Spicy Maryland Crab Dip

okay, I just had to come write a review. This is one of the first recipes I printed off of here when I joined in 2003. Well, it is by far the one I have used/made/shared most often. It is DELICIOUS!! I get requests from my family members all of the time. I follow the directions exactly and always put it in a bread bowl. Yummo! Today will be my 6th New Year's Eve that I make it - it is a tradition. The only thing I modify is the amount of Old Bay - some people don't like it that strong (I do) - so I use slightly less. You have to make this!!! I'll try to remember to take a picture today and upload it. P.S. - I transfer the mixture to my bread bowl, wrap in foil, and bake for at LEAST 30-45 minutes. Perfect! Just take to your gathering in the foil, unwrap and ta-dah!

As a Marylander I can vouch for it's authencicity! One thing I found is that it was too salty with 3 TBSP of Mcormick's Old Bay seasoning (it may not be with other brands) I took it down to a little less than 1 TBSP and it was perfect, absolutely delicious. I've found some of the restaraunt brand seafood seasoning to be better than Old Bay, (less salty) I'll have to try that next time!

I love this recipe. It is true Maryland Crab Dip to me. I messed up and added more cheese than it called for but it turned out to be so delicious, I have continued adding more cheese. I use 1 bag of shredded cheeses...a blend instead of just cheddar. I usually use the 4 cheese shredded bag. Everyone loves this dip so much, I have given out the recipe at least a dozen times.

A real taste of Balmer hon! (That's Baltimore for those who aren't from Maryland.) I was shocked at how many crab recipes on here don't have Old Bay as an ingredient. Living most of my life in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, I would have sworn that making crab without Old Bay was illegal. ;) I did put only one dash of hot sauce though, and I used a Mexican blend cheese because that's what I had on hand. I used this to make crab pretzels along with the "Buttery Soft Pretzels" recipe also from this site. For those not from this area, a crab pretzel is a soft pretzel with crab dip spread on top. Everyone loved them.

My boyfriend and I visited Maryland for Spring Break and ate crab dip at nearly every meal. After returning to KY we missed it so much we were determined to find a similar recipe. This one is dead on. We make it all the time and if pressed have even used fake crab. This recipe is wonderful!!! Serve on slices of italian bread.

Made this last night to bring to a party and it was very tasty! It was also VERY rich! I sliced a baguette of french bread and brushed some garlic infused oil on it before putting it under the broiler for a couple of minutes to toast. We spooned the crab dip on the toasted slices and it was yummy! Next time I make this, I want to try serving it in mini puff pastry shells. I think it would also be good stirred into some penne pasta. So many possibilities!

This was ok. It was good but not exciting. I think next time I will try it with Parmesan instead of the cheddar. I added a can on small shrimp also.

This recipe was a hit at Thanksgiving dinner. I did tweak it a bit so that I could use all of my crab and I didn't have more than a tsp. of old bay left. I used about a 1 pd of crab (mixed jumbo lump can and philips fresh back fin) To offset the extra crab I added another 4 oz of cream cheese and doubled the mayo and hot sauce. Everything else I kept the same except I did add about a Tbsp of minced onion. The flavor will vary depending on what type of crab you are using. I like the backfin because it has a nice strong crab flavor. It all depends on what type of crab you like. If you wouldn't want to eat it plain, don't put it in the dip.

As a Marylander, I have tried many crab dip recipes and this one by far is the best---just the perfect amount of cheese, lemon and Old Bay. My family and friends thank you for sharing your recipe!

Originally from Maryland, had trouble finding a good crab dip recipe, until we tried this one. Made it for a football game it only lasted 1/2 hour. EXCELLENT!!!!! Thank you!!!!!

Very yummy....but quite salty.

Very good traditional Maryland crab dip. I recommend adding the old bay a little at a time and tasting as you go. Old bay can get very salty quickly. I used the shredded cheese blend that has cream cheese in it! Served with toasted bread, yummy!

This was really good, but I added 2 tsp dry sherry, and I think that's a big part of what made it so good.

