Looking for the perfect appetizer to impress at your holiday gatherings? These Christmas Cracker Wontons are not just a feast for the eyes but a delight for the taste buds! Shaped like traditional Christmas crackers with their signature toffee-style ends tied off with fresh chives, these festive wontons are a creative twist on the classic wonton. Filled with a flavorful veggie slaw, these wontons are both vegan-friendly and endlessly versatile. Swap the filling to suit your preferences—whether it’s a savory cheese blend, paneer, or even a tofu filling! They’re easy to make ahead and freeze, saving you time during the busy holiday season. Simply cook them when needed, and voilà, a crowd-pleasing appetizer that kids and adults alike will love.

Perfect for Christmas parties, family dinners, or as a unique addition to your holiday menu, these wontons will bring a festive charm to your table. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauces for an unforgettable holiday treat! Ready to add a touch of whimsy to your Christmas celebrations? Let’s get wrapping!

Happy Cooking!

Servings: 20-25 pcs

Prep Time: 30-40 mins

Cooking Time: 30-40 mins

Total Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients: 

• 1-1.5 tbsp peanut/vegetable oil

• 1/2 medium red Onion finely chopped

• 1/2 bell pepper finely chopped

• 3-4 scallions finely chopped; whites and greens separated

• 4-5 cloves Garlic finely chopped

• 1/2 tbsp ginger paste

• 1.5 cups finely chopped cabbage; I used a slaw mixture

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 2 tsp light soy sauce

• 2 tsp red garlic sauce

• 1/2 tbsp green chili sauce

• 1/2 tbsp sriracha

• 1/4 tsp Vinegar

• Salt to taste

• 1/4 tsp White Pepper

• 1/8 tsp ajinomoto; optional

• 1/2 tsp sugar

• 20-25 Wonton/dumpling wrappers

• Chives to tie the edges

• Oil to deep fry

Directions: 

1. Filling- Put a pan on low-medium heat and add oil. When it warms up add onions, bell pepper & whites of scallions. Cook for 2-3 minutes till the onions are translucent.

2. Add minced garlic and cook 3-4 mins till they are fragrant.

3. Add the shredded cabbage and ginger paste and cook for 3-4 minutes. Once it wilts and everything is well cooked, add the greens of the scallions and mix.

4. Add the salt, pepper, Ajinomoto, and sauces—soy sauce, green chili sauce, sriracha, garlic sauce, and vinegar—and saute for 2-4 minutes.

5. The filling is ready. Let it cool.

6. Assemble- Brush water along the edges of the wonton wrapper. Place the mixture in the middle of the dumpling wrapper and, fold it over into a roll and seal. Seal the sides together by pressing down. Use a fork and crimp the edges. Bring the edges of the crimping together to form the cracker shape. Use a small piece of chive to tie over the crimping.

7. Repeat for all dumplings. Keep them under a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.

8. Cooking- Heat oil till warm around 350-375F. Deep fry at a high temperature till golden brown, flipping over both sides.

   • To air fry- spray oil and place in a preheated air fryer. Cook at 375F for 9-12 minutes, be sure to flip them over midway.

9. Serve immediately with dipping sauce and enjoy!

10. Serve with chili oil and soy sauce.

11. You can freeze them for 3 months,

12. Cooking- Heat oil till warm around 350-375F. Deep fry at a high temperature till golden brown, flipping over both sides.

13. Serve immediately with a sweet & spicy dipping sauce.

Notes/Tips:

• DEEP FRYING IS WAY BETTER THAN AIR FRYING.

• Airfyer- Spray oil and then cook in a preheated air fryer at 375F for 9-12 mins, flipping it mid-way.

• Oven- Spray oil and then cook in a preheated oven at 390F for 10-16 mins, flipping it mid-way.

• Make sure the filling is well encased in the spring roll wrapper so it doesn’t ooze out when frying.

• You can freeze these for 2-3 months.

• If you don’t have the slaw mix you can make your own- Shred cabbage, red cabbage, and grate carrots together.

• The ingredients should be finely chopped so that they they do not break the dumpling wrapper

• Make in advance for a party- I deep-fried the wontons a few hours before till about 90% done. Before serving I baked them in a preheated oven at 400F for 6-8 minutes flipping it over midway.

• Vegan- I used vegan wonton sheets to make this recipe so that made it easy. Apart from that I used plant-based cream cheese and cheese for making them.