Homemade Crab Rangoons

If you need a great party appetizer recipe that looks amazing–but is secretly easy, this homemade crab rangoon is just what you need. And bonus: it tastes so amazing, your friends will think you had these delivered for the party. They’ll never know that you spent a few minutes making them yourself unless you tell them!

Homemade Crab Rangoon

When I was planning to attend a New Years party recently, well, kind of–maybe some weeks ago…you know–I decided that I was bringing a fun and unique appetizer that would really wow my friends. So, I took to my recipe box and found a fantastic recipe that I haven’t made in a while, but that is one of my favorites for a more “fancy” hors d’oeuvres: homemade crab rangoons.

Filled with a creamy mixture of some of the most wonderful flavors to ever grace my tongue, you almost feel like you’re having some kind of decadent treat only made for super special occasions. But the real truth is, this is such an easy recipe that you could make it anytime you wanted for a fun snack. That can be your little secret though. Ha!

What You Need to Make Homemade Crab Rangoon

• 6 ounces crab meat (it’s ok if it’s canned, just drain it–I actually prefer this to imitation crab, if those are the options, but getting a steamed crab leg or two from the grocery market is no big deal, either)
• 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
• 3 small scallions (chopped – green only)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 egg
• 30 wonton wrappers
• Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

How to Make Homemade Crab Rangoon

Using a hand mixer, whisk the cream cheese in a medium-large bowl to fluff and soften.  Add the drained crab meat to the cream cheese and whisk again. This can be done by hand of course, but the hand mixer is much more efficient. 

Add the chopped scallions, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, sesame oil, and lemon juice to the cream cheese/crab mixture and mix once more.  Set aside to prepare the wonton wrappers. 

Beat the egg with a fork and use a rubber brush to brush egg wash onto the edges of the wrapper.  Place ½-1 Tablespoon of crab mixture into the center of the wonton. 

There are many ways to fold a wonton wrapper. This recipe shows bringing opposite corners together and sealing at the top in a triangle until about halfway down. Then take the other opposite corners and bring the point of the corners into the mid section of the previous corners. 

Be sure to pinch the seams firmly and press out any and all air that you can, or else your rangoons will burst when deep frying due to air pockets. 

Heat a cast-iron skillet or dutch oven with at least 3 inches deep of vegetable oil or peanut oil. Heat to 350F.  Once the temperature is reached, drop in your rangoons easily. They should sink to the bottom and stay there for a moment, and then float to the top. Frying should only take approximately 3 minutes total. You can turn them for even browning, but again be careful not to pop the wrapper as it expands. Using a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, remove from oil and allow to dry on a plate with a paper towel.  Best when eaten warm with your favorite dipping sauce. 

Ideas for How to Serve Crab Rangoon

Now, I know that it’s going to be really hard not to just pop these crab wontons into your mouth, one after the other, honestly. I mean, I get it. They’re really good–they smell great–and you’re probably hungry after having made them. But you must resist.  Remember: you’re making these easy appetizers for the party, right? Right. So, better to focus on the presentation of your hors d’oeuvres and how you’re going to set them up for the guests to enjoy. 

Some ways I plan to serve my homemade crab rangoons:

• Dip bar. There are so many yummy dips that go perfectly with crab wontons, so you just can’t go wrong with serving these alongside a dip bar. You can set up little bowls of  sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce, thai chili sauce, peanut sauce, and even ginger sauce. A tiny walking-rangoon bar might be a fun way to present your party set-up! 

• Pupu Platter. One of the things I like best about crab rangoons is the finger-food nature of it. There’s not a better way to eat them than with your fingers. So what better way to serve your wontons with crab than to set them up with some other finger foods on a large serving platter with a little hibachi flame and some skewers?!

But let’s be honest, there’s not just a whole lot you have to do to Chinese rangoons to present them. They’re these little crab pillows that are so cute that you can literally just pile them up on a platter and everyone will be headed straight to them for a bite. So, don’t stress about how to make them look appetizing–they look appetizing just in how they come out of the pan.  Once you’ve made your crab pillows, you can almost just let them drain, then pile them up and serve just that way without anything else done. Tossing off your favorite dipping sauce is just a bonus!

If you’re just as excited about these homemade Crab Rangoon’s as I am, but you’re not quite ready to make a batch, be sure to pin this to your favorite appetizer recipes board on Pinterest so you can find it again super quick when you are ready! If you make it let us know on social media by tagging MomsandMunchkins as we love to see what our readers make.

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More Appetizer Recipes:

• Hot Chicken Bacon Dip
• Mexican Pinwheels
• Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms
• Crescent Wrapped Brie
• Turkey Taco Pocket