I'll be making this for a Thanksgiving appetizer for the fifth year in a row this year. Our hosts always ask me to bring the Crab Dip. The first year I made the recipe as written, now I sort of taste and tinker to fit my individual tastes as I put it together, but the recipe is excellent just as it is. I like to put it together the night before and chill, and then cook it before serving, I think this helps the flavors balance and come together.

This is the real deal! After moving from the Midwest to Baltimore, my family wanted to know what all the fuss was about over this crab dip, and I managed to find this recipe to prepare for them over the holidays. They loved it! I made a double and we continued to eat on it for a few days afterward; it's hearty enough to eat as a meal with warm slices of French baguette. To please their Midwestern palates, I used less Old Bay than recommended and no hot sauce, but about 50% more cheese - less spicy than the original but still delicious! I've already been requested to make this again, and I will gladly comply, because I love it!

This recipe is fantastic! I am from New England but I live in Maryland and my husband's from Maryland. When I made this for him and his family they all loved it so much, they all switched over to using this recipe from their own personal Crab Dip recipes! They only thing I did differently was put some cheddar cheese in with the cream cheese and sour cream mixture (about 1/2 cup) and then put an additional 1/2 cup on top. Soooo yummy! Thank you very much Laura, this is a great recipe!

This is a really good base recipe! I mostly kept the main ingredients the same, then I got excited & I ventured off. I added a couple of tsps of sherry, some chives, white pepper. For the cheese I did a blend of smoked gouda, pepper jack, parmesan, cheddar, & havarti. I mixed most of the cheese in the mixture btw! I put it together on Thanksgiving Eve to let the flavors marry. The next day I sprinkled extra cheese on top & baked as an appetizer. I served it with Trader Joe's Asiago crackers. It was so good & yummy! People went back for more! I put some extra aside & I plan to use it for stuffed mushrooms!

Since I'm born and raised in Maryland I know what crab dip should taste like. This is the best recipe I have came across. Just as good as from a restaurant. I used less Old Bay though.

This crab dip is absolutely amazing. It's, by far, the best crab dip I have ever tasted. The only thing I "might" add would be some parmesan cheese because I love cheese. I might also "possibly" add a tbsp. of dry sherry. Otherwise, this dip is fine as is. I've been making it for a couple of years now, and it's always been a hit with my friends and family. However, if you're going to make it, I suggest using lump or backfin crab, real garlic, and fresh cheese. It costs more but it is worth it. I would also use the entire can of crab.

I made this for a work party and it was okay. I still have 1/2 left. I love crab, but I even thought this was okay. I followed the directions mostly - left out the hot sauce and used 1 tbsp of Old Bay as most people suggested. I even cooked it for 45 minutes, because it didn't seem to set. It was very runny. I probably won't do this again, sorry.

This stuff was fantastic! And so easy! I didn't change a thing, but I did bring the whole recipe up to a full pound of crab, because it's silly to have four ounces of unused crab sitting around. But the proportions remained the same, and we practically inhaled the stuff! Will make again and again and bask in the compliments!

I have a simular recipe only without mayo and add green onions its perfect.

I have made this dip about 20 times now and it is always the crowd favorite at football parties...the guys always ask..."are you making the crab dip?" : )

Wow! So good. Used 2tsp of Old Bay plus a sprinkle on top of cheese before baking. Made for a great light dinner with a salad and a chardonnay. And to the last reviewer who said this was runny...let it sit for a couple minutes before eating and it is perfect.

I love this dip! It is so easy, and it is sooo good. I didn't put quite as much old bay in the second time, and I thought it was a little better. I think I used 2 tablespoons instead of 3. It was great reheated!

This is THE BEST crab dip I have EVER tasted. I was born and raised in Ocran City, MD home of Greene Turtle crab dip and Adam's ribs and this is way way way WAY better then theirs!! I will add maybe another tsp of old bay but other than that it was wonderful. I made it for christmas 09 and was a huge hit!!

