Jumbo Crab Garlic Butter Rolls

Soft, fluffy dinner rolls stuffed to the brim with creamy crab filling, brushed in garlicky butter, and baked until golden and bubbling. Each bite is rich, savory, and loaded with sweet jumbo lump crab that you can actually see and savor.

This recipe takes everything you love about crab dip and tucks it inside warm bread. It’s indulgent, comforting, and just a little dramatic when you pull one apart and that creamy filling stretches and steams.

Perfect for game days, holiday spreads, dinner parties, or when you simply want to turn a regular weeknight into something special.

Why You’re Going to Love This Recipe

• Packed with real jumbo lump crab you can actually taste
• Creamy, cheesy filling with layers of garlic and herbs
• Golden, buttery tops with crispy edges
• Easy to prep ahead and bake when ready
• Feels fancy but uses simple ingredients

Ingredients

• Large dinner rolls

Jumbo Lump Crab Filling

• Cream cheese, softened
• Claw crab meat
• Jumbo lump crab meat
• Mozzarella, shredded
• Shallot, minced
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Chives, minced
• Garlic, paste or minced
• Black pepper

Garlic Butter

• Unsalted butter, melted
• Garlic, minced
• Parsley, dried or fresh
• Salt

Garnish

• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Fresh parsley

Make the Garlic Butter

In a small bowl, mix together melted butter, minced garlic, parsley, and salt. Set aside.

Make the Jumbo Lump Crab Filling

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, claw crab meat, mozzarella, shallot, parsley, chives, garlic, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and well incorporated.

Gently fold in the jumbo lump crab meat last to keep those beautiful pieces intact.

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag.

Tip: No piping bag? Use a zip-top bag and snip the corner.

Prep the Rolls

Using a sharp knife, make a shallow crosscut into the top of each dinner roll. Do not slice all the way through.

Pipe the crab filling into each roll, filling generously. Continue until all filling is used.

Assemble and Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Brush the tops and inside cuts of each roll with garlic butter.

Place stuffed rolls on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the filling is warm and bubbling.

Once baked, brush with remaining garlic butter. Finish with grated parmesan and fresh parsley.

Serve warm and watch them disappear.

Storage and Reheating

Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating
Reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through to keep the bread soft and the filling creamy. You can also reheat in the air fryer at a lower temperature for a few minutes. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it can make the rolls chewy.

Print

Jumbo Crab Garlic Butter Rolls

There’s something about warm bread and crab that just feels luxurious. These Jumbo Crab Garlic Butter Rolls take everything you love about a creamy crab dip and tuck it inside soft, fluffy dinner rolls brushed in garlicky butter. As they bake, the tops turn golden, the filling gets warm and bubbly, and the sweet jumbo lump crab stays beautifully intact in every bite. It’s indulgent without being complicated. The kind of appetizer that makes people pause mid-conversation just to savor it. Perfect for holidays, game nights, or anytime you want to bring a little wow factor to the table without the stress. Soft. Buttery. Creamy. Loaded with real crab. Just like that.

Course Appetizer, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword dinner rolls, jumbo crab, seafood

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 rolls

Author kingcooks

Ingredients

• 8 large dinner rolls

Jumbo Lump Crab Filling

• 16 oz cream cheese softened
• 8 oz claw crab meat
• 6 oz jumbo lump crab meat
• 1 cup mozzarella shredded
• 1/4 cup shallot minced
• 1 tbsp parsley freshly chopped
• 1 tbsp chives minced
• 1 tsp garlic paste or minced
• 1 tsp black pepper

Garlic Butter

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 1 tsp garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp parsley dried or freshly chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt

Garnish

• Parmesan cheese grated
• Parsley freshly chopped

Instructions

Garlic Butter

• Mix together the ingredients listed under “Garlic Butter “and set aside.

Jumbo Lump Crab Filling

• In a bowl add all the ingredients listed under “Jumbo Lump Crab Filling” EXCEPT for the jumbo lump crab meat and mix thoroughly. Once combined, fold in the jumbo lump crab meat.
• Once thoroughly combined, transfer to a pipping bag and set aside.
• TIP: no pipping bag no problem! Just simply transfer to a ziplock plastic bag and cut the tip off of one end.
• Make a shallow crosscut through each dinner roll, making sure not to cut all the way through.
• Fill the openings of the roll with the jumbo lump crab filling to the best of your ability. Continue until no more filling is left.

Assemble

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Brush on the garlic butter and transfer the stuffed rolls to a baking sheet. Place on the middle rack of the oven.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the filling is warm and bubbling throughout.
• Once baked, topped with remaining garlic butter, grated parmesan cheese and parsley. Enjoy!