Have you ever heard of a dish called “devils on horseback”?
Well, that’s exactly what air fryer bacon wrapped dates is.
Devils on horseback is a dish consisting of dried fruit, stuffed with cheese and sometimes nuts, wrapped in bacon and cooked until the bacon is crispy.
These delectable treats have been enjoyed since the 1800s and continue to be popular today, and for good reason!
The combination of the sweetness of the fruit, smokiness of the bacon and salty umami of the cheese make for an addicting appetizer. What’s surprising is that something so delicious can be so easy to make, and with only 3 ingredients!
These simple little bites of goodness are even quicker and easier to make when cooking them in the air fryer! In just a few minutes, you’ll have a mouthwatering plate of bacon-wrapped dates.
Let’s get cooking!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Dates Dessert
✦ You can find the exact measurements of the recipe ingredients and customize the serving size in the recipe card after the detailed step-by-step instructions section.
You only need three, yes, three ingredients to make these amazing desserts!
- Dates
- Bacon
- Cream cheese
We prefer cream cheese, but you can also use goat cheese, brie, mascarpone, blue cheese, asiago, fontina, cheddar- basically any cheese you want! All the cheese options work well in bacon-wrapped dates, so get creative! Or really…get cheesy!
Recipe Video
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Dates in the Air Fryer?
You already know it’s going to be an easy recipe when there are only 3 ingredients. In 10 minutes or less, you’ll have a gooey, crispy plate of bacon-wrapped dates to devour!
Step 1: Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF (204ºC).
If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating option, you can set the temperature to 400ºF (204ºC) and then let it cook for 5 minutes without food.
You may also skip this step by adding 2-4 minutes to your cooking time or until you achieve your desired finish.
💡 Pro Tip: At this point, you also need to soften your cream cheese if you haven’t done so already. Mixing cream cheese straight from the fridge can be a challenging task.
Here are three methods to soften your cream cheese:
- Allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 30% power for 15 seconds, stirring and repeating until you reach the desired texture.
- Submerge the sealed block of cream cheese in warm water for 10-15 minutes.
Step 2: Slice the thin-cut bacon strips into thirds.
Cut the bacon into thirds cross-wise, creating 3 little segments of bacon.
💡 Pro Tip: Thin-cut bacon strips will cook faster and are easier to wrap.
Step 3: Cut the dates open.
Cut each date down the center lengthwise, not cutting all the way through, creating a little ‘book’. If the dates you’re using aren’t pitted, remove the pits and discard.
Step 4: Fill the dates with cream cheese
Spread a little cream cheese into the center of each date and fold back up to close.
Step 5: Wrap the stuffed dates with bacon strips.
Wrap each cream cheese-filled date with a little piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
Step 6: Air fry bacon wrapped dates for 5-7 minutes until golden.
When the air fryer is preheated, add the bacon-wrapped dates in a single layer and air fry for 5-7 minutes, or until the bacon is golden and crisp.
✦ I used a 6-quart air fryer to test this recipe. Cooking time and temperature may vary depending on your air fryer and the number of servings you are making. For optimal results, begin with the lower end of the suggested cooking time.
Step 7: Serve and enjoy your air fried bacon wrapped dates!
When the bacon is crisp and the cheese is gooey, remove from the air fryer and transfer to a plate.
Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes before enjoying, because the cream cheese in the center is molten lava when it first comes out of the air fryer!
Personally, I LOVE these with an extra drizzle of honey over the top of them. I really feel like the honey just adds that perfect little touch of extra sweetness that makes them even more irresistible!
Another fun variation would be to use feta and fresh thyme leaves in the center of the date! Feta is extra salty and goes really well with bacon and dates, and the herbiness of the thyme would bring it over the top! Drizzle with honey for a bite you won’t soon forget 😀
Freezing & Storage
Freezing: Allow the air fryer bacon wrapped dates to cool completely before adding to a zip-top bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then follow the reheat instructions below.
Fridge: Allow the dates to cool completely before adding them to a zip-top bag or airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating: To reheat, preheat the air fryer 400ºF and add the bacon-wrapped dates in a single layer. Air fry until warmed-through and crisp, about 1-2 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can air fry bacon wrapped dates. It will only take 5-7 minutes to cook in a preheated air fryer at the maximum temperature.
At the maximum temperature, bacon-wrapped dates will take 5-7 minutes to cook in the air fryer.
This ingredients checklist is interactive; you can use it as your grocery list.
Ingredients
- 12 pieces dates pitted
- 4 slices bacon thin-cut
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese softened
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C).
- Slice the bacon strips into thirds.
- Cut the dates lengthwise without slicing through.
- Spread cream cheese onto the dates, then fold both sides like a sandwich.
- Wrap the stuffed dates with bacon strips, and then secure the bacon with a toothpick.
- Air fry bacon wrapped dates for 5-7 minutes until golden. No need to flip.
- Serve your air fryer bacon wrapped dates warm! Enjoy! If you want, you can take off the toothpicks.
Recipe Video
Notes
- If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating option, you can set the temperature to 400°F (204°C) and then let it cook for 4-5 minutes without food.
- You can also skip preheating by adding 2-4 minutes to your cooking time until you achieve your desired finish.
- Use thin-cut bacon strips as they are easier to wrap and will cook faster.
- 3 Ways to Soften Cream Cheese: 1. Leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes. 2. Transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl and heat it at 30% power for 15 seconds, stirring and repeating the process until you achieve the desired texture. 3. Submerge the sealed block of cream cheese in warm water for 10-15 minutes.
- I used a 6-quart Instant Pot Vortex Plus to test the air fryer bacon wrapped dates recipe. Cooking time and temperature may vary depending on your air fryer and the number of servings you are making. For optimal results, begin with the lower end of the suggested cooking time.
Nutrition
Share or save this recipe for later:
Have you tried making the bacon wrapped dates air fryer recipe?
Leave us a note, and give this recipe a star rating. Good or bad, we appreciate your opinion. Let’s improve this air fryer recipe as a community!
Are you on Instagram? Share your photo and tag us at @fryitco. We can’t wait to see what you’ve made!
Or you can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel. We’re constantly uploading easy and tasty air fryer recipe videos, ASMR style.
You can also find us on Facebook & Tiktok 🙂. See you there!
Thank you for your support!
Web Story
