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Home » Recipes » Dip Recipe

Maryland Hot Crab Dip {Very Best}

Published: Oct 19, 2022 · Modified: Mar 3, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley

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My creamy, cheesy, hot crab dip is the perfect starter for your next get-together or game-day celebration. You’ll love the sweet fresh lump crab meat blended with cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and of course, Old Bay Seasoning.

It’s almost too good for words!

hot crab dip in casserole dish with pita chips on a white plate


 

Perfectly seasoned (not spicy) and indulgent, one bite of my Maryland hot crab dip, and you’ll agree this is The Very Best Crab Dip you’ve ever had.

And besides being ah-mazingly delicious, it’s also an Easy Crab that you’ll love making time and time again!

If you’re looking for more great recipes from Chesapeake Bay, check out my Maryland Crab Cakes and Maryland Crab Imperial They will not disappoint.

Hand holding cracker with dip being held above casserole of crab dip.

The secret is using full-fat cream cheese and extra sharp cheddar cheese. I prefer using jumbo lump crab meat or lump fresh crab meat, but backfin crab meat is a good alternative. Blue crab is my favorite crab meat to use, but Dungeness will also work well. And you can even use (gasp) imitation crab meat.

Blended together with the perfect combination of seasonings for the best flavor possible. Worcestershire sauce, old bay seasoning, dry mustard, and fresh lemon juice makes this cheesy dip the perfect appetizer for any occasion.

If you love decadent dips, my Cheddar Lobster Dip is another great dip.

Table of Contents:
  • Ingredients
  • How to make Hot Crab Dip
  • What kind of crab meat should I use?
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • More Recipes You’ll Love!
  • Recipe: Maryland Hot Crab Dip

Ingredients

Ingredients to make hot crab dip.

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Hot Crab Dip. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Can I add other seasonings to this dip?

You sure can. A little parmesan cheese will increase the cheese flavor, and if you like heat, add a little of your favorite hot sauce to the mixture. You do want the flavor of the crab and old bay to be the prominent flavors, but it’s easy to adjust this creamy dip to your flavor preference.

How to make Hot Crab Dip

Preheat the oven to 375°F

collage of 6 steps showing hot to make recipe.
  • In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer (or stand mixer), beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy (1-2 minutes).
  • Add the mayonnaise and sour cream to the whipped cream cheese.
  • Beat on medium-high speed until combined.
  • Add the cheddar cheese, Old Bay seasoning, mustard powder, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce to the cream cheese mixture.
  • Beat on medium-high speed until combined.
  • Add the crab meat into the cream cheese mixture, and using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the crab meat until combined.
two images showing how to set up dip in casserole dishes
  • Add the crab mixture to one larger or two small casserole dishes.
  • Top with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped Italian parsley (optional), or sprinkle Old Bay Seasoning on top of the cheese.

These casserole dishes work great with this recipe. My recipe makes two dishes of crab dip. The recipe can easily be cut in half if you only need one dish of this delicious dip.

What kind of crab meat should I use?

I prefer using jumbo lump crab meat or lump fresh crab meat, but any type of real crab meat will work. Dungeness is also a good choice for this crab dip.

Hot crab dip in white oval casserole dish with pita chips on a white plate

Bake the crab dip for 30-35 minutes, until the dip is hot and bubbly around the edges or until the internal temperature of the crab dip reaches a minimum of 165 degrees F.

Crab dip in a white casserole dish with chip in the dip.

Serve my delicious creamy crab dip warm from the oven with your pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers, celery, or carrot sticks.

Recipe FAQ’s

What is Crab Dip made of?

Hot Crab Dip is made by blending cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese) with crab meat and seasonings. It’s a very simple process and is the perfect appetizer for any occasion.

What kind of crab meat should I use to make Crab Dip?

The best crabmeat to use is jumbo lump, but it’s also the most expensive. Lump crabmeat as well as backfin are also good choices and are less expensive alternatives. I like using fresh crabmeat whenever possible, but canned pasteurized crabmeat also works well. If you’re a fan of west coast crab, Dungeness or king crab can also be used.

Why is my crab dip watery?

The first reason could be that you could experience a loose, watery dip is that you didn’t drain the crabmeat well. Some crab meat is dry and needs no draining, while others (as they get older) will give off a lot of liquid. I have found that some brands of sour cream are also too loose (which also happens as they get older). Make sure to use the freshest possible ingredients.

