Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon (Copycat)

Sabrina Snyderby Sabrina SnyderPublished: March 22, 2016 88 Comments
5 from 9 votes

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Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon made with a creamy center and crispy exterior, these are the perfect appetizer for your next Chinese takeout meal.

Panda Express Cream Cheese Wontons on platter

Cream Cheese Wontons Vs. Cream Cheese Rangoon

Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon may seem like a Chinese restaurant favorite, but it is actually not the crab (or Krab) wontons you’re used to.  In this version, the flavor is mostly made up of cream cheese and crispy delicious wontons.

The hardest part of making cream cheese wontons really just lies in making the same shape. If you remember playing the fortune teller paper game as a kid, that’s what your hand looks like when making these. You have to fold into the center from the center of each side so you make little wings that you can seal together. While it isn’t necessary or add to the flavor, it is definitely cute and adds to the copycat nature of the recipe. You can also just fold the wonton in half into a triangle and fry them up!

Panda Express Copycats E-Cookbook

Also, I am shooting for the Panda Express E-Cookbook to be released in the next month, so you guys will just be able to download the whole set of recipes instead of having to collect all the links together.

Keeping track of all the Panda Express copycat recipes here on the blog?

WONTON STRIPS ARE GREAT TOO!

You’re also going to want to serve the Panda Express Cream Cheese Wontons with some sweet and sour sauce. If you don’t want to have dairy, or you have friends coming over who may not tolerate/like cream cheese, you can also cut the wontons into strips and fry them up to dip into some sweet and sour sauce too.

Star-Shaped Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon

Recipe

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Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon made with a creamy center and crispy exterior, these are the perfect appetizer for your next Chinese takeout meal. You can make ahead and freeze for later too.
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Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon

5 from 9 votes
  • Yield: 24 wontons
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Course: Appetizer
  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Author: Sabrina Snyder
Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon made with a creamy center and crispy exterior, these are the perfect appetizer for your next Chinese takeout meal. You can make ahead and freeze for later too.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
  • 2 tablespoons scallions , minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 24 wonton wrappers
  • Oil
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.

  1. In a small bowl mix the cream cheese, scallions and garlic powder together.
  2. Preheat oil in a heavy bottomed pot, a couple inches high to 350 degrees.
  3. Put 1 tablespoon in a middle of a wonton wrapper and with your finger add water to the edges.
  4. Push the four centers of each side into the middle and press them together.
  5. Once the middle is connected from all four sides connect the little wings coming out from the middle
  6. Let sit while you make all the wontons and when you start to fry, begin with the wontons you made first, they'll be the driest.
  7. You aren't cooking anything to a specific temperature for food safety reasons, so just cook until golden brown

Nutrition Information

Yield: 24 wontons, Amount per serving: 54 calories, Calories: 54g, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 73mg, Potassium: 19mg, Vitamin A: 130g, Vitamin C: 0.1g, Calcium: 13g, Iron: 0.3g

All images and text © for Dinner, then Dessert.

Keywords: Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon (Copycat), Panda Express rangoon, Panda Express recipes
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Cream Cheese Rangoon ready to dip in sweet and sour sauce

Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon made with a creamy center and crispy exterior, these are the perfect appetizer for your next Chinese takeout meal. You can make ahead and freeze for later too.
Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon made with a creamy center and crispy exterior, these are the perfect appetizer for your next Chinese takeout meal. You can make ahead and freeze for later too.

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Comments

  2. Hi your recipe says to heat oil to 350 then put 1 tablespoon inside every wonton wrapper, I guess I’m just wondering what’s the purpose of that? Does it cook the inside of the wrap?

    Reply

      1. Consider updating the recipe to clarify this (“Put 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture in the middle…”). I too read it at first as putting a tablespoon of oil in the wonton wrapper, because the step immediately before this talks about oil, not the cream cheese mixture. I got more context from reading the next steps, but someone following the recipe without looking ahead might also think they need to drop a bunch of hot oil in their wonton!

        Reply

  3. Wow. If you’re going to have a jump to recipe button make sure it actually jumps to recipe. When I have to scroll and scroll just to find the recipe it is extremely frustrating.

    Reply

    1. I just tested it and it takes me right to the recipe. Sorry if you were having issues with it. Were you on desktop or mobile?

      Reply

  5. A good start for a simple recipe! The filling is simple but it needs a kick. I would reccomend only 1 Teaspoon for the filling because even 1/2 Tablespoon was exploding out of them in the fryer no matter how careful I tried to be. Could also depend on the size of the wrappers! Will add less green onion and something with a bit of spice next time I make it!

    Reply

  6. I love the Panda Express Rangoons, but not the price of them. I had saved your recipe a month ago and finally got around to making them tonight. They were awesome! The recipe is super easy to follow, very quick to make and it made about 18 Rangoons (I may have overfilled mine?). The cost was not much more than the 3 pack at Panda Express is and I still have enough won ton wrappers to make at least another batch of them. I do have a question about freezing them… when you get ready to cook them do you thaw them out first or fry them from frozen? Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

    1. You want to leave them frozen before frying. Glad you enjoyed them and get more bang out of your buck (and get to enjoy them more often ;))

      Reply

  8. I have not made YET. But love rangoons! These dont come out greasy? Or the cream cheese center doesnt come out or become greasy? Im nervous to fry things right.

