Cream Cheese Wontons (Air Fryer or Deep Fried)

Air Fryer Cream Cheese Wontons dipped in red, sweet chili sauce is an iconic dish at your favorite Chinese restaurant. Try making this easy, yummy appetizer at home for a fraction of the cost! This recipe can be fried traditionally, or made healthier in the air fryer.

I love just about anything fried, and these little cream cheese wontons are no exception. They are just so crunchy, warm, and creamy…YUM!

Air Fryer Recipes

I’ve been getting so many requests for Air Fryer recipes. Cream cheese wontons in the air fryer is one of my favorites! It’s easy and delicious. 

Have you jumped on the air fryer bandwagon yet? It truly is the best! The air fryer is basically a mini convection oven that “fries” without using any oil!

I think air fryers are the perfect companion for Instant Pots. It can quickly brown, broil, or crisp up anything!

Remember, nothing you make in the Instant Pot will come out crunchy or crispy because it cooks with wet STEAM. I use my air fryer to reheat leftovers. It makes everything taste extremely fresh, especially fried or seared foods!

Here are some recipes I crisp up in my air fryer:

• Instant Pot Salt Potatoes
• Instant Pot Ribs
• Instant Pot Drumsticks
• Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Legs
• Instant Pot Broccoli
• Air Fryer Sausage Patties
• Air Fryer Salmon
• Air Fryer Hamburgers
• Air Fryer Chicken Wings from Fresh or Frozen

You can even make soft or hard boiled eggs in the air fryer too! Air fryer eggs can be made in a million different ways.

INSTANT POT AIR FRYER RECIPES

This cream cheese wonton recipe can easily be made with an Instant Pot air fryer lid (or similar appliance.) All my air fryer recipes can be made in an Instant Pot air fryer or Mealthy Crisp lid.

I don’t actually love the air fryer lid, but if you already have it, definitely use it for this recipe!

Pretty much all air fryer recipes can be made in the Instant Pot air fryer, this one included.

I shared my thoughts on an Instant Pot air fryer vs. air fryer lid, and these are my honest thoughts:

CHINESE BUFFET MEMORIES

Wontons remind me of going to Chinese buffets growing up. I remember warm, sugar-coated peanuts, hot and sour soup, crab, and sugar-coated donuts. Cream cheese wontons are also sometimes called rangoons or crab rangoons.

We all know that most dishes at Chinese restaurants don’t even exist in China, right? I don’t remember seeing anything remotely related to cream cheese when I went to China. 

The history and origin of cream cheese wontons is unclear. Some think crab rangoons were first found on the menu at Trader Vic’s, a Polynesian style restaurant in San Francisco. 

It’s safe to say, the only Chinese thing about this recipe is the wonton wrapper. Air fryer cream cheese wontons are an American Chinese dish. But I’m more than okay with the person who invented this dish because they are so. dang. good!

Cream Cheese Wonton Recipe

You can’t really go wrong with cream cheese ANYTHING, am I right? But I do appreciate the wontons that have a little something something besides just straight cream cheese in the middle.

Now, it doesn’t need to be crazy. All you need for this cream cheese wonton recipe is a package of softened cream cheese, garlic powder, green onions, and wonton wrappers.

The green onions give it such great texture and flavor, which makes a world of difference!

HOW TO MAKE CRAB RANGOONS

Cream cheese crab wontons are delicious and easy! If you’d like crab rangoons, simply add some imitation crab or canned crab to this recipe.

This wonton filling recipe would be great with many other mix-ins. One reader even added pineapple! 

She said, “These were yummy! I accidentally ate way too many! I added pineapple to the cream cheese to make them even sweeter (but no powdered sugar) and they tasted almost exactly like the ones I get from my fave Asian restaurant.”

Serve these cream cheese wontons with my easy, popular Egg Drop Soup, Air Fried Green Beans, or Sunomono Japanese Cucumber Salad for a full meal!

WHERE ARE WONTON WRAPPERS IN THE GROCERY STORE?

Wonton wrappers are found at most grocery stores or Asian markets.

Usually, they are in the refrigerated section at Asian food supermarkets.

It depends on the grocery store, but I find wonton wrappers in the deli section, dairy case, or fresh produce area.

