Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

Home » From Fast Food to Fine Dining: Copycat Restaurant Recipes for Every Taste! » Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon

by Stephanie Manley, Last Updated 60 Comments

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon is a tasty appetizer available at the restaurant. These are the creamy and crunchy wontons you would often find at your favorite Chinese food buffet. With just a few ingredients, you can be making a whole batch of similar cream cheese wontons in no time.

Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (1)

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

Panda Express Rangoons

These Panda Express cream cheese rangoons are tasty and very simple to make. If you have ever had that craving for crispy rangoons but didn’t want to pay for takeout, then make some yourself.

What Makes the Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon the Best?

These crispy wonton apps are stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese, scallions, and a dash of garlic powder. They make satisfying finger food for game day, or you can try dolling them up to make casual co*cktail appetizers.

The best part of rangoons may be that you can easily make them your own by adding your favorite ingredients to the filling or switching up the sauces you serve alongside.

What Makes This Recipe Perfect for You To Try?

This recipe is simple to make and can feed a crowd cheaply with few ingredients. Don’t feel intimidated by the wonton wrappers.

This recipe uses an easy fold-and-twist method that you can master quickly. After learning to make rangoons, you will always keep them in the freezer in case guests drop by unexpectedly.

Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon Ingredients

To make this Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon recipe, you’ll need:

  • Cream cheese
  • Scallions, thinly sliced (or green onions)
  • Garlic powder, optional
  • Wonton wrappers
  • Vegetable oil or shortening
Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (2)

Ingredient Notes

You can find wonton wrappers in most supermarkets’ refrigerated or freezer sections. You can always buy them online if you can’t find them locally. Spring roll or egg roll wrappers also work, but your rangoons will be bigger, which is fine.

What type of cooking oil is best for rangoons?

Shortening will get you crispier rangoons. Plain vegetable oil, corn oil, sunflower, or canola oil will work well.

How To Make Cream Cheese Rangoons

To form the rangoons:

  1. Add softened cream cheese, scallions, and onion powder (if using) to a bowl. Mix well to combine.
  2. Make 48 rangoons filled with the cream cheese mixture. See below to learn how to fold them.
Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (3)

To fry the cream cheese rangoons:

  1. Place a heavy-bottom rondeau or Dutch oven over medium-high. If you have adeep fryer, use it to make things much easier.
  2. Add the vegetable oil or shorting and heat. Use a thermometer to check that the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
  3. Once the oil is hot enough, gently place four to five rangoons into the oil.
  4. Fry the rangoons for about a minute, flipping midway through if necessary.
  5. When the rangoons are golden brown, drain them on a paper towel, and place them on a wire rack over a baking tray.
  6. Repeat deep frying with the other rangoons.
  7. Serve at room temperature.
Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (4)

Ways You Can Modify the Rangoons

Add whatever you like to the cream cheese mixture to make this Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon recipe your own. Here are a few suggestions for variations:

  • Cooked crab meat to make crab rangoons
  • Crispy bacon or pancetta bits
  • Minced hot peppers
  • Grated cheese
  • Roasted garlic

How Panda Express Folds Their Rangoons

  1. Lay out the wonton wrappers on your work surface.
  2. Spoon about a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the center of each wrapper. If you are using larger egg roll or spring roll wrappers, you can adjust the filling accordingly.
  3. Use apastry brushto brush the edges of the wrappers with water.
  4. Fold all four corners to the center and squeeze out any excess air.
Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (5)
  1. Twist the corners to make a tiny bindle bundle.
  2. Place the prepared rangoons on a wire rack and repeat the process with the other 24 wrappers.

What To Serve With the Panda Express Rangoons

Rangoons make ideal small bites for any occasion. They work with both Asian-themed at non-Asian entrees. Serve them with at least one sauce and your favorite beer orco*cktail.

