When I was developing my fried shrimp wontons recipe, I went through many packages of dumpling wrappers and had many leftover. Not wanting to waste the wrappers, I decided to turn them into baked wonton cups.
The wonton cups are nice and crispy and make a great vessel for holding salads or dips. The process for making them is very straightforward: grease a muffin pan, line the wells with wonton wrappers, grease the top side of the wrappers, and bake. In the recipe below, I show you how to make large and small cups. If you’re making the smaller cups, you’ll need a mini muffin pan, like this one (affiliate link). If stored properly, these wonton cups will stay crunchy for at least 2 weeks!
COOKING NOTES FOR WONTON CUPS
CAN I USE CIRCULAR WRAPPERS?
Yes, you can use circular wrappers. Keep in mind that circular wrappers are smaller than square ones, so the cups won’t have as much height.
THICK VS THIN DUMPLING WRAPPERS
Wonton wrappers can come in varying thickness. I used the thinner wonton wrappers here; this is generally the standard thickness of wonton wrappers.
DARK VS LIGHT BAKING PANS
The baking times are different, depending on the color of metal of the baking pan. Darker baking pans tend to heat faster, so the wonton cups will brown faster. If you’re using a light, silver-colored baking pan, the wontons will need 1 or 2 more minutes of baking.
I have not tested this recipe using silicone muffin pans, so I’m not sure what the baking time would be.
WHAT IS THE POWDERY TEXTURE?
When you pull the wonton cups out of the oven, you may notice white powdery residue on the cups. Don’t be alarmed. That’s just starch that manufacturers apply between layers of wrappers to prevent them from sticking together. That starch doesn’t disappear during the baking process and it’s fine to consume.
HOW LONG DO THEY CRUNCHY?
These wonton cups stay crunchy for at least 2 weeks, if you store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
SALADS AND DIPS TO SERVE INSIDE CUPS
Baked Wonton Cups
Equipment
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standard muffin pans (for large wonton cups)
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mini muffin pans (for small wonton cups)
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pastry brush
Ingredients
- wonton wrappers
- neutral cooking oil olive oil, or cooking spray
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC), and position an oven rack to the center position.
Large Wonton Cups (Each Wrapper Makes 1 Cup)
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Grease a 6-count or 12-count muffin pan with oil or cooking spray. Use a brush to distribute the oil evenly inside each well.
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Line each well with wonton wrappers. Press the wrappers against the bottom and sides of each well to remove as many air pockets as possible.
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Spray the tops of the wonton wrappers with cooking spray and use the brush to distribute the oil evenly. If you are not using cooking spray, dip your pastry brush in a bowl with oil and brush that over the wonton wrappers.
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Bake the wonton wrappers. If your muffin pan is made of a dark-colored metal, bake the wrappers for 8 to 9 minutes, rotating the pan halfway to ensure even baking. Check the cups at 8 minutes to see if the top edges are golden brown. If not, bake the cups for another minute or two.
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If your muffin pan is made of a light-colored metal, bake the wrappers for 10 to 11 minutes, rotating the pan at the 6-minute mark. If your wonton cups have barely turned golden, bake the wonton cups for another 1 to 2 minutes.
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Remove the wonton cups from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. If you are baking a second batch, let the muffin pan cool completely before greasing the wells again for the second batch. Alternatively, you can use a clean muffin pan.
Small Wonton Cups (Each Wrapper Makes 2 Cups)
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Grease a 12-count or 24-count mini muffin pan with oil or cooking spray. Use a brush to distribute the oil evenly inside each well.
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Place a piece of wonton wrapper on a chopping board. Spray it with cooking spray and then use a pastry brush to evenly distribute the oil over the entire surface. Alternatively, pour a small amount of oil into a bowl. Then, dip a brush into the oil and brush the entire surface of the wonton with a thin layer of oil.
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Flip the wonton wrapper over and do the same to the other side. Stack another wonton wrapper directly over the first wrapper. Then, brush or spray oil over the top side wonton wrapper. Continue doing this until you have a stack of 6 or 12 wonton wrappers. Slice the stack of wonton wrappers diagonally, so that you have 2 stacks of triangular wrappers of equal size.
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Take one triangular wrapper and lay it over both your hands. The right angle of the triangle should be facing down and the longest edge of the triangle should be facing up. Use your hands to fold the two top corners together, creating an oblong cone or boat-like shape with the wrapper. The two corners should stick together because of the oil on the wrapper. Look at the photos below for reference.
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Transfer the folded wrapper to a well in the mini muffin pan. Flatten the bottom and try to press the wrapper against the sides of the well. Continue folding and transferring the rest of the wrappers to the muffin pan.
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Bake the wonton wrappers. If your muffin pan is made of a dark-colored metal, bake the wrappers for 7 to 8 minutes, rotating the pan around at the 4-minute mark to ensure even baking. Check the wonton cups at the 7-minute mark to see if they’re golden brown. If they are, remove the muffin pan from the oven. If not, bake the wonton cups for another minute or two. If your muffin pan is made of a light-colored metal, bake the wrappers for an additional minute or two.
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Remove the wonton cups from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. If you are baking a second batch, let the muffin pan cool completely before greasing the wells again for the second batch. Alternatively, you can use a clean muffin pan.
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Do not be alarmed by the powdery residue on the wonton wrappers. It’s just starch that manufacturers apply between wrappers to prevent them from sticking together. The wrappers are fine to eat.
Serve
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Serve the wonton cups with your favorite salads, dips, poke, or even salsa! I like to scoop this Asian chicken salad. You can also scoop a bit of this white bean dip into the wonton cups and top with chopped vegetables.
Nutrition
The post How to Make Wonton Cups (2 Ways) appeared first on Healthy Nibbles by Lisa Lin.
