Cream Cheese Wontons

Introduction

Cream cheese wontons are crispy-outside, creamy-inside appetizers that come together in under 30 minutes from start to table. The filling is a single ingredient—no mixing required—and the frying happens fast, making this a reliable weeknight appetizer or party starter that never disappoints.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Servings: 4 (makes 16–24 pieces)

Ingredients

• 1 cup cream cheese
• 16 wonton wrappers or 24 egg roll wrappers
• Oil (for frying)
• Sweet and sour sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer or pour into a deep skillet on high temperature.
2. While oil is heating, lay out as many wrappers as you plan to use. Have a small bowl of water nearby to wet your fingers.
3. Put a small dab of cream cheese in one corner of each wrapper, about ½ inch from the edges. Use about 2 tsp for larger egg roll wrappers or 1 tsp for smaller wonton wrappers.
4. Using your fingers, wet the two edges nearest the cream cheese, then fold the other half down and seal the edges, making a triangle shape. Seal the edges tightly, but try to leave small gaps at the corners so the triangles will not expand so much that they burst.
5. Drop several wontons into hot oil at a time. Turn over when the edges start to brown and cook for another minute or two.
6. Set on paper towels to drain, then serve hot with sweet-and-sour sauce.

Variations

Scallion and cream cheese: Mix finely chopped scallions into the cream cheese before filling. This adds a sharp onion note and keeps the filling simple.

Crab-filled: Combine the cream cheese with lump crab meat and a pinch of white pepper. The sweetness of crab complements the crispy wrapper and balances the richness of the cream cheese.

Smaller portions with wonton wrappers: If you only have wonton wrappers available, use 1 tsp of filling per wrapper instead of 2 tsp. This gives you more pieces and faster, more evenly cooked wontons.

Baked instead of fried: Brush both sides of filled wontons lightly with oil and bake at 400°F for 10–12 minutes until golden. You’ll lose some of the deep crispness but gain a lighter, less oily result.

Sriracha cream cheese: Mix a small amount of sriracha into the cream cheese for a spicy kick. Start with ½ teaspoon per ¼ cup cream cheese and adjust to your heat preference.

Tips for Success

Don’t overfill. Stick to the 1–2 teaspoon measurement. Too much cream cheese will leak out during frying and deflate your wontons or cause the wrapper to burst.

Seal the edges tightly. Wet your fingers well and press the seal firmly. A loose seal will open up in the hot oil and release the filling, leaving you with empty, greasy shells.

Leave small corner gaps intentionally. This isn’t a mistake—it prevents the wrapper from puffing up so much that it splits. A wonton should stay relatively flat and crispy, not balloon-shaped.

Test oil temperature with a small piece of wrapper. Before committing all your wontons, drop a tiny scrap of wrapper into the oil. It should sizzle immediately and brown in 10–15 seconds. If it turns dark too fast, your oil is too hot; if it sinks and sits, it’s not hot enough.

Work in batches and don’t crowd the pan. Frying too many at once cools the oil and results in greasy, soggy wontons. Fry 4–5 at a time and let the oil recover between batches.

Storage and Reheating

Fridge: Unfinished wontons (filled but not fried) will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Cooked wontons stay crispy for only a few hours at room temperature; after that, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but expect some loss of crispness.

Reheating: Reheat cooked wontons in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes on a baking sheet (uncovered) to restore some crispness. Microwaving will make them soft and chewy. Avoid the stovetop or refrying, as the cream cheese interior heats unevenly and may splatter.

FAQ

Can I make these ahead for a party? Yes. Fill and freeze the wontons up to 3 months in advance, then fry them directly from the freezer just before serving. Add 1–2 minutes to the cooking time and they’ll be hot and crispy.

Why do my wontons burst or leak filling? Overfilling is the most common cause. Measure carefully—1–2 teaspoons is the right amount. Also check that your oil isn’t too hot; if the outside browns too fast, the inside doesn’t have time to heat through and the cream cheese expands and ruptures the wrapper.

Can I use a different sauce instead of sweet and sour? Absolutely. Soy sauce with a touch of ginger and scallion, hot mustard, or even a simple chili oil all pair well. Sweet and sour is traditional, but the crispy wrapper and creamy filling work with nearly any dipping sauce.

Do I need a deep fryer, or will a shallow skillet work? A shallow skillet works fine as long as the oil is at least 1½ inches deep. You won’t be able to submerge the wontons completely, but you can fry them in batches by flipping halfway through. A deep fryer or Dutch oven gives more control and cooks them more evenly.