Perfect Holiday Bite
Prosciutto wrapped dates with blue cheese and herby burnt honey. Those are some of my favorite words all in one sentence! What could be a more comforting appetizer recipe as we approach the festive season? These are incredibly easy to pull together and can be stored in the fridge right up until guests arrive. All you have to do is pop them in the oven, warm the honey, and serve!
I think one of my biggest weaknesses at every party are the appetizers. A buffet of little bites, all different tastes and textures (but the best ones are always a little cheesy). I can’t help but build an entire plate of just apps! This time of year that can be dangerous, though, as we’re approaching the best meals of the year – Thanksgiving and Christmas! Speaking of, these dates fit right in with a festive dinner. They’re a little sweet, a little salty, a bit crispy, a bit chewy, and, of course, a tad cheesy!
I recently was introduced to “burnt honey”, It’s essentially caramelized, very aromatic honey used to finish dishes and it’s changed my life forever. If you’ve never tried burnt honey, this is your sign! Give this recipe a try, or make some to pour over your next bowl of ice cream. You won’t be disappointed!
The Supplies
Ingredients
To make this prosciutto wrapped dates with blue cheese and burnt honey recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Medjool dates
- Blue cheese
- Prosciutto
- Honey
- Fresh sage
- Fresh thyme
For the exact ingredient amounts, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Equipment
In order to make these blue cheese stuffed dates wrapped in prosciutto, you’ll need the following pieces of equipment:
Tips for Making Prosciutto Wrapped Bleu Cheese Dates with Herby Burnt Honey
If you’re planning on making these stuffed dates, here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way to make sure they’re delicious:
- Watch the dates in the oven carefully – since prosciutto is so thin and dates are sugary, these can burn easily!
- Find a bleu cheese that’s creamy, rather than too crumbly. Both will taste great, but it will be easier to fill the dates.
- Burnt honey is essentially honey turned into caramel. If it’s warm, it’s really easy to drizzle, if it’s caramelized and set, it will be like a typical soft caramel candy. If it begins to get thick, you can easily reheat it over low heat until it becomes drizzly again!
- If entertaining, prepare the dates ahead of time! Go through steps 2 through 4 in the directions and refrigerate until ready to use. Then bake and caramelize the honey right before serving!
Recipe Details
Bake the Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates
These stuffed dates are much more complicated sounding then they really are! To begin, prepare the dates by slitting them almost in half, length-wise, until you hit the pit in the center. Remove and discard the pits and any hard parts remaining from the stem – they aren’t very tasty!
Where the pits once were, stuff each date with bleu cheese and wrap with about a quarter of a slice of prosciutto. Prosciutto is naturally very sticky, so it should stay stuck to the date easily. If not, tuck the ends of the prosciutto onto the bottom of the date before placing them on the baking tray. Bake the stuffed and wrapped dates in a 350° F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the prosciutto is crisp and the cheese is starting to melt.
Prepare the Honey and Serve
While the dates are baking, prepare the herby, burnt honey by placing honey, sage, and thyme into a small saucepan or small frying pan, letting it bubble and caramelize for about 5 minutes until it becomes really aromatic and starts to brown just slightly. The amount of honey will reduce as it caramelizes, and that’s a-okay!
As soon as the dates are out of the oven, transfer to a serving plate and drizzle the burnt honey over the top as desired. Serve right away, as this is a starter best served warm! They will be a bit sticky, so provide forks or toothpicks to keep your fingers clean!
Looking for more festive, holiday appetizers? Be sure to check out these recipes:
- Vidalia Onion Party Meatballs
- Baked Cheesy Crab Toasts
- Roasted Grape and Ricotta Crostini
- Caramelized Onion and Boursin Puff Pastry
- Pistachio Pesto and Cranberry Puff Pastry Pinwheels
If you make this prosciutto wrapped dates with blue cheese recipe, be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating – I can’t wait to hear how it goes. As always, tag me on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook in your photos. It makes me feel like we’re getting to cook together!
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Prosciutto-Wrapped Bleu-Cheese Dates with Herby, Burnt Honey
Description
A perfect bite before jumping into a meal, these dates are wrapped in crisp prosciutto, filled with creamy bleu cheese, and drizzled with herby, caramelized honey.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350° and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
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Slice the dates lengthwise until you hit the pit. Remove the pit and any hard parts of the stem.
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Divide ¼ cup of bleu cheese into 16 pieces, stuffing the cheese into each date, squeezing the date together to keep the cheese in place (tip: don’t skimp on the cheese! It’s the best part!).
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Slice each slice of prosciutto into 4. Wrap the quarter piece of prosciutto around each date and place on the foil-lined baking tray.
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Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes, until the prosciutto is crisp and the cheese has melted.
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Meanwhile, in a small saucepan or frying pan, add ⅓ cup of honey, 2 small sprigs of fresh sage, and 1 large sprig of fresh thyme. Place over a medium-low burner, until the honey begins to bubble. Stir occasionally, to ensure the honey doesn’t get too hot, for about 5 minutes until the honey becomes very fragrant. Remove the thyme and sage sprigs and keep the honey on low until ready to use. If the honey sets and starts to become too thick to drizzle, gently reheat over low heat until smooth and runny.
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Once the dates are out of the oven, transfer to a serving plate and immediately drizzle with the burnt honey.
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Serve with forks or toothpicks on the side and enjoy!