HOW TO MAKE CREAM CHEESE WONTONS

• First, grab your wonton wrappers. 
• Once you open the wrapper, they dry out very quickly. It’s important to keep the wrappers covered with a damp paper towel or tea towel at all times (before and after filling).
• Mix all the filling ingredients (cream cheese, garlic powder, green onions) together. Then dab about a teaspoon of filling onto each wonton.
• Keep a small bowl with clean water nearby, as you’ll use it for the “glue” to keep the wrappers together.
• Fold the wontons using one of the methods below.
• Air fry at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes. Check wontons after three minutes. They should be crispy and golden.

How to Fold Cream Cheese Wontons

The Triangle

This is the first fold, which is also the easiest.

• Turn the square wonton 45 degrees so it’s like a triangle.
• Spoon the filling in the middle of the square.
• Swipe some water in an inverted “V” around the top edge of the wonton.
• Fold the bottom corner of the wonton so it meets the top.
• Press the edges down. Then press all the way around to the cream cheese so it’s nice and snug around the filling.
• Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel until ready to cook.

The Classic

This is the iconic star fold that you see most often at Chinese restaurants. If “The Triangle” was a level 1 difficulty, then this is a level 2.

• Turn the square wonton 45 degrees so it’s like a triangle.
• Spoon the filling in the middle of the square.
• Swipe some water around the entire perimeter of the wrapper.
• Grab both the top and bottom corners and fold them together so they meet. Repeat with the other two corners.
• Pinch each of the four “arms” so it’s nice and tight.
• Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel until ready to cook.

The Prayer

This is the most advanced fold I’m sharing today, but it really isn’t too difficult.

• Turn the square wonton 45 degrees so it’s like a triangle.
• Spoon the filling in the bottom 1/3 of the triangle.
• Start rolling the wrapper around the cream cheese filling until you’re about 1/3 from the top, and it looks like a triangle.
• Dab water on each of the bottom corners of the triangle
• Bring the two arms together, kind of like two hands coming together in a prayer or high five. Press it together so it doesn’t come apart.
• Lift up the “hands,” and dab a little water on the bottom of the wonton.
• Fold the top triangle flap back so it touches the bottom.
• Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel until ready to cook.

Air Fryer Cream Cheese Wontons

Can you make wontons with cream cheese in an air fryer? Yes! 

I loved cooking these wontons in the air fryer because it made them super crispy and they cooked SO fast. I tried them both plain and sprayed with a little cooking spray. Check out the difference in my picture of “The Triangle” fold.

The wontons sprayed with a generous amount of cooking spray were much more golden and visually appealing, while the others were just a bit floury. The spray didn’t add a lot to the texture, but it did make them less sharp in my mouth.

Fried Cream Cheese Wontons

These cute little appetizers can also be made the traditional way, by frying in oil. Heat a pot full of oil on medium heat, about 2-3 inches deep. You’ll want to heat the oil until it is between 350º and 375º F. I always use my Thermapen instant read thermometer to test the oil.

I also love using the ChefAlarm (also from Thermoworks) for constantly monitoring oil for frying.

If you don’t have a thermometer (you need one ASAP!), test a piece of a wrapper in the oil once it’s hot.

You’ll know it’s ready when it immediately starts bubbling around the wonton. If the oil is not hot enough, the wrapper will sink and not bubble.

Fry for just about 30-60 seconds. If your oil doesn’t cover the wontons, flip as needed. Once they float to the top and look golden brown, remove them from oil to a paper towel-lined plate.

WONTONS WITH CREAM CHEESE STORAGE AND REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS

I sometimes get asked whether or not you can make this recipe ahead. I don’t recommend making this recipe ahead because the wonton wrappers easily dry out. Plus, I think cream cheese wontons in the air fryer taste better served fresh!

However, you can make this wonton recipe filling ahead. That would reduce the overall recipe time!

I doubt you will have leftover wontons. But if you do, store them in an airtight container and reheat them in the air fryer at 350º or until crispy and warmed through. I might suggest spritzing with some additional oil if they seem a little dry.

Dessert Cookie Dough Wontons

Do you have leftover wonton wrappers? Or are you looking for another recipe with wonton wrappers?

If you like this recipe, you’ll LOVE my cookie dough wontons! I made these on TV a couple of weeks ago. You’re not going to believe how easy they are!