Very good crab dip - a little less lemon juice might help. Can't say it was kid-friendly, but kids (although from MD), will have nothing to do with crab. Otherwise, we really enjoyed it and will be making it again.

I made this for a party and it was a huge hit. It was creamy, not too spicy, and not too fishy. I will definitely make this again.

I made this for a Christmas Eve family gathering and it was the only thing to completely disappear! People were just spooning it onto their plates without crackers or anything! I made it as the recipe was written, except I used a full pound of crabmeat since that's what came in the can and I didn't want any leftovers. The flavors blended really nicely and didn't overpower the crabmeat. Will definitely be making this again. Merry Christmas!!!

Score!!! Used mozerella instead because my husband ate all the cheddar that morning, but it was still great!! Reminds me of the crab dip we had while visiting family in Maryland.

I make a slightly modified version of this recipe every Thanksgiving, to rave reviews... I think it really is a Maryland thing, and for authentic crab dip, this is it... For those who would rather add other kinds of seafood, other kinds of cheese, other more fusion twists, then this isn't it... This is MD crabdip in its purest form.

I made this for Christmas brunch and we did not care for it at all.

not claw meat

I live on the Chesapeake Bay, so I'm a pretty tough sell on crab dips. I have to say though, this one is spot on. The only thing I do differently is add extra crab (never have too much crab, lol!). Really, really good!

I used this in a mini crock pot as as an appetizer and served it with a mini french loaf. I left out the sour cream, and upped the cheddar until it became thick enough (prob. 2c). I use salt free garlic powder and low sodium Old Bay, and the amount was PERFECT, not too salty at all. This was so easy and everyone loved it. It tastes better than anything in Fell's Point! Thank you!!

I omitted the mayo & substituted with more sour cream. It was still wonderful! I probably used about 1 Tbsp. of old bay in the dip and then sprinkled another teaspoon on top. I also baked the dip in a sourdough bread bowl and served it with sourdough bread cubes. WOW. The bread & dip were terrific together. This was gone in minutes. More flavor than regular crab dips.

Very good! Neighbor from New Orleans couldn't get enough. I did add a little sherry and doubled the cheese. Served with Ritz baked chips and they held up well.

I have to say I've had a lot of Crab Dip over my years, and being from Maryland and still living here I now what I love in crab dip..this one doesn't disappoint. I made this for our Super Bowl Party and everyone LOVED it. I have to say though, I took some liberties with the hot sauce and old bay seasoning. I would keep adding extra to taste as I love my crab dip to be spicier. I need to taste the Old Bay in it in order to really appreciate it. If you are looking for a GREAT Crab Dip, this does it...Thank you for posting this as it will now be a standard for any of my parties...

Read the reviews on this recipe and was very excited to try it as we love crabmeat but unfortunately I was very disappointed. Thought it lacked flavor and the consistancy was thicker than a warm dip should be.

I live in MD and it is hard to find good crab dip (go figure), so I was on a quest to make crab dip the way I like it! This recipe is soooooo wonderful! of COURSE I used real crab meat. I put in more because I like it really crabby! I did take other suggetsions with the lemon juice, I only used 2 tsp. I omitted the tabasco sauce, not a fan. I did offer it on the side for my co-workers. I work for a police dept where we all dont eat donuts (smile), we all love to eat....this dish went so fast I thought someone stole it! So if you want an authentic MD Crab Dish this is it! Please use real crabmeat if it is available, no matter the cost. Note I offered this with french bread cut into wedges for easy dipping. So many people asked for the recipe. A keeper.

Could have been an awesome crab dip, minus the Old Bay. I live in FL and cook a lot of seafood and use Old Bay in most dishes, however, I thought it was way too overpowering. Maybe cut it in half and it would have been great!

Very good warm or cold, a big hit at the Super Bowl party

Wonderful crab dip! I used to live in Maryland and I have been searching for the best crab dip recipe. I tried 4 other recipes before I settled on this one and it tastes exactly like the crab dip from my favorite Maryland restaurants! I Love it! I followed the recipe exactly, just added a little extra cheese! Soooo good!!!!

