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Eight golden-brown, bite-sized appetizers topped with herbs are arranged on a white plate. The food has a crispy texture, and a blurred dish is visible in the background.
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Mini Cream Cheese Crab Cakes

These bite-sized crab cakes are packed with creamy cheese and savory crab. They easy to make and are perfect for any gathering!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Crab, Cream Cheese, Easy, Make-ahead, Panko, Parmesan
Servings: 24 cakes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese divided
  • 1 extra-large egg
  • ¼ cup sour cream light or full fat
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives plus more for garnish
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
  • 8 ounces fresh lump or special crabmeat picked over, patted dry if overly wet
  • 1 ¼ cups panko crumbs divided
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for pans melted

Accompaniments

  • Lemon wedges
  • Tabasco

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Add ¼ cup of the Parmesan and egg; beat to blend. Beat in sour cream, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of chives, salt, and cayenne pepper. Fold in crabmeat. (Mixture can be made 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate).
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 24-cup mini muffin pan; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, toss together the panko, the remaining Parmesan, and the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped chives. Drizzle the 5 tablespoons of melted butter over, tossing with a fork until evenly moistened. Press 1 tablespoon of the panko mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup, pressing down with the back of the tablespoon forming a shallow cup. Divide the crab mixture (about 1 tablespoon) evenly into each muffin cup. Sprinkle the remaining panko mixture over each cup.
  • Bake crab cakes until golden on top and set, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around each cake and gently lift out of the pan. (Crab cakes can be made 2 hours ahead. Arrange on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in a 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes)
  • Arrange crab cakes on a serving platter; garnish with chives. Serve with lemon wedges and Tabasco.

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 244IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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