If you’re craving Cheesecake Factory crispy crab bites, I’m here with a recipe for a crispier and more scrumptious dish. Out of all the mouth-watering dishes on the menu of Cheesecake Factory, my all-time favorite side dish is Cheesecake Factory mini crab cakes. These mini cakes are filled with crab meat and veggies and are coated with breadcrumbs. But in case you haven’t tried these at the Cheesecake Factory, you can make these spicy mini crab cakes at home.

Cheesecake Factory mini crab cakes are filled with the flavors of Old Bay seasoning and other spices like cayenne pepper, paprika, and pepper. If you can’t handle too much spiciness, avoid adding cayenne pepper and paprika. You can use a baking sheet in place of a plastic wrap to refrigerate the crab meat mixture. Now let’s begin with the recipe for Cheesecake Factory mini crab cakes. Trust me! If you try this recipe, you won’t miss Cheesecake Factory’s crispy crab bites anymore.
Cheesecake Factory mini cakes are easy to make at home. You need easy-to-handle equipment and ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen. I’ve mentioned the lists below for equipment and ingredients you need. Check them out and try this recipe now. But before you read out the entire recipe, check out other copycat Cheesecake Factory recipes from our website.
1. Cheesecake Factory White Chilli : Cheesecake Factory white chicken chili has spicy seasoned chicken and delicious chili gravy. The gravy for chicken chili is loaded with southwestern flavors from Tabasco, salsa verde, and spices like oregano and many more. This dish is served with white rice and freshly prepared pico de gallo.
2. Cheesecake Factory Bistro Shrimp Pasta : Cheesecake Factory Bistro shrimp pasta has crispy battered shrimp loaded with the flavors of Italian seasoning. The pasta is mixed in lemon basil cream sauce. Sauteed mushrooms and tomatoes on top add a smoky and slightly meaty and tangy flavor to this dish.
3. Cheesecake Factory Fish Tacos : Cheesecake Factory fish tacos have citrusy cabbage slaw with crispy yet tender fish wrapped in warm corn tortillas. Guacamole and salsa spice up these tacos while salt and pepper enhance the taste. These tacos can be enjoyed as a Mexican side dish with salsa or any other condiment.
4. Cheesecake Factory Cobb Salad : Cheesecake Factory cobb salad is a delicious chorus of green veggies like asparagus, lettuce, green beans, and yellow beets. This salad is mixed in sweet and tart salad dressing. Lemon gives a citrusy twist while almonds and quinoa add a nutty flavor to this salad.
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What Equipment Will You Need For Cheesecake Factory Mini Crab Cakes?
- Saucepan – You need a saucepan to fry the crab cakes.
- Kitchen Tongs – While cooking mini crab cakes in the pan turn them using kitchen tongs.
- Plastic Wrap – Before frying the crab cakes, cover them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
- Baking Tray – You can use a baking tray lined with plastic wrap to refrigerate the crab cakes.
- Bowl – To prep the crab meat mixture, use a large mixing bowl.
- Knife – Chop the veggies using a sharp knife.
- Spatula – You can use a spatula to mix the ingredients for the crab cake and to turn the crab cakes in the pan.
- Spoon – Beat the egg in a small bowl using a spoon. You can use a cookie scoop to take out the crab meat mixture for mini crab cakes.
How Much Time Do You Need To Make Cheesecake Factory Mini Crab Cakes?
Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Refrigerating Time | Total Time |
---|---|---|---|
10 Minutes | 30 Minutes | 1 Hour | 1 Hour 40 Minutes |
What Ingredients Will You Need For Cheesecake Factory Mini Crab Cakes?
- Crab Meat – For crab cakes, you need crab meat. Use two cans of lump crab meat or crab claw meat.
- Onion – Yellow onion adds a mild sweetness to the crab cakes. You can add a half cup of diced yellow onion to the crab cake mixture.
- Bell Pepper – Dice a one-fourth green bell pepper and add it to the crab meat mixture. Green bell pepper has a mildly spicy and distinct peppery flavor.
- Old Bay Seasoning – Old Bay seasoning is a mouth-watering mixture of aromatic spices. It has celery salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and many more spices. Add just a teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning to the crab meat mixture.
