These Maryland crab cakes get the stamp of approval from locals and out-of-towners alike. This classic lump crab cake recipe combines the flavors of lemon, parsley, and Old Bay seasoning, but the most flavor comes from the crab meat itself. For the best texture, use lump crab meat, very little filler, and bake the cakes in a very hot oven.
I’ve lived in Maryland for over half my life and say with 100% honesty that crab cakes are as essential as the air this state breathes. My husband was born and raised here and has crab-feasting down to a science. Crab isn’t just food, it’s a way of life here. I’ve served these particular crab cakes to locals and out-of-towners alike, all of whom rave about the recipe. I’m really proud of it and am so excited to share these Maryland crab cakes with you!
One reader, Lois, commented: “I am 65 years old and from southern Maryland. I have finally found the BEST crab cake recipe ever! I have tried many over the years, but this is the one! My husband and I have these for dinner twice a month. I don’t like ordering crab cakes out at restaurants anymore, because I know I can make these at home, and they always taste amazing… ★★★★★”
Another reader, Annie, commented: “Oh my! I live in Ohio and I’ve never had the opportunity to get a real Maryland crab cake. I decided to make this recipe and I’m telling you, it is the best crab cake I’ve ever had. I love crab cakes but living in the Midwest, I rarely find a crab cake that’s worth eating at a restaurant. So glad I found your recipe. ★★★★★”
I’ve also published solid recipes for Maryland crab soup as well as crab dip!
Overview: How to Make Maryland Crab Cakes
Crab cakes make a wonderful main dish or even as a sandwich on a toasted bun. If shaped smaller, mini crab cakes are a fabulous finger food. With this recipe, you can be confident that you ALWAYS have a quick dinner recipe in your back pocket, as well as an impressive crowd-pleasing appetizer. They make great leftovers, too.
The full written recipe is below, but here’s an overview.
- Whisk the flavors and binders together.
- Add the crab meat & filler.
- Very gently mix together: Fold the ingredients together slowly and carefully. If over-mixed, the lump crab meat will break apart.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes: This is a key step in the recipe. Make sure the crab cake mixture is cold before you shape it into individual cakes. There is little filler in this recipe, so the cakes will fall apart if the mixture is not refrigerated before cooking.
- Grease baking pan & preheat oven. The oven gets pretty hot, so I don’t recommend using parchment paper. Grease the pan or use a silicone baking mat.
- Portion into cakes: Use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to scoop and portion out the mixture. Form into individual cakes. Place on the greased baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake the cakes on very high heat for about 12–14 minutes.
Baking vs. Sautéing: Some cook crab cakes on the stove, but I prefer the baking method. When cooked on the stove, crab cakes are often flattened into patties so the center cooks. For thick jumbo-style crab cakes, I recommend baking them in the oven at a high temperature. They cook very quickly and remain extra plump.
Types of Crab Meat
- Jumbo Lump: Jumbo lump crab meat is off-white and comes from the crab’s swimmer fin muscles. Crabs only have 2 of these muscles, so you need a lot of crabs to make a serving of jumbo lump crab meat. This is why it’s the most expensive type. It’s very sturdy and is wonderful served alone or as a topping for dishes or salads.
- Lump: Lump crab meat is also off-white, but a bit smaller than jumbo lump. It’s still very sturdy and flavorful. It comes from the body of a crab and is ideal for chunky crab cakes.
- Backfin: Backfin crab meat, also known as flake crab meat, is off-white too. It also comes from the body of a crab. The term “backfin” can also include the broken pieces of lump crab meat. It’s flakier than big lumps of crab meat.
- Claw: Claw meat is darker than the other types of crab meat. It’s not as sweet, but it has a stronger flavor. Claw meat is the least expensive and is ideal for soups, dips, and stews.
Best Crab Meat for Crab Cakes
The Chesapeake Bay is home to Maryland’s famous blue crabs. Opinions vary on what the best-tasting crab variety is, and it’s usually determined by where you live. Maryland crabs are known for their delicately sweet, buttery flavor, and Dungeness crabs, found on the West Coast, are known for their impressive size and meatier texture. If you aren’t steaming your own crabs for crab meat, let me help you navigate which crab meat is best for crab cakes.
