Crabbies are such an easy, craveable appetizer. Although they contain crab meat, they are quite humble with simple English muffins as their base and a zesty mixture of cheese and butter crisped over the top.
Crabbies are fairly old school. I didn’t grow up eating these but sampled them as an adult and immediately fell in love! They are crispy and savory bites made with a handful of ingredients that shouldn’t go so well together, but somehow do.
You can call them crabbies, crab meltaways, crab melts, or even crabby snacks like they do in the Oscar-winning film Silver Linings Playbook. I always crave these delectable bite-sized apps whenever I watch that movie and the mom announces, “I’m making crabby snacks and homemades.”
Regardless of their name, they are a solid choice for entertaining. They're a great option to make ahead, freeze, and then bake when you’re ready to serve. You could serve them as entire English muffin halves, but cutting them into wedges is better for parties. I just love how there are more edges to crisp up with the smaller bites!
Ingredient notes
- Crab Meat: You could use fresh or canned crab meat, whatever your budget allows. Just make sure to pick through the crab meat for any stray shells before using it.
- Cheese Spread: I’ve only ever had crabbies made with Kraft Old English cheese spread. I can’t imagine there is any alternative that would yield the same results. I may be a cheese snob in some ways, and usually recommend “real cheese” for my recipes, but this is a case where I go for what is tried and true. It provides a sharp and zesty flavor and a super creamy texture that is perfect for this purpose. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it’s easily spreadable.
- English Muffins: Use plain English muffins, split into halves for this recipe. Wheat or multigrain English muffins have a different texture, and I’m not sure they would yield the same results if you swapped them in. I have seen others use different kinds of bread so you could get a bit creative here if you want, but I like to stick with the classic English muffins. They offer the perfect combination of chewy and crispy.
How to make it
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl combine cheese spread, butter, mayonnaise and garlic powder until smooth.
Gently fold in crab meat.
Spread the mixture evenly over the 12 English muffin halves.
Cut each English Muffin half into either 4 or 6 wedges (you could also leave them whole if you prefer).
Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are browned and crisp and the top is bubbly and golden.
For even crisper crabbies, broil them for an additional minute or two if desired (recommended; I like them well done!).
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
To make ahead, freeze the assembled and portioned but unbaked crabbies on a baking sheet or tray until frozen solid, 1 to 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag, squeezing out all the excess air.
Bake them from a frozen state, arranged on a parchment-lined sheet pan, for about 15 to 17 minutes or until crisp and bubbly. For even crisper crabbies, broil them for an additional minute or two if desired (recommended).
Variation
If you're not into crab, here's a fun variation on crabbies that you can try! Swap the crab meat for browned crumbled breakfast sausage or Italian sausage.
Let the cooked sausage cool to room temperature before combining with the cheese and butter so the mixture doesn't melt. The result is a completely different flavor profile but is also really savory and delicious.
Other recipes you may like
- Maryland Style Old Bay Crab Cakes
- Crab Stuffed Shells with Orange-Scented Tomato Sauce
- Crab-Stuffed Zucchini Flowers with Black Truffles
- Shrimp Toast
- Kibbeling (Dutch Fried Fish Bites)
- Reuben Dip
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Crabbies (Crabby Snacks / Crab Meltaways)
Ingredients
- 1 (5-ounce) jar Kraft Old English cheese spread room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 to 8 ounces crab meat drained and picked free of shells
- 6 English muffins split
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl combine the cheese spread, butter, mayonnaise and garlic powder until smooth. Gently fold in the crab meat.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the 12 English muffin halves. Cut each English Muffin half into either 4 or 6 wedges (you could also leave them whole if you prefer).
- If serving immediately, arrange them on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are browned and crisp and the top is bubbly and golden. For even crisper crabbies, broil them for an additional minute or two if desired (recommended).
- To make ahead, freeze the assembled and portioned but unbaked crabbies on a baking sheet or tray until frozen solid, 1 to 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag, squeezing out all the excess air. Bake them from a frozen state, arranged on a parchment-lined sheet pan, for about 15 to 17 minutes or until crisp and bubbly. For even crisper crabbies, broil them for an additional minute or two if desired (recommended).
Notes
- Use plain English muffins, split into halves for this recipe. Wheat or multigrain English muffins have a different texture, and I’m not sure they would yield the same results if you swapped them in. I have seen others use different kinds of bread so you could get a bit creative here if you want, but I like to stick with the classic English muffins. They offer the perfect combination of chewy and crispy.
- Variation: If you're not into crab, here's a fun variation on crabbies that you can try! Swap the crab meat for browned crumbled breakfast sausage or Italian sausage. Let the cooked sausage cool to room temperature before combining with the cheese and butter so the mixture doesn't melt. The result is a completely different flavor profile but is also really savory and delicious.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
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