Baked or Fried Cream Cheese Wontons that are restaurant delicious!
Enjoy gourmet-tasting Cream Cheese Wontons in the comfort of your own home! These crispy cream cheese rangoons are crunchy on the outside giving way to warm, oozing, melted cream cheese inside. The cream cheese filling is mixed with pineapple, coconut, green onions and ginger AKA your new addiction. These easy cream cheese rangoons taste straight out of a restaurant – or dare I say even better?! I’ve included step by step photos, easy to follow instructions, and how to freeze cream cheese wontons for an easy snack or appetizer any night of the week! (updated photos, same recipe)
PIN THIS RECIPE TO SAVE FOR LATER
Cream Cheese Wontons
There are a few things my husband makes really well: pasta, and pasta, steak, pigs in a blanket, and cream cheese wontons. Patrick would always bring his famous wontons to New Year’s Eve parties or any other get togethers and they would fly off the plate!
Aside from Patrick’s cream cheese wontons, I used to devour them at my local Pick Up Stix every chance I got. I could never get enough of the crispy wonton outside giving way to warm, oozing, melted cream cheese inside. Seriously, does it get any better?!
Yes it does! Because now you can make this cream cheese wonton recipe in the comfort of your own home AND you have the option to bake wontons instead of fry them. So, If you have never made cream cheese rangoons before, you are in for a treat. Not only are they one of the best appetizers you will ever sink your teeth into – perfect for all your Game Day or holiday parties – they are SO easy!
Are wontons and Rangoons the same thing?
The answer is, yes! Whether you’ve ordered cream cheese rangoons or cream cheese wontons at your favorite restaurant – they are identical, just with a different name. I just call them delicious.
Rangoon is a actually a Burmese city. Wontons filled with cream cheese and imitation crab are named after the city – crab rangoons, whereas wontons just filled with cream cheese are often referred to as wontons – but they are used interchangeably.
Wontons when not referred to as “cream cheese wontons” refer to dumplings like in my Wonton Soup. They use the same wrapper but have a savory, meaty filling. So now you have multiple reasons to buy wonton wrappers!
Where did cream cheese wontons originate?
The wonton wrapper comes from the Canton region of china. The word “wonton” is Cantonese for “swallowing clouds” – swallowing clouds of cream cheese and pineapple – pick me!
Despite the origin of the wonton wrapper, cream cheese wontons do not come from China. Rather, a Polynesian restaurant in San Francisco, named Trader Vic’s, starting serving crab rangoons in 1956.
The rangoons were loosely based off of a traditional Burmese recipe but largely Americanized because dairy was not widely available in that area of Asia at the time – another successful marriage of American and Chinese cuisines!
I added additional Polynesian flair to the traditional cream cheese wontons with pineapple, coconut, ginger, etc. and voila! we get the tasty tropical dish of swallowing clouds with pineapple.
What are cream cheese wontons made of?
Traditional cream cheese wontons are super simple. They are made of cream cheese, scallions, seasonings such as onion and/or garlic powder and wonton wrappers.
I wanted to mix up the traditional cream cheese wonton recipe and create pockets of crispy, creamy tropical paradise, so I added crushed pineapple, coconut, ginger, green onions and sriracha to the cream cheese. It is HEAVEN!
Also, instead of frying the wontons (which you can totally do if you prefer), I have had great success baking them instead (pictured below). After biting into a baked wonton, Patrick questioned, “These are baked?! You can’t even tell the difference!”
Where do I find WONTON WRAPPERS?
You can’t make cream cheese wontons without wonton wrappers! But you’re in luck, wonton wrappers are easy to find at any grocery store, and definitely at specialty Asian markets.
At my grocery store(s), the wonton wrappers are located near the produce, at the end of the aisle in the refrigerated section. You need 36 wonton wrappers for this rangoon recipe, so make sure you check the wrapper count. Depending on the brand of wontons wrappers you purchase, you may need one or two packages.
Can I use Fat Free Cream Cheese?
Yes! You can make cream cheese rangoons with full-fat cream cheese or low fat cream cheese. Full fat cream cheese obviously has more flavor and melts better, but cream cheese wontons made with low-fat cream cheese will still be tasty.
How to Make Cream Cheese Wontons
To make your cream cheese wontons, simply:
- Mix up your wonton filling ingredients.
- Add the filling to the center of the wonton wrapper
- Brush the edges with water, fold into a triangle or desired shape and press the edges together.
- Brush wontons with oil and bake or fry.
How easy is that?! I love that there is no cooking meat or chopping veggies involved in making these crispy on the outside, pineapple, coconut creamy inside rangoons!