Whichever crab variety you use, make sure you purchase crab meat labeled “hand-picked” or “fresh-picked,” which means that the crab meat has been picked through for shells and cartilage. (Still, it’s good practice to gently run your hands through the meat for any hard cartilage remnants.)
Crab meat sold out of the shell has been cooked and can be consumed. It’s very rare to find raw crab meat sold out of the shell—it’s almost always cooked before it’s picked out of the shell. At the market, you can find canned, frozen, or fresh (refrigerated) crab meat. Unrefrigerated canned crab meat doesn’t have an ideal flavor for crab cakes. If you need to use canned, look for canned crab meat in the refrigerated section of your market. The fresher the crab meat, the better the crab cake will taste. Ask your grocer where to find the freshest crab meat in the store. I purchase fresh crab meat sold in a 1-pound tub from the seafood counter in my grocery store. Sometimes the tubs are behind the glass or found on ice next to the seafood counter.
For the absolute best crab cake (and crab dip!), I recommend using lump crab meat or a mix of lump crab meat and backfin meat. Lump crab meat guarantees those big, mouthwatering bites of crab. Don’t worry, all the other ingredients are pretty inexpensive.
Ingredients in Maryland Crab Cakes
Let’s walk through each ingredient so you understand its importance. While there are a few flavorful and binding ingredients, the real star of this crab cake is the crab itself. These flavors and binders simply enhance the true taste of crab.
- Egg: Egg is the main binding ingredient in crab cakes.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise is another binding ingredient. I don’t like mayonnaise and I LOVE these crab cakes, so if you aren’t a mayo person, don’t worry. You can’t taste it.
- Fresh Parsley: Fresh herbs are a MUST in crab cakes. Sometimes recipes or restaurants use dill, but fresh parsley is most common. If needed, you can use dried parsley.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard is another must-have ingredient in crab cakes. I don’t recommend any other type of mustard—just dijon.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Just a small amount provides big flavor, just as it does in chicken meatballs, black bean burgers, and beer cheese dip.
- Old Bay Seasoning: What is Maryland crab without locally made Old Bay seasoning???
- Lemon Juice & Salt: Fresh, balancing flavors.
- Crab Meat: The leading role in the whole recipe.
- Cracker Crumbs: Drumroll please… the filler in this crab cake recipe is cracker crumbs. There is so much debate on what the best filler is and, trust me, some of the best crab cakes are made with CRACKERS! See more below.
Since we’re baking the crab cakes and not sautéing them in butter or oil, brush the cakes with a little melted butter prior to baking. This tiny addition gives them that unmistakeable restaurant flavor. When they come out of the oven, squeeze a little lemon juice on top!
Crab Cake Filler
While we have binding ingredients like mayonnaise and egg, crab cakes need a filler so they remain intact when cooked. And this is where people are very opinionated: what is the best filler? I’ve tested many and have even asked popular restaurants to spill the beans—most are very secretive about the crab cake ingredients they use! My #1 crab cake filler choice is cracker crumbs—specifically, saltine cracker crumbs. Bread crumbs are flavorless and too crunchy. Go for the saltines! To make the crumbs, you can place the crackers in a zipped-top bag and crush the heck out of them with a rolling pin, or you can use a little ninja, a big food processor, or even a blender.
What to Serve With Crab Cakes
Keep it simple and serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon. These Maryland crab cakes are so juicy and flavorful that they don’t need tartar sauce or cocktail sauce, but both are popular finishing touches. (I love a touch of cocktail sauce with mine.) If you’re making crab cakes for a big family meal or on your menu of Memorial Day recipes, here’s what I recommend serving with your crab cake dinner:
- Cornbread and/or corn on the cob
- Caesar salad
- Baked potatoes or roasted potatoes
- Zucchini casserole
- Steamed vegetables
- Dinner rolls
- Coleslaw
- Asiago-crusted skillet bread
- Homemade garlic bread
For even more inspiration here are 15+ summer dinner ideas! And don’t forget the chocolate chip cookies or vanilla cupcakes for dessert!
