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 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. (My crab dip, too!) I’m really proud of it and am so excited to share these Maryland crab cakes with you!
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 an awesome 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
For even more inspiration here are 15+ summer dinner ideas! And don’t forget the chocolate chip cookies or vanilla cupcakes for dessert!
Print
Maryland 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 14 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 rubber 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 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 | Rubber 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.
Keywords: seafood, Maryland, crabs
I used ritz crackers instead of saltines because that’s all I had. I also only had claw meat instead of lump meat, due to fish market being out. But boy oh boy was it good! Thanks!
★★★★
Winner winner crab cake dinner. This is a keeper for sure
★★★★★
Made this crab cake recipe tonight for dinner, was delicious, will be using this recipe often! Big hit with family, thanks so much.
★★★★★
Did not want to waste my $36 pound of lump crab with the wrong recipe, again. Honestly, I probably messed up before due to my aversion to mayo. This recipe is Awesome! Followed to the T and they came out perfect!!! Thank You !!!
★★★★★
Very good recipe. Excellent flavor. Maybe the best crab cake ever!
★★★★★
Well I am super glad you decided to share it. I just made these and they were amazing! My husband said it was the best crab cake he ever had and I agree Thanks for sharing ❤️
★★★★★
So delicious, husband loved them will be making these again.
Can you use panko bread crumbs instead of crackers?
Hi Candice, You can use Panko, but I’m afraid they might be a bit too coarse in the center. Let me know if you try them!
AMAZING! 3 things caught my attention with this recipe which was exactly what I was looking for; ratio of crab meat vs filler, baked and mix ahead of time. Made these for my mothers birthday, she is picky about 2 things and they are crab cakes and her cosmo’s. Nailed it! Since her birthday is on Mothers Day this year, I wanted to do this ahead of time since I wanted to enjoy the day as well. Took me less than 15 minutes to mix ingredients and clean up – pop in fridge. Next day all I had to do is form the cakes and put them in the oven. They were perfection! Zero leftovers. Mine made 15 as I doubled the recipe. Since these can freeze, I will always double the recipe and freeze. FANTASTIC! *Mother approved. Cost me $40 to make 15 crab cakes that is $2.66 per crab cake. She’ll never order these out again. Thank you!
★★★★★
I made these for my 78-year-old mother for Mother’s Day lunch. We would typically celebrate Mother’s Day at a nice restaurant, but in the time of COVID I wanted to make a special meal we could enjoy on her patio. We both LOVE great crab cakes, and it’s literally her favorite food, but she is VERY picky about her crab cakes – they must have the perfect flavoring and very little filler. These were simply amazing! Really quite easy to make – I put everything together last night and just scooped onto the baking sheet this morning. Truly fantastic, and definitely met Mom’s approval. Thank you for a terrific recipe. The only question I had with your instructions is regarding your suggestion about how to store the leftovers – what leftovers?
★★★★★
This recipe is legit. Maryland crab cakes at their finest. I followed the recipe exactly and the results were perfect. Just make sure you have access to good jumbo lump. Being that I live by ocean city MD, I’m able to find good .
★★★★★
A wonderful recipe! The small amount of filler let the crab shine. I am a Gulf Coast convert to the Maryland style. Thanks for a great recipe.
★★★★★
I tripled everything except for the pound of crabmeat and used panko instead of crushed crackers. I originally tried the amounts listed, but the crab was barely coated, and even after tripling everything, it still was more crab than filler. The tip about brushing with melted butter was spot on and it was absolutely delicious! Served with sauteed kale.
★★★★★
My friends and I had a Crab themed girls night in (thanks COVID-19) I made these (few minor mods) and they turned out perfectly. “Better than Restaurant Quality” may have been thrown around a few times.
★★★★★
I live in Southern Maryland but originally from Massachusetts. I can cook some stuffed haddock, clams, lobster, etc. But crab cakes had been a failure until the recipe, this is pure perfection and no one has been disappointed yet. There are no modifications needed everything is just right!!!!!! So delicious…I can’t thank you enough for sharing and all the helpful hints for this Northern girl to look like a Maryland native.
Thank you so very much Sally
Erika
★★★★★
OMG. Perfect, delicious, so simple. Thank you for this recipe. Love that I could bake them, so much easier!!
★★★★★
Louisiana crab afecianado here, tired of crabcakes with filler. Made these crab cakes tonight for my parents, huge hit my dad who is Extremely picky ate 2! Doubled the recipe and voila 12 PERFECT crabcakes! Thank you!
★★★★★
I was always very happy with the way my cakes turned out. A a pandemic hits and I have more time on my hands, maybe try something new.
DELICIOUS. I didn’t deviate too much from the recipe. I used club crackers instead of saltines and I didn’t have hot sauce. Everything else was just right.
Having the crab mixture chilled I think made it so much easier to make them into patties and they didn’t fall apart. But baking them was what really made a difference was baking them. I baked them for 14 minutes. The next time I make them, I would bake them a few minutes longer.
In a word. MARVELOUS.
