You're going to love these creamy corn and bacon wonton cups filled with a delicious blend of rich and creamy corn, smokey bacon, and tangy pickled jalapeños. To make it even more mouth-watering, they're drizzled with a tasty Ranch crema and garnished with fresh chives.
You can whip up this appetizer in no time at all and still impress your guests with its beautiful appearance and delicious taste. Topping them with familiar flavors of cheddar and Ranch creates a crunchy and creamy appetizer that will surely please everyone's taste buds.
Read on for all the loving details, or skip on down to the recipe card!
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Featured Ingredients
Read below about a few of the ingredients used to make Creamy Corn and Bacon Wonton Cup with Ranch Crema.
Corn - Any cooked corn works for this creamy corn and bacon wonton cup appetizer. I used frozen, thawing it before using it. You can also use drained canned corn or freshly cooked off-the-cob corn.
Cream cheese - For this recipe, I like to use cream cheese spread, which is the stuff in the tub, rather than the brick. It spreads and mixes more easily and melts faster.
The difference between the cream cheese in a brick and the spreadable version is the latter is whipped with lactic acid before packaging. Otherwise, it's the same product.
Crema Mexicana - This stuff is amazing! There are so many different uses for it, savory and sweet. I'm just learning about it myself, and I really love what it brings to a dish. It does not have the sour tang of sour cream, but it's just as refreshing.
It is pourable but still quite thick and makes a great base for a quick dressing.
I find it in the cold section alongside the packaged fresh tortillas, cold salsas, and Mexican cheeses at my local grocers.
Ranch seasoning - You might wonder why it's worth making Ranch-flavored crema instead of using Ranch salad dressing as a substitute. It's really not the same. The shelf-stable dressing contains numerous unnecessary ingredients to maintain its shelf life, which alters the delicious Ranch flavor.
Moreover, it lacks the fresh and invigorating taste that crema adds, and it can overpower the other flavors in the wonton cup.
If you prefer a more natural Ranch seasoning, check out this one!
Pickled jalapeños - Don't be tempted to use fresh jalapeños. The creamy corn is so rich that it needs the balance of the tart pickled variety. I like to use the "tamed" jalapeños from the brand Mezzetta. If you prefer a spicy kick, use the hot stuff!
Tools for the job
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Muffin tin
- Large nonstick skillet
- Small bowl, Medium bowl
- Spatula, tongs, small whisk
- Lined sheet pan
How to make creamy corn and bacon wonton cups
- Start this recipe by making the ranch crema so the seasoning has time to fully dissolve. Add ½ cup Crema Mexicana to a liquid measuring cup along with 1 tablespoon of Ranch seasoning and 1 tablespoon of water.
Stir to combine, then cover and refrigerate. The seasoning powder may clump a little before using the crema, so be sure to stir it well before using. - To make the wonton cups: Heat your oven to 350°F. Spray muffin pans liberally with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
Lay the wonton wrappers onto the muffin pan, but don't push them into the holes yet. Spray the tops of the wrappers with cooking spray, then gently press them into the hole, taking care to push them out to the edges to fill the entire cup.
If any parts of the wrapper fold over or poke out into the hole of the cup, just push them against the sides, and they will stick.
- Bake the wontons for 8 minutes, turning the trays once. ( They usually take 10 minutes, but since you will be baking them again, you don't want them to overcook.)
Let cool for a few minutes, and then pull them out of the pan to fill with the creamy corn and bacon. Turn the oven up to 375°F. - To make the creamy corn and bacon mixture: Dice the onion and bacon. Mince the pickled jalapeños. Warm a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon. As the color darkens, turn the heat down so the bacon doesn't burn.
Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon looks close to being done. (It will continue to darken and crisp up as it cools) Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set it on a plate lined with paper towels. - Drain the bacon grease from the skillet and wipe it out with a paper towel, though not thoroughly. Leave a few drops of grease behind. Bring the pan back up to medium high heat and add the onions.
Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are charred on the edges and look clearish. - Turn the heat off but leave the pan on the stove. Add the bacon back in, as well as the corn (reserving ¼ cup for garnish) and pickled jalapeños. Drop the cream cheese into the pan by the spoonful.