    Reply

    1. They won’t be as crispy but it’ll still work. Spray them down lightly with cooking spray to help them crisp up. Bake them at 400 degrees for 7-12 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Good luck!

      Reply

  13. So good! Like another commenter I added a little sugar to the filling. Very easy to make and a good “frying project” for those who are not used to frying at home because you don’t have any food safety issues to worry about. I wish these were not so yummy and easy to make because now I want to eat them all the time!

    Reply

    2. I so, so appreciate this recipe AND the nutrition information. My dad is a T1DM and having accurate carb counts is essential. I am making these for dinner tomorrow and wonder what qualifies as a serving for the purposes of the nutrition information? Thank you very much!

      Reply

      1. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the site. The serving size is one rangoon. I know that sounds funny but I wanted it to be simple so you can figure out it easier by how many you decide to eat.

        Reply

  15. Do you fry them when you make ahead and freeze them, or do you wait to fry them when you’re ready to serve?

    Reply

  16. Super Easy and Delicious. Made this along with orange chicken and Chow Mein. I got the wonton Wraps from Walmart next to the bags of Salad in fresh produce section. I didn’t make out 24 but then again i used Man-ly TBS scoops lol. Can see myself making these monthly. Also this is a fun cook if you have a date night. You can certainly get creative with the folding and have fun with it. Recipe is straight forward you won’t screw this up. I Chopped the whole green onion up and and bought a Walmart branded C.Cheese for like a buck. Enjoy! Thanks Sabrina!

    Reply

    1. I haven’t tried it but I’m sure you could. They won’t be as crispy but if you spray them with cooking spray or brush them with oil before baking. I would suggest 400 degrees and they would probably need 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let me know how they turn out!

      Reply

  20. I am making crab Rangoon this evening. I was hoping to not fry but they taste better that way. I will use your recipe but add crab. I know this recipe will be delicious.
    Also to Karen, I have made a crab dip for years to put on top of crackers or triscuits. I use:

    1 can crab or shrimp meat (lg can)
    1 8oz. Philly cream cheese
    1 2cup bag mozzarella
    1 tsp Worcestershire
    Green onions to your liking
    Flavor to taste with Old Bay seasoning, Creole seasoning or salt and pepper. Which ever suits your palate.
    I also like to top with a mix of seafood sauce (horseradish, ketchup and Worcestershire) Yum!
    You could even put them on bread and pop in the oven.

    Reply

  21. Hi Sabrina! UPDATE (again!)
    You are just so awesome! Love your recipes! So user friendly, anyone can do it! Can’t wait to try this recipe.. Always a fave! A few questions ~ How would I modify to create a dip? Also, if I wanted to add crab meat, how much do you suggest? If I don’t have wonton wraps, do you think crescent rolls are a good substitute? Reviewing your Panda Express copycat recipes, I noticed there’s not a lot mein recipe… Did I miss it? Would love to have a Chicken and Shrimp (respectively) lo mein recipe! YuM! YuM! ??

    Thanks, you’re a baby doll!

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much, Karen!! I’m so glad you’re loving all the recipes. I am working on making this a dip option so stay tuned for that but if you’re needing one now, I would recommend this one (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/hot-crab-rangoon-dip-with-won-ton-chips-recipe-1950475). If you’re going to use crescent rolls, I would suggest putting them in a muffin tin and filling it that way to bake. As for the lo mein recipe, that will be coming soon as well 🙂 We seem to be on the same recipe wave length, haha! I look forward to seeing you around the site!

      Reply

    1. You can definitely bake them instead of frying but it will alter the taste. My suggestion would be to at least spray them with canola oil before putting them in the oven.

      Reply

  24. These were good but I felt it was missing something. I added a tiny bit of sugar to the mixture and that was exactly what it needed. Will definitely be making this again with the added tweak. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

  25. I adore rangoons and hate all seafood, so these are perfect for me. One thing you can do if you want it to look like more traditional crabby goons, or if you want to health it up like 1/8 of a point, is to mix some microplaned carrot into the cream cheese. The orange bits resemble crab. 🙂

    Reply

  31. My kids are crazy about Panda Express. They’d love it if I could make their favorite recipes at home. This sounds like an awesome recipe.

    Reply

  33. I absolutely adore Rangoon! It’s something I never really thought about making at home before so this gives me a recipe to try. I’m sure my family will appreciate it. There’s never enough to go around when we get take out.

    Reply

  34. I had no idea Panda Express offered rangoons but they are definitely a must when it comes to ordering Chinese. I look forward to downloading the full ebook too.

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Vera! A lot of people are intimidated by home frying, but just be careful and practice your cooking times and they’ll be coming out perfect in no time!

      Reply