Fresh lump crab meat mixed with simple ingredients for the most flavorful crab cakes ever!
I’m a crab snob.
Well, what do you expect? I’m from Maryland. We have a picture of a crab on our driver’s license. Us Maryland folk know how to do crabs right. These crab cakes my friends, these are the real deal. These are in fact, The Best Baked Crab Cakes ever!
I grew up about 1 hour from Annapolis, Maryland, where I spent the summers going on my Papa’s boat for the day. We would head out in the early morning, and always have lunch at the same place. The Crab Claw. This place rules.
We would sit for hours stuffing our faces with fresh crabs, (literally pulled directly out from the bay in front of us) and all the best sides including corn bread, thick cut sliced tomatoes, the crunchiest pickles, and so much more. Then we would walk to get ice cream. Obviously.
I’ve been doing this with my family for as long as I can remember. Point being, I know good crab.
This makes me suuuuuuper picky about the the crab I eat. You will never catch me eating artificial crab meat, ICK, and I rarely ever order crab cakes from a restaurant if I’m not in Maryland.
I hate when crab cakes are full of other stuff. It’s called a crab cake for a reason. It should be mainly crab! I also hate when they are all mayonnaise-y, or when they are like one big fried patty of who knows what? I want to be able to see the crab chunks. Yes, chunks. Not bits, not puree, but big hunk-a hunk-a chunks.
Basically, there should only be enough “other stuff” to hold the crab meat together and simply enhance the flavor. Because good crab doesn’t need much (if any) doctoring up.
Sooo, remember that lady I told you about? Cheri Chicago? My mom’s bestie and one of my favorite people to steal recipes from? Well this is a slightly adapted version of her crab cakes. So you know they must be good.
To a lot people crab cakes feel like a summer dish. To me, crab cakes are an anytime dish. In the summer they are light and refreshing, but in the fall and winter they can be equally warm and comforting. They are perfect for a casual at home dinner, and even better served as mini appetizers at the fanciest black tie event. Love em!
Let’s take a moment to talk about mayonnaise.
Gross.
I’m sorry, I’m just not a mayonnaise person. BUT, I absolutely love it as the side kick sauce for these golden beauties. These crab cakes topped with a dollop of this easy lemon mayo sauce makes me a very happy girl. It’s so easy, so good, and in my opinion totally necessary.
If you feel like impressing your husband, your wife, or your friends, then please try this recipe. And please spend the extra buck to get some good lump crab meat. I really think it makes the difference. It’s a once in a while, special occasion recipe that people won’t forget.
The Best Baked Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 shallot chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 16 ounces fresh lump crab meat
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup corn flake crumbs
Lemon Mayo Sauce
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- Juice from 1-2 lemons
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Sauté shallot and garlic over low heat for about 5 minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Combine crab meat, mayonnaise, salt, egg white, and corn flake crumbs into a large bowl. Mix together using a fork, slightly breaking up the crab meat until the mixture is well combined. If mixture is too dry, add a little more mayonnaise. If the mixture is too wet, slowly add a little more corn flake crumbs.
- Add the sautéd shallot and garlic to the crab mixture.
- Form crab cakes into individual patties and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. About a half cup for each patty, or a handful. Place formed patties in the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 15-20 minutes on one side, then flip and continue baking for another 10 minutes. Cakes should be a nice golden brown color.
Lemon Mayo Sauce
- Scoop mayonnaise into small bowl. Mix in freshly squeezed lemon juice until you reach the consistency that you like. Add salt to taste.
Janet Anderson
We have some pretty darn good crab out in Washington and Oregon, home of the Dungeness Crab. May have to try the cornflake crumbs – we use soda cracker crumbs. Otherwise, this is the perfect recipe!
Life is but a Dish
Thanks Janet! Mmmmm, would love to try some Washington and Oregon crabs one day! Let me know how you like the cornflake crumb twist!
Kathryn
Wow can’t wait to make!
Dirty Ernie
Fellow Marylander here. Crab Claw was the best ever when I lived there. We used to slip in the back way by the steps. We would see Billy there at the steamers, hand him $20 and then go get a drink on the Main Street. When we returned Billy would have a table off to the side for us and couple dozen monsters, fire red and steaming hot!! FL now JO spice too.
Karina
Hi. Wand crab meat did you use: Jumbo or just Lump? Thx!
Life is but a Dish
I just used lump!
Erik
Made tonight with fresh caught crab in BC. Love that the recipe is simple, no fillers! Seriously, these could have been featured at a high end restaurant. Perfection!! Thanks for publishing!
Life is but a Dish
I’m so happy you love them as much as I do!
Kim
Do you use fresh or canned crab meat? Which brand if canned?
Life is but a Dish
Fresh!
George Dezes
Dee Mac in BC…. Makes the BEST EVER , MARYLAND CRAB CAKES!!! And, IM FROM MARYLAND.!!!
Life is but a Dish
Yay!!
Diane Ozuna
I’m a Maryland girl too. I grew up in a little town called Stevensville, it sits right on the Chesapeake. I now live in MA and would trade a lobster for crabs in a second. I’m definitely going to give your recipe a try…I was just wondering??? Where’s the Old Bay?
Life is but a Dish
No Old Bay needed! But always welcome!
Ashley Littman
The best! Hubby says better than any he’s had in a restaurant. I live in Northern VA, very near all of that yummy MD crab, so we get really good restaurant crab cakes. But these are the bomb! Thank you for sharing, will be making these often.
Charice
Hi I made the crab cakes using can crab meat.
Followed your direction. Was wondering why my cakes never browned🤔
Life is but a Dish
You can try turning up the heat in your oven or putting them under the boilers for a min or two
Sabrina
Was planning to make these ahead of time for Xmas dinner. Can I freeze them and then bake them the day of?