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hot crab dip in casserole dish with pita chips on a white plate

Maryland Hot Crab Dip

Chef Dennis Littley
My creamy, cheesy, hot crab dip is the perfect starter for your next get-together or game-day celebration. You'll love the sweet lump crabmeat blended with cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and the perfect combination of seasonings
5 from 208 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Appetiser, Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 230 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 ounces block cream cheese room temperature*
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
  • 1 pound fresh lump crab meat
  • ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese for topping
  • 1 teaspoon Italian parsley finely chopped for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F
  • In a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer (or stand mixer), beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy (1-2 minutes).
  • Add the mayonnaise and sour cream to the whipped cream cheese.
  • Beat on medium-high speed until combined.
  • Add the cheddar cheese, Old Bay seasoning, mustard powder, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce to the cream cheese mixture.
  • Beat on medium-high speed until combined.
  • Add the crab meat to the cream cheese mixture and using a rubber spatula gently fold in the crab meat until combined.
  • Add the crab dip mixture to one larger or two small casserole dishes.
  • Top the crab dip with shredded cheddar cheese and chopped Italian parsley (optional) or sprinkle Old Bay Seasoning on top of the cheese.
  • Bake the crab dip for 30-35 minutes until the dip is hot and bubbly around the edges or until the internal temperature of the crab dip reaches a minimum of 165 degrees F.
  • Serve the crab dip warm with your favorite chips, celery and carrot sticks.

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 19gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 857mgPotassium: 245mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 315IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 273mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!

Comments

    5 from 208 votes (170 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jannette says

    October 31, 2023 at 9:31 am

    Can I use parmesan cheese instead of cheddar?

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley says

      October 31, 2023 at 9:37 am

      Yes you can, but I would eliminate the old bay as it would make the dip very salty. You could sprinkle old bay on the top of the dip when baking, that will add a little of that flavor to the dip.

      Reply
  2. Elaine Hertz says

    October 21, 2023 at 10:55 am

    5 stars
    Only been on your site a short time. But what I have gathered in recipes has been GREAT. Thank you for doing this for us household wives.

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley says

      October 21, 2023 at 10:58 am

      I’m happy to hear you’ve been using my recipes Elaine and thank you for taking the time to let me know!

      Reply
  3. Jessica says

    September 22, 2023 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    Excellent recipe! Added green onions on top (as we like a bit of crunch) and served with a cut up baguette with garlic butter. Would definitely make again, especially for friends or family when they come over. Very straightforward and easy to make. Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Linda Shinn says

    December 07, 2022 at 12:59 pm

    5 stars
    This crab dip was a big hit at my ladies group Christmas party last night! Great recipe!

    Reply
    • Scott says

      January 26, 2024 at 3:44 pm

      5 stars
      Can this dip be made ahead of time and just warmed up in the microwave or is it better to just time it to when guests arrive?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley says

        January 26, 2024 at 5:55 pm

        It’s going to be better if timed when your guests arrive. The microwave is great for leftovers, but not to make things for guests.

  5. Lisa says

    October 31, 2022 at 3:55 pm

    5 stars
    This crab dip is now my go to for holiday parties! So good and I make sure to use lump crab meat.

    Reply
  6. Belle says

    October 30, 2022 at 10:35 am

    5 stars
    My husband and I love making crab dip for parties and yours is the best I’ve made. It’s different than the usual people bring, like buffalo or veggie dip. It’s always a hit and turns out perfect just as is!

    Reply
  7. Kristina says

    October 30, 2022 at 9:20 am

    5 stars
    This is a wonderful recipe for crab dip, and will be making it again for football gatherings for lots of hungry men! I don’t really like mayo so I substituted plain greek yogurt and you’d never know.

    Reply
  8. Heather says

    October 28, 2022 at 10:07 am

    5 stars
    There is a restaurant I love near me that serves a hot crab dip like this, I always wanted to make my own homemade version. And yours was even better!!

    Reply
  9. Veronika says

    October 28, 2022 at 10:05 am

    5 stars
    This crab dip was amazing! I’m all for hot appetizers during the fall and winter so this one definitely hit the spot. We also added some hot sauce to make it a little spicy. So good!

    Reply
  10. Elaine says

    October 26, 2022 at 3:44 am

    5 stars
    I love that this crab dip is hot. It is the only way I enjoy it going out. Fantastic recipe and just perfect for this time of the year!

    Reply
  11. Marta says

    October 25, 2022 at 7:10 pm

    5 stars
    This crab dip is the best one this side of the Chesapeake Bay! I loved how creamy it was. Everyone at the party adored it, too.

    Reply
  12. Audrey says

    October 25, 2022 at 6:43 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, this was so gourmet! I love how delicious it was. I’ll definitely be making it again for a holiday party appetizer.

    Reply
  13. Sharon says

    October 25, 2022 at 11:35 am

    5 stars
    This crab dip was so creamy and cheesy. I really liked that it used fresh lump crab meat.

    Reply
  14. Enri Lemoine says

    October 25, 2022 at 10:52 am

    5 stars
    I’m making this dip this coming Sunday for football game watching, Chef. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply
  15. Larry says

    October 19, 2022 at 9:09 pm

    Looks delicious and wish I could get good crab at a reasonable price.

    Reply
Newer Comments »


My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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