Gluten free crab rangoon, made with fresh gluten free won ton wrappers/skins, is the crispy, comforting savory treat you remember.
I love these little dumplings. Their crunchy, crispy wrappers hide a gloriously flavorful and filling; every bite is a textural surprise. Making dumplings and working with wonton wrappers might seem daunting at first, but once you find the tricks that work for you, you’ll be making these lovelies more often than you realize.
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Choosing the shape of your gluten free crab rangoon
The shape you choose for your crab rangoons affects everything from the final texture to the dumpling’s structural integrity; shapes matter! You’ll want to achieve maximum crunch on the outside, ensuring that your dumplings are deep golden and held together.
The shape can impact how well your wonton wrapper holds its shape. You want to avoid dumplings falling apart and making a mess during cooking (but more on that later). Take this photo of a gluten free crab rangoon, for example.
Can you see what's in soft focus in the back? Behind the little dumpling purse is a half-moon-type dumpling. Take my advice: don't do that. Instead, use my beautiful homemade gluten free wonton wrappers and follow my instructions below.
My recipe yields about 60 3-inch wrappers. While this number of dumplings can quickly and easily disappear in my house, you can also freeze what you don’t use.
Gluten Free Crab Rangoon Filling
Grab your wonton wrappers and fill them with a crab-&-cream-cheese-type-recipe. There are many small variations to this filling online, I’ve included my preferred one below. The filling is so easy to make; it takes only a few ingredients and a few minutes.
How you season the mixture is ultimately up to you, but I like a dash of Worcestershire sauce and tamari, a great alternative to traditional soy sauce. I enjoy including fresh garlic for a punchy, flavorful result, but you can also add chopped scallions if you like. Once your filling is made, you’re ready to start wrapping.
Assembling your gluten free crab rangoon
Don’t be nervous about folding your wontons closed; it isn’t as tricky as you think!
Place a small amount of filling in the center of the wonton wrappers, not too much, or it won’t close! Wet the edges of the wrapper and gather them together with the tips of your fingers. Squeeze the edges shut so the dumpling looks like a little purse. If you can pleat or fold the edges over each other, that would work well, too.
The key is that you do not want any air in these babies, or no matter how tight the seal, they will leak because they'll be little puffers. And then, they will splatter oil, and you’ll have the messy result we discussed above. Press all the air out with your fingers, and if the edges aren’t sticking, wet your fingers and coax them together.
Frying your gluten free crab rangoon
Congratulations, your dumplings are ready to be cooked! Before you start frying your crab rangoons, ensure you’re all set and have all the kitchen utensils you need.
Choose neutral oil with a high smoking point for frying, like canola or vegetable oil, and add a decent amount to a large, heavy pan or deep fryer. Your crab rangoon should be deep fried for the best results, so add enough oil to achieve this.
And here’s a safety tip: you’ll be dealing with hot oil, so you’ll want to ensure the handles on your pan are facing inward to avoid bumping them while you work.
Arrange your wontons near your frying station and prepare a dish lined with paper towels to drain as they cool. Working in batches, lower a few dumplings into the oil at a time – not too many, as the pan will overcrowd and the oil temperature will drop.
Fry until golden!
Dipping sauces for gluten free crab rangoon
If you want to make a dipping sauce for your crab rangoons, plenty of options exist. I like to keep it simple with a combination of gluten free soy sauce, garlic, and chili. These gluten free wontons will also go well with gluten free sweet chili sauce or tangy sweet and sour sauce (just check that the ingredients are all gluten free!).
Crab rangoon is an amazing starter or appetizer at a party. In my house, Chinese “take-in” is always accompanied by these crispy delights. If you can make enough (enlist the kids to help!), a platter of gluten free crab rangoon always disappears first at a party. You’ll want to eat them fresh and crispy, though, so don’t cook them too much in advance.
You can serve crab rangoon hot or cold; this is up to your preference. If you want to reheat your crab rangoon, use a gentle oven or put them in your air fryer. Just be aware that the reheated wontons won’t be the same as when freshly fried.
Crab rangoon uses cream cheese or a similar product in the filling. For a dairy-free option, use a vegan or dairy-free cream cheese.
Crab rangoon is very easy to make once you’ve mastered folding the wonton wrappers and removing all the air from inside the dumplings.
Crab rangoon is filled with either real crab or imitation crab meat. When making yours at home, use lump crabmeat or tinned crab. If you prefer to go meat-free, you can find finely-diced imitation crab meat in most larger grocery stores.
Yes, you can easily freeze the gluten free wonton wrappers. They stack well and won’t take up much room, and if stored correctly, can be kept for months!
A deep fryer is the safer, cleaner option, but the downside is it uses a lot of oil. Reduce your oil use and fry the wontons in a smaller pot and in smaller batches. It takes longer, but cooking should be a dream if you use enough oil to cover them. I prefer to fry my crab rangoon in a wok with a decent well of oil, but the method is really up to you.
Gluten Free Crab Rangoon
Equipment
- Candy/deep fry thermometer
- Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or handheld mixer
Ingredients
- 1 recipe gluten free Won Ton Wrappers
- 1 package (8 ounces) 8 ounces cream cheese (block style) at room temperature
- 1 container (8 ounces) crème fraiche
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tablespoons tamari or gluten free soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon gluten free Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 can (8 ounces) lump crabmeat
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Prepare the won ton wrappers according to the recipe instructions.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer, place the cream cheese, crème fraiche and sugar, and beat until smooth.