Awesome! This is the best base recipe for authentic crab dip I've come across so far. I doctored it up a bit with adjusting the spices, adding additional cheddar cheese, a touch of horseradish and about 1T. minced onion. We're big spice fans, but this recipe is still delicious and simple as is!

I didn't care for this. Not sure if I did something wrong, or if my tastes are just different from everyone else. The only thing I did different was use half the crab meat called for.

Served this as an app. at Thanksgiving. It was pretty good. I, too used the full lb. of backfin crabmeat from a chilled can and upped the other ingredients to compensate. I served it with tortilla chips and toasted pita triangles. I think it needed something. I love crab, but this somehow tasted too crabby for me. Maybe next time I’ll add some onion, more garlic, pimentos and top with some chopped tomatoes—just personal preference. Regardless we had a lot of leftover, so I’m not the only one with this opinion.

This dip was a success, very easy to put together, the crab taste came through loud and clear. I, like many other reviewers, would cut back on the Old Bay seasoning, that flavor came through too strongly. If you have access to fresh crab, or the real pasteurized crab meat for those of us living outside of the Chesapeake watershed - I would suggest using part whole lump, and using the other half claw meat. No use in going completely high brow and the claw meat is much, much cheaper.

I made this for my husband's work party and put it in a crockpot for him to be able to keep it warm. He had 8 people ask for the recipe!

I am from MD and this is def one of the BEST crab dip recipes. I nixed the sour cream and added the old bay as I went along so that it would be to my personal taste preference. LOVE IT!

I did add a dash or two more of hot sauce, tend to like things on the spicier side. Instead of using a buttered dish to bake this in, I got a rye round, hallowed it out and stuffed the dip mixture in the bread. Wrapping the bread in aluminum, except for the top, I found the combination of the hot dip and warm bread to be sinful....

This has become a huge favorite in my house. It was originally intended as a holiday appetizer but I cannot resist making it MUCH more frequently!

this crab dip is really good. i used a lil more mayo than sour cream, but more cream cheese could be substituted. this was to make it thicker, and less watery. i also used claw meat because it was cheaper, and i could not tell a difference. my whole fam likes it, so im making it for christmas.

Made the recipe as stated and it was very good. For my personal taste, next time I would cut down on both the sour cream and the Old Bay.

Made with what I had, canned crabmeat, no sour cream, fresh minced garlic instead of powdered, and 1 tablespoon of Old bay instead of 3. This turned out close to the way my mom's dip tastes.

very good. made it for superbowl and everyone liked it.

FAN-TAS-TIC! I made this New Year's Eve and it was a hit. My husband had a business trip earlier this year to Maryland and he said it tasted exactly like what he had when he was there. Thanks so much - will make again, and again :)

I couldn't have asked for a better crab dip. This was such a huge hit at our post pumpkin/apple picking party yesterday that even the non dip eaters were scooping it up. I used a chive whipped cream cheese, parm instead of the cheddar and was a little shy with the Old Bay as I didn't want to overpower it with salt. As the recipe states, use fresh crab meat if you can as it makes all the difference in the world. This will be my tried and true crab dip recipe from now on and I thank you!!

VERY delicious, will definitely make again.

I'm a real Marylander and I LOVE this dip! It's truly the best and most authentic. I follow it exactly, except I don't measure my Old Bay- we love it and there' s no such thing as too much! I sprinkle a LOT in to start, fold it in, and taste as I go until it's how we like it. I also mix in a little more cheese into the mixture, maybe 1/4 cup or so. If you're looking for real Maryland crab dip, this is the way to go! People beg for it!

Absolutely delicious! Used a full pound of crabmeat, otherwise followed recipe exactly. So easy and quick!

The only changes I made were to use imitation crab meat (and less than called for, I'm not big on seafood), horseradish sauce instead of worchestire and spicy dijon mustard instead of dry mustard. I cooked it half the time in a casserole dish, then transferred to a hollowed out french bread loaf and cooked it for the remaining time. My husband is from MD and he loved it!

