3-ingredient devils on horseback

Devils on Horseback may look like a Victorian board game gone off the rails, but it’s actually an old-fashioned appetizer that’s very much on track. The name probably comes from 19th-century Britain, where hot, bacon-wrapped prune bites were said to resemble little “devils” riding “horses” – a playful companion to angels on horseback, who used oysters instead of dried fruit. The dish evolved over the years, and by the 1970s, this version – dates stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in bacon – had risen to prominence in the American entertainment scene. And honestly, once you taste the combination of sticky, caramelized fruit, pleasantly tangy cheese, and crispy bacon, it’s hard to imagine things any other way.

These cute little two-bite parcels deliver disproportionate joy: exactly the kind of appetizer you want during the holidays. The recipe below, developed by our colleague Renu Dhar in our Birmingham, Alabama test kitchen, is sweet, savory, savory, a little funky, and incredibly easy for something that seems so decadent. Horse devils only need three main ingredients, so success depends on a few key techniques to ensure the dates stay soft and plump, the cheese melts evenly, the bacon gets crispy, and the fruit doesn’t burn.

The key is to control each component. The texture of dates varies greatly depending on variety and freshness. Medjools, which are most common in most U.S. markets and are typically two inches long, are ideal here. They’re soft enough to be stuffed, sturdy enough to hold their shape, and rich and sweet enough to balance out the tangy blue cheese. A brief soak in warm water softens their skin and makes it easier to open and fill them without tearing them.

Meanwhile, the bacon needs a head start. During testing, Renu discovered that by starting with raw bacon, the dates were shriveled and overcooked by the time the bacon fat was completely rendered. Center cut bacon, precooked for 8-10 minutes before packing the dates, turned out perfect. Partially cooking the bacon allows it to shrink slightly and begin to firm up, so it crisps at the same rate as the cheese melts once wrapped around the stuffed dates and cooked. The trick with bacon is not to go too far during that first cooking session. The strips should still fold easily at this point so you can wrap them perfectly with only a slight overlap. A wooden pickaxe keeps everything secure.

These can be fully assembled – stuffed, wrapped in pre-cooked bacon, toothpicked – and refrigerated for up to three days before final cooking. Come party time, it’s just a short time in a hot oven, where bacon chips, cheese melt and dates warm into melty, caramel-sweet perfection. Playful yet deeply flavorful, Devils on Horseback are the holiday appetizer that’s sure to disappear first at the party.