What Types of Sauce To Serve With Your Cream Cheese Rangoons

One sauce is a must, but the more options you have, the better. Feel free to get as creative as you want when pairing rangoons with dipping sauces, but here are a few options:

  • Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce
  • Thai peanut sauce
  • Ginger-soy sauce
  • Campfire sauce
  • Apricot chutney
  • Yum Yum sauce

How To Store the Extra Rangoons

It is best to throw away any uneaten rangoons you serve, but you can keep any extras that didn’t make it out of the kitchen.

  1. Let the rangoons come down to room temperature.
  2. Place them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to two days. If you are using crab or other seafood, you should probably eat any leftovers the next day.

You can freeze rangoons for up to two months:

  1. Place the rangoons in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  2. Put the uncovered tray in the freezer until the rangoons are frozen.
  3. Transfer the frozen rangoons to a freezer bag, and place them in the back of your freezer.

What’s the Best Way to Reheat the Cheese Rangoons

The best way to reheat rangoons is in the air fryer. You can reheat frozen or thawed rangoons, but you will have to readjust the time:

  1. Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees F.
  2. Reheat frozen rangoons for 8 to 10 minutes. Cook thawed rangoons for about 5 minutes.

If you don’t have an air fryer, try reheating the rangoons in an oven. It is best to thaw the frozen rangoons when using this method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Place the rangoons on a baking tray without touching each other or the sides of the tray.
  3. Cover the tray with aluminum foil and reheat for about 5 minutes.
  4. Remove the aluminum foil and spray the rangoons with a little cooking spray.
  5. Put the rangoons back in the oven until they start to sizzle.
Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (6)

Check Out These Panda Express Copycat Recipes

  • Panda Express Chow Mein
  • Broccoli Beef
  • Chinese Veggies
  • Firecracker Chicken
  • Honey Walnut Shrimp

More Tasty Chinese Food Recipes

  • Chinese Almond Cookies Recipe
  • Chinese Coleslaw
  • Chinese Donut
  • Chinese General Tso’s Chicken
  • Chinese Hunan Chicken
  • Chinese Spare Ribs Recipe
  • Crab Casserole with Cheese
  • How to Make Chinese Hot Mustard

Find even more recipes for Chinese Food and restaurant appetizers on CopyKat!

Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon

Make these famous cream cheese wontons at home.

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate Add to Collection

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Panda Express Recipes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 638kcal

Ingredients

  • Vegetable shortening or oil, for frying
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
  • garlic powder optional
  • 48 wonton wrappers

Instructions

  • Heat the vegetable shortening or oil to 350°F in a medium pot or electric fryer. The shortening or oil should be 2 to 3 inches deep.

  • In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese and scallions. If desired, add a touch of garlic powder for additional flavor.

  • Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture onto a wonton wrapper.

  • Brush a little water over the edges of the wonton skin. Fold the wonton diagonally into a triangle. Be sure to seal all of the edges completely to prevent the filling from leaking out of the wonton as it cooks. Take the two opposite corners and press and twist them together. You may need to tack them together by brushing them with a little water.

  • Use a thermometer or a small piece of wonton wrapper to make sure that the shortening or oil has reached 350°F. If the wonton wrapper bubbles immediately when dropped into the hot fat, it is ready.

  • Drop only 4 or 5 wontons at a time into the hot fat. After about 1 minute, the wontons will begin to brown. Then they will brown rapidly, so be careful to remove them when they are lightly browned. If your oil is shallow, you may need to flip the wonton over so that it cooks evenly.

  • Briefly drain the wontons on paper towels before serving.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 638kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 568mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 785IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 2.5mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

REVEALED: Copycat Secrets for 2023

free email bonus

Yes, you CAN make it at home!I'll show you how.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Previous Post: « Chicken Dijon

Next Post: Sausage Stew »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chauncey

    Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (8)
    These were delicious. Thank you!

