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Whipped Goat Cheese with Bacon and Dates

Whipped goat cheese with bacon and dates pairs a smooth, fluffy cheese spread with a warm, sweet-and-savory topping. Crisp bacon, soft dates, and balsamic vinegar make this an easy appetizer to serve with crackers or bread.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the whipped goat cheese
  • 8 oz goat cheese softened
  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tsp lemon zest finely grated
  • 0.13 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the bacon-date topping
  • 6 bacon slices
  • 6 oz dates pitted, chopped
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Equipment

  • 1 food processor
  • 1 10-inch skillet

Method
 

Make the whipped goat cheese
  1. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, lemon zest, kosher salt, and black pepper to a food processor and process until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Make the bacon-date topping
  1. Cook the bacon in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, turning as needed, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and leave 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet.
  3. Add the dates and water to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the dates soften and the liquid is mostly absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, crumble the bacon into the skillet, and mix to combine.
Assemble and serve
  1. Spoon the whipped goat cheese into a serving bowl and top with the bacon-date mixture; serve while the topping is warm.

Notes

For the fluffiest texture, let the goat cheese and cream cheese soften before processing. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the cheese texture may change. Turkey bacon can be used for a pork-free variation.