HOW TO FOLD WONTONS
Folding wontons is easy, especially if you just make a triangle, but folding up all 4 corners is easy too. There really is no right or wrong way to shape your wontons as long as the edges are sealed together. Here is my easy method:
Step 1: Lay out Wrappers
- Working on a flat, dry surface, lay out 4-6 wonton wrappers. Keep remaining wontons covered with plastic wrap or in a large freezer bag. You can work with more or less wontons at a time depending on your comfort, speed and skill level. The key is to not let the wrappers dry out by sitting out too long while you’re working on other wontons.
Step 2: Add cream cheese filling
- Place a heaping 1 teaspoon wonton filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Don’t fill your wontons with too much filling or they won’t stick together.
Step 3: Fold wrappers
OPTION 1: TRIANGLE
- Working with one wonton at a time, brush the top 2 sides of wonton with water with your finger.
- Next, bring the two opposite corners of the wonton together (2 dry, 2 wet) to form a triangle and enclose the filling, pinching edges of the wrapper together to firmly a seal, pressing out any air.
- Place finished wontons on parchment paper if frying or baking rack on top of a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray if baking.
- Assemble remaining wontons in the same manner.
OPTION 2: “Pouch”
- Working with one wonton at a time, brush two top sides with water.
- Bring 2 opposite corners of the wonton together and pinch to seal.
- Next, pull the other two corners up so all the tips are touching, pressing along the edges to seal, pressing out any excess air.
TIPS TO PREVENT WONTONS FROM TEARING
There are a couple tricks to prevent cream cheese wontons from tearing:
- Don’t over stuff: if the cream cheese rangoons are stuffed with too much filling, they will spring apart. Stick to one teaspoon of filling per wonton.
- Don’t dry out: wonton wrappers can easily dry out which will make them brittle and break or tear easily. To prevent this, keep any wrappers you are not working with under a damp cloth or in a sealed bag. Only remove them when you are ready to use them. As soon as you have filled your wonton wrappers, place them on parchment paper or greased baking rack under a damp cloth.
- Use parchment: placing the finished wontons on parchment paper is important so they don’t stick, otherwise, they can stick to a cutting board/other surface and tear.
- Limit water: don’t use too much water to seal the wontons otherwise the wontons become soggy and the edges will not stick together. Only lightly dampen the edges.
- Clean work surface: before you start a new batch of wontons, wipe your working surface so it is dry otherwise your wonton wrappers will become soggy and tear.
How to Bake Cream Cheese Wontons
You can bake or fry your cream cheese wontons and they will both be delicious. To bake, simply line wontons on a lightly greased baking rack and spray with cooking spray. Bake 8-12 minutes or until corners are browned and crispy.
How to Fry Cream Cheese Wontons
To fry cream cheese wontons, heat about 4 inches deep oil in a heavy bottomed pot to 350 degrees F. Fry about 5-6 wontons at a time, whatever will fit comfortably so they can move around and aren’t touching. Fry until golden. Transfer fried wontons to a paper towel lined plate and repeat until all the wontons are cooked.
Tips for Frying Wontons
- Don’t overcrowd the pan or the wontons will stick to each other.
- Use enough oil so the wontons can sit comfortably in oil without touching the bottom of the pan.
- Use a deep-fry thermometer if you have one – it will save you a few “test wontons” or wrappers
- If you don’t have a thermometer, medium-high heat should be about right, but every stove is different. Test the temperature first with a a spare wonton wrapper or wonton. If it browns too quickly, turn the heat down.
- Remove the wontons when you think they could become a little browner because they will deepen a little when removed from the pan.
- Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer cream cheese wontons to a paper towel lined baking sheet or serving platter so they stay crispy. You don’t want them sitting in oil.
- Make sure to wait 5 to 10 minutes before serving the wontons, or the cream cheese filling will be piping hot.
WHAT OIL IS BEST FOR FRYING?
Not all oils are suitable for frying. For this cream cheese wonton recipe, you will need to use an oil with a high smoking point such as:
- Vegetable oil
- Corn oil
- Peanut oi
- Avocado oil
- Soybean oil
- Safflower oil
- Canola oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Sunflower oil
Can Cream Cheese wontons be refrigerated?
Cooked cream cheese wontons can be refrigerated but I do not recommend refrigerating uncooked wontons. Wonton wrappers dry out very quickly and will become brittle when refrigerated if they have not been cooked, which will cause them to tear and leak when baked or fried. It is better to freeze uncooked wontons instead (see section below).
- TO STORE: Line cooked cream cheese wontons in a single layer on a paper towel lined plate/platter and cover with foil.
