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 would like to make these but I cannot get saltine crackers in England. What about matza crackers? Any suggestions?
Hi Lizzy, a few readers have reported success swapping in matzo crackers. Let us know if you do give it a try!
Had these for dinner tonight. My boyfriend thanked me 4 times for making them and asked I make them again. I followed the recipe exactly as published. I would not change a thing. Super fast to make, too. I’d highly recommend!
Hi Sally,
I’ve made these wonderful crab cakes twice and now my husband looks forward to them as a special treat (as do I!). Due to availability, I have been using good quality canned lump crab meat and the results have been great. I’m slowly increasing the amount of Old Bay (we are a bit heat shy) but with or without, these are delicious. I serve them with a lemon basil aioli (shortcut version with mayo) and they are as good as we have had in a high-end steakhouse. They really do freeze beautifully, as well. Thanks for helping me expand the variety of my dinner options. You have done wonders for my baking repertoire as well.
I am terrible at making crabcakes. They always fall apart. If I bake them if I fry them, they just crumble apart the recipes I have used several different kinds that is close to yours last time I did it two different times for two different recipes and it never turned out good. It didn’t even taste like crab meat and it was lump crab meat from the store. I’m gonna try yours. I like the way you made your saltines into crumbs with a ninja processor.
I’m from Baltimore. That said, I’m a crab cake snob. Your recipe is pretty close and I especially like that you emphasize very little filler.
I prefer using jumbo lump crab. Expensive but worth it. Panko bread crumbs rather than saltines is lighter. Less Old Bay, maybe 1/2 tsp. Traditional Baltimore crab cakes have none. Definitely bake as instructed.
Hi Cathryn,
Thanks for mentioning Panko as that was a question I had. I’m in neighboring NoVA and love crab cakes!
I have a few crab cakes left. Very filling for me and my husband. I want to reheat – but don’t want to overcook. Suggestions?
Hi Laura! For reheating, we recommend using the oven for the best texture. Lightly cover with foil and bake at 300ºF until warmed through.
Best cakes ever
I live in Maryland and I use this recipe all the time now! It’s delicious!
Excellent and well researched recipie. 70 year old Marylander that still catches his own crabs every summer. Recipie is very similar to my families recipie that my sister still has a copy which is over 125 years old. She had it framed over 30 years ago. The one thing that I can’t stress enough. If you can source and afford fresh (not pasteurized) Maryland jumbo lump crabmeat by all means go for it. All this imported faux blue crabmeat that 99% of “even” Maryland restaurants serve today is an embarrassment to a true MD Crabcake. Even the pasteurized MD crabmeat is a few rungs below the real thing. I rarely ever eat them at restaurants because they are beyond dissapointing to me. Most people have no clue what a true MD crabcake tastes like. Yes I am a crab snob, and admit it.
You are absolutely right!!! Canned crabmeat just cannot compare to picking the meat and making the cakes. I don’t do it often but when I have it’s only for my immediate family cause that’s a lot of picking!!! I have found that soaking the canned crabmeat in ice cold water and letting it drain helps immensely when you have to cook for a crowd on a budget. I simply can’t wait to make my crabs n spaghetti this year, always a secret recipe and they scarf them up quicker than I can cook them.
Summer is coming! Can I cook these on a silicone baking mat on the grill?
No, silicone baking mats are not made to be placed directly on a grill. If you find a grill safe surface to use, let us know!
They sell copper grill sheets that work fairly well well. But I bet an air fryer basket could work.
I made these crab cakes last evening and the flavor was absolutely wonderful! I refridgerated the mix for 2 hours and then formed the 1/2 c balls. Held together nicely while baking (on the greased sheet) but when I went to move them from the baking sheet to the serving platter, they fell apart. Tasted great but looked bad.
Hi Susan, So glad you enjoy the flavor of these crab cakes. It may help to break up some of the large lump meat so the mixture binds together better. You may also want to increase the cracker crumbs slightly. Both will help for next time. Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
I was born and raised in Maryland. Crabs and Orioles baseball are in my blood. Living in Florida no restaurant here gets crab cakes right. This recipe fits the bill. I usually get blue crab for my birthday the end of June and I will have so much fun making all your crabby goodness. Sally thank you for another yummy recipe
These came out delicious, I made them smaller so each person gets 2 as a plated appetizer. I also coated them in panko crumbs and sprayed with olive oil spray before I baked them. I like that these are baked, most crab cakes are fried. The one I tasted fresh out of the oven was yum, but I froze the rest so I really hope they will still be good.
Really good recipe, but I subbed Ritz crackers for saltines. It adds a better flavor.
Born and raised in Maryland! Very good traditional recipe except the saltines. Use Ritz or better yet Lance Captains Wafflers instead of the saltines Thank me later.
Thank you for the tip. I always prefer Ritz crumbs to saltines. Any advice as to amount or anything else?
I followed directions with the exception of crackers. Since I had none on hand, I used panko instead and was most pleased with the results.
I have made these numerous times and am about to make them again. I misplaced my paper copy and am viewing my computer when I noted an increase in the number of saltine crackers (from 14 to 17 or 18.)
I’m wondering why the increase?
Thanks.
I still use 14!
One of the best recipes for crab cakes I have tried! I do not usually leave reviews, but I wanted to this time because my family loved them! Thank you Sally!
Great recipe! Thank you!
Maryland native and huge crab / crab cake lover. This is definitely the best recipe I’ve discovered so far. Thank you!
Same! This is the only recipe my family likes. I buy crab when it’s on sale and freeze it. Then, I defrost when ready and absorb the extra liquid with paper towels. I don’t buy crab cakes in the store anymore!
Maryland native and huge crab / crab cake lover, this is definitely the best recipe I’ve discovered so far. Thank you!
What a great site! Well done! Jump to! Print! Super!
I am on the SC coast, crabs off the dock. Once kept a sailboat at Rock Hall.
Your recipe is spot on and the tip great. Saltines!
Delighted to find your site!
Crab cakes are the best! Do you have a cheesecake recipe?
You bet, Debbie! Here’s our classic cheesecake recipe and all our other cheesecake recipes to browse as well.
Followed the steps exactly add these came out perfect! I did leave them in for 15 mins and then used the broiler for a little extra browning but my goodness, perfect with an arugula parmesan salad
These crabcakes are better than any restaurant crabcakes . My family loves them . Thank you for sharing the recipe for them. I splurged on jumbo lump crab for Christmas Eve dinner.They were the star of the dinner!
Leave out the 8th teaspoon of salt. It’s really not needed.! Otherwise, the recipe is good
These Crab Cake are so delicious. We recommend everyone try this recipe. We followed the recipe to the T and they turned out AMAZING. Thank you for this.
This recipe is amazing. Made exactly as is with 1.5t of Old Bay for the spicier version and always get rave reviews. Couple that with crab from Costco and you have a great weekday dinner or fancy dinner party main course.
Are the saltines salted or unsalted?
Can you recommend a tartar sauce recipe
Thx 🙂
Hi Katherine, We like to use salted. You can use unsalted if you’d like–there is plenty of salt in the recipe, too. We usually just serve these with cocktail sauce or tartar sauce from the store. Hope you love this recipe!
WHOAAAAA! I’m from Maryland, and live in Texas.
I’ve never once attempted to make my own crab cakes but I finished a 3 week meatless fast and wanted crab as one of my first meals and just WHOA…
BLOWN AWAY!!
Flavor, crispiness, everything PERFECTION!!!
Thank you!