I made this for an open house and never got to taste it. It was gone that fast! I'll definitely have to double the recipe for my next party. I did add more crab than the recipe called for because we Marylanders love our crab!

This is an amazing Crab dip! Everyone loved it at my brother in laws party. It was gone in no time!!! I had to change a few things do to not having some stuff on hand. I used imitation crab, about 14 oz almost a pack and a half. I used monterey jack cheese instead of cheddar and I used about a cup or so. I didn't have any hot sauce, so I used about a tsp of cayenne pepper. No old bay seasoning so I ground up some celery seed maybe a tsp. Ground up some bay leaves about 3, Put some ground ginger, paprika, pepper, and lots of garlic and onion powder. I didn't have mustard powder so I used a tblsp mustard. I also only used 1 tblsp lemon juice. MAN, I didn't have a lot of stuff, hehe. Well it was absolutely amazing, and everyone loved it!!! Thank you.

This was delicious! My husband made this for an anniversary party and it was excellent, wouldn't modify at all!

Awesome dip! Took it to a football party and everybody loved it. Easy to make and delicious.

Pretty good. I'm a Marylander so it's hard to please me in regards to crab dip but it was definitely tasty.

This is great! I took 3 tbsp Old Bay down to 1, and sprinkled some on the top as garnish. I kept the rest the same. This is truly delicious and I would recommend it to anyone with a taste for crab.

Yep, it's definitely authentic Maryland style crab dip! I bought some fresh crab at Baltimore's Lexington Market while visiting on Friday and made this dip on Saturday. I used only 2 teaspoons of Old Bay since I don't like too much spice, but it gave it just the right kick. I baked the dip in individual ramikin dishes which was a nice presentation. Definitely keeping this one!

OMGoodness! This is delicious! I made with Miracle Whip instead of mayo (personal preference) and we totally devoured this.

Blech...too cream cheese-y...I guess I like regular cheese-y crab dip. Really thick and heavy even when hot. :(

Too salty... Use warm crab parmesan recipe

Made with Neufchatel cheese, low-fat sour cream, and light mayonnaise - still delicious! Next time I would leave out the mayonnaise as it got a little thin. Or just add more shredded cheese!

I am from the east coast and this is an excellent recipe. Only changes I made, was used Parmesan cheese instead of cheddar. Used only 1-1/2 tsp of Old Bay and a 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion. Not a drop left! Enjoy

I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! Although I added salmon and made slight variations to the ingredients to make it my own, this is a very great dish. I'll be cooking the dish more often. Thank you!

This is a great recipe! I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay and this dip personifies the dips you get in all the little Mom and Pop restaurants. I added 1 tsp. cayenne for a little heat in the dip.

I made this dip on sunday for the Pats/red sox games. It was excelent! Cut recipe in half since there were only 4 of us. Used less hot sauce & 1 tbs old bay. Served it with cool ranch doritos & Carrs crackers. Will make for x-mas eve gathering....thanks, Michele

I made this for Christmas and everyone loved it the only thing I did different was added a few more dashes of hot sauce and less old bay and topped off with mozzerella cheese which really browned well and served with flour tortilla's.

As a Baltimoron, I can say this is authentic! :) A little salty though, I would cut back a little next time.

This recipe served as a reminder to me that everyone has their own tastes. I made this for a party and noone really liked it. People complained about the strong Old Bay Seasoning aftertaste. Apparantly we are in the minority by looking at the reviews. Maybe it's one of those recipes you love if you grow up eating it.

This has to be the worst waste of expensive crab meat I have ever seen. I made it for a superbowl party and it never got eaten it was so awful.

I made this recipe for a family picnic. We have all been crabbing and eating crabs since we were children. Everyone enjoyed this recipe very much. I followed the recipe as written.

