These jumbo lump crab cake bites make a delightful party appetizer! No utensils needed! People always beg me for this recipe. After you try these, you’ll want to make the full sized version immediately!
Thanksgiving is canceled.
It sounds like a joke but, at least at our home, it’s kind of true. My family has always been very untraditional when it comes to the holiday season. When I was growing up we celebrated a fairly traditional Hanukkah. I was always slightly resentful about the fact that I was one of the few kids in my school not celebrating Christmas. I wanted ornaments instead of dreidels and a Christmas tree instead of the menorah.
Now that we’re all adults, Hanukkah has kind of evolved into a simple gift exchange without any rituals attached. Which is completely fine with me. We do Christmas with Jeff’s family and Thanksgiving with mine. Well, that’s how we normally do it.
This year planning just felt like too much of an ordeal. I’m exhausted. My husband has suffered a minor health crisis and will be having surgery next week. I didn’t feel like cooking and my mom didn’t feel like entertaining. So we scrapped the whole thing and are going out to dinner instead.
And you know what? There’s nothing wrong with that. If Thanksgiving is about celebrating all that we’re thankful for with our loved ones, I think it’s perfectly acceptable to celebrate in a restaurant where someone else does the cooking and the dishes. All we have to do is show up, enjoy one another’s company and relax.
For those of you who are having guests over, I highly recommend serving these jumbo lump crab cake bites as an appetizer. They might not be traditional Thanksgiving fare but they’re very good. I’ve reworked my family crab cake recipe to create this light crowd pleaser. Is your Thanksgiving menu already set for this year? Totally fine. These will also be fabulous at Christmas and New Years events.
Recipe Notes
- You don’t have to use jumbo lump meat; I realize it has gotten outrageously expensive. Regular lump crab will also work. However, I strongly suggest avoiding crab meat sold in a can. See if you can find fresh crab meat sold in containers by the seafood counter at your grocery store. Even better, check your local seafood market if you have one.
- Fines Herbs is a dried spice blend with strong notes of tarragon. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, Amazon sells it, or you can make your own. Search Google for “Fines herbs recipes,” and numerous results will pop up using a mix of dried herbs you might already own.
- Want something a bit more substantial? Check out my Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Sliders, which are smaller than the regular crab cakes but definitely not bite sized.
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Bites
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh jumbo lump crab meat (see notes)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup regular mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon fines herbs (see notes)
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- optional: dijon mustard for serving
Instructions
- Set the oven to broil and place the oven rack near the top.
- In a medium sized bowl, gently pick through the crab meat to remove any shells. Try not to break up the lumps.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg and then whisk in the mayonnaise until well combined.
- Add the breadcrumbs, Old Bay, fines herbs, garlic powder, mustard and Worcestershire sauce, stirring until well combined.
- A little bit at a time, gently fold the wet mixture into the crab meat. This part takes some patience because you really want to avoid breaking up the lump meat.
- Using a kitchen scale, weigh out 1 ounce bites and gently shape them with your hands.
- Lightly grease the bottom of a baking sheet (baking spray works well) and place the crab cake bites on the sheet.
- Place a small piece of butter on top of each crab cake bite.
- Broil for 7-10 minutes, keeping a close eye to make sure they don't burn. Allow them to cook on one side the entire time (the lack of filler makes them very delicate). If the tops seem like they're going to burn, lower the oven rack or switch the broiler to a lower setting. You're not cooking the meat but you want the filling to solidify and the egg to cook through.
- When the tops are golden brown, remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool. Place a toothpick in each crab cake bite before serving.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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This is my go-to crab cake/crab bite recipe. I’m from northeastern Maryland and I was raised on steamed crabs and crab cakes. The basic recipe is perfect, the crab cakes don’t fall apart, there is great flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the crab meat, you can make them pretty much any size you want and vary the spices for your palate. Don’t make them ginormous, tho, they are best as small cakes or bites. Since I make them a little bigger than appetizer size, I use the toaster oven broiler because it’s not quite as hot as my oven broiler and I can cook them a little longer . Do use jumbo lump if you can at all afford it, and these days, I only make this for a special occasion. But I know it will be perfect!
HI,
I would like to make these ahead of time for a Holiday party at my Moms. I will be traveling about an hour to her house. How can I re-heat them once I get there?
Yes, they reheat very well!
This is a go-to recipe for me! I put mine in mini muffin tins and bake a little before finishing them off with the broiler. Huge favorite!
What a great idea to use muffin tins!
Sounds amazing – would they hold up to be served on a skewer. I want to serve as an amuse bouche on the top end of a skewer – will they be firm enough? i would garnish the top with some spring shoots.
I think that might be pushing it, they’re pretty delicate :(
thanks – I though so
How well do these freeze?
Very well
If freezing , do you cook them first and freeze or freeze and cook when desired? Sorry, novice ….
Cook first and then freeze :)