The recipe for the best baked crab cakes is packed with fresh crab and pairs perfectly with a homemade lemon mayo sauce! Use fresh lump crab and skip the time over a frying basket.

Platter of Crab Cakes with Fresh Lemon, Pickles, and Mayo Dipping Sauce

As someone who grew up in Maryland, my love for crab cakes runs deep. I take them (and all my fresh seafood recipes) very seriously, which is why I’m excited to share this easy recipe with you!

No busy home cook wants to spend their time sitting over a hot stove frying food, especially crab. This is why baking them is truly the biggest game changer in the crab cake world.

What makes these homemade crab cakes extra special is the 3-ingredient crab cake sauce: lemon juice, mayo, and salt! This gives the crab cakes a hint of tartness and brightness that will just make your mouth water!

Watch how easy they are to make

Why are these crab cakes different from the rest?

  • This baked crab cake recipe is incredibly easy to make and can be prepared in just 40 minutes or less. Most of the time is hands off!
  • It uses simple ingredients like lump crab, spices, herbs, cornflake crumbs, and more that you may already have in your kitchen.
  • The homemade lemon mayo sauce gives it a zesty tartness and brightness that takes the crab cakes to a whole new level of deliciousness.
  • It’s perfect for entertaining or just a simple family dinner that can be served with your favorite side dishes!

Some Ingredient Notes

ingredients in bowls like fresh crab, shallot, garlic, egg and corn flake crumbs
  • Shallot – Yes, you can use onion too.
  • Fresh Lump Crab Meat – Use the good stuff!! It’s worth it.
  • Corn Flake Crumbs – This gives the crab cakes a nice crunch and helps elevate the texture.
3 small bowls filled with kosher salt

The Home Cook’s Guide to Salt

Learn about the basics of salt, plus the best salt for cooking (hint: it’s Kosher salt!) with this easy-to-understand guide to salt for home cooks.

How to make baked crab cakes

shallot and garlic sauteed in a pan
Sauté shallot and garlic in a pan
Bowl with fresh crab and corn flake crumbs
Mix crab, mayo, salt, egg white and cornflake crumbs
crab cake mixture in a bowl
Add the cooked shallot and garlic to the bowl
uncooked crab cake on a baking sheet
Form crab cakes on a parchment lined baking sheet
uncooked crab cakes on a parchment lined baking sheet
Bake at 375
mayo sauce with a whisk in a bowl
Make the sauce while the crab cakes bake
baked crab cakes on a sheet pan

Recipe Tips

  • Make sure you use high-quality fresh lump crab meat for the best results.
  • Ensure that the crab meat is fully drained in order to keep the patties from getting too wet.
  • If the mixture is too wet, add additional cornflake crumbs to absorb the extra moisture and help shape the patties better.

HOT TIP: Spend the extra buck to get really good quality lump crab meat. It makes all the difference!

What kind of sauce to serve with crab cakes?

These crab cakes are topped with a dollop of my 3-ingredient crab cake sauce, which makes me a very happy girl. It’s so easy, so good, and in my opinion, totally necessary.

What goes with crab cakes?

This dish is versatile because there are so many sides it pairs well with. Try these serving suggestions below!

Stack of Fresh Crab Cakes with Lemon Wedge

Storing and Freezing

Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezing: Place any baked crab cakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer until hard. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container or bag and keep frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Reheating: The best way to reheat crab cakes is in the oven on a baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 375F and bake for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat them in a skillet over low heat, but this will take longer, and they may break apart in the skillet.

Print
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Platter of Crab Cakes with Fresh Lemon, Pickles, and Mayo Dipping Sauce

The BEST Baked Crab Cakes

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 12 reviews
  • Author: Laney Schwartz
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 30
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Seafood
  • Method: Oven baked

Description

This baked crab cake recipe is packed with fresh crab and pairs perfectly with a homemade lemon mayo sauce. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 shallot (chopped)
  • 23 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 16 ounces fresh lump crab meat
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/23/4 cup corn flake crumbs

Lemon Mayo Sauce

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • Juice from 12 lemons
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Sauté shallot and garlic over low heat for about 5 minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. 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.
  3. Add the sautéd shallot and garlic to the crab mixture.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

  1. Scoop mayonnaise into small bowl. Mix in freshly squeezed lemon juice until you reach the consistency that you like. Add salt to taste.