In my quest to be healthier, I found this twist on traditional FRIED cream cheese wontons and am so excited to share it with you today. It was only a minor change, but I BAKED them instead of frying and they turned out to be an absolute delight!
Not only are they faster and easier to make than the fried version, but they are healthier as well. Yes please! These would make great finger foods for sports parties, family gatherings, or friend game nights. They’ll be a hit anytime you make them!
How to Make Baked Cream Cheese Wontons (step-by-step)
1. Gather your ingredients. You’ll need wonton wrappers, green onions, cream cheese, garlic salt & cooking spray.
2. Mix together cream cheese, garlic salt, and green onions.
3. Place about 1/2 tsp. cream cheese mixture in the center of a wonton wrapper.
4. Wet your finger with water and moisten the edges of the wrapper.
5. Fold wonton in half to make a triangle, sealing the cream cheese mixture in the wonton well.
6. Moisten one corner of the wonton with more water. Bring the bottom edges of the wonton together, overlapping slightly. Repeat for the rest of the wontons.
7. Place wontons on a nonstick cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Additionally, spray wontons with cooking spray to help them brown.
8. Bake at 400F for 7 minutes per side until brown and crispy.
9. Serve immediately & enjoy!
Why is baking better than frying?
- Baking uses a fraction of the amount of oil as frying does, resulting in a healthier, lower calorie wonton.
- Frying involves heating oils to extremely high temperatures, and this heat can cause the oil to break down into compounds that are linked to chronic disease.
- Fried foods can also be more difficult for the body to digest, resulting in less vitamins and minerals being absorbed from a meal.
- As if all that wasn’t enough, baking is simply a faster, safer, and easier way to prepare food. You don’t have to worry about hot oil splashing all over the kitchen, or figuring out what to do with a vessel full of used frying oil.
What’s the best way to reheat wontons?
- The best way to reheat wontons is to place them on a plate or a baking sheet and then popping them into the oven (a toaster oven works great as well) at 325 F for 4-6 minutes. I would avoid using a microwave to reheat them, as that would be more likely to make them soft and remove that satisfying crispy texture that wontons are cherished for.
Can you make wontons ahead of time?
- Absolutely! As I mentioned above, wontons reheat very nicely in the oven and preparing them in advance would be a great way to ease some of the stress of throwing a get together or party.
Can I freeze cream cheese wontons?
- You sure can! The trick is to place a piece of parchment paper on a small plate or baking tray, and then neatly arrange your wontons in rows making sure that none of them are touching.
- Place the plate or tray of wontons into your freezer (ensuring that they don’t touch) and keep them there for 4-6 hours until they are frozen.
- Once frozen, you can transfer the wontons to an airtight food container or a plastic freezer bag (it’s okay for them to touch at this point) and store them in the freezer until you are ready to heat and enjoy them.
How do I make crab & cream cheese wontons?
- It’s as simple as adding crab to this recipe without any additional changes being necessary! I would recommend adding 1-2 oz of crab meat to the recipe for the best results. You’ll just want to make sure that you’re using smaller pieces of crab so that you achieve a good, even distribution in each bite of each wonton.
A few tips for the best Baked Cream Cheese Wontons:
- These are best served warm. Bake them until right before you’re ready to serve them!
- Wonton wrappers can be found in the product section typically by the refrigerated herbs and salad dressings in your local grocery store.
- I recommend Chosen Foods Avocado Oil cooking spray. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also healthy, and shelf-stable without additives or propellants (major brownie points!).
- Softening your cream cheese by leaving it at room temperature 1-2 hours before you begin making this recipe will make the cream cheese all the more easy to mix and spread.
- Speaking of cream cheese, Philadelphia is my favorite. Definitely worth the little bit extra cost to use the brand name. The difference in quality & taste is definitely noticeable.
- Spray wontons liberally with cooking spray! Not only will this help prevent your wontons from sticking to the tray in the oven – it will also help ensure that you get that beautiful crisp browning on the outside that wontons are famous for.
- Store bought sweet & sour sauce is perfect for these so be sure to add it to your shopping list when you’re grabbing the rest of your ingredients needed to make these. I’ve also made sweet & sour sauce at home and it’s easy and great as well.
Want more 5-Ingredient or Less Game Day Appetizer Ideas?
