31 Days of Cozy · Day 25 · October 25, 2026
Roasted Dates with Caramelized Onion Goat Cheese, Pecans & Rosemary
If you know me, you know I love making ridiculously easy food look fancy. These warm, gooey Medjool dates are stuffed with caramelized onion goat cheese, topped with crunchy pecans, fresh rosemary, and a little orange zest, then finished with honey. Sweet, savory, and almost embarrassingly easy to make. The perfect little appetizer when you want to impress without the effort!
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cook: 15 minutes
- Total: 25 minutes
- Serves 6–8
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The recipe
Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients
How to make it
Preheat the oven.
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Prepare the dates.
If your dates aren't already pitted, use a small, sharp knife to slice each one lengthwise and remove the pit. Be careful not to cut all the way through. You want to create a little pocket for the filling.
Stuff with goat cheese.
Gently open each date and fill with approximately 1–2 teaspoons of caramelized onion goat cheese, depending on the size of your dates. Arrange them cut-side up in a 9×9-inch baking dish or a similarly sized oven-safe dish.
Make the pecan topping.
In a small bowl, combine the finely chopped pecans, fresh rosemary, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, kosher salt, and olive oil. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
Top the dates.
Spoon the pecan mixture over the stuffed dates, making sure each one gets a little of that fragrant, crunchy topping.
Roast.
Transfer to the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the dates are warmed through, the goat cheese is soft and creamy, and the pecans are lightly toasted.
Finish with honey.
Remove from the oven and drizzle generously with honey while still warm. I used regular honey, but hot honey would be absolutely delicious here if you have some!
Serve.
Transfer to a serving platter and enjoy warm, while the goat cheese is soft and gooey.
Corinne's tips
Look for pre-pitted dates.
Mine actually came pre-pitted and sliced, which made this recipe even easier. If you can find them, grab them!
Why caramelized onion goat cheese?
The savory sweetness of caramelized onion adds another layer of flavor that works beautifully with the dates. Regular goat cheese is delicious too, but I especially love this variation.
Pecans instead of walnuts.
Pecans have a naturally buttery, slightly sweet flavor that complements the dates and goat cheese. Finely chopping them ensures you get a little crunch in every bite.
Don't skip the orange.
The zest and juice add just enough brightness to balance the richness of the cheese and the sweetness of the dates without making them taste overtly citrusy.
Honey or hot honey?
I used regular honey, which was delicious, but a little heat would be incredible with these flavors. If you have hot honey, I highly recommend giving it a try.
Make ahead:
You can stuff the dates and prepare the pecan topping up to a day in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator, then assemble and roast just before serving.
Serving suggestion:
These are perfect alongside a cheese board, as a holiday appetizer, or with a glass of wine before dinner.
Storage:
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through, or enjoy at room temperature.
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