Crab Rangoon Rolls (Baked or Fried)

We’re at that funny in-between Christmas and New Years stage where I’m not ready to eat healthy yet…this week will be all about NYE appetizers and snacks. We’ll worry about eating better in 2023. These Crab Rangoon Rolls are a must for your NYE party, and you have the option of baking or frying them. You can make a buttload of these ahead of time, freeze them, and then whip them out and bake or fry them fresh the day of your event. They’re the perfect party snack, whether you’re hosting or just showing up to the party with snacks.

---

Crab Rangoon Rolls (Baked or Fried)

Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time:

15 minutes Yield: 18-20 rolls

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz (2 cups) cream cheese, softened

• 2 cans (240 g) crab meat, or 1 cup of imitation crab meat

• 1/3 cup green onion, sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 & 1/2 tbs white sugar

• 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbs soy sauce

• 2 tbs sweet chili sauce

• A drop of sesame oil

• 18-20 egg roll wrappers

• 2 tbs water mixed with 1 tbs cornstarch

• 2-3 tbs olive oil (for baking method)

• Vegetable oil (for pan frying method)

• Sweet chili sauce or plum sauce for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. If you are baking the rolls, preheat the oven to 400 F. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, crab, green onion, garlic, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, 2 tbs of sweet chili sauce, and the sesame oil. Mix well until all of the ingredients are fully combined. Taste and adjust for seasoning - if you want it sweeter, and a touch more sugar. If you want it saltier, add a drop more soy sauce. If you want a bit more tang, add a drop of Worcestershire.

2. Prepare your rolls. Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean counter surface with the pointy end facing down (in a diamond shape rather than a square). Put a heaping 1-2 tablespoons of crab rangoon filling towards the bottom of the roll, then roll up once to cover the filling and tuck underneath. Fold both sides into the centre of the roll, and continue to roll up tightly using the cornstarch slurry to seal the end before closing. Repeat with remaining egg roll wrapper and filling until both are done.

3. Baking method: Lay the rolls out on a parchment lined baking tray seam side down. Brush generously with olive oil, making sure to get all sides and ends of the rolls.

4. Bake for 25-30** minutes total, flipping twice during baking. The first flip will be after 10 minutes, and the second after 15 minutes. At the 15 minute flip, rotate your baking tray. I broiled mine at the end for an additional 2-3 minutes to increase the golden brown color - depending on your oven, you may not need to do this.

5. Pan frying method: Heat about an inch of vegetable or canola oil in a frying pan over medium heat until hot and shimmering. You want to make sure the oil is hot before you add the rolls. Lay a few rolls in the hot oil in a single layer - do not overcrowd the pan. You can do about 5-6 rolls at a time, depending on your pan size. Pan fry for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until light golden brown all over. Remove and repeat until all of the rolls are cooked.

6. Serve the rangoon rolls hot with sweet chili or plum sauce for dipping.

NOTES

• While rolling out your rangoon rolls, you may want to cover remaining egg rolls with a clean, damp cloth to avoid drying out.

• ** Baking times can vary greatly depending on the type of egg roll wrapper you use. My wrappers were quite thick, and needed the full 30 minutes to cook all the way through. If your egg roll wrappers are thinner, less baking time may be needed.