At a Glance
15 min prep
8 crab cakes
Gluten-free
Dairy-free option
The secret: Schär gluten-free cracker crumbs + a 1-hour chill = crab cakes that hold together perfectly and taste like the real deal.
If there’s one thing most people know about Maryland, it’s that they take their crab very seriously. And after moving to the region over a decade ago, I’ve enjoyed crab here in about every way imaginable. But my favorite way to enjoy Maryland blue crab, caught fresh from the Chesapeake Bay, is in one of their famous crab cakes.
A true Maryland-style crab cake is all about letting the sweet flavor and tender texture of the crab meat be the star of the show. Why mess with perfection?
That means a crab cake that’s 98% crab meat, seasoned ever so lightly, and with just enough filler to hold it together. We use cracker crumbs instead of bread crumbs — they make the cakes lighter, and our favorite Schär Table Crackers happen to be gluten-free. Whether you’re gluten-free or not, you’re going to love these.
To play it safe, always check the labels of condiments when cooking for anyone with a gluten sensitivity — Worcestershire sauce and mustard can hide sneaky gluten sources.
The Ingredients
Fresh Lump Crab Meat
For an authentic Maryland-style crab cake, lump crab meat from Maryland blue crabs is what you want. Lump crab gives you those big, tender, meaty bites that make a crab cake heavenly. Skip the shelf-stable canned stuff — the refrigerated kind from the seafood counter is the next best thing if fresh isn’t available.
Not sure which grade to buy? Here’s a quick breakdown:
Grade
What It Is
Best For
Cost
Jumbo Lump
Largest whole muscle pieces
Showstopper dinner parties
$$$$
Lump Our pick
Large body pieces + some whole muscles
This recipe — best balance
$$$
Backfin
Smaller shredded pieces with some lumps
Good budget substitute
$$
Special
Smallest inner-body pieces, very sweet
Crab dips, stuffed mushrooms
$
No one at your dinner table is going to hate you for using jumbo lump crab meat. But since it’s the largest and most coveted variety, it’s also the most expensive — so use whatever is in your budget and available to you.
Pro tip: Mix jumbo lump and backfin 50/50 for great texture at a more reasonable price.
Schär Gluten-Free Table Cracker Crumbs
Even the crabbiest of crab cakes need a little binder. We use finely crushed Schär Gluten-Free Table Crackers instead of boring old bread crumbs. Similar to saltines but more delicate and buttery in flavor, they crush into the perfect light binder. You’ll need about 10 full crackers (finely crushed in a blender or food processor) to get roughly ½ cup of crumbs. After trying them, we were hooked!
Schär Table Crackers are: gluten-free · wheat-free · lactose-free · preservative-free · non-GMO
Can’t find Schär? Crushed Glutino crackers, gluten-free panko, or finely crushed plain rice crackers all work as substitutes.
Mayonnaise
Use your favorite