Print
Crab Cakes Recipe (Little Filler)
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 large crab cakes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
For the best texture, use lump crab meat, little filler, and bake the cakes in a very hot oven. Serve with lemon wedges, a garnish of chopped parsley, and/or cocktail sauce or tartar sauce. For more success tips and to learn which crab meat to use, see blog post above.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (60g) mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (up to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons for a spicier kick)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more for serving
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound (454g) fresh lump crab meat*
- 2/3 cup (41g) saltine cracker crumbs (about 17–18 2-inch crackers)
- optional: 2 Tablespoons (30g) melted salted or unsalted butter
Instructions
- Whisk the egg, mayonnaise, parsley, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, lemon juice, and salt together in a large bowl. Place the crab meat on top, followed by the cracker crumbs. With a silicone spatula or large spoon, very gently and carefully fold together. You don’t want to break up that crab meat.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
- Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). Generously grease a rimmed baking sheet with butter or nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, portion the crab cake mixture into 6 mounds on the baking sheet. (Don’t flatten!) Use your hands or a spoon to compact each individual mound so there aren’t any lumps sticking out or falling apart. For extra flavor, brush each top with melted butter. This is optional but recommended!
- Bake for 12–14 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges and on top. Drizzle each with fresh lemon juice and serve warm.
- Cover leftover crab cakes tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the portioned unbaked crab cakes for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, brush with melted butter, then bake as directed. You can also freeze the baked and cooled crab cakes for up to 3 months. Thaw, then warm up in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 10–15 minutes or until warmed throughout. Or bake the frozen crab cakes at 350°F (177°C) for about 25–30 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat | Pastry Brush
- Which Crab Meat to Use: For any questions regarding which crab meat to use, see Best Crab Meat for Crab Cakes in the blog post above. I highly recommend fresh (refrigerated) lump crab meat.
- Smaller Sizes: For smaller crab cakes, divide the mixture into 12 1/4-cup portions. For mini crab cakes, divide into 24 2-Tablespoon-size portions. Bake at the same oven temperature. The bake time is shorter for these smaller sizes. The crab cakes are done when the tops and edges are lightly browned.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I’ve made these crab cakes several times now and we have loved them every time. I follow the recipe exactly. I have even frozen them and they thaw nicely and bake well. I do brush them with butter. Delicious!
Is there a favorite dipping sauce for them? So far, I have served them just with a side vegetable – asparagus.
Hi Lois! We’re so happy to hear that you love this crab cakes recipe. See the section just above the recipe tilted “What to Serve with Crab Cakes” for our recommendations!
This recipe is delicious! Best crab cakes ever.
Just tried this. Added some chopped onion & green pepper to make it stretch a couple more servings. I didn’t have Old Bay but used my Epicure, West Coast Burger and some seasoned salt instead. It was delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
This is the best recipe.
At what temperature would you recommend baking the crab cakes?
Hi Maria, We recommend 450°F (232°C). Enjoy!
Can you use king crab legs?
Hi Molly, absolutely!
These were incredible, made for an intimate Valentine Dinner. Husband says better than our favorite Resteraunt crab cakes. Used refrigerated packaged lump hand picked crab from a local grocer. A bit expensive but well worth it. Thanks for the recipe
Is there a substitute you recommend for mayonnaise?
Hi Susan, We haven’t tested it, and you’ll lose some flavor, but you could try Greek yogurt or sour cream instead. However, there’s so many other flavors going on (mostly crab) that the mayo isn’t as much a flavor as it is a great way to hold everything together. We do recommend sticking to the recipe for best results!