- Green Chile Hand Pies
- Cheesy Artichoke & Mozarella Sliders
- Mini Shrimp & Artichoke Appetizer Cups
- Chile Con Queso
Baked Cream Cheese Wontons
These Baked Cream Cheese Wontons are the perfect appetizer. With a cream cheese filling, you'll love these nearly guilt free finger foods even more because they are baked!
Ingredients
- 4 oz. cream cheese softened
- 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
- 2 green onions chopped top to bottom
- 16 wonton wrappers
- cooking spray
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 F.
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Mix together cream cheese, garlic salt, and green onions.
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Place about 1/2 tsp. cream cheese mixture in the center of a wonton wrapper. Wet your finger with water and moisten the edges of the wrapper. Fold wonton in half to make a triangle, sealing the cream in the wonton well. Moisten one corner of the wonton with more water. Bring the bottom edges of the wonton together, overlapping slightly.
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Repeat for the rest of the wontons.
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Place wontons on a nonstick cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray wontons with a bit of cooking spray as well to help them brown. Bake for 7 minutes per side until brown and crispy.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- These are best served warm so I would recommend waiting to bake them until right before you're ready to serve them.
- Wonton wrappers can be found in the product section typically by the refrigerated herbs and salad dressings in your local grocery store.
- My favorite cooking spray is Chosen Foods Avocado Oil cooking spray. Not only is it delicious, but it's also healthy, and shelf-stable without additives or propellants (major brownie points!)
- Softening your cream cheese by leaving it at room temperature 1-2 hours before you begin making this recipe will make the cream cheese all the more easy to mix and spread.
- Speaking of cream cheese, I'm a big fan of Philadelphia. I think it's worth the little bit extra cost to use the brand name - you can taste the difference in quality.
- Spray wontons liberally with cooking spray! Not only will this help prevent your wontons from sticking to the tray in the oven - it will also help ensure that you get that beautiful crisp browning on the outside that wontons are famous for.
- Store bought sweet & sour sauce is perfect for these so be sure to pick some up when you're grabbing the rest of your ingredients needed to make these. If you don't find a store bought sauce that you like it's just as easy to make the sauce at home as well!
Adapted from SparkRecipes
Jennifer
I’m so excited! I’m going to make them but instead of green onions, use minced jalapeño, add some cheddar cheese to make them like a jalapeño popper!! Dip them in a thinned peach preserves/jam sauce!! My neighbor puts crushed pineapple in her poppers so I might do that too!! It will make more that way!! :D
Jennifer Christ
How long do I bake these if I freeze them and bake from frozen?
Carmen
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. Baking them is a great idea.
Melissa Torres
These turned out great! I cooked them in the air fryer at 400 for 7 min and were perfect. We enjoyed each bite and some we added ground sausage to as well and those were fun too.
Melissa Torres
Getting ready to put these together to share with some friends. Thank you for the recipe inspiration!
These were wonderful and much less time-consuming than frying them! I added crab and they were delicious!
Penny
How many wantons per serving?
This looks really delicious! I can’t wait to make this at home. I’m sure my family will love this too. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Yvonne
Hi Aika, I’d love to hear what you and your family thinks of this recipe once you’ve had a chance to make it! It’s certainly a favorite around here! Thanks for stopping by. :)
Jesseca
We made these to go with our homemade takeout dinner tonight. SO GOOD. Made them as stated and they turned out perfect. I was a little skeptical about baking them but they were crisp and delicious! We used an olive oil spray. Thanks for a great side dish. Definitely making them again!
Also, my nine year old said to let you know they out shined the main course.
Yvonne
Thanks so much for taking the time to rate & comment on the recipe, I’m so happy your family enjoys these as much as we do!
Ginny
I want to make these today & use them tomorrow. If I wrap them in foil after they cool, can I just reheat the next day without them getting soggy?
Yvonne
I’m not sure they will reheat well. You can always try storing them that way and reheating them in the oven to see if they will remain crispy.
amanda
Can you make these ahead of time and reheat or freeze them and bake later?
Yvonne
That’s a great question, I’ve never tried. If you do make them ahead of time – just maybe prep until the baking and then freeze – that way when you thaw them you can then bake them. Give that a try!
Has anyone ever tried this with reduced fat cream cheese? Just wondering if it would work and then maybe be a little less “guilty” per wonton! I also love the idea of mixing the crab meat with the cream cheese. Baking already reduces the calories/fat..but I’m ALWAYS looking for further ways to do more…my hubby has dietary restrictions due to diabetes AND cardiac diet. I like to cut out as much as I can WHEREVER I can. Normally, I wouldn’t even make these, but every once in a while, it’s nice to have a special treat!
