Traditionally, these sweet, porky bites are built upon a pitted date or prune stuffed with a sharp cheese (like blue cheese), and a small piece of liver and/or an orange segment. Then, everything gets wrapped in bacon and roasted until crispy.

But of course, where there’s tradition, there are also fresh takes on it. And these puzzle-like appetizers lend themselves to creative ingredient combos.

A vast variety of dried fruit, cheese, savory add-ins and pork can create a delicious devil on horseback — and we also like adding a vinegar or syrup to sharpen the flavor. Don’t shy away from unorthodox combinations; instead of nuts, for instance, pair gherkins with ham and mustard. Consult this mix-and-match grid to get you started (ingredients named from left): 

Dried Fruit: figs, dates, prunes, apricots, pears

Cheese: farmer cheese, ricotta, Gruyère, goat, blue

Crunch: pistachios, cinnamon, gherkins, Marcona almonds, hazelnuts

Pork: prosciutto, bacon, baked ham, Serrano ham, speck 

Final Touch: lemon, maple syrup, mustard, sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar

The options for devils on horseback are limitless, but the execution always is simple and rustic. Start by picking a fruit and stuffing it with cheese. Then tuck in a nut (or another extra — like our gherkins), add a flavor-enhancing drizzle, and wrap with pork.

Traditionally, the assembled bites get baked in the oven until crisp, hot and oozing, but we created options that are just as tasty raw (with the exception of bacon, which requires cooking).