This Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon copycat recipe is so easy to make at home with just a few ingredients. Wonton wrappers, cream cheese, scallions and garlic powder come together to form a crispy little bite perfect for dipping in sweet chili sauce.
When we order takeout, it’s usually either pizza or Chinese. And if the boys have their say, it’s Panda Express which means we’ve eaten a LOT of Panda Express over the years. Enough for me to dissect our favorite dishes, like cream cheese rangoon, and figure out exactly how to make them at home. It turns out they’re ridiculously easy to make and pair perfectly with my Panda Express orange chicken recipe.
Why I Love This Cream Cheese Wonton Recipe
There’s so much to love about this appetizer!
- Only 4 ingredients. Yup, seriously! Cream cheese, scallions, garlic powder, and wonton wrappers are all you’ll need (plus oil for frying).
- Ready in 10 minutes. These come together faster than I could drive to Panda Express! They’re simple to assemble and they fry super quickly in just 1 minute. From start to finish it takes me just 10 minutes to whip these up.
- Like takeout but better. As I mentioned above, we eat Panda Express a LOT. Which means that any copycat recipes I try to make at home need to taste like Panda Express, not some homemade knock-off version. I’m confident that these taste just like takeout, if not a bit better!
What You’ll Need
There are only 4 ingredients in these cream cheese wontons, which is one of the reasons I love them so much. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Cream cheese – Softened for easy mixing.
- Scallions – Thinly diced scallions add flavor to the filling without being quite as harsh as diced onion would be.
- Garlic powder – Seasons the filling.
- Wonton wrappers – These are usually found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
- Vegetable oil – Or similar oil for frying.
Turn Them Into Crab Rangoon
Crab rangoon is another favorite Chinese takeout appetizer of mine. It’s so easy to turn these cream cheese rangoon into crab rangoon!
How To Make Cream Cheese Rangoon
It only takes a few minutes to prepare these Panda Express cream cheese rangoon at home and they cook in just 1 minute! You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.
- Make the filling. Combine the cream cheese, scallions, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
- Heat the oil. Preheat 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees. I start heating it while I work on assembling the wontons.
- Assemble. Lay out the wrappers. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of each one. Use a finger and a little water to moisten all sides of the wrap then push the edges together towards the middle to seal.
- Cool. Place a few rangoon in the oil at a time. Cook for about 1 minute, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining rangoon.
- Enjoy. Serve with sweet chili sauce and enjoy!
Tips & Variations
These cream cheese wontons are so simple to make but I have found a few things that help make them even easier.
- Soften the cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese is softened before beginning. If I forget to pull it from the fridge in time, I will pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. If it’s cold, the filling won’t mix as easily and may be lumpy.
- Don’t overfill the wrappers. Wonton wrappers are fairly small. 2 teaspoons is what I’ve found to be the perfect amount to fill them. Overfilling will make it difficult to properly seal the wrappers and the filling will leak out when frying.
- They fry quickly. It really does take just 60 seconds or so for the wonton wrappers to turn a beautiful golden brown, as long as the oil is the right temperature. Once the frying starts, it goes quickly. I like to have all of the wontons assembled before I start frying.
Serving
Cream cheese rangoon are best served warm with sweet chili sauce or hot mustard.
I love to serve these with other Chinese takeout dishes, like my copycat Panda Express orange chicken, kung pao chicken, or chicken lo mein. They’re such an easy addition to a meal and it really makes dinner feel like Chinese takeout (but better).
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Cream cheese rangoon are best served fresh. However, they can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Reheat. The best way to reheat these is in the air fryer. Reheating them in the microwave makes them not as crispy (though the flavor is still good).
More Chinese Takeout Recipes
- Salt and Pepper Chicken
- Chinese Spare Ribs
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Dynamite Shrimp
- Mongolian Beef
- Bourbon Chicken
Cream Cheese Rangoon (Panda Express Copycat)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 Tablespoons thinly diced scallions
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 24 wonton wrappers
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix the softened cream cheese, scallions and garlic powder together.
- In a heavy bottomed pot or high sided pan heat about 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees.
- Lay out a wrapper and put about 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of the wonton.
- Use your finger and a little water to moisten all 4 sides of the wonton wrapper.
- Push the edges together towards the middle and seal.
- Place a few rangoon at a time in the oil and cook for about 1 minute or until golden brown.
- Remove from oil and drain on paper towels or a wire rack while you finish the rest of them.
- Serve with sweet chili sauce.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Nutrition
Leave a Review!
We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or comment here.
Your email address will not be published.