    Reply

  2. Raine

    Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (9)
    Living in Japan and been craving these. Thank you for an easy to follow recipe that hit the right taste I’ve been looking for. Can you also do Panda Express’ Mushroom Chicken, I can’t get the sauce to taste right 🙁

    Reply

  3. Patricia

    I like adding minced water chestnuts to my wontons….yummy!

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      I hope you like them.

      Reply

  4. Jeremy huller

    Just to address the comment about olive oil. Never use olive oil to fry things, the smoke point is too low, so you won’t be able to get it hot enough to fry without burning the oil

    Reply

    • Teddie

      Correct!

      No oilve oil, the heat (high) males the oil rancid.

      Reply

  5. Melissia Grimmett

    About 30 years ago I went to the same Chinese restaurant all the time for years and asked the guy that new my husband and I at this point about the recipe. I have made them the way he told me all this time which is Cream cheese, minced onion, sugar (I have always added chives for color). I change it up sometimes with minced crab meat. I love love love garlic, so I will be trying garlic!

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      I love chives in there.

      Reply

  6. Fred Collinsworth

    I wonder if they could be friend in a air fryer? Just brush with oil and air fry at 400 for the same time as the recipe calls for.

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      I have seen it done, the results aren’t the same, the wonton skin is crispy, but I don’t think it cooks through the same as it would if you fried it.

      Reply

  7. shari

    Would sesame seeds oil work well

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      I think that would be very expensive to fry in.

      Reply

  8. shari allen

    Would sesame seeds oil work well

    Reply

    • Nicole

      Sesame oil is primarily used for flavor. Could it be used for frying? Technically yes, but it has such a strong flavor you wouldn’t want to because it would completely overpower the entire dish and likely make it completely inedible. Also, sesame oil is super expensive! Just stick to vegetable/peanut/coconut oil!

      Reply

  9. Marisol Sanchez

    I tried this recipe, but I mixed in some ricotta cheese with the cream cheese and let me say it was amazing just like Panda Express!

    Reply

    • Karen Sawyer

      Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (10)
      Yumm! Adding Ricotta to the mix sounds delicious.
      Karen S

      Reply

  10. Karen Hilton

    I, too, fell in love with these when I ate at Panda Express. I make these all the time, but I bake them.

    Instead of green onions, I use dried minced onions, about 2 tablespoons +/- (I always have minced onions on hand!). You can use onion powder, too! I add a little salt to taste when mixing the cream cheese and onions together. Bake at 400 degrees about 8-10 minutes on a sprayed/oiled cookie sheet. Just watch them, when the tips of the wontons start to brown they are done. Happy Eating! ~LOVE~

    Reply

    • Yammie

      Will def try the non fry way. Love these and was going to fry. Gkad to hear they can be baked. I will just or them in muffin tins like I do with my WW french dippers

      Reply

  11. LeeAn

    Where do you get the wraps at ? And what department.Never have bought any.Thanks/,

    Reply

    • Jes

      You can usually find packages of them refrigerated in the produce section of your local grocery store/wal mart.

      Reply

« Older Comments

Leave a Reply

Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is Panda Express cream cheese Rangoon made of? ›

What Makes the Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon the Best? These crispy wonton apps are stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese, scallions, and a dash of garlic powder. They make satisfying finger food for game day, or you can try dolling them up to make casual co*cktail appetizers.

Is crab rangoon the same as cream cheese Rangoon? ›

Crab Rangoon, sometimes called crab puffs, crab rangoon puffs, cheese wontons, or cream cheese rangoons, are filled crisp dumpling appetizers served primarily in American Chinese restaurants.

Does Panda Express use real crab in crab rangoon? ›

I love Panda Express' Crab Rangoons and they're so easy to make! Oddly enough, they don't use crab or imitation crab in their original recipe. Feel free to add some though, it's delicious! My local Panda Express offers 3 for $2.35.

