This easy Crab Rangoon recipe can be baked, fried, or air fried. You can even make it ahead of time!  This easy appetizer idea is perfect for feeding a crowd.

Be sure to try my SWEET Cream Cheese Wontons and my Crab Rangoon Dip recipes next!

A white plate filled with fried crab rangoon and a red ramekin of sweet and sour sauce with chopsticks and green onions in background.

Crab Rangoon

This is definitely one of my favorite appetizer recipes, but I usually forget about until the New Year rolls around! Thank goodness for a yearly reminder. 😊

The ingredients are simple, you can prepare these ahead of time, and if you’d rather, you can even make it in dip form!

Let’s get to it!

overhead shot of ingredients for crab rangoon. Wonton wrappers, soy sauce, cream cheese, garlic, crab meat.

How to Fold Crab Rangoon

There are lots of ways to fold wontons, this method is my preferred way!

Cover any wonton wrappers that you’re not actively folding with a dish towel as they dry out quickly.

Place 1 tsp of filling in the middle of each one.

Overhead shot of wonton wrappers with crab rangoon filling in the middle

Dip your fingers in egg wash and moisten the edges all around the wonton to create a sticky surface.

Close up shot of a wonton wrapper with crab rangoon filling in the middle

Fold one of the corners up and connect it with the other corner to form a triangle.

Hands folding a wonton wrapper in half to form a triangle

Press to stick together.

Close up shot of a wonton wrapper folded in half

Connect the left and right corners to the top and press the edges to seal out all of the air.

hand holding half folded wonton wrapper for crab rangoon

Repeat for all wontons.

overhead shot of uncooked, folded wonton wrappers for crab rangoon

Fry or bake, and serve with sweet and sour sauce!

overhead shot of fried crab rangoon on a white background

Where to Find Wonton Wrappers

These are usually located in the refrigerated area of the produce section where they have tofu, egg roll wrappers, and refrigerated salad dressings.

Filling Ideas for Wontons

My sweet Cream Cheese Wonton recipe proves that sweet combinations are just as delicious as savory ones! Here are some filling options to get creative with for this recipe:

  • Cream Cheese + Nutella
  • Cream Cheese +  Diced Pineapple
  • Strawberry Cream Cheese or blueberry jelly + cream cheese
  • Cream Cheese + Powdered Sugar + Orange Marmalade
  • Cream Cheese + Garlic Powder + Onion Powder + Cheddar Cheese (A savory option)

Make-Ahead Method

Once they’re folded, simply place uncooked Crab Rangoon onto a baking pan or plate, flash freeze them for an hour, then slide them into a freezer bag or Tupperware container. This allows them to be stored together without sticking to one another.

When ready to serve: Remove them from the freezer, let let them thaw for a few minutes, then simply fry or bake. Poof! Homemade Crab Rangoon whenever you feel like it.

Storage

Refrigerating:

Wonton wrappers dry out very quickly unless they have been cooked, so only store them in the fridge if you have already baked/fried them.

Freezing:

Before Cooking: (Recommended)

  • Place the filled & folded wontons on a plate or tray and flash freeze them for about 15 minutes. They can then be stored in a freezer bag or airtight container without sticking to each other.
  • These can be fried in their frozen state. To bake them, let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then or baked at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

After Cooking:

  • Place the cooked wontons on a plate or tray and flash freeze them for about 15 minutes. They can then be stored in a freezer bag or airtight container without sticking to each other.
  • To reheat, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees  for 8-10 minutes.

Reheating:

To reheat refrigerated Crab Rangoon, place them on a baking sheet and crisp them up in the oven at 300° for about 5 minutes.

Frozen crab rangoon can also be reheated at 300°. Cover with foil and bake for 5 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until crispy, about 4-5 more minutes.

A close up shot of a hand holding fried crab rangoon.

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A homemade Crab Rangoon on a white plate with chives and sweet and sour sauce.

Crab Rangoon Recipe

4.97 from 32 ratings
Crispy wontons are baked or fried to golden perfection and filled with an easy cream cheese Crab Rangoon filling. Plus, they're easy to make ahead of time for seamless entertaining!

Ingredients

Filling

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 3 oz. fancy crab meat, drained and crumbled
  • 2 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1.5 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 12 oz. package Wonton wrappers, see notes

Other

  • 1 egg, whisked with a splash of water
  • 1 quart canola oil

Instructions

  • Place wonton wrappers aside and combine all other filling ingredients in a medium bowl.
  • Place 1 teaspoon of filling in center of each wonton.
  • Moisten the edges of the wonton with a little bit of the egg/water mixture (i.e. egg wash). Fold in a triangle and press to seal- removing air from the inside. Use the egg wash like a glue as you assemble.
  • Take the left and right sides of the triangle and pull them up, attaching them to the existing seal on the top. Then press along the edges to close any areas where the filling could be exposed to air. Here is an alternative folding method. Repeat, setting aside on a plate.

To Fry:

  • Deep fryers work great with these, however if you don't have one, heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a dutch oven until it is just under 350 degrees. (I put my electric stove to just under the medium-high mark).
  • You can use an extra wonton wrapper to test the temperature. Place it in the oil and ensure that it doesn’t cook too quickly or burn. Adjust the heat accordingly if needed.
  • Fry 4-5 wontons at a time, each for about 45 seconds to a minute, (or until golden brown).
  • Place them on a plate lined with paper towels to cool.

To Bake:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place the sheet in the oven for about 5 minutes. Heating the sheet will ensure that the wontons are nice and crisp on the bottom when they bake.
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the wontons on top. Coat the wontons with a light layer of nonstick cooking spray.
  • The wontons will need to bake for about 10-12 minutes, however it’s best to start checking on them after 5 minutes. Remove them from the oven when they are crisp and golden brown. Serve warm with sweet-sour sauce or mustard sauce.

To Air Fry:

  • Brush each wonton lightly with vegetable or canola oil. Air Fry at 370 degrees for 7-8 minutes, until slightly browned and crispy. Serve!

Notes

Wonton wrappers are usually located in the refrigerated area of the produce section where they have tofu, egg roll wrappers, and refrigerated salad dressings.

Nutrition

Calories: 76kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 134mg, Potassium: 41mg, Vitamin A: 140IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 0.6mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
 
Crispy wontons fried to golden perfection and filled with a classic cream cheese crab rangoon filling. Enjoy them baked or fried! | The Cozy Cook | #appetizers #chinesefood #crabrangoon #asianfood #newyears #fried