★★★★★
Thanks so much! We just shelled a bunch of fresh crabs so I’m excited to make crab cakes. However, we’re missing some of the major ingredients in this recipe — wonder what you recommend for substitutions? We’re missing mayonnaise, but will probably try to make mayonnaise from scratch. Also don’t have Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and old bay. 🙁 I know it’s a lot but suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
★★★★★
I never leave reviews but we made this tonight. The recipe is PERFECT. I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay and have been eating crab cakes all my life. Loved this crab cake! Thank you!!!
★★★★★
I also tried this recipe as something to do since we’re quarantined and I am SO PLEASED! It’s DELICIOUS!
I did modify the recipe a little bit by adding a little bit of chipotle pepper powder and Sriracha, we like things spicy in my house, and it was delicious! I am so pleased with this recipe it’s SO MUCH better than the grocery store and most restaurant crab cakes!
★★★★★
The best crab cake (healthy too) I have ever had! Thank you!
★★★★★
Wow! Amazing recipe. I’ve tried a few of your other recipes successfully and when I saw you had a crab cake recipe figured out, I decided to give it a whirl. I used colossal lump pasteurized crab meat in a can, soaked it in ice water for 15 min to remove the metallic flavor, drained the crab and followed the rest of your recipe as written. (I would have used fresh crab if it was currently available). Excellent recipe, created a restaurant-worthy crab cake. Thank you! (also served it a quick aioli-type sauce of mayo, 1/2 clove garlic, Old Bay, lemon juice, lemon zest, black pepper)
★★★★★
This recipe is the best! I decided to try this based on the comments alone and though I do not ever leave these types of reviews this recipe nailed crab cakes!!! They tasted great! I followed the recipe (but double) and even though I didn’t have the highest quality crab meat the cakes turned out amazing! Thank you!
★★★★★
I’m also Baltimore born and raised and loved this recipe! Great tip to refrigerate the mixture before forming the crab cakes. Also loved baking them — no lingering frying smells. Next time I may flip half way through to brown top & bottom more evenly. Great recipe. Thank you!
★★★★★
I’m usually not big on reviews but this recipe definitely deserves 5 Stars! I’ve been trying out so many different things to make the last three weeks. I bought some crab meat to make stuffed shrimp but then decided why not crab cakes! So off to Google I go! Clicked on the first pic that caught my eye. Also saw the word “baked”. Almost always better to bake and not fry food. I followed the recipe exactly. The crab meat I had admittedly was claw meat because I had planned on stuffing shrimp and thought it would be easier to work with. Even though I didn’t use lump crab meat they were spectacular! Six perfect crab cakes. As good as any we ever had in any of our favorite places! And we definitely have had some great ones. I did let the mixture sit overnight. Although it wasn’t needed we made some of our not so secret sauce. Mayo, ketchup and horseradish! I won’t tell you how many of the six I ate! This “stay at home” is killing me! Lol.
★★★★★
EXCELLENT recipe! 2nd time making in 2 weeks. Can’t wait to make for our family and friends! Thank you!
★★★★★
And forgot to give it 5 stars…lol❣️
★★★★★
Absolutely perfect! And so easy to make. I would have liked to have left mixture in refrigerator for several hours but I have starving teenagers, apparently. I will never fry crab cakes in oil again the oven makes them golden brown and perfect. I also made two copies of the recipe because my kids are soon off to college and this recipe doesn’t require a lot of ingredients and so easy to make. Pretty much cool proof. Thanks so much for sharing!
This is an incredible recipe. I did change some things just because I am in quarentine and trying to do the stay at home thing. I did not have old bay but I had red lobster seafood seasoning. I also was out of fresh parsley so I sinned green onions. Made benedict out of the cakes and added a tomato and poached egg on top and smothered in lemony dill hollandaise sauce. It was outstanding! Thank you. My go to recipe.
★★★★★
Amazing is the word for these. I’ve made them several times and they are a family favorite. My sister in law makes crab cakes and they pale/fail in comparison. While she is frying and adding cilantro of all things, I’m just laughing to myself at all of her mistakes. If only she knew how easy and delicious this recipe is! I don’t change a thing and follow the receipt to a tee, except I do not use the butter.
★★★★★
Was skeptical at first with the ingredient for saltine crackers especially after researching many other ‘authentic’ Maryland crab cake recipes that used panko or other forms of fillers. Not being from Maryland, but visiting very frequently we know these are a treat so we really wanted a tried and true recipe to make at home (and we are stuck on lock down because of COVID-19 had plenty of time to research recipes). We decided to try your recipe also for the baking method since we were making 18 crab cakes (so we made this a 3x) and the idea of pan sauteing was very time consuming. With that said this is undoubtedly the best and most ‘authentic’ recipe ever. The cracker fillers were perfect, used Handy’s lump crab meat (not jumbo lump), we refrigerated for about 40 minutes, used the 1/2 cup measuring cup to make each one even, had exactly 18, and then baked them for 14 minutes. Every single crab cake was cooked through, moist, not flattened and had that restaurant look (and no pan clean up or extra oil needed)!. They were perfectly browned on the top and fell apart just so when you put your fork through them. We also paired them with Joe’s Stone Crab Mustard sauce. We were 9 people for dinner and everyone was amazed how each crab cake was literally perfect. Thank you for posting!
★★★★★