Yvonne
I haven’t tried this with reduced fat cream cheese – but I *think* it might work ok too. I hear ya on making things less guilty where ever you can! Occasionally you totally deserve a fun little special somethin’ somethin’ like this!
Cmyers
I’ve read all of you’re tips, replys ect… I am allergic to crab so this is awesome!!! I can’t wait to try these the regular way and with some awesome variations. I bought some wonton wrappers to make some apple pie wontons and now I know what I can do with the rest of the huge package I bought!!! Dinner and dessert!!!
Yvonne
Awesome! I hope you enjoy them – they are a favorite for sure!!! Apple pie wontons?? That sounds amazing!
Emily
Do you think that regular old olive oil would make a good substitute for Pam? I try not to use commercial cooking spray.
Yvonne
I bet so! I made these way back when I wasn’t too conscious or concerned with what I was cooking with. Nowadays I will certainly use olive oil instead!
Virgie
I used an olive oil mister & the results were good.
Yvonne
Oh fabulous! That’s great!
Micah
I’m using crab meat and garlic an cream cheese!!! Super excited about it!!!
Yvonne
That sounds awesome – these are so delicious!! With crab meat, I’m sure they will be even BETTER.
Neva Moss
Thank you for . The idea of using garlic instead . Of onions! I’ve recently developed a severe allergy to onions, and have been missing crab Rangoons…
Will even ask to see if my favorite restaurant will substitute garlic in theirs for me…
Yvonne
Fabulous!!! This is one of my favorite recipes, you are going to LOVE them!
crystal
These were really good but i didnt have any sauce and really wanted some sweetness so i tried dipping it in honey and it surprisingly tasted amazing! :D
Yvonne
Oooh honey?! Who would have thought! I love honey, so I’m sure I would love that too. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for this recipe! I love cream cheese wontons but the guilt kills me so I avoid them… I’m so excited to try these out.
Yvonne
Oooh you’re welcome. THis is a goody!! I hope you like them!
Mary Shaver
Hey, i just made these. Unfortunately I have eaten about ten. So good. I did add a small chopped red sweet pepper and some fresh spinach leaves. Also a splash of sesame oil because I like it. Wonderful, I can’t stop eating.
Yvonne
Ha! Love/Hate relationship with these.. love them because they are so delicious, hate them because… they are so delicious!! Hee hee! I love your alterations, that sounds like something I’d LOVE. Next time I make these, I’ll have to try your variation. Thanks for taking time to let me know what you think :)
Krissy
Try adding finely chopped water chestnuts if you like a bit of crunch. These are to die for for a party food. My neighborhood has a block party every year and I made these. My vegetarian friends have been bugging me for the recipe ever since.
Yvonne
I LOVE water chestnuts – I never would have thought to do that! These are always a hit!
Jeanie
Thank you soooo much, this is by far already a family fav and I only made them once!
Katie
I found you recipe recently & was really excited to try it. I followed the cooking time/temp, allowed there to be some open edges for the air to escape, & sprayed them up with Pam- and they exploded! The bottoms popped holes in them & the wrappers never browned. What did I do wrong??
Yvonne
Katie! I’m sorry they didn’t work for you… I don’t really understand why, since you followed the directions. The only thing I can think of is they may have been overstuffed with filling. As far as the wrappers browning, maybe you didn’t use enough spray?! Not sure! Give them another chance – they are SO yummy – and let me know how round 2 turns out for you! Good luck.. and let me know if I can be of any other help :)
Annie
I had the same thing happen to me after having made them successfully another time before. I had changed the wrappers I used and bought a generic brand of cream cheese (reduced fat). I have since switched back to the other wrappers and back to Philadelphia’s cream cheese (original). They were successful!
I would suggest trying a different wrapper, I’m pretty sure that was the issue. Happy baking!
Yvonne
Thanks for commenting! That is so helpful to know!!!
Melanie Jones
I tried these for the Super Bowl and they were a hit. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Lindsey Pearce
What type of sauce do you use for your wontons?
Yvonne
I just buy the pre-made sweet and sour sauce at the grocery store! I think it’s made my La Choy (or something like that)!