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4.9 from 153 votes

Crispy Crab Balls

My crispy crab balls are crunchy on the outside, velvety smooth and packed with crab inside. A classic cocktail party appetizer that's great for date nights in, and game day nibbling, too.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
chilling
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 36 balls
Calories: 86 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 lb crabmeat
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise, I used Duke's
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Lousiana hot sauce, or more to taste
  • 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • pinch salt, to taste
  • 2/3 cup bread crumbs or cracker crumbs Note: I used Ritz crackers that I blitzed into crumbs in my food processor.
crumb coat
  • 1 cup bread crumbs or cracker crumbs Note: use what you love, or get creative: I used Corn Flakes crumbs, but panko crumbs work well too.
  • 4 Tbsp Melted butter, for brushing
dipping sauce, optional
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise, I used Duke's
  • 2 Tbsp hot sauce, or more to taste
  • Pinch salt
  • Squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. If necessary, drain your crabmeat well. If it is very lumpy, break the larger pieces down gently with a fork, or your fingers. Note: while you would never do this for crab cakes, we need to break up any lumps of crab for these small balls.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, put the mayonnaise, egg, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, hot sauce, Old Bay, and salt and whisk together until well combined.
  3. Add the crab and breadcrumbs to the bowl and gently fold until everything is evenly incorporated. It will be quite wet and loose.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, but you can leave it longer if you like.
  5. Preheat oven to 450F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Put the coating crumbs in a bowl and melt the butter.
  6. Use a small scoop to portion out rounded tablespoons of the crab mixture and set them on the baking sheets. If your mixture is so wet that you cannot form it into little mounds, then go back and add a bit more crumbs to firm it up. You want a very moist mixture but it should be able to hold together loosely. When you are finished scooping all the crab, go back and roll each little mound into a round ball.
  7. Roll each ball in the crumbs to coat thoroughly. I like to use my left hand to move the wet crab balls and keep my right hand dry for coating them with the crumbs. You can re-roll the balls round as you coat them.
  8. Place back on the baking sheets. Use a pastry brush to dab some melted butter over the top of each ball.
  9. Bake for 15 minutes in the center of the oven. You may need to bake them in batches for best results. If your oven runs hot you may want to turn down the temperature by 25F or so.
  10. Serve the crab balls hot, with sauce and lemon wedges. They will be soft and delicate, so move them carefully.

Notes

  • This recipe makes 36 crab balls, so at 3 per serving, this will feed up to 12 people. I'm guessing, however, that most hungry folks will down more than 3, so plan accordingly.
  • Any leftovers can be gently reheated and served over salad for dinner the next night.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1ball Calories 86kcal (4%) Carbohydrates 4g (1%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 16mg (5%) Sodium 198mg (8%) Potassium 41mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 55IU (1%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 17mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 36balls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 86

% Daily Value*

Serving 1ball
Calories 86kcal 4%
Carbohydrates 4g 1%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 16mg 5%
Sodium 198mg 8%
Potassium 41mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 55IU 1%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 17mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.