Why It Works
- A mixture of cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo creates a dip base that’s properly creamy and neither too thick nor too thin, with a gentle lactic tanginess.
- Melted cheddar cheese ups the gooey factor while adding richness.
- Old Bay, hot sauce, cayenne, and garlic powder add multidimensional spice and heat to that signature Maryland flavor.
As I’ve shared with Serious Eats readers before, I know my way around a crab. I was raised by a mother from Maryland’s Eastern Shore who believed that it was just as important for me to be skilled at picking apart a crab and eating every last shred of meat and drop of mustard gunk as it was to learn to walk and read. At family crab feasts, she inspected my pile of shells, partly to make sure I wasn’t tarnishing the family name, and partly because maybe—just maybe—there was some hidden morsel still in need of eating after she had finished all of hers. (There never was.)
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
My frequent childhood trips to Maryland to visit my grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins almost always revolved around tables strewn with Old Bay–crusted jumbos, heaping crab cakes, bowls of she-crab soup, sautéed softshells, or a piping hot dish of crab imperial. One recipe that wasn’t in my family’s rotation during that era: this spicy crab dip.
I didn’t grow up with hot crab dip, but one taste was all it took to rekindle my crustacean-loving sense memories—licking salty, spicy, crab-stained fingers, pruned and stinging from the tiny cuts and punctures that come with a proper crab feast. Though with the dip, you get all that rich crab flavor and ample Old Bay seasoning layered into a baking dish of molten goo without any of the finger injuries or salt-chapped lips.
And here’s the thing: That molten goo is delicious, even if it’s undeniably junky and perhaps an affront to the crab purists of the world (among whom I count myself). Mixing beautiful lumps of blue crab into a rich but lowbrow combination of cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, Old Bay, garlic powder, cayenne, hot sauce, grated cheddar cheese, and Worcestershire sauce may seem like sacrilege, but it’s damned tasty sacrilege. And, to be fair, the crab flavor still comes through loud and clear, so no real harm done.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Put another way, this hot and spicy dip is a fantastic way to stretch a can of crab (yes, a can—there’s no way I’m picking all that meat by hand to put it in a dip) and serve a crowd of friends and family some signature Maryland flavor. Be careful, though: You may not have shell-injured fingers eating this, but you could easily burn your taste buds off if you jump in too eagerly once it comes out of the oven. It’s hard to resist, but let it cool just a little, OK?
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Is It Fancy? Is It Trashy? This Hot Dip Doesn’t Care.
Cook Mode
(Keep screen awake)
8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
5 ounces (142 g) grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 1/4 cups), divided
1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (from about 2 whole scallions)
3 tablespoons (45 g) mayonnaise
1 tablespoon (15 g) hot sauce, such as Crystal, or more to taste
2 teaspoons (10 g) Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons (10 g) fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons (6 g) Old Bay Seasoning, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 teaspoon (5 g) Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound (454 g) lump blue crab meat, picked over for shells
Crackers or toasts, for serving
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, stir together cream cheese, half the grated cheddar, sour cream, scallions, mayonnaise, hot sauce, Dijon, lemon juice, Old Bay, Worcestershire, garlic powder, and cayenne until very thoroughly mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired: Keep in mind that the crab will dilute the intensity of the seasoning mixture a little, but it should still taste good, if a little full-flavored. For example, you can add more hot sauce and/or cayenne if you want it spicier; the Old Bay is very salty and the crab has its own salinity, so you likely won’t need more salt, but if it tastes undersalted to you, you can add a bit more—just be very careful not to add too much.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Add crab meat and, using a silicone spatula, very gently fold to mix well, trying not to break up the lumps of crabmeat any more than necessary. Scrape mixture into a 1-quart baking dish and bake until hot and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Remove from oven and turn on broiler. Lightly sprinkle dip with the remaining cheddar cheese and a dusting of Old Bay. Broil about 4 to 6 inches from heating element until cheese is melted, bubbling, and very lightly golden on top. Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot with crackers or toasts.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Special Equipment
Silicone spatula, 1-quart baking dish
Make-Ahead and Storage
The dip is best eaten soon after it comes out of the broiler—just let it cool for a few minutes so you don’t burn your taste buds off. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Rewarm in a low oven or the microwave; if desired after warming, scatter with additional cheddar and broil until bubbly on top.
