The Best Hot Crab Dip
Creamy, cheesy and perfect for parties, this is the BEST Hot Crab Dip recipe around. So easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, a hint of heat and big meaty chunks of crab. Your cracker may just not be enough, you’ll need a shovel for this one.
Hot Crab Dip
My mom used to have a lot of parties when I was little….at least that’s what I remember. Tupperware, Home Interiors, Princess House…..AVON. Who remembers Avon? And those little lipstick samples.
Those tiny little tubes of glamorous heaven, at least to me. I loved to steal the samples and stash them away in my room, then try everything on and attempt to sneak out of the house looking as if I was getting ready to go clubbing. But I was going to school. Elementary school.
Not quite the right environment for DIY makeup experiments when you’re 10 years old. But other than the Avon samples, I always loved the little appetizers my mom would serve….like melty cheesy dips and chips. She used to serve a crab dip quite often and I loved when she served it hot.
That ooey gooey, cheese with hunks of crab perched on a cracker was almost better than those little tubes of lipstick.
What is Crab Dip?
Crab Dip, or Maryland Crab Dip, is a rich, creamy dip made with cream cheese and crab meat. Sometimes Old Bay is used for seasoning and shredded cheese for added flavor. It can be served baked or cold.
I never got my hands on the exact crab dip recipe since my mom is no longer friends with the shellfish….so I came up with my own and I have to say…it is the BEST Hot Crab Dip in the world. Creamy, cheesy and slightly spicy from a bit of Tabasco sauce.
Ok, maybe a lot of Tabasco but it pairs perfectly with the whole deal. I added a bit of Pepper Jack cheese to the mix to up the heat just a bit but don’t worry, it’s not fire in your mouth spicy.
It’s just lends a bit of pep to the dip that is a welcome addition when you pop it in your mouth….making it the BEST Crab Dip…if you didn’t get that by the title.
How To Make Crab Dip
This Baked Crab Dip couldn’t be simpler to make, you’ll mix everything up in a bowl then spread it in a baking dish. Pop it in the oven for 20 minutes until melty and bubbling then serve hot.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Stir in the pepper jack, cheddar, onion, garlic, worcestershire, Tabasco, lemon juice, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.
- Fold in the crab and transfer to a small baking dish.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
What is Jumbo Lump Crab Meat?
Jumbo Lump Crab Meat is like a gift from the heavens. It comes from the Blue Crab and consists of whole lumps of white meat from the body of the crab with no cartilage or shell. This is a premium quality crabmeat with a premium price tag because of the labor involved in obtaining the meat.
It’s the only thing I’ll use for my homemade crab cakes and this crab cake sandwich.
What can you replace the Jumbo Lump Crab with in this recipe?
It’s my recommendation to not replace the Jumbo Lump Crab in this recipe BUT if you’re trying to keep costs in check you can certainly use Backfin Crab meat in this recipe without compromising the flavor too much. Backfin crabmeat consists of some lump crab and broken pieces of body meat.
What are the other ingredients in Hot Crab Dip?
There are so many recipes out there for Hot Crab Dip but I like to keep it pretty simple to let the flavors of the crab and cheese really shine. This easy crab dip recipe contains:
- jumbo lump crabmeat
- sour cream
- cream cheese
- onion
- mayonnaise
- pepper jack cheese
- cheddar cheese
- garlic
- Worcestershire sauce
- hot sauce
- lemon
- cream cheese
- Old Bay, optional (lots of readers say they add it with great results!)
It’s almost the exact same dip as this Cold Crab Dip….but it’s baked into a cheesy bowl of heaven.
We like to serve our crab dip with crispy crostini but you can use crackers or vegetables.
How To Make In Advance
- Simply assemble all the ingredients and mix together.
- Spread in the baking dish you plan to serve it in.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Remove the plastic wrap and bake the crab dip right before serving.
Looking for even more easy dip recipes? Try these party favorites:
- The VERY BEST Buffalo Chicken Dip.…I’m not even kidding.
- This Hot Asiago Artichoke Dip is simple and amazing.
- Super easy Chili Cheese Dip makes use of leftover chili!
- Completely from scratch White Queso Dip is sooooo good!
- Want something sweet? Try this Fluffernutter Dip!
- Super easy Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe!
- WE LOVE this Swiss Cheese Fondue….and it’s ready in minutes!
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Get the Recipe: Hot Crab Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce, or other hot sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 pound jumbo lump crab, picked over for shells
Equipment
- 1 baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Stir in the pepper jack, cheddar, onion, garlic, worcestershire, Tabasco, lemon juice, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined.
- Fold in the crab and transfer to a small baking dish.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
- Serve hot with crackers, crostini or vegetables.
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97 Comments on “The Best Hot Crab Dip”
I went to buy these ingredients and 12 ounces of this crabmeat was $35!! Sorry, it sounds good but not THAT good!
Oh, Donna. I know it’s expensive especially right now. You can buy claw meat instead but it’s also really spendy at the moment. It’s a great dip for a special occasion.
This recipe is delicious!!! I substituted the salt for old bay and added extra crab
That was a great swap! Thank you for your comment!
can I use imitation crab?
Yes, you can but it is much better with real crab.
Do you think you could serve this over rice for a dinner entree?
It’s delicious
I’ve never tried it over rice but we’ve made it with pasta! So good!
Can the dip be frozen after it’s made?
I don’t recommend freezing it.
I love this recipe. I did change it a little. I am from New Orleans. I add some zatarain’s seasoning and finely chopped bell peppers.
Love those additions! Thanks for sharing!
This dip is easy to make as I had all ingredients on hand!!! Tastes delicious and I will be making it again!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this for Christmas. Delish!!
It was devoured.
Thank you!
I would like to serve this in a bread bowl. If I do, do I bake it in the bread bowl for the same amount of time as in the serving dish?
I haven’t test it in a bread bowl so I can’t say for sure.
Could this be microwaved instead of baked?
You can microwave it but it is definitely better baked in the oven.
Holy crap this is amazing!!! I haven’t even baked it yet. I added some diced shrimp and lots of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. Might wanna just keep this at home and say I forgot it. Thank you for this recipe. It is a keeper for sure!!
Looooove that you added shrimp and creole seasoning!!! Good call! Thank you for your comment and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!
Made this today. I subbed old bay for the salt as mentioned in the comments. I also sprinkled old bay on the top after it was finished cooking. Loved it!
Thank you for your comment! The old bay does make it taste more like Maryland crab. We love it both ways.
Made this yesterday great we love it we live in fl no bars or restaurants have it it was awesome
Thank you so much! I’m happy you enjoyed it!
I wonder it there was an error in this recipe in regard to the Tabasco sauce. I feel that one tablespoon is entirely too much. It ruined my dip, which was costly with crab meat at $50 per pound.
It’s not an error but I do mention in the notes that you may want to use less if you like less heat.
Old bay is 100% needed about 2 teaspoons to start. Add more if needed.
Old Bay isn’t necessary at all and I never add it to this dip because that makes it Maryland style Crab Dip, which this is not. It’s a great add if you like the flavor of Old Bay but it’s definitely not a necessity.