- TO REHEAT: Place wontons on a baking sheet and crisp them up in the oven at 300 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
CAN I FREEZE UNCOOKED WONTONS?
Instead of refrigerating wontons which will dry them out, you can freeze them instead! To freeze wontons:
- Place assembled, uncooked wontons on a parchment-lined baking sheet/plate (whatever will fit in your freezer) without touching.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap.
- Freeze wontons until solid, about 1 hour.
- Transfer wontons to a freezer bag.
- Cook wontons directly from frozen by either baking or frying, adding a couple extra minutes to cooking time.
CAN I FREEZE COOKED CREAM CHEESE WONTONS?
Yes, these cream cheese wontons freeze beautifully! Freezing the wontons creates a fabulous easy- snack/appetizer option for all those busy parties or nights.
- Place assembled, wontons on a parchment-lined baking sheet/plate (whatever will fit in your freezer) without touching.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap.
- Freeze wontons until solid, about 1 hour. Flash freezing them allows them to be stored together without sticking to each other.
- Transfer wontons to a freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air.
- To reheat, place wontons on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Best Dip for Cream Cheese Wontons
My favorite dip for cream cheese rangoons is sweet and sour sauce. The sweet and tangy dip enveloping the crunchy, creamy cream cheese wontons is heaven. The sweet tanginess cuts through the creaminess with taste bud precision.
I’ve taken traditional sweet and sour sauce and made it using pineapple juice. It might just be the best sweet and sour sauce known to wo-man. You will need:
- ketchup
- vinegar
- sugar
- garlic loves
- pineapple juice
- cornstarch
After you simmer your sweet and sour sauce, you can taste and customize it so it’s YOUR favorite sweet and sour sauce. Add more sugar for sweeter, more vinegar for more tang and sriracha for a kick.
SHORTCUT DIP: If you don’t have the ingredients for sweet and sour sauce, cream cheese rangoons are also delicious with Asian Sweet Chili Sauce! You can also purchase a number of premade dips in the Asian section of your grocery store, including sweet and sour sauce.
Cream Cheese Wonton Variations
- Mix in some imitation crab to create cream cheese crab rangoons!
- You can mix in other proteins as well like cooked pork or chicken.
- Mix cream cheese with Nutella and use more nutella for dipping
- add chopped strawberries to cream cheese (with or without chocolate chips).
- Add some powdered sugar to the cream cheese filling then sprinkle the cooked wontons with powdered sugar; serve with orange marmalade or lemon curd for dipping.
- Mix cream cheese with orange marmalade, apricot preserves, strawberry preserves, lemon curd etc. and some powdered sugar; sprinkle cooked wontons with powdered sugar.
- Mix cream cheese with garlic powder, onion powder, herbs and ANY cheese such as cheddar, pepper jack, Gouda, etc.
- Add bacon and chives to cream cheese.
- Mix cream cheese with artichokes and spinach for artichoke spinach dip wontons!
- Like above, fill them with any your favorite cream-cheese based dip – store bought or homemade.
- Mix cream cheese with sun-dried tomatoes and herbs.
Before you leave to make this scrumptious and versatile cream cheese wonton recipe, did you know there is a Hollywood film make in 2001 called Miss Wonton? I mean, if they can make a movie about it, its good enough to eat, right?!
I won’t be in Hollywood anytime soon, but I can promise you. Patrick and I are going to experiment with some of these great ingredient substitutions for our favorite Wontons! What will you try next?!
Looking for more Asian appetizer recipes?
- Potstickers
- Sweet and Sour Chicken Egg rolls
- Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Korean Meatballs
- Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Want to try this cream cheese wonton RECIPE?
Pin it to your appetizer or ASIAN Board to SAVE for later!
Find me on Pinterest for more great recipes! I am always pinning :)!
©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com
Pineapple Cream Cheese Wontons
Save This Recipe To Your Recipe Box
You can now create an account on our site and save your favorite recipes all in one place!
Ingredients
- 36 wonton wrappers
- coconut oil or olive oil if baking
- vegetable oil if frying
Wonton Filling
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes, roughly chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha/ Asian hot chili sauce
- 1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple - reserve juice for sweet and sour sauce
Easy Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 8 oz. can Pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- sriracha to taste (optional)
Instructions
- IF FRYING: lay out a baking sheet size sheet of parchment paper (to lay finished wontons on). IF BAKING: lightly grease a baking rack placed on a baking sheet.
- Fill a small bowl with cool water. Working on a flat, dry surface, lay out 4-6 wonton wrappers. Keep remaining wontons covered with plastic wrap or in a large freezer bag. Place a heaping 1 teaspoon wonton filling in the center of each wonton wrapper.