Sprinkle the garlic powder over everything and stir to combine. The residual heat from the pan will soften the cream cheese and help it to combine with the other ingredients.
- When the wonton cups are ready, add 1-2 tablespoons of the corn mixture. Top with a pinch of shredded cheese and a few more kernels of corn.
Set the wontons on a lined sheet pan. Put them in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheddar has melted.
- Once the cheese has melted nicely, arrange the creamy corn and bacon wonton cups on a serving tray. After stirring the ranch crema again, drizzle it over the top.
Alternatively, it can be served in a bowl alongside the cups. Garnish with chives.
Make it in advance
- Wonton cups can be made a day in advance and stored in a Ziploc bag for freshness.
- Ranch crema can be made one day in advance. Add the water to thin it out just before using.
- The creamy corn mixture can be made a few days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. Leave the mixture out at room temp for 15-20 minutes before using so it can soften a little to easily fill the cups.
Variation of creamy corn and bacon wonton cups
For an even quicker appetizer, put the corn mixture into a 1-2 quart baking dish, then top with cheese and more corn kernels. Warm the dish in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Garnish with Ranch crema and chives.
Instead of baking wonton cups, cut the wrappers from corner to corner to create triangles. Lay them out on a lined sheet pan and spray them with cooking spray. Bake for 5 minutes at 350°F. Serve alongside the dip.
More appetizer recipes
Creamy Corn and Bacon Wonton Cups with Ranch Crema
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 25 pieces 1x
Description
You are going to love these simple oven-baked creamy corn and bacon wonton cups filled with a blend of rich and creamy corn, smokey bacon, and tangy pickled jalapeños, then drizzled with a tasty Ranch crema and topped with fresh chives.
Ingredients
- 24 Wonton papers, approximately
- 2 ¼ cups corn, divided (SEE NOTE)
- 8 ounces bacon, diced
- 1 cup diced onion, diced
- 4 ounces cream cheese spread
- 2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup finely diced pickled jalapeños
- chives or green onions, minced
- ½ cup crema mexicana
- 1 tablespoon Ranch seasoning
Instructions
To make the Ranch crema:
- Pour the crema into a liquid measuring cup. Add the ranch seasoning and stir to combine.
- Add up to 1 tablespoon of water to thin it out. If you need to set it aside, stir vigorously before using again.
To make the wonton cups:
- Heat your oven to 350°F. Spray muffin pans liberally with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
- Lay the wonton wrappers out onto the muffin pan but don't push them into the holes yet. Spray the tops of the wrappers with cooking spray, then gently press them into the hole, taking care to push it out to the edges to fill the entire cup. If any parts of the wrapper fold over or poke out into the hole of the cup, just push them against the sides, and they will stick into place.
- Bake the wontons for 8 minutes, turning the tray once. Let cool for a few minutes, and then pull them out of the pan to fill with the creamy corn and bacon. Turn the oven up to 375°F.
To make the filling:
- Warm a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon. As the color darkens, turn the heat down so the bacon doesn't burn. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon looks close to being done. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set it on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Drain the bacon grease from the skillet and wipe it out with a paper towel. Bring the pan back up to medium high heat and add the onions. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are charred on the edges and look clearish.
- Turn the heat off but leave the pan on the stove. Add the bacon, 2 cups of corn, pickled jalapeños, and garlic powder. Drop the cream cheese into the pan by the spoonful and stir to combine.
To assemble the cups:
- When the wonton cups are ready, fill with 1-2 tablespoons of the corn mixture. Top with a pinch of shredded cheese and a few more kernels of corn.
- Set the wontons on a lined sheet pan and put them in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheddar has melted.
- Once the cheese has fully melted, arrange the wontons on a serving tray. After stirring the ranch crema again, drizzle it over the wonton cups. Alternatively, it can be served in a bowl alongside the cups. Garnish with chives.
Notes
NOTE: You can use canned corn, frozen corn that has been thawed, or precooked corn from the cob. Two cups are for the creamy corn mixture and the remaining ¼ cup is reserved for garnish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: appetizer
- Method: Stove-top, oven
- Cuisine: American
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