This post may contain affiliate links.
Cream Cheese Wontons are the crispy, golden takeout appetizer with a warm, creamy center that disappears off the plate in minutes. I fry up a batch whenever we do an *at home Chinese takeout night*, and they are the perfect crunchy starter before our beef and broccoli.
A simple five ingredient cream cheese filling folded into wonton wrappers and fried until golden makes the crispiest cream cheese wontons in minutes.
Cream Cheese Wontons Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 5 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 15 minutes
- 🍽 Serving: 24 wontons
- ⚡ Calories: 56kcal
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Crispy and golden outside with a warm, creamy, savory cream cheese center
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our baked cream cheese wonton cups
Quick Answer
Mix softened cream cheese with minced scallion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and a little sugar until smooth. Spoon about half a tablespoon of filling onto a wonton wrapper, moisten the edges with water, and fold into four points, pressing to seal. Fry in 375 degree oil a few at a time until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes, then drain and serve with sweet and sour sauce.
Jump to:
- Cream Cheese Wontons Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Cream Cheese Wontons
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Cream Cheese Wontons FAQs
- Other Recommended Takeout Recipes
- Easy Fried Cream Cheese Wontons Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Softened cream cheese mixes smooth. Starting with softened cream cheese means the filling whips together creamy and lump free, so every bite has that signature smooth center.
- A touch of Worcestershire and sugar balances it. A little Worcestershire adds savory depth and a pinch of sugar rounds out the tang, giving the filling that craveable takeout flavor.
- Moistening the edges seals them tight. Running a wet finger along the wrapper edge glues the points together so the wontons stay sealed and the filling does not leak out in the hot oil.
- Hot 375 degree oil fries fast. Frying at the right temperature crisps the wrapper to golden in just 4 to 5 minutes without absorbing grease or overcooking the filling.
- Frying in batches keeps them crisp. Not crowding the fryer keeps the oil temperature steady so every wonton comes out shatteringly crispy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better than takeout. Crispy, creamy, and fresh from the fryer, these beat the restaurant version, just like our beef and broccoli.
- Just 5 filling ingredients. Cream cheese and a few pantry seasonings are all it takes for the filling.
- Party perfect. They make 24 wontons, so they are ideal for game day, potlucks, and Chinese takeout night at home.
Key Ingredients
- Cream cheese: Eight ounces, softened, is the creamy heart of the filling. Use full fat block cream cheese for the smoothest, richest center.
- Wonton wrappers: Twenty four square wonton wrappers. Keep them covered with a damp towel so they do not dry out while you work.
- Scallion and seasonings: Minced scallion, garlic powder, Worcestershire, and a pinch of sugar season the filling with savory, slightly sweet flavor.
- Peanut oil: For frying. Its high smoke point gives a clean, crispy fry, but any neutral frying oil works.
- Sweet and sour sauce: The classic dip for serving. Sweet chili or duck sauce are great too.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Make them crab rangoon. Stir in a few ounces of chopped imitation or real crab for classic crab rangoon, like our smoked crab dip flavor.
- Bake instead of fry. Brush or spray with oil and bake at 375 degrees for about 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway, like our baked wonton cups.
- Air fry them. Spray with oil and air fry at 375 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes until golden.
- Add heat. Mix in a little sriracha or red pepper flakes for spicy cream cheese wontons.
- Go savory. Add minced cooked bacon, green onion tops, or a bit of shredded cheddar to the filling.
How to Make Cream Cheese Wontons
- In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, minced scallion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and sugar.
- Mix until smooth. Heat a deep fryer or Dutch oven with 4 inches of oil to 375 degrees.
- Set a wonton wrapper on your work surface and run a wet finger along the edges to moisten them.
- Add about half a tablespoon of filling to the center.
- Fold the wrapper into four points, pressing the edges together to seal.
- Fry in batches of about 4 until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and serve immediately with sweet and sour sauce.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Soften the cream cheese. Let it sit at room temperature so it mixes smooth and lump free. Cold cream cheese is hard to blend evenly.
- Do not overfill. Half a tablespoon is plenty. Too much filling makes the wontons hard to seal and they can burst in the oil.
- Seal them well. Press the moistened edges firmly so they do not pop open while frying.
- Keep wrappers covered. Cover the stack with a damp towel so they stay pliable and do not dry out and crack.
