Hot Crab Dip
This Hot Crab Dip is rich, creamy, and packed with lump crab, gruyere, and white cheddar. An easy, elegant, and crowd-pleasing appetizer for any gathering.
If there is ever a crab dip on a restaurant menu, you better believe that I will be ordering it. I adore that dish and the gooey, cheesy pulls that come from eating it out of a big cast iron skillet! For some reason, I have always felt that Warm Crab Dip was a restaurant-only kind of appetizer. It’s not something made at home, and instead is just meant to be an indulgent dish you get to order every once in a while.
When it comes to appetizers, though, I always want to impress my friends and family. Recently I was thinking… What better way to do that than to bring restaurant quality crab dip to our next party?
I did some research and picked out the elements that I wanted my warm crab dip to have:
- Real lump crab (not the imitation stuff)
- A bunch of Old Bay Seasoning to give it that Maryland-vibe
- A gooey cheese to make it scoopable
- A sharper cheese to give some “bite” to the dip
- The option to make it spicy for those in my life that like spice, or to remove it for the people that don’t
I got to work, and pieced together the perfect recipe, and now I’m sharing it with you so that you can make it for your friends and family, too. With a blend of cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, sharp white cheddar, and nutty gruyere, plus a kick of Old Bay, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, every bite is rich, savory, and perfectly balanced.
Creamy, cheesy, and packed with tender lump crab meat, this Hot Crab Dip is the kind of recipe that disappears fast and leaves nothing but compliments in its wake. Whether you’re hosting a holiday gathering, game day party, or elegant dinner with friends, this baked dip is guaranteed to impress with minimal effort.
Why Make This Crab Dip
- Feels Fancy: This recipe comes together in just a few simple steps with basic mixing and folding… but somehow using a cast iron skillet and delicious crab meat makes it feel elevated.
- Perfect Flavor: Between the sharp cheddar, creamy gruyere, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, and a hint of heat, this dip has depth without overpowering the delicate crab.
- Crowd-pleaser: Warm, bubbly, cheesy dips are always a hit, (like my Captain Rodney’s Dip and Hot Artichoke Dip) and crab adds a special touch that makes this appetizer stand out at any party.
My Party Trick
Bake and serve this dip directly in a cast iron skillet or oven-safe dish for an effortless presentation. Place it on a wooden board with crostini, crackers, and chips around it so guests can easily help themselves. Garnish with extra green onions or a light sprinkle of Old Bay before serving for a pop of color.
Key Ingredients for Hot Crab Dip
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Cream Cheese: I prefer the creaminess of full fat but you could use reduced if you want to cut some calories.
- Mayonnaise: Really adds to the creaminess and helps balance the flavors. This is what gives the dip its “scoopable” quality. Use light mayonnaise if you prefer.
- Sour Cream: For just a bit of tang.
- Spices: Onion powder, ground mustard, and Old Bay. Feel free to use more Old Bay if you prefer a stronger flavor. I started out with ½ teaspoon and kept bumping it up until I felt I could taste it distinctly.
- Hot Sauce: I used Frank’s RedHot because it is the most common hot sauce used with Maryland crab. You could also use Old Bay hot sauce, or use a sriracha sauce which is commonly used in remoulades.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a little smokey flavor to the dip.
- Lemon: Enhances all the flavors and gives that classic seafood + lemon pairing.
- Shredded Sharp White Cheddar Cheese and Gruyere Cheese: Always grate your own cheese for the best texture! Fontina or gouda can replace gruyere, and yellow cheddar or mozzarella can be used instead of white cheddar if that’s what you have on hand.
- Lump Crab Meat: Use high-quality meat for the best results, particularly if it comes in the seafood aisle of your grocery store in the refrigerated section (not canned!)
- Green Onions: For topping
How to Make Warm Crab Dip
Step One: Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream.
Step Two: Add the onion powder, ground mustard, Old Bay, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and lemon juice.
Step Three: Add some of the white cheddar cheese, gruyere and the crab meat and fold in.
Step Four: Place the dip in a cast iron skillet.
Step Five: Top with the remaining cheese.
Step Six: Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the dip is bubbly around the edges. Top with chopped green onions and serve with crostini, chips, or crackers and enjoy!
Expert Tips for the Best Hot Crab Dip
- Use high-quality lump crab meat. The better the crab, the better the dip. Do not use imitation crab for this dip!
- Let your cream cheese come to room temperature before mixing. Softened cream cheese ensures a smooth, creamy base with no lumps.
- Fold gently. You want to keep the crab in nice chunks instead of shredding it.
- Adjust the heat to taste. Start with 2 teaspoons of hot sauce, then add more if you like extra kick.
- Don’t overbake. Bake just until bubbly around the edges. You can broil the cheese on top as a final step but always keep a close eye on your dip while broiling as it can burn fast!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can assemble the dip up to 24 hours in advance, cover it tightly, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes if needed to heat all the way through.
Crab dip is delicious with any savory dippers like crostini, crackers, tortilla chips, and even sliced vegetables like celery or bell peppers.
Yes. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through, or microwave in short intervals, stirring occasionally.
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Hot Crab Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp ground mustard
- 1½ tsp Old bay
- 1 ½ tsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp hot sauce, more or less to taste
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1½ cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
- ¾ cup shredded gruyere cheese, divided
- 16 oz lump crab meat
- green onions, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to combine 8 oz cream cheese, ½ cup mayonnaise, and ¼ cup sour cream.
- Add the ¼ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp ground mustard, 1½ tsp Old bay, 1 ½ tsp worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp hot sauce, and ½ lemon juice and mix again until combined.
- Add 1 cup of the sharp white cheddar and ½ cup of the gruyere cheese into the bowl along with the 16 oz lump crab meat and mix by hand until folded in.
- Place the dip in a cast iron skillet and then top with the remaining ½ cup white cheddar and ¼ cup gruyere. Sprinkle with more old bay if desired.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the dip is bubbly around the edges. If desired, you can turn to your oven to a broil and broil the dip for about 1 minute (watch it carefully!!) until the top gets some color.
- Top with chopped green onions and serve with crostini, chips, or crackers and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Cream Cheese: You could use reduced if you want to cut some calories.
- Mayonnaise: Use light mayonnaise if you prefer.
- Spices: Feel free to use more Old Bay if you prefer a stronger flavor.
- Hot Sauce: You could also use Old Bay hot sauce, or use a sriracha sauce which is commonly used in remoulades.
- Shredded Sharp White Cheddar Cheese and Gruyere Cheese: Fontina or gouda can replace gruyere, and yellow cheddar or mozzarella can be used instead of white cheddar if that’s what you have on hand.
- Lump Crab Meat: Use high-quality meat for the best results, particularly if it comes in the seafood aisle of your grocery store in the refrigerated section (not canned!)
- Use high-quality lump crab meat. The better the crab, the better the dip. Do not use imitation crab for this dip!
- Let your cream cheese come to room temperature before mixing. Softened cream cheese ensures a smooth, creamy base with no lumps.
- Fold gently. You want to keep the crab in nice chunks instead of shredding it.
- Adjust the heat to taste. Start with 2 teaspoons of hot sauce, then add more if you like extra kick.
- Don’t overbake. Bake just until bubbly around the edges. You can broil the cheese on top as a final step but always keep a close eye on your dip while broiling as it can burn fast!