2-Ingredient Air Fryer Cookie Dough Wontons

Air Fryer Recipes

I love my air fryer so much. Here, you can find all my Air Fryer Recipes.

• Air Fryer Cookies
• Baked Potato in Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Chicken Wings from Fresh or Frozen
• Bacon Wrapped Smokies in the Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Hamburgers
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato
• Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
• Air Fryer Donut Recipe | 4 Ingredients!
• Air Fryer Sausage Patties
• Air Fryer Tortilla Chips (Store Bought or Homemade)
• Air Fryer Steak
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Broccoli
• Air Fryer Eggs
• Air Fryer Asparagus
• Air Fryer Bacon
• Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
• How to Make Frozen Burgers in Air Fryer
• Frozen French Fries in the Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
• Air Fryer Salmon
• Air Fryer Potato Wedges

CREAM CHEESE WONTON DIPPING SAUCE

I like serving these wontons with sweet chili sauce. It’s a lovely sweet and spicy contrast to the creamy and crunchy wonton, which is so good! You can also purchase sweet and sour sauce, plum sauce, or duck sauce.

Cream Cheese Wontons (Air Fry or Deep Fry)

Air Fryer Cream Cheese Wontons dipped in red, sweet chili sauce is an iconic dish at your favorite Chinese restaurant. Try making this easy, yummy appetizer at home for a fraction of the cost! This recipe can be fried traditionally, or made healthier in the air fryer.

4.50 from 4 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Author: Lisa Childs

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• 2 1/2 tablespoons finely sliced green onion
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 24-30 wonton wrappers
• 1/2 cup water for sealing
• cooking oil spray or oil
• sweet chili sauce for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix cream cheese, garlic powder, and green onions in a small bowl. 
• Take the wonton wrappers out of the package and keep covered with a damp cloth or paper towel until ready to fill each one. 
• Add a teaspoon of cream cheese filling to the wrapper and use your favorite fold (3 folds listed below) to seal.

Air Fryer Instructions

• Preheat the air fryer by turning it on to 350 for about 5 minutes.
• Place the wontons in the air fryer basket, and spray with cooking spray or brush with oil. Spraying will cause a more golden and beautiful appearance and a slightly better texture. If you prefer not to, the wontons will be floury and a bit sharper.
• Cook at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes, checking at 3 minutes. They should be crispy and golden. Serve with dipping sauce.

Deep Fry Instructions

• Heat a pot full of oil on medium heat, about 2-3 inches deep. Test a piece of a wrapper in the oil when it gets hot.
• You'll know it's ready when it immediately starts bubbling around the wonton. If the oil is not hot enough, the wrapper will sink and not bubble.
• Fry for just about 30-60 seconds, and flip as needed if your oil does not cover the wontons. Once they float to the top and look golden brown, remove them from oil to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with dipping sauce.

Triangle Fold

• Turn the square wonton 45 degrees so it is like a triangle. Spoon the filling in the middle of the square. Swipe some water in an inverted "V" around the top edge of the wonton. Fold the bottom corner of the wonton so it meets the top. Press the edges down and press all the way around to the cream cheese so it is nice and snug around the filling. Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel until ready to cook.
  

The Classic

• Turn the square wonton 45 degrees so it is like a triangle. Spoon the filling in the middle of the square. Swipe some water around the entire perimeter of the wrapper. Grab both the top and bottom corners and fold them together so they meet. Repeat with the other two corners. Pinch each of the four "arms" so it's nice and tight. Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel until ready to cook.
  

The Prayer

• Turn the square wonton 45 degrees so it is like a triangle. Spoon the filling in the bottom 1/3 of the triangle. Start rolling the wrapper around the cream cheese willing until you're about 1/3 from the top, and it looks like a triangle. Dab water on each of the bottom corners of the triangle.
  
• Bring the two arms together, kind of like two hand coming together in a prayer or high five. Press it together so it doesn't come apart. Lift up the "hands," and dap a little water on the bottom of the wonton. Fold the top triangle flap back so it touches the bottom. Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel until ready to cook.
  

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NOTES

You can be totally creative while making these cream cheese wontons! You can add other mix-ins to the cream cheese to make them sweet or savory like onion powder, herbs, artificial crab, minced pineapple, powdered sugar, or jam.

Check out my cookie dough wontons recipe for a delicious dessert option!

NUTRITION

Serving: 1grams

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