These Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates with Walnuts and Mint make a quick and easy appetizer that everyone seems to love! Soft and tender Medjool dates stuffed with creamy goat cheese, toasted walnuts and fresh mint are fun finger food. Make ahead of time and refrigerate!
This easy appetizer of Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates is a favourite of mine and I serve it in all seasons. It's equally delicious for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and any summer get-togethers.
Soft and tender Medjool dates stuffed with creamy goat cheese, toasted walnuts and fresh mint are fun finger food!
These little two-bite snacks are perfect for a holiday appetizer tray too. There's no need to choose between naughty and nice, as one look at the list of ingredients below will tell you they're ALL nice!
These goat-cheese stuffed dates are just as popular as my Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Dates and these Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates.
When you serve these dates stuffed with goat cheese, however, you can feel good that you've provided an option for your friends who are following a vegetarian or gluten-free diet, too.
Medjool dates are soft and luscious, and they have an amber-brown, slightly crinkly skin. They work perfectly in this recipe because you can bite into them easily without squashing the filling out.
Jump to:
🛒 Ingredients
- Medjool dates: they're naturally sweet, soft and squishy and they make an ideal receptacle for a teaspoon or so of soft cheese. They have an almost caramel-like flavour.
- goat cheese: you'll want to use the creamy variety in this recipe. You could also substitute cream cheese.
- walnut halves
- fresh mint leaves: don't leave these out! They add another layer of flavour not to be missed. 😊
🔪 How to stuff dates with goat cheese
- Carefully make a small slice on the side of each date without cutting all the way through. Remove the pit. If your dates come pre-pitted, just squish it into a slight bowl shape.
- Stuff each date with a teaspoon of goat cheese. The easiest way to stuff dates is to fill a piping bag with goat cheese and use a frosting tip to pipe it into the cavity. An even easier way is to buy the goat cheese in a tube, snip off one of the corners, and squeeze it into the date. If you're using blue cheese or cream cheese, just use a small spoon to fill the cavity.
- Press a toasted walnut half and a fresh mint leaf into the goat cheese and serve!
Don't forget the fresh mint! You'll understand why when you taste it.
Last week, my brother picked the mint leaf off before he bit into one of these, and we all protested--loudly--until he complied and popped it in his mouth, too. That little leaf of fresh mint is necessary, it's integral, and it's essential. It's really good. Enjoy!
🔁 Possible variations
As mentioned above, you could substitute cream cheese or blue cheese for goat cheese. You can also use pecans instead of walnuts.
Some recipes suggest warming these in the oven before serving. I haven't found this necessary at all. They're absolutely delicious raw at room temperature, and it's one more step you don't really need to take!
⏰ Make ahead of time
You can stuff these dates a day ahead of time and store them covered in the fridge. Add the mint leaf just before serving, or it will wilt.
🗒 More yummy finger food recipes:
- Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese and Maple Walnuts
- Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates
- Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Dates
- Mini Cheese Balls on a Stick
- 20 Easy Finger-Food Appetizers
- Cranberry Walnut Beggars' Purses
- Garlic Lovers' Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
- Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
Recipe
Dates Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Walnuts and Mint
Ingredients
- 12 soft Medjool dates
- ¼ cup creamy goat cheese
- 12 walnut halves, lightly toasted
- 12 leaves fresh mint
Instructions
- Carefully make a small slice in the side of each date and remove the pit.
- Stuff each date with a teaspoon of goat cheese.
- Press a toasted walnut half and a fresh mint leaf into the goat cheese.
- Serve.
Nutrition
This post has been updated with additional information to make it more helpful!
Leave a Reply