Kamil Perry
Cream cheese wontons are a marriage of Chinese and American cuisines. They are a popular appetizer in Chinese and Asian restaurants and are often deep-fried. However, they can also be baked in the oven, which is a healthier alternative to frying. The ingredients required to make cheese wontons are minimal and easy to find. The main ingredient is cream cheese, which is combined with sugar, salt, scallions or green onions, and seasonings. The cream cheese mixture is then wrapped in wonton wrappers, which can be sealed with water or an egg wash. The wontons are then fried or baked until golden brown and served with a dipping sauce, such as sweet and sour or sweet chili sauce.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Cream cheese, wonton wrappers |
| Other ingredients | Sugar, salt, scallions, onion powder, garlic powder, green onions, chives, crab, egg |
| Type | Appetizer |
| Cuisine | Chinese, American |
| Cooking methods | Deep-frying, baking |
| Dipping sauces | Sweet chili sauce, sweet and sour sauce, duck sauce |
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What You'll Learn
Wonton wrappers
There are a few different ways to shape wontons. One popular method is to bring two opposite corners together in the middle, creating a triangle shape, and then bringing the remaining two corners together to form a package shape. Another method is to bring all four corners together in the middle, creating a star shape, and then sealing the edges.
Once the wontons are assembled, they are typically fried in oil until golden brown and crispy. Alternatively, they can be baked in the oven at a high temperature until crispy and golden. Baked wontons may be brushed with oil or sprayed with vegetable oil before baking to ensure a crispy texture.
Wontons can be frozen before or after cooking and are a popular appetizer or snack, often served with a dipping sauce such as sweet and sour or sweet chilli sauce. They can also be served as part of an Asian meal or as a party snack.
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Filling ingredients
Cheese wontons are a marriage of Chinese and American cuisines. They are usually deep-fried and served in restaurants like Panda Express, Pei Wei, and PF Changs. However, they can also be baked in the oven. The filling for cheese wontons is usually made with cream cheese, sugar, salt, and scallions or green onions. Some variations include adding crab, imitation crab, chives, or other kinds of cheese to the filling. For a plant-based option, tofu cream cheese can be used.
To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, salt, and scallions or green onions in a small bowl. You can also add garlic powder or onion powder for extra flavour. Beat the ingredients until creamy using an electric hand mixer. If you are adding crab to your filling, make sure to use imitation crab or the real thing and stir it into the cream cheese mixture.
Once you have your filling ready, you can start assembling your wontons. Take a wonton wrapper and dampen the outer edges with a thin layer of water. You can also use an egg wash made with one beaten egg and one tablespoon of water to seal the wontons, but be careful not to use too much moisture as it can make the wrappers soggy. Place about one teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in the middle of the wrapper. Bring the two corners of the wrapper together to form a triangle and seal with another dab of water or egg wash. Repeat this process until all your wontons are assembled.
If you are frying your cheese wontons, heat a couple of inches of vegetable oil in a small pot until it reaches 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the wontons in batches of 4-6 at a time for about 2-3 minutes per batch, or until they are golden brown. If you are baking your cheese wontons, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the assembled wontons on the baking sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until they are crispy and golden.
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Filling preparation
To make the filling for cheese wontons, you will need cream cheese, seasonings, and potentially other ingredients such as sugar, onion powder, scallions, garlic powder, salt, and crab.
First, combine the cream cheese with your desired seasonings and other ingredients in a small bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the ingredients until the mixture is creamy.
You can also add chives, crab, and other kinds of cheese to the filling, adjusting the amount of cream cheese accordingly. If you are making plant-based wontons, you can use tofu cream cheese as your base.
Once you have prepared your filling, you can begin assembling your wontons by placing a teaspoon of the mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper and then sealing the wrapper through various folding techniques.
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Folding and sealing
The process of folding and sealing cheese wontons is relatively simple and can be done in a few different ways. One common method is to place a small amount of the cream cheese mixture in the centre of a wonton wrapper, using approximately 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of filling. You can then "paint" the edges of the wrapper with an egg wash or water, which will act as a glue to seal the wonton.
From here, you can bring the opposite corners of the wrapper up to the middle and pinch them shut, creating a triangular shape. Alternatively, you can roll the wrapper diagonally, starting with the filled corner, and stopping once the cream cheese mixture is enclosed. This will result in a more cigar-shaped wonton.
It is important to ensure that the wontons are well-sealed to prevent leaks during frying or baking. One source recommends covering any unused wonton wrappers with a damp paper towel to prevent them from drying out while you work.
Once folded and sealed, the wontons can be fried in batches of 4-5 for 3-4 minutes, or baked in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-9 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
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Cooking methods
Cheese wontons are a marriage of Chinese and American cuisines. They are easy to make and can be baked or fried. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make them:
Filling
Firstly, make the wonton filling. In a small bowl, add softened cream cheese, sugar, onion or garlic powder, and salt to taste. You can also add scallions or green onions, crab, or other kinds of cheese. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the ingredients until creamy.
Assembly
Lay out 12-14 wonton wrappers on a non-stick surface. Cover any unused wrappers with a damp paper towel to prevent them from drying out. Place a teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in the middle of each wrapper. Then, dampen the outer edges of the wrapper with a thin layer of water or a light egg wash (1 beaten egg + 1 tablespoon of water).
Bring two opposite corners together in the middle of the wrapper and pinch to seal. Repeat with the other two corners, forming a package shape. You can also create a star shape by bringing each corner up and sealing each edge. Make sure the edges are tightly sealed to prevent the filling from leaking out while frying.
Frying
Heat 2-4 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pan or saucepan to 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry 4-6 wontons at a time for about 45 seconds to 2 minutes, turning them as needed to ensure even browning. Remove the wontons with a slotted spoon and drain them on a paper towel-lined plate.
Baking
Alternatively, you can bake the wontons. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminium foil and place the assembled wontons on it, making sure they are spaced out and not overlapping. Spray or brush the wontons generously with vegetable oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 7-10 minutes, or until the wontons turn golden brown and crispy.
Allow the fried or baked wontons to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving as the cream cheese filling can be very hot. Serve with a dipping sauce such as sweet chilli sauce, duck sauce, or sweet and sour sauce.
Storage
Cooked wontons can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 2 days or frozen for later use. Reheat in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-8 minutes. Uncooked wontons can also be frozen and fried straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cook time.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need wonton wrappers, cream cheese, seasonings, oil, and egg. For the seasonings, you can use onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and scallions.
First, make the filling by combining the cream cheese with your chosen seasonings. Next, assemble the wontons by placing a teaspoon of filling in the centre of each wonton wrapper, then sealing the wrapper by folding and using water or egg wash to stick the edges together. Finally, fry the wontons in oil at around 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown.
Yes, you can bake them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes, or until they turn golden brown.
