What Are Egg roll wrappers and How Can I Use Them?

Here's everything worth knowing about egg roll wrappers and how to pick them, what they are, how to store them, and what to use instead, plus 9 recipes to cook tonight.

Key Points

Thin wheat-flour sheets about 7 to 8 inches square that fry into a bubbly golden shell.
Thicker than spring roll wrappers, so they hold a generous filling without tearing.
Seal the last corner with egg or flour paste and fry around 350°F (175°C) for 2 to 4 minutes.
Overfilling and wet fillings cause splitting and sogginess; drain fillings and roll out air pockets.
Spring roll, wonton, or lumpia wrappers substitute; keep refrigerated and use within days.

What are egg roll wrappers?

Egg roll wrappers are thin, pliable sheets of wheat-flour dough, usually about 7 to 8 inches (18 to 20 cm) square, sold fresh or frozen in stacks at the supermarket and Asian grocery.

Despite the name, most contain little or no egg; the wheat dough is what gives them their stretch and the bubbly, blistered crust they fry up into.

They're the sturdier, thicker cousin of the spring roll wrapper. The thickness is what lets them hold a generous, juicy filling and shatter into that craggy golden shell when deep-fried.

How to Use Egg Roll Wrappers

Work with one wrapper at a time and keep the rest covered with a damp towel; they dry out and crack within minutes of hitting the air.

Set the wrapper as a diamond, mound the filling near the bottom corner, fold that corner up and over, fold in both sides like an envelope, then roll tight.

Seal the final corner with a dab of beaten egg or a flour-and-water paste; a loose seal pops open in the oil and lets grease in. Fry at around 350°F (175°C) until deep golden and crisp, usually 2 to 4 minutes.

These are above all a frying wrapper. On Recipeland they wrap classic Spring Rolls (Chinese), the hearty Best Barley Egg Rolls, and Vegetarian Egg Rolls.

Their reach goes well past egg rolls, though. They stand in for samosa and dumpling skins, get folded into Peking Raviolis with Eggplant, and make a quick shell for sweet fillings like a Chicken & Banana Egg Roll Appetizer.

You can also bake or air-fry them, brushed with oil, for a lighter, less bubbly crust.

Cooking Tips and Common Mistakes

The most common failure is overfilling. A bulging roll won't seal, splits in the fryer, and cooks unevenly; two to three tablespoons of filling per wrapper is plenty.

Wet fillings are the other trap. Excess moisture steams inside the wrapper and turns it soggy, so drain any cabbage or sprouts well, and cool a cooked filling before rolling. Roll firmly and squeeze out air pockets, or the trapped air balloons and bursts in the oil.

What to Use Instead

Spring roll wrappers (the thicker Shanghai wheat kind, not the translucent rice-paper sort) are the closest swap, giving a thinner, more delicate, crispier roll. Use two stacked if they feel too flimsy.

Wonton wrappers work for small bites and will fry crisp, but they're cut small, so they only suit mini rolls or dumplings. Fresh lumpia wrappers are an excellent stand-in where you can find them.

Phyllo, brushed with oil and layered, gives a flaky, shattering crust if you want a non-Asian route.

Buying and Storing

You'll find egg roll wrappers refrigerated or frozen, often near the tofu and fresh noodles. Check the date and choose a pack where the sheets look supple, not dried or cracked at the edges.

Refrigerated, unopened, they keep about a week to ten days; once the package is opened, wrap the stack tightly and use within a few days before they dry out. Freeze for up to a couple of months, and thaw in the fridge overnight so they separate cleanly without tearing.

If the sheets stick together after thawing, peel them gently; forcing them rips the dough.