Crab & Cream Cheese Hors D'Oeuvres

This hot crab dip is the kind of appetizer that empties the dish before halftime. Cream cheese, backfin crab meat, and a touch of horseradish get blended together, spooned into a baking dish, and topped with slivered almonds that toast golden in the oven.

The horseradish is the secret weapon here. Just half a teaspoon adds a subtle sinus-clearing zing that keeps the richness of all that cream cheese in check.

Scoop it onto crackers while it’s still warm and bubbly, and try not to eat the whole thing yourself.

Chef Tips

• Use backfin crab meat for the best texture. It has larger, more defined pieces that hold up when mixed, so you get real chunks of crab in every bite.
• Soften the cream cheese fully before blending. Cold cream cheese won’t incorporate smoothly and you’ll end up with lumps.
• Serve straight from the oven. This dip is at its best hot and bubbly. As it cools, the cream cheese firms up and loses that luscious, scoopable texture.