- Dried Parsley – Dried parsley adds herbal and earthy flavors to the crab cakes. You need to add a half teaspoon of dried parsley to the crab meat mixture.
- Black Pepper – Cracked pepper adds heat and a spicy seasoning flavor to the crab cakes. I’ve added just one-fourth teaspoon of cracked black pepper. You can add it according to your taste.
- Egg – Beat an egg and pour it into the crab cake mixture. The egg makes the crab cakes soft and adds more flavor.
- Mayonnaise – Mayonnaise adds a mildly sour taste to the crab cakes and improves the texture of the crab meat mixture. Add about two tablespoons of mayonnaise to the crab meat mixture.
- Breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs add some crispiness to the crab cakes when fried and keep them soft when added to the crab meat mixture. You need to mix three tablespoons of breadcrumbs in the crab meat and dip the crab cakes in the breadcrumbs before frying them.
- Chili Powder – Add a half teaspoon of chili powder to the crab meat to make the crab cakes spicy.
- Cayenne Pepper – Cayenne pepper adds more heat to the crab cakes. Add about one-fourth teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the crab meat mixture.
- Ground Cumin – Ground cumin adds a basic seasoning flavor to the crab cakes. You need to add just one-fourth teaspoon of ground pepper to the crab meat.
- Salt – Salt is the basic seasoning spice and enhances the taste of the cran cakes. Add a one-eighth teaspoon of salt (or more according to your taste) to the crab meat.
- Lemon Juice – Pour in a teaspoon of lemon juice in the crab meat mixture to add a citrusy twist to the crab cakes.
- Vegetable Oil – To fry the crab cakes, you need oil. Use any vegetable oil for this recipe.

Steps To Make Cheesecake Factory Mini Crab Cakes
1. Mix The Ingredients Together
Take a large mixing bowl and add crab meat to it. Now, add yellow onion, green pepper along with spices like Old Bay seasoning, dried parsley, cracked pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and salt. Mix them together to combine. Stir in a beaten egg, mayonnaise, breadcrumbs, and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix them again and make a smooth mixture for crab cakes.
2. Fry Little Scoops Into Crab Cakes
Take out small scoops of this mixture and lay them over the baking tray lined with plastic wrap or baking sheet. Cover them with plastic wrap and lightly press them. Refrigerate for about an hour. Remove from the fridge, dip the crab cakes with breadcrumbs, and fry these crab cakes in the pan containing hot oil. Cook these cakes in oil until they’re brown from both sides.
Nutritional Information
Calories | 117 kcal |
Carbohydrates | 5 g |
Protein | 12 g |
Fat | 5 g |
Saturated Fat | 1 g |
Polyunsaturated Fat | 2 g |
Monounsaturated Fat | 1 g |
Trans Fat | 1 g |
Cholesterol | 53 mg |
Sodium | 603 mg |
Potassium | 170 mg |
Fiber | 1 g |
Sugar | 1 g |
Vitamin A | 169 IU |
Vitamin C | 9 mg |
Calcium | 48 mg |
Iron | 1 mg |
How Will Cheesecake Factory Mini Crab Cakes Look and Taste?
Cheesecake Factory mini crab cakes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. These mini cakes are loaded with soft breadcrumbs inside with crab meat and veggies like onions and bell pepper. The Old Bay seasoning adds tons of spicy flavors to these mini cakes. Eggs and mayonnaise add more flavor and keep these cakes soft. You can enjoy these delicious mini crab cakes with any condiment of your choice.
Recipe Card
Cheesecake Factory Mini Crab Cakes Recipe
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Kitchen Tongs
- Plastic Wrap
- Baking Tray
- Bowl
- Knife
- Spatula
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 2 cans Lump Crab Meat
- 1/2 Yellow Onion (diced)
- 1/4 Green Bell Pepper (diced)
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried Parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 Egg (well beaten)
- 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon Bread Crumbs (plus more for the coating later)
- 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- Vegetable Oil
Video
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe? Tell me in the comments below and try our other copycat recipes too.