Crab Rangoon Pinwheels are a fun twist on the popular appetizer! They are made with puff pastry and are baked instead of deep fried. It's a great way to make a huge platter of crab rangoons for a party without needing to individually shape and fry them one by one.
Crab Rangoon Pinwheels Recipe
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When we say we are fans of Crab Rangoons we really mean it. We have popular recipes for classic Crab Rangoons, a dip version Crab Rangoon Dip, and baked Crab Rangoon Wonton Cups! They are always a fan favorite at game days, holiday parties, movie nights and potlucks and they are so much easier to make than classic fried Crab Rangoons.
What are Crab Rangoon Pinwheels
Crab Rangoons are traditionally made with wonton wrapper that are filled with a flavor packed crab and cream cheese filling. However, we created this spin on the classic appetizer using puff pastry instead of wonton wrappers.
Classic Crab Rangoon filling is spread over a sheet of puff pastry and then rolled into a log. Once sliced you are left with cute pinwheel shaped Crab Rangoons. The puff pastry gets nice and crispy when baked. They are so much easier to make and don't require deep frying.
What to Serve with this Dish
Ingredients
- Puff Pastry - puff pastry is the secret to quick and easy appetizers. It bakes perfectly everytime and if you keep a pack in the freezer you will be ready to make an appetizer in a flash. We love pinwheels so much, we also have recipes for Jalapeno Popper Pinwheels, and Ham and Cheese Pinwheels! Puff pastry is sold in packs of two so we love making two flavors or four for really big get togethers!
- Imitation Crab - most restaurants make crab rangoons with imitation crab (kani). We use imitation crab when we make any of our Crab Rangoon recipes and it is simply delicious. However, you of course can use real crab meat. If using canned crab meat be sure to drain it very, very well or else the pastries will be soggy.
- Cream Cheese - this is the base of a classic Crab Rangoon filling. It's the perfect creamy cheese that does not fully melt when cooked.
- Mozzarella - not a classic ingredient in crab rangoons but for these pinwheels it gives them a nice extra cheesy flavor!
- Green Onions - adds a pop of color and onion flavor.
- Sugar - gives the pinwheels a subtle sweetness.
- Garlic - everything is better with garlic!
- Soy Sauce - adds an umami flavor.
- Egg - brushed over the pinwheels to get the pastry golden brown when baked.
How to Make Crab Rangoon Pinwheels
Full Printable Recipe at Bottom of page
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or foil (if using foil, spray with cooking spray).
- In a large bowl combine the filling ingredients, mix until evenly combined. Note: ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature so it is easy to stir. If not, microwave on a microwave safe plate for 15 seconds.
- On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper or kitchen counter, roll out the puff pastry.
- Spread the filling mixture on top of the puff pastry, leaving a ¼ inch border on the edges.
- Starting at a long end, roll the puff pastry into a tight log. Press the edges together to seal. Wrap the log in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it, seam side down, for 15-30 minutes (this step is optional, it will make it easier to slice if chilled).
- Using a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry log into ½ inch slices, 16 slices per log. Optional, you can stretch out the log to make slightly smaller pinwheels and slice the log into 24-30 pinwheels instead. Arrange the pinwheels on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
- In a small bowl whisk the egg. Brush the whisked egg on the sides of the pinwheels and gently over the tops.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown (rotating and switching the pans halfway through cooking). Serve warm or at room temperature with Thai Sweet Chili sauce or spicy mayonnaise to dip, enjoy!
Tips for the Best Pinwheels
- Filling - to make it easier to stir the filling together and to spread it over the puff pastry be sure to use softened cream cheese. Just leave the cream cheese out on the kitchen counter while you prepare the ingredients or you can microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- Puff Pastry - thaw puff pastry in the fridge before using. To ensure the pastry does not stick, lightly flour your kitchen counter or cutting board. Lightly brush the pastries with egg wash before baking to ensure a nice golden brown color.
- Flavor Variations - crab rangoons are such a popular appetizer! They are traditionally made to be slightly sweet and they are served with spicy mayonnaise or Thai sweet chili sauce to dip. If you would like to add some spice to your crab rangoons you can add 2-3 teaspoons of sriracha or hot sauce of your choice to the filling.
FAQ
Air Fryer – Preheat Air Fryer to 400˚F. Add to the air fryer basket or tray and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until warmed through.
Oven – Preheat oven to 375˚F. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until warmed through.
Microwave – microwave for 30 seconds. Note this method will not make them crispy again.
Refrigerate in air tight container in the fridge up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
I recommend only making this recipe up to 2 days in advance. Reheat in the oven or air fryer before serving and enjoy.
Cooked pinwheels can be frozen for up to 3 months in an air tight container or Ziploc bag. If freezing in a container, add a piece of parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together. Allow pinwheels to thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat with the above steps, or reheat from frozen (add 2-3 minutes to the reheating time)
Use gluten free store bought or homemade puff pastry and be sure to use a gluten free soy sauce.
More Easy Appetizers
- KFC Popcorn Chicken Copycat
- Chicken Tinga Tostadas
- BBQ Chicken Sliders
- Jalapeno Popper Chicken Taquitos
Enjoy!
- Sab
Crab Rangoon Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 2 sheets puff pastry (pre-rolled, thawed)
- 1 egg (whisked)
Crab Rangoon Filling
- 1 ½ cup imitation crab meat (finely diced, approximately 200-250 grams, or canned crab meat drained well)
- 1 brick cream cheese (at room temperature, 8 ounces)
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1 clove garlic (finely minced or shredded)
- 3 green onions (diced)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or foil (if using foil, spray with cooking spray).
- In a large bowl combine the filling ingredients, mix until evenly combined. Note: ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature so it is easy to stir. If not, microwave on a microwave safe plate for 15 seconds.
- On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper or kitchen counter, roll out the puff pastry.
- Spread the filling mixture on top of the puff pastry, leaving a ¼ inch border on the edges.
- Starting at a long end, roll the puff pastry into a tight log. Press the edges together to seal. Wrap the log in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it, seam side down, for 15-30 minutes (this step is optional, it will make it easier to slice if chilled).
- Using a sharp knife, cut the puff pastry log into ½ inch slices, 16 slices per log. Optional, you can stretch out the log to make slightly smaller pinwheels and slice the log into 24-30 pinwheels instead. Arrange the pinwheels on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
- In a small bowl whisk the egg. Brush the whisked egg on the sides of the pinwheels and gently over the tops.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown (rotating and switching the pans halfway through cooking). Serve warm or at room temperature with Thai Sweet Chili sauce or spicy mayonnaise to dip, enjoy!
Nutrition
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