Have you ever been horribly disappointed by an order of Crab Rangoon? I love them and have to add them to my order every single time. Well, my tradition is always to keep trying until I find a Chinese place in my neighborhood that has delicious Crab Rangoon. I don’t like them when they skimp on the filling. Also, have you ever had an order of Crab Rangoon that had too much crab in it? I don’t like that either. I do like them when they are creamy with a touch of crab. Basically, I’m the Goldilocks of Crab Rangoon. Ha!
I mean, I’m serious about Crab Rangoon. Chinese takeout is one of my favorite things to order but it’s also a habit that can pack on the pounds. Like they say, it’s all fun and games until your pants don’t fit.
I’ve done some recipe testing to figure out how to make my favorite appetizer a healthy appetizer that I can make at home. No more guessing which Chinese place to go to. So when I set out, I wanted less grease, which means baking. But, is baking it going to make it taste like crud? Not at all. Baking instead of deep frying certainly changes the flavor. They aren’t as crispy as they are when you deep fry them in a big pot of oil but they still get a crisp if you follow my directions below. They also aren’t as greasy which makes them lighter and easier to eat. (I don’t really like fried, greasy food—unless I’m hung over.)
These Baked Crab Rangoon Sticks are creamy, crispy and dang delicious. And, they aren’t bad for you! See, they aren’t over sized either. These really are the best baked crab rangoons. Plus, shaping them into little sticks makes them easier to eat and quicker to make. You’ll actually have this appetizer done in 20 minutes, which is a perfect last-minute appetizer for guests!
- 12 pastry spring roll wrappers***
- 4 oz cream cheese (I used 1/3 less)
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- Dash of salt
- 2/3 oz of crab meat, chopped
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet or stone with olive oil and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whip the cream cheese a bit to loosen it up.
- Fill a small prep bowl with cold water.
- Chop the crab meat into small pieces.
- Add the crab meat, sugar, and salt to the cream cheese and mix it together.
- On a flat surface, place four spring roll wrappers out. Dip your fingertips in the water, then slightly wet the wrappers. On the bottom third of the wrapper, place about a teaspoon of the crab mixture evenly across it.
- Then, start wrapping it from the bottom so that the mixture is wrapped a few times.
- Seal each Rangoon with a little bit of water along the crease using your fingertips.
- Place each piece on the baking sheet and slightly toss it so there’s a bit of the olive oil on the outside.
- Repeat until finished wrapping.
- Place in the oven for approximately 13 minutes (times vary with ovens so watch carefully). When there’s about 6-7 minutes left, flip them so they bake/crisp evenly.
- **** These are pastry spring roll wrappers, not the clear rice papers. Here's a link to them on Amazon so you get an idea of what you are looking for (not an affiliate link): https://www.amazon.com/Spring-Roll-Wrappers-Square-Sheets/dp/B01IFCK90K
Ingredients list spring roll wraps but instructions read spring roll wraps and the next sentence referred to them as wontons??? Thanks
Hi Cathy! Thanks for the catch. It’s spring roll wraps, not wontons. They are a lighter dough.
Would it be possible to make these ahead and cook them when needed?
2/3 ounce of crab? That has to be a typo. Do you mean cups?
It’s not a typo. You could increase it to a full ounce of crab but you don’t need much crab at all. Otherwise, it will be too “fishy.” I’ve made it twice in the last week making sure it was correct and they turned out delicious!
How do you keep the filling from coming out? Since they are not sealed, I would expect the cheese to come out the ends.
You want to make sure that you don’t over stuff them. Also, I leave maybe a 1/2 inch space on each end. A little bit may come out but not much if you follow those guidelines.
I can’t wait to try these out! I am in love with crab Rangoon – but like you – I have yet to find my holy grail of Rangoon! Do you have a brand of sweet and sour that you use (or a recipe you recommend)??
Not a brand so to speak so much as I use sweet chili sauce. It’s SO good. Definitely give these a try. I really do enjoy the lightness of them!
How well do these freeze or are they best from the oven ?
I haven’t tried freezing them but I always make them fresh. I buy the spring roll wrappers and freeze them until I use them though.
Have you made these in an air fryer? If so what temp and time works best.
How do you think they’d be if I cooked them at home and brought them to a party, so they’d be served at room temperature?
They are meant to be served hot. I’ve had them cold/room temp and they are alright but not as tasty.
You use a spring roll wrapper. Is that like an egg roll wrapper? When I think of spring roll wrapper, rice paper comes to mind. Just want to make sure I’m using the right ingredients. These are my weakness!
Hi Linda. It’s a pastry spring roll wrapper. Here’s a link for reference: https://www.amazon.com/Spring-Roll-Wrappers-Square-Sheets/dp/B01IFCK90K
Hi Jamie,
Did you use real crab or imitation?
Thanks!
I’ve done both but primarily use imitation.
Have you tried air frying them?
What kind of spring roll wrappers do you use? I used rice paper spring roll wrappers and they clearly were not correct, but those are the only ones I’ve seen at the store.
Hi Rachel. Here’s a link to what the package looks like. They are pastry spring roll wrappers. https://www.amazon.com/Spring-Roll-Wrappers-Square-Sheets/dp/B01IFCK90K