I live in the northern neck of VA, these hit the nail on the head for a delicious ‘Maryland style’ crab cake. Taste as good as any we’ve had, and we know good Chesapeake bay seafood!! 100% recommend!
just wondering if people are talking about just making the mixture 24 hours ahead of baking or they fully cook them and flavors are better next day. also thinking of adding chopped up shrimp to fresh crab since I wanted more without the huge expense! any thoughts are appreciated
Hi Sandy, you can prepare the crab cake mixture, cover, and refrigerate ahead of time before baking. This lets the flavors develop and intensify before baking.
This recipe is perfect! I didn’t need to adjust anything at all, which I usually have to do for most recipes. I did use cheaper claw meat once, and it didn’t taste as good as lump crab. Overall awesome recipe, and freezes well too!
I live in the Midwest, and good lump crab meat is hard to find (and really expensive). However, a dear friend who loves to fish is always gifting me with bags of crappie. I poach it with white wine, lemon juice and Old Bay, then chill it. I use your recipe and make fish cakes. They are fabulous! My non-fish eater kids even like them and will only eat fish if I use your recipe. Thank you!!!
Is it possible to freeze them before baking to use at a different time?
Yes, see the freezing instructions in the recipe notes for details.
OMG!!! This crab cake recipe is DELICIOUS!!! I never have to go out again for a crab cake. Definitely fine dining quality!! Thank you for this recipe!!
I’ve made this recipe many times and it always turns out so well! I usually substitute the saltines with panko since that’s generally what I have on hand, and it’s still delicious! If you’re gonna pay $$$ for crab meat, I totally recommend using this recipe to make sure it turns out perfectly!
my first time with this recipe ……det. lions lost again but this recipe was the biggest winner of the day
I use this recipe all of the time, less the parsley and I always use jumbo lump crab meat. Expensive but makes the best crab cakes. I highly recommend this recipe.
In the past I have made crab cakes on the stove top in a skillet with a little oil, but I followed the recipe exactly as written and baked in the oven and they came out perfectly.
WONDERFUL! I used plain breadcrumbs and it was awesome. Made dill sauce to accompany. 5 stars
I have made these multiple times and they fabulous! Always come out perfect.
Tried these a couple different ways… the original recipe is really good…but as a substitute for the saltines… try crushing up some Texas Toast (garlic/butter) croutons.. put about half the croutons in a zip lock bag and crunch em’ with a rolling pin… don’t overdo it or you’ll have crouton dust…. The flavor adds a little more butter taste with a hint of garlic…and it binds very well with only small amounts so there is less filler… and yes, we know how to make crab cakes here in South Jersey, too…
Followed the recipe and they were excellent! These crabs came from the st.johns river in Jacksonville Florida. It seems a blue crab is a blue crab wherever it comes from! They were very good steamed and the leftovers made excellent crab cakes. Born and raised in Dundalk, MD. A Fl. resident since 1970.
I just made these crab cakes for a Valentine’s day dinner. They are so delicious! Some of the best crab cakes I’ve had and my husband was very impressed. I will be making these again for sure!
YUM!
My family and friends absolutely loved this recipe. I used a spouted bread instead of crackers. Awesome! Thank you!
I have tried many crab cake recipes, this is the best! I made this for the a vegetarian and a filet mignon for the rest of the group Christmas day This took just minutes to assemble and baked while the filet rested after roasting. So quick and easy.I used a bit more mayo, worcestershire sauce and Old Bay and baked for 14 minutes.
Made this recipe for my Christmas dinner. And also a batch of an old recipe.
My family picked this recipe hands down.
They came out spectacular! Go easy on the Old Bay or they might taste too salty.
I found the best way to dial down the salt is to use unsalted saltine crackers.
The best crab cakes I’ve ever had by far!
Perfect!
I was raised in MD, now live in Minnesota. Brought back a lb of jumbo lump from a recent trip to see my Dad and made these crab cakes. Delicious!
Just finished eating these delightful crabcakes! I followed the recipe as written and used the 1.5 teaspoons of Old Bay! I have been searching for a crabcake recipe so thank you!!!
These came out perfect! I made a sauce with Mayo, sriracha, capers, lemon juice, horseradish, and parsley. I can’t wait to make these again. The oven really is the best way.