- Add the tamari, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic, and beat again until well combined. Using a spatula, carefully fold in the crabmeat, being careful not to mince it.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
- Line up 6 to 8 won ton wrappers on a parchment-lined work surface.
- Set up a small bowl with lukewarm water alongside the wrappers.
- Dip your fingers in the water bowl, and use them to wet the entire border of each of the wrappers.
- Place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each won ton wrapper.
- Gather together all of the sides of the wrappers toward the center, carefully eliminating all trapped air as you work. Press together all the edges with wet fingers.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart from one another.
- Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. Blot the filled won tons dry with a paper to towel to prevent splattering during frying.
- In a heavy-bottom saucepan or deep fryer, place about 3 inches of oil. Click a candy/deep fry thermometer and bring the oil to 350°F over medium heat.
- Place the filled won tons in the hot oil in batches, taking care not to crowd the oil.
- Fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown all over.
- With a slotted spoon or spider, remove rangoons and place them on paper towel-lined plates to drain.
- Repeat with the remaining won ton wrappers and serve immediately.
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Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Dana Baker Coughlin on Facebook says
Haven’t had crab rangoon in 8 years!!! I will definitely try these
Kadren says
Ok, I tried to Pin this. It said that I did on Pinterest, but it didn’t show up on this post like it did when I shared this on FB. Wondering how on earth Pinterest works! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Nicole says
Hey, Kadren,
Do you have an account and a ‘board’ on Pinterest? You can also try going to my Pinterest account, and ‘repinning’ my pin of this picture/post. Thank you for trying – and I’m sorry it’s so frustrating!
xoxo Nicole
Janet Johnson on Facebook says
YUM!
Jessica Chapman Baldwin on Facebook says
Can I just say how happy I am that your recipe doesn’t have ONIONS??? Way back when, before I was gf, I STILL couldn’t order Crab Rangoon because they always put onions in there and I HATE onions! Thaaaaaank you!!!!!
Laura Taylor on Facebook says
GF Crab Rangooon!!!!! Yeah!!!
Darlene says
You should have this for all you do for us. I hope I’m allowed to post links.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/62686325/cupcake-pan-and-tiny-measuring-spoons-on
Nicole says
Hey, Darlene,
That’s adorable! Sure. No problem with a link. From you? Anything. :)
xoxo Nicole
Gluten Free Princess on Facebook says
i have been craving pot stickers for i dont know how long!!! im so excited. i can think of so many things i could use with this!!!!!
Kadren Hubbert Grawburg on Facebook says
Shut up. These are my all time favorite! You are my hero, I tell ya!!!!
Amanda Martinez on Facebook says
I’m so going to make these tonight along with the lemon chicken recipe from your cookbook!
Pamela G says
Nicole…
question…when you freeze the wonton wrappers…do you freeze them in a pile, or do you seperate them with parchment or plastic wrap? I am curious to do so, but don’t want to screw it up!
I’d like to be ‘prepared’ once the craving hits ;-)
Nicole says
Hi, Pam,
Great question! I freeze them in a pile, just as you see them in the photo, with only a dusting of flour between them. They don’t really stick together at all. And as long as you don’t roll them too thin, they won’t stick together. They’re such a great thing to have in the freezer. I have been giving the hard sell to every company I can find, to try to get them to manufacture GF won ton wrappers for sale. No one seems to think there is a big enough market for it. I have no proof, of course, but I bet they’re wrong!
xoxo Nicole
Pamela G says
awesome, Nicole…Thanks!
when I grow up, I wanna be JUST like you (better start since I’m 45!)
xoxoxo!
Nicole says
You bet, Pam. For you – anything. :)
xoxo Nicole
Bonnie Sue says
Oh Yum Nicole! I LOVE crab rangoons! I am craving and apple cider donut. Do you have a recipe for that. I can’t find one if you do. Thanks!
Nicole says
Hi, Bonnie Sue,
I have a recipe on the blog for Apple Fritters and one for Sugar Doughnut Holes. I hope that helps!
xoxo Nicole
Amanda DeLara on Facebook says
ahhh yes! I’ve been craving these!
Rochelle Sherman DelBene on Facebook says
I love this recipe, can wait to make it! Is it better to fry em on top of the stove or by using a fry daddy??
Nicole says
Hi, Rochelle,
It is almost always neater and cleaner to use a separate deep fryer, but I hate all of the wasted oil so I often don’t use mine – and prefer instead to fry in my wok. Smaller surface area, so I can create a deeper well of oil but still use less oil. I have a cover for my wok, so I can keep a pretty consistent temperature, too. It’s really just a matter of personal preference. I hope that helps!
xoxo Nicole
Terrah Annie Nunley on Facebook says
Yes!!!! I have been craving chinese food ever since being diagnosed with a severe wheat allergy. THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!! Your recipes, make this allergy SO much more manageable. Thanks for all you do!
Pam Gordon on Facebook says
can we hit ‘like’ a thousand times??? YUMMMMMMM
Holly Hill on Facebook says
Sweet lord I love crab Rangoon! I think
I love you right now. :)