Garlic Butter Seafood Crescent Ring with Shrimp and Crab Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

To achieve the ultimate flaky texture, bake the crescent ring on the middle rack of your oven. This ensures even heat distribution, allowing the bottom of the pastry to crisp up perfectly while the top turns a beautiful golden brown.

If you find the top browning too rapidly before the filling is hot, loosely cover the ring with a sheet of aluminum foil for the final ten minutes of baking.

For an extra touch of flavor and texture, consider sprinkling a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese or a pinch of coarse sea salt over the garlic butter topping before baking. This adds a savory crunch to the crust that complements the creamy seafood filling. Always let the ring rest for five minutes after baking to allow the cheese to set slightly before slicing.

Variations

• Spicy Cajun Seafood Ring: Add one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning to the seafood filling and swap the mozzarella for pepper jack cheese to give this dish a spicy Southern kick.
• Lobster and Swiss Ring: Replace the shrimp and crab with chopped cooked lobster meat and use shredded Swiss cheese for an ultra-luxurious, classic flavor profile.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

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

Freezer

Freezing is not recommended as the creamy seafood filling will separate and the pastry will lose its flakiness.

Reheat

Reheat slices on a baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 8 to 10 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the filling is hot.

Store any leftover seafood crescent ring in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To preserve the texture of the pastry, place a sheet of paper towel at the bottom of the container to absorb any condensation.

Leftovers should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking to maintain food safety. It is not recommended to freeze the baked crescent ring, as the cream cheese and seafood filling can separate and become watery upon thawing.

You can prepare the seafood filling up to one day in advance. Combine the cream cheese, chopped shrimp, crab meat, and mozzarella in a bowl, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator.

However, do not assemble the crescent ring until you are ready to bake. If the dough sits with the wet filling for too long before entering the oven, it will absorb moisture and become soggy, preventing it from puffing properly.

Serving ideas

Present this garlic butter seafood crescent ring warm on a large, elegant serving platter. To enhance the presentation, place a small bowl filled with warm marinara sauce, cocktail sauce, or a lemon-herb aioli in the empty center of the ring.

Garnish the platter with fresh lemon wedges, which guests can