Description
Delicious Crab Cake Bites featuring lump crab meat blended with creamy cheese and aromatic seasonings, baked to golden perfection with a crispy panko crust. Served with a tangy sour cream and Old Bay dipping sauce, these bite-sized appetizers are perfect for entertaining or a savory snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab Cake Mixture
- Cooking spray, for pan
- 6 oz. lump crab meat
- 6 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tsp. lemon juice (divided: 1 tsp. in crab mixture, 1 tsp. in dipping sauce)
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives (divided: 1 Tbsp. in crab mixture, 1 Tbsp. in dipping sauce)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crust
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated (remaining)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning (remaining from total 1 ½ tsp.)
- 1 tsp. lemon juice (remaining)
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives (remaining)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Make crab cake mixture: In a large bowl, combine lump crab meat, softened cream cheese, beaten egg, ⅓ cup Parmesan, 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, ¼ cup sour cream, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and about 1 tablespoon chopped chives. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly mixed.
- Prepare crust mixture: In a separate bowl, mix remaining ⅓ cup Parmesan, panko bread crumbs, and melted butter until well combined. Portion this mixture evenly among the mini muffin cups and press it firmly around the edges to form a crust base.
- Fill muffin cups and bake: Spoon the crab cake mixture into each prepared muffin cup over the crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges of the bites begin to turn golden brown.
- Make dipping sauce: While the crab cake bites bake, combine ½ cup sour cream, remaining chopped chives, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and remaining Old Bay seasoning in a small bowl. Stir well to blend the flavors.
- Serve: Remove crab cake bites from the oven and allow to cool briefly. Serve warm or at room temperature accompanied by the prepared dipping sauce.
Notes
- Ensure crab meat is lump and fresh for the best texture and flavor.
- Press the panko crust firmly to the muffin cups to prevent it from detaching after baking.
- These bites can be prepared ahead of time and reheated gently in the oven before serving.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to your preferred level of spiciness.
- Leftover dipping sauce can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 3 crab cake bites)
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
