Since this seems to be one of my most popular posts (via search engines), I just want to clarify that while this recipe is based on the wontons from one of my local chinese restaurants, it is not the typical cream cheese wontons found in most chinese restaurants. This version is sweet, while most of them are savory. If you'd rather have a savory filling, try mixing chives with the cream cheese.
Cream Cheese Wontons
Original Recipe
1 package of wonton wrappers
1 package of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
water
oil (for frying)
Beat cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. If you see any lumps, you need to beat it longer. Take a a tablespoon or so of filling, and place in center of wonton wrapper. Dampen two edges of wonton wrapper with water and fold into a triangle, making sure to remove as much air as possible. Repeat until filling and/or wrappers are gone.
Heat oil to 350 degrees or so. When tester strip is dropped into oil, it should float to the surface within a few seconds and brown within 30 seconds. If this does not happen, turn up heat. Drop wontons into oil one at a time, frying each side until golden brown. Remove to paper towels.
Variation: Use nutella as a filling instead of the cream cheese mixture. They taste super good warm.
My Notes:
I used egg roll wrappers, instead of wonton wrappers. I got more out of it, because I cut the egg roll wrappers into quarters. Make sure you soften the cream cheese before you start beating it. If you don't, you're likely to get a bunch of small lumps of cream cheese in your filling, instead of the consistent filling. If you don't want to wait for it to soften on the counter, put it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. Make sure you get as much air as possible out of the wrappers. They expand a lot, and are likely to burst open (causing some rather painful oil splatters if the filling gets into the oil).
These freeze fairly well, but they tend to get soft when you nuke them in the microwave, so if you really like the crispiness, it's probably better to eat them all that night. But this will produce quite a few wontons.