Where did the recipe for crab rangoon come from? ›

When and where did Crab Rangoons originate? Most sources indicate that Crab Rangoons were likely invented by Victor Bergeron, the founder of Trader Vic's, sometime in the 1950s. Fried wontons existed in the U.S. at least as far back as the 1930s.

Is there crab in the cream cheese Rangoons at Panda Express? ›

No the Rangoon do not contain crab which is why they taste not as good. ☠️ #fyp #viral #tiktok #usa #fyp #pandaexpress #rangoons #chinese.

What is Panda cheese made of? ›

Panda Cheddar Cheese blocks come in a 450 gm block size. Ingredients: Cheddar cheese, hard cheese, natural & vegetable fats, Emulsifying salts, Skimmed powder milk.

What is the difference between a wonton and a cream cheese Rangoon? ›

While wonton filling can vary from pork to shrimp with seasonings like ginger, garlic, scallions, and soy sauce, crab rangoon always has cream cheese and crab filling.

What is crab rangoon filling made of? ›

In a small bowl, gently combine crab meat, cream cheese, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce (if using), and garlic powder. Layout 3 wonton wrappers at a time. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each. Dab the edges with water and fold the two opposite corners together to form a triangle.

Why is Rangoon called Rangoon? ›

The name "Crab Rangoon" is believed to be a nod to the traditional Burmese dish, "ohn-no khauk swe" or "ohn-no kaukswe," which is a soup made with noodles and chicken. "Rangoon" was the former name of Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar (formerly Burma), where the dish is said to have originated.

Do people in China eat crab Rangoon? ›

Not really, but it is influenced by traditional Chinese food. If you go to China and ask for an orange chicken, an egg roll, or a crab rangoon it's going to be very unlikely they will know what you're talking about.

What oil does Panda Express use? ›

Panda Express entrees and sides contain zero grams of trans fat per serving and adds no MSG in their food. Panda Express uses only 100% pure soybean oil in the preparation of recipes.

Is Crab Rangoon Chinese or Japanese? ›

It has a Burmese name, is served in a theoretically Chinese restaurant, and its main component was invented in New York in the late 19th century. I conducted a survey through Twitter, in which more than 650 people responded with their experience of crab rangoon. The vast majority adore this dish, as I do.

What ethnicity is crab rangoon? ›

Cursory online research will tell you that a dish resembling present-day crab rangoon first appeared on the menu of legendary tiki bar and restaurant Trader Vic's, though some sources hypothesize these stuffed crab puffs emerged around the turn of the century in British-controlled Burma.

What kind of crab is used in Rangoon? ›

Crab Rangoon Ingredients

The cream cheese will be easier to mix if it is room temperature. Lump Crab Meat: You can use lump crab meat that is found in the refrigerated meat section of the grocery store, or you can also find canned lump crab meat! I recommend using real crab meat over imitation crab meat.

What's the difference between a crab wonton and a crab rangoon? ›

The thin, tender dough wrapper adds a comforting and velvety texture to each bite. While crab rangoon teases the palate with its creamy sweetness and crispy crunch, wontons invite savory complexity through more subtle flavors, showcasing the remarkable diversity within this corner of Chinese cuisine.

What kind of rangoon does Panda Express have? ›

Cream Cheese Rangoon

Wonton wrappers filled with cream cheese and served with sweet and sour sauce.

Do Chinese restaurants use real crab in rangoon? ›

Crab rangoon is typically won ton wrappers, cream cheese, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, onions/onion powder, and either crab meat or imitation crab, which is a type of cured surimi called kamaboko. Real crab is much more "stringy" than surimi, and has a meatier flavor.

What are cheese wontons made of? ›

Here is what you need from the store to make them.
  • Wonton Wrappers – You'll find these in the produce section of the grocery store.
  • Cream Cheese and Sugar – The filling is made with cream cheese and a touch of sugar.
  • Egg – You will need a simple egg wash to seal the wontons together.
  • Recipe Variations.
Jul 18, 2023

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 5516

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.