Wow. I'm impressed! There are a lot of crab dips out there that I just turn my nose up at. Not this one! This one is the real deal and I'm from Maryland. The only change I made was to add a little parmesan cheese to the mixture. I'm not talking about the shaker stuff either. That stuff is awful. If you're going to buy real crab, buy the real parmesan shredded cheese too. Don't use imitation crab either...it's just not right. I served the dip with plain bagel chips, toasted baguette slices, blue tortilla chips and Ritz crackers. After tasting it would've been good with celery too. This was more than enough for the small gathering that I took this to. I used the leftovers as a topping for chicken breasts (think Chicken Chesapeake) and also added the rest to a mixture of homemade alfredo sauce for a delicious sauce served over pasta. The possibilites are endless. Beautiful recipe!

crab dip was very flavorful and the taste of the crab was not lost in the sauce. A little runny for my taste. The next time I make this I will use a little less sour cream and cream cheeze. Overall a great recipe!

This is the real deal Maryland crab dip, hon. All you need is a soft pretzel and you're good to go. As a variation, I added shrimp and cut the sour cream. Excellent.

Delicious!

Wow! Very good crab dip:)

I'm a Midwesterner who moved to Maryland a few years back. I love crab and I've made this recipe four or five times for my Maryland friends and they always rave about it. I'm still pretty faithful to the recipe, except I use real garlic, half the Worcestershire sauce, and a full pound of crab. I always go with extra sharp cheddar as well. It's super delicious. My wife is a beast of a baker and she makes fresh french bread to serve with the dip. So good!

This was a hit at two different parties i took it to. I put it together the day before. The am of, I moved into a bread bowl and 30 mins prior to people showing, i put it in the toaster oven on 325. i would say about 25 mins is perfect for it. I served it with townhouse crackers and the remaining bread from the inside of the bowl. It was delish!

Delicious, but turned out too soft and runny. I think mixing in all the cheddar might help the consistency.

i absolutely LOVE old bay and the old bay in this recipe is WAY too much. Based off the reviews of others, I reduced the 2 tablespoons it called for to 1.5 and it was still incredibly salty. I added a little extra sour cream and cream cheese to try to save the dip from being ruined. Despite the saltiness, I will definitely make this again but with only 1 tablespoon next time. Otherwise, I did like the recipe. I mixed all of the ingredients (reserving a little of the cheese for the top) and put it into a sourdough bread bowl. I wrapped it in foil and baked it in the oven on 325 for 20 minutes. I then added a little extra cheese and took the foil cover off the top so the cheese would melt. I put it back in the oven for another 5 minutes just to let the cheese melt. Overall, it was a huge hit at my party. With a couple adjustments, will definitely make it again!

This will be my 3rd time making this. I used real crabmeat and real lemon juice. It is in great demand at all Family functions. I will make again and again and again!

Rave reviews at the Bridal shower. Everyone wanted the recipe. Made it with imitation crab...turned out great. Used 1 1/2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning.....could have used a bit more. Definitely a keeper!

I took this dip to a party and everyone loved it! I didn't follow the suggestion about how much Old Bay to use. I just sprinkled it in until it "looked right."

Loved this dish!!!!! So easy to make. I used a bit more cheddar and added chopped shrimp..

Used parm cheese on top,instead of cheddar, turned out well. I'll make it again.

i made this basically according to the recipe~ although i did add cheese to the mix as well as on top (we LOVE cheese!) i put it in the toaster oven to cook and accidently broiled it for the first 15 min or so. it turned a nice brown golden color and then i ended up baking for just about 10 min. i toasted some pita and served the dip with that and some of the new triscut parmasean crackers... it was PHENOMENAL!!! everyone LOVED it! apparently this is the new fave and im making it again for a christmas eve party! thank you!!!

Everyone loved this spicy crab dip. I added extra Hot sauce, homemade peper flake concoction and old bay! The extra made the spicy just right.

We did not care for this. Something about cheese and crab just didnt mix.

I’m a Marylander too and this is my go-to recipe! It is best with 1 lb of hand-picked fresh crab meat vs. pasteurized meat from overseas. I also pick through the meat myself to remove any shells. Then I combine the lemon juice with the meat to avoid any fishy smell. The rest is done as-is. It freezes well and tastes great with soft pretzel nuggets. You’re welcome!