predominantly of goat cheese in both taste and texture, and I and others picked the bacon and dates off the top and left the base largely untouched. Just not something we wanted more of. Maybe it was because goat cheese was baked? Never had it that way before.

Added 2 more oz of cream cheese. Added 1 tbsp chopped rosemary to cheese blend. Topped with hot honey. Served with crostini. This is a great recipe!!

Fresh thyme over the top just before serving was delicious!

So good. We have French sheep’s milk feta at our co-op, so I substituted it for the goat cheese. Drizzled it with honey, the dates and bacon, roasted salted pistachios and gochugaru. Absolutely serve it with the fennel!! It was a big hit and I’ll make it again.

With a few alterations, this dip is a HIT! Go equal parts goat cheese and cream cheese, whip them together in a food processor with a touch of heavy cream, and stir in some of the date/bacon topping before baking. Also add some kind of candied nuts on top. Delicious!

So yummy! Made this for a birthday party last night and it was a hit. My only recommendation would be to double or triple the recipe, the serving count the NYT gives is a little too high.

Did anyone try adding a Mascarpone or do you think it would make it too soft? Thank you!

Have made this now 3 times, the first following the recipe exactly, and then adapting based on my tastes and feedback from others. The latest version was the biggest hit. Best change: Add the fillings into the cheese, not just on top. Cook a diced pack of bacon. Cook dates in the fat briefly. Carmelize 1 onion. Mix everything into a 2:1 mix of cream cheese and goat cheese and add sliced green onions. Heat at the party, then top with more green onions and red pepper flakes. Gone in a heartbeat!

This dip was amazing. Followed the recipe including honey and pistachios added Aleppo pepper. The fennel as a vehicle was a great suggestion! It is tangy and soft. I may add more cream cheese and carmelized onions next time.

My new go-to appetizer. I make it anytime I need an appy. The only problem with it is that I eat too much! I usually make the cream cheese to goat cheese about 50-50, give or take.

I recommend playing with the flavors of goat cheese in the base of this. I made this with a smoked goat cheese from a local cheese maker, which was delicious and added a whole new depth of flavor. Not sure I will go back to a plain flavor! Definitely going to be my new party appetizer.

This was incredibly easy and delicious with almost zero effort. Thick-cut bacon is key.

Made this pretty much according to the recipe and it’s outstanding as is. Huge hit and my family is now asks for it. Lots of room for improvisation as well.