Crab Rangoon

One surprise when my husband Dave and I began cruising was how much socializing we did over appetizers.  Cruisers love to get together and happy hour (even if you don’t drink alcohol) just seems to be the perfect time for relaxing after the day’s activities.  Most days, we’d have an “ordinary” appetizer, such as crackers and cheese or salsa. 

Other days, however, just called out for something special.  Perhaps meeting up with old friends we hadn’t seen in months, or a party for everyone in the anchorage to listen to a playoff or bowl game aboard a boat with satellite radio. 

Years ago, I’d learned to make baked Crab Rangoon as a healthy alternative to deep frying it.  Aboard a boat, it’s also practical – deep frying aboard a boat just isn’t safe with the chance of the boat moving and hot oil splashing or spilling.    

Not difficult to make, yet perfect for those days when we wanted something special! 

3.67 from 3 votes

Crab Rangoon

This is a quick and easy appetizer with lots of variations, including one that’s dairy free. And with no frying, it’s a perfect boat recipe.

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Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Calories:

Carbs (g):

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

Orange Dipping Sauce

• ▢ 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• ▢ 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon prepared mustard (Dijon-type is best)
• ▢ dash of ground cayenne pepper, to taste (or white pepper)

Crab Filling

• ▢ 8 ounces softened light or regular cream cheese
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (or other crab seasoning mix)
• ▢ few drops of Worcestershire sauce (or hot sauce)
• ▢ 1 can crab (6-ounce, drained)
• ▢ 25 wonton wrappers

Instructions

• Mix Orange Dipping Sauce ingredients together and set aside.
• Put softened cream cheese in a medium bowl and mix in seasonings. Add crab meat and gently combine. If you like spicy food, increase the Old Bay and use hot sauce (I like Pickapeppa as it’s flavorful but not too hot) – but remember that there is a bit of kick in the dipping sauce, too.
• Preheat oven to 425° F.
• Put a dollop of the crab mixture in the middle of each wonton wrapper, and pinch the corners together on top. Place on a cookie sheet (as close as you want—they won’t spread out) and bake for 10—12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Notes

Variations: 

Fresh Seafood:  Use ¾ cup of any fresh, cooked fish or seafood:  fresh crab is wonderful, as are clams, mussels, oysters, shrimp or almost any fish. 

Bacon:  Use 4 to 6 slices cooked, crumbled bacon.  Mrs. Dash or Montreal Steak seasoning are good in place of the Old Bay. 

Other canned fish/seafood:  Canned tuna, oysters, clams, shrimp, salmon and other fish are all tasty.  Drain well before using.   

Dairy-free:  Use 1 cup mashed potatoes in place of the cream cheese. 

Low carb: Make the filling and bake about 20 minutes in a small baking dish without the wonton wrappers. Do not use the orange sauce.