- Watch the oil temperature. Keep it at 375 degrees and fry in small batches so the oil stays hot and the wontons crisp up fast.
- Drain upside down. Resting them point side down on paper towels lets excess oil drain out of the folds.
- Serve them hot. Cream cheese wontons are best fresh and crispy right out of the fryer with dipping sauce ready to go.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Cream cheese wontons are the perfect crispy starter for a Chinese takeout night at home. Serve a big platter with bowls of sweet and sour sauce, sweet chili sauce, and duck sauce for dipping, then move on to mains like our beef and broccoli.
Build a full takeout spread by pairing them with our copycat PF Chang’s kung pao chicken and a pot of wonton soup. The crispy wontons are the perfect contrast to the saucy mains.
They are also a great party appetizer all on their own. Set them out at game day or a potluck next to other dippable bites. Make a double batch, they go fast. Any leftovers reheat crisp in the air fryer.
Cream Cheese Wontons FAQs
The best wrappers for cream cheese wontons are square wonton wrappers, found in the refrigerated produce section. They fry up crispy and fold easily into the classic four point shape. Keep them covered with a damp towel so they do not dry out.
Cream cheese wontons are classically served with sweet and sour sauce. Sweet chili sauce, duck sauce, and soy sauce are all great dipping options too. The sweet, tangy sauces balance the rich, creamy filling perfectly.
Yes, you can turn cream cheese wontons into crab rangoon. Just stir a few ounces of finely chopped real or imitation crab into the cream cheese filling before folding and frying. Everything else stays the same.
Yes, you can bake cream cheese wontons instead of frying. Brush or spray them with oil and bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. They will be a little less crispy than fried but still delicious.
Yes, you can assemble cream cheese wontons ahead. Fold them, place on a tray so they are not touching, and refrigerate for a few hours or freeze. Fry straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the cook time.
Store leftover cream cheese wontons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer or oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes to crisp them back up. Avoid the microwave, which makes them soggy.
Other Recommended Takeout Recipes
If these Cream Cheese Wontons disappeared off the plate, drop a star rating and let us know how they turned out. Photos of your crispy wontons on Pinterest always make our day.
Prefer a baked version? Our baked cream cheese wonton cups give you the same creamy filling in a crispy baked cup, no frying required.
Make it a full takeout feast with our better than takeout beef and broccoli, tender beef in a savory garlic sauce.
For a spicy main, our copycat PF Chang’s kung pao chicken brings the heat with peanuts, chilies, and a glossy sauce.
Build a party platter by pairing these wontons with our flaky spinach puffs for a mix of crispy and buttery bites.
Crab rangoon fans will love our cold crab dip recipe with crackers.
More cream cheese magic: our sausage stuffed mushroom recipe stuffs it into juicy baby bella caps.
These crispy wontons are the perfect starter for our teriyaki chicken fried rice.
If you love crispy fried bites, you have to make these banana fritters.
Love fried appetizers? Try our crispy pork egg rolls next.
Easy Fried Cream Cheese Wontons Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon minced scallion white part only
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 24 wonton wrappers
- Peanut oil for frying
- sweet and sour sauce for serving
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, mix together the cream cheese, scallion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and sugar until smooth.8 ounces cream cheese, 1 tablespoon minced scallion, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- Heat a deep fryer or dutch oven with 4 inches of oil to 375°F.Peanut oil for frying
- Place a small bowl of water on a clean work surface. Set a wonton wrapper on your station and dip your finger into the water, run your finger along the edge of the wrapper to moisten it.24 wonton wrappers
- Add about ½ tablespoon of the cream cheese filling. Fold the wrapper into four points, pressing the edges together to seal.
- Fry in batches about 4 wontons at a time, you don’t want to crowd the fryer. Fry until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.
- Place the wontons upside down onto a paper towel lined plate to drain any excess oil.
- Serve immediately with sweet and sour sauce for dipping.sweet and sour sauce for serving
Notes
- For best results, make sure your cream cheese is softened.
- Don’t overfill! Too much cream cheese filling can lead to it escaping during frying.
- If you’re not a fan of frying, try the air fryer for crispy cream cheese wontons.
- Always serve immediately for the crispiest experience.
- Use a damp paper towel to cover uncooked wontons so they don’t dry out.
- If frying, ensure your oil temperature is just right for that perfect golden brown look.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
