If you are in need of an impressive cocktail party appetizer, a showstopping finger food for your cheese charcuterie board, or to perfect light dessert to serve after dinner, these mascarpone stuffed dates are just what you need. They are easy, quick, and addictively delicious!
Need more appetizer inspiration? Be sure to also check out our Bread Dipping Oil, Cheese Apple Appetizer, and Hot Goat Cheese Dip.
Ingredients
To make this stuffed dates recipe, you will need dates, mascarpone cheese, chopped nuts (I used a combination of walnuts and pistachios), pomegranate seeds, and honey.
When buying dates, look for fresh, plump, and large Medjool dates that are usually sold in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. You can buy pitted dates or remove the pits yourself.
Ingredient Substitutions & Optional Add-Ins:
- Cheese: You can substitute mascarpone with any spreadable soft cheese. My favorite ones are goat cheese and cream cheese. Alternatively, you can stir in ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract in the cheese to make it even more flavorful.
- Nuts: You can use any nuts here. I like to stuff my dates with walnuts and salty pistachios, but almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, and pecans would also be lovely. If you have the time, roast your nuts in a skillet for a few minutes for extra flavor.
- Fruit: Pomegranate arils are wonderful to add a pop of color, but you can also use candied and chopped oranges or dried cranberries.
- Honey: You can use maple syrup or agave nectar. Or, if you want to make it sugar-free, omit using any sweeteners.
- Flaky Sea Salt: This is optional, but if you want to take it up a notch, you can sprinkle each mascarpone-filled date with a little flaky sea salt (such as Maldon salt (affiliate link))
How To Make This Recipe?
There are only a few steps to making this finger dessert. However, I recommend getting all your ingredients ready before starting so that you can quickly put them together.
- Remove pits: Using a paring knife, slice dates lengthwise, being careful not to cut them all the way through. Remove the pits and set them aside.
- Stuff with cheese: Using a small spoon, stuff each pitted date with a teaspoon of mascarpone cheese.
- Garnish: Dip the filled dates into the bowl with pomegranate seeds. Gently press them so that they will stick to the cheese.
- Sprinkle: Dust each stuffed date with chopped walnuts or pistachios. Set them onto a plate.
- Drizzle: Drizzle the mascarpone-stuffed dates with a tablespoon of honey. Serve!
How To Make Ahead and Store?
The best part of this sweet stuffed dates recipe is that you can make it ahead, and it also stores well. Here’s how I do it:
- To Make Ahead: You can pit the dates, stuff them with cheese, dip them into the pomegranate seeds, and store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two days in advance. Sprinkle them with chopped nuts and drizzle them with honey right before serving.
- Storage: Leftovers will keep fresh for up to 3 days as long as they are stored in an airtight container in the fridge. They make the perfect snack or afternoon pick-me-up.
Expert Tips:
This easy recipe is pretty self-explanatory, but here are a few tips to help you succeed on your first try.
- Room temperature: If you make these ahead of time, I recommend bringing them out 30 minutes before serving, as they taste best when they are served at room temperature.
- Piping bag: You can multiply this recipe as many times as you want. And if you decide to make a larger amount, I recommend using piping or a pastry bag (or a Ziploc bag) instead of using a spoon. Simply fill your bag with mascarpone and fill each date one by one.
- Mascarpone filling: I find that a light drizzle of honey is all you need to sweeten the already sweet dates. However, if you prefer yours sweeter, you can mix honey with mascarpone and use that honey mascarpone mixture as your filling.
- Warm dates: An earlier version of this stuffed dates dessert recipe was made by first drizzling dates with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and then warming them up in a 350-degree preheated oven for 10 minutes. If you prefer to serve them warm, you can follow those steps. However, after literally making this recipe for over 10 years, I feel like the room-temperature stuffed dates are just as good.
FAQs
Any mild-flavored soft and spreadable cheeses would pair well with dates. Goat cheese, mascarpone, and cream cheese are a few to name.
You can stuff dates with nuts, nut butters, soft cheese, and chocolate.
Yes, you can. Simply pop them in a preheated 350 F oven for 10 minutes to warm them up.
Other Party Appetizers You Might Also Like:
- Blackberry Baked Brie
- Muhammara
- Poached Pears with Mascarpone
- Need more inspiration? Check out all our appetizer recipes
If you try this Mascarpone Stuffed Date recipe, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It is a great help to others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Mascarpone Stuffed Dates Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 Medjool Dates
- ½ cup Mascarpone cheese
- 4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- 3 tablespoons walnuts or pistachios (or both) chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon flaky seas such as Maldon salt, optional
Instructions
- Cut each date lengthwise making sure to not to cut them all the way through. Remove and discard pits.