- TO FOLD INTO TRIANGLES (recommended if baking): Working with one wonton wrapper at a time, brush the top 2 sides of the wrapper with water. Bring the two opposite corners of the wonton together (2 dry, 2 wet) to form a triangle and enclose the filling, pinching edges of the wrapper together to firmly a seal, pressing out any air. Place finished wontons on prepared surface and cover with a clean damp towel. Assemble remaining wontons in the same manner.
- TO FOLD ALL FOUR CORNERS: Working with one wonton wrapper at a time, brush the top 2 sides of the wrapper with water. Bring two opposite edges of the wonton together (1 wet, 1 dry) and pinch to seal. Next, pull the other two corners up so all the tips are touching, pressing along the edges to seal, pressing out any excess air. Place finished wontons on prepared surface and cover with a clean damp towel. Assemble remaining wontons in the same manner.
TO BAKE :
- Place finished wontons on a baking rack ontop of a baking sheet and lightly brush both sides of each wonton with olive oil or coconut oil. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until corners are browned and crispy.
TO FRY:
- Fill Dutch oven with 4 inches of vegetable oil and heat to 350 degrees (medium-high). If you don't have a thermometer, make sure to test a a spare wonton to ensure the oil isn't too hot. Fry 5 wontons at a time, 45-60 seconds or until golden, flipping half way through (they will darken more as they cool). Place wontons on a paper towel lined plate.
Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Whisk together ketchup, vinegar, sugar and garlic in a medium saucepan. Pour pineapple juice into ½ cup measuring cup then add water to equal ½ cup. Whisk in cornstarch to the pineapple juice/water then add to saucepan and stir until well combined.
- Bring ingredients to a boil and simmer until thick – 1-2 minutes. Taste and add additional vinegar for more tang/sour or sugar for sweetness according to your preference. You can also add sriracha for a little heat.
Notes
WONTON WRAPPERS
Wonton wrappers are easy to find at any grocery store, and definitely at specialty Asian markets. At my grocery store(s), the wonton wrappers are located near the produce, at the end of the aisle in the refrigerated section. You need 36 wonton wrappers for this rangoon recipe, so make sure you check the wrapper count. Depending on the brand of wontons wrappers you purchase, you may need one or two packages.Tips for Frying Wontons
- Don't overcrowd the pan or the wontons will stick to each other.
- Use enough oil so the wontons can sit comfortably in oil without touching the bottom of the pan.
- Use a deep-fry thermometer if you have one - it will save you a few "test wontons" or wrappers
- If you don't have a thermometer, medium-high heat should be about right, but every stove is different. Test the temperature first with a a spare wonton wrapper or wonton. If it browns too quickly, turn the heat down.
- Remove the wontons when you think they could become a little browner because they will deepen a little when removed from the pan.
- Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer cream cheese wontons to a paper towel lined baking sheet or serving platter so they stay crispy. You don’t want them sitting in oil.
- Make sure to wait 5 to 10 minutes before serving the wontons, or the cream cheese filling will be piping hot.
STORAGE
Cooked cream cheese wontons can be refrigerated but I do not recommend refrigerating uncooked wontons. Wonton wrappers dry out very quickly and will become brittle when refrigerated if they have not been cooked, which will cause them to tear and leak when baked or fried. It is better to freeze uncooked wontons instead (see section below).- TO STORE: Line cooked cream cheese wontons in a single layer on a paper towel lined plate/platter and cover with foil.
- TO REHEAT: Place wontons on a baking sheet and crisp them up in the oven at 300 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
HOW TO FREEZE UNCOOKED WONTONS
Instead of refrigerating wontons which will dry them out, you can freeze them instead! To freeze wontons:- Place assembled, uncooked wontons on a parchment-lined baking sheet/plate (whatever will fit in your freezer) without touching.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap.
- Freeze wontons until solid, about 1 hour.
- Transfer wontons to a freezer bag.
- Cook wontons directly from frozen by either baking or frying, adding a couple extra minutes to cooking time.
HOW TO FREEZE COOKED WONTONS
Yes, these cream cheese wontons freeze beautifully! Freezing the wontons creates a fabulous easy- snack/appetizer option for all those busy parties or nights.- Place assembled, wontons on a parchment-lined baking sheet/plate (whatever will fit in your freezer) without touching.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap.
- Freeze wontons until solid, about 1 hour. Flash freezing them allows them to be stored together without sticking to each other.
- Transfer wontons to a freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air.
- To reheat, place wontons on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Want To Make This Recipe?
