Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set a wire rack on top if you have one. The rack helps the bacon crisp on all sides, but the parchment alone works fine too.

If your dates still have pits, use a small paring knife to slice each one open lengthwise along one side. Pull out the pit and gently open the date like a little pocket without tearing it in half.

Use a small spoon or your fingers to press about a teaspoon of goat cheese into the center of each date. You want enough filling to be visible but not so much that the date cannot close around it.

Wrap each stuffed date tightly with one half-strip of bacon, overlapping the ends slightly. Secure with a toothpick pushed through the center. The bacon should hug the date snugly so it crisps evenly.

Arrange the wrapped dates seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer with a little space between each one. Do not crowd the pan or the bacon will steam instead of crisp.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is deeply browned and crispy and you can see the cheese just starting to bubble out at the edges. If the bacon looks pale at 18 minutes, give them 2 more minutes.

Transfer to a serving plate and let them rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving, the filling will be very hot. Drizzle lightly with honey and scatter a few thyme leaves over the top if you like. Serve with toothpicks still in for easy grabbing.