- Fill each date with a teaspoon mascarpone cheese. Dip the stuffed dates into the bowl with pomegranate seeds. Gently press them so they will stick to the cheese.
- Dust each stuffed date with chopped walnuts and/or pistachios. Set them on a plate.
- Drizzle them with honey and if using, sprinkle them with some flaky sea salt. Serve!
Notes
- I recommend prepping all the ingredients before starting to assemble. I usually put each ingredient in a small bowl so that I can put them together quickly.
- You can multiply this recipe as many times as you want. If making a larger batch, you can fill a piping bag with mascarpone to help you stuff dates faster.
- To Make Ahead: You can pit the dates, stuff them with mascarpone, dip them into the pomegranate seeds, and store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two days in advance. Sprinkle them with chopped nuts and drizzle them with honey right before serving.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Warm dates: An earlier version of this recipe warmed the dates in the oven before stuffing them. In this updated version, I decided to skip that step as I think it is an extra step that is not necessary. However, if you prefer that version, feel free to follow the steps below:
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Place dates on a small baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes in the oven. Let cool on the counter for 5 minutes. Fill each date with a teaspoon of mascarpone cheese.
- Top the dates with honey, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts. Sprinkle them with flaky sea salt. Serve!
Jacqueline
This was amazing. Used almonds instead of walnuts and toasted them as suggested. Used vanilla in the marscapone as suggested and swapped dried cranberries for Pomegranate seeds since I already had that on hand. Very delicious and I am not a big date eater! I think I will be sorry I only made 12!
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed it.
Thanks for coming by, sharing your experience and taking the time to leave a review.
Lauren
Absolutely beautiful and super delicious too! I brought these to a holiday party and amongst over a dozen dishes, they were the most talked about food of the party. I did add vanilla extract to the marscapone but followed everything else as directed. Used less than a tablespoon of honey for 24 dates and for my taste this was perfect.
Aysegul Sanford
This is music to my ears Lauren. Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a review.
Wishing you and yours a happy holiday season.
Emily
Your photos are just plain stunning! So vibrant and festive. Your gifs too- so nicely done and so much fun. What a great little desert you’ve come up with. Medjool dates are magical when warmed and I bet that mascarpone and honey puts these over the top. Have a wonderful holiday, Ayesgul!
Tessa | Salted Plains
I am loving this simple treat! My family always stuffs dates with walnuts and rolls in sugar for Christmas. I am excited about this easy, beautiful dessert. And your stop motion is so great! xoxo
Aysegul Sanford
Yay! I am so glad you liked it Tessa. You are right, it is so easy yet so delicious. We are going to have it for our NYE party. Happy holidays my friend.
Laura (A Beautiful Plate)
Oh my goodness! These are stunning, and I’ve never though to stuff a date with mascarpone before. GAH! Need to make these. Also, that GIF is perfection.
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Laura! Thank you for your kind words. This was my first time too and I love them. 😉
GIFs are a lot of work, but I love them. Cheers!
Caroline
Aysegul! I love that gif…I could watch it over and over! This yummy recipe came at the perfect time! I just bought some of the most beautiful dates the other day and wanted to make something with them for Christmas Eve. I absolutely love how easy and beautiful these turned out. Cannot wait to make them!
michelle @ hummingbird high
this is just GORGEOUS. definitely bookmarking this recipe as a potential appetizer for my next holiday party. xoxo
Aysegul Sanford
Awww thank you Michelle. This will be in our party, for sure. <3
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today
I looove the small video 🙂
Aysegul Sanford
Thank you Marta. <3
Valentina @Hortus
Mascarpone is the cheese of the season! It is used a lot in Christmas desserts in Italy, so these immediately struck me. These look beautiful!Unrelated note: a Japanese lady once made exactly this recipe, but stuffed the dates with Azuki jam rather than cheese. I wonder what would come out of mixing Azuki jam with mascarpone…?
Aysegul Sanford
Thank you for your kind words Valentina. I really appreciate it.
Interesting… I have never had azuki bean jam before. I will definitely be on the look out for it though.
Thanks for stopping by. Cheers to beautiful Italy.
Sara @ Cake Over Steak
These sound AMAZING, and so easy too!! Love it.
Aysegul Sanford
Aww thank you! It sure is a favorite around here. <3