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @CarlsbadCravings and Use #CarlsbadCravngs
Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You!
Carlsbad Cravings Original
You might also like:
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken, Pineapple, Carrots and Peppers
Spencer says
In love the twist with pineapple! Sounds and looks delicious!
Jen says
Thanks so much Spencer! The pineapple adds a nice twist! I am thinking Christmas Eve?!
Janette@culinaryginger says
What perfect sweet little bites, and I love that you baked them.
Jen says
Thanks so much Janette! They are so tasty baked too!
Mary Ellen says
Love this and those flavors. Really like that you baked them!
Jen says
Thanks Mary Ellen! They are so tasty baked, you will love them!
Marye says
OMG … I want these now! They really look amazing and what a great flavor combo!
Jen says
Thanks so much Marye! I wish I could give you some right now 🙂
shelby says
You’ve got that bit of sweet heat going on here that I love!
Jen says
Thanks Shelby! You have great taste 🙂
Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads says
I can’t wait to try these! They look fantastic!
Jen says
Thanks Sheena, I think you will love them!
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
There you go knocking it outta the park again! This looks AWESOME! Pinning!
Jen says
Thanks so much Sophia! Your comments always make me feel so good :)!
marcia sattley says
You’ve done it again! Taken a terrific recipe and kicked it up about 7 notches. Patrick’s on his way over, and I’m making them right now! Love, marcia
marcia sattley says
P.S. THEY WERE FAB!!! It was brilliant to bake them with the coconut oil. BEST EVER!
Jen says
Hi Marcia, you are so great to try so many of my recipes! I am so happy you loved them! Patrick said you did an awesome job 🙂 He also said you made the moistest gluten free delicious cake – I am going to have to try it sometime 🙂 xoox
Kristin @ Dizzy Busy and Hungry! says
I will take a whole plateful, please! I love that these are baked!
Jen says
Thanks Kristin, I wish I could give you a whole plate 🙂
Robyn says
Can you freeze these? I want to make them ahead for a party
Jen says
I think they should be fine frozen but if you have time, I would suggest making them ahead of time up to the baking point and then instead of freezing them, refrigerate them. That way, all you have to do is bake them when its party time!
AJ says
Are these ok to serve at room temp, or do they only work when warm?
Jen says
Hi AJ! As with most foods, fresh and warm is best but these still would be good at room temperature. Enjoy!
Christine Mele says
Hi Jen…love your spirit, recipes,But, am unable to print them from computer(so sad)…have tried several times. What to do? Thank you, Christine.
Jen says
Hi Christine, I am sorry you are having trouble printing! You should be able to print by clicking the “print” icon below the small recipe picture. My next suggestion would be to click that same “Print” icon and choose the option to “save to PDF.” After saving, maybe it will print your PDF? Lastly, more time consuming would be to copy and paste the recipe into a word doc and print from there. Hope this helps and I’m sorry I don’t know an easier solution!
Corie says
I love crab rangoon but this twist on the original was so good, I can never go back. The hint of sweetness from the pineapple mixed with the creaminess of the filling was a perfect blend. I loved that they are baked and not fried so you can eat twice as many:)
Jen says
So glad you loved these so much to be converted from crab rangoon! I hope you did it twice as many – at least 🙂
Amy says
Can’t wait to try these! Do you think I could freeze some to bake later?
Jen says
Hi Amy! I have never personally tried freezing them, but I do think they would freeze well – just defrost before baking. Enjoy!
Katlyn says
Would these be okay to prep the day before a party and keep in the refrigerator? I would then pop them in the oven before guests arrive. They sound FANTASTIC! I am excited to try them.
Jen says
Hi Katlyn, it should be okay but you will need to take care to lay them on a flat baking sheet and cover with a damp towel or paper towel while you are making them then remove the towel and immediately cover with parchment paper then cover tightly with plastic wrap so they are airtight -any exposure to air will dry the wrappers out. I hope this helps!
Veronica says
These cream cheese wontons are just bursting with flavor they are an amazing snack to serve as appetizers in my house warming party, they are as crunchy as scrumptious as they look in the picture!
Jen says
Thank you so much Veronica! You can never go wrong with pineapple cream cheese wontons;). Congrats on the new house!
Morgan says
Do you only use a 1/4 cup of pineapple juice to the sauce or do you add the rest of the can?
Jen says
Hi Morgan, you will add the whole 8 oz. can – whatever juice is left after draining the pineapple.
Anna @ RWC says
I’m so thankful for stumbling upon your recipe. It’s a keeper and will be cherished in my recipe collection.
Jen says
So glad this is going in your recipe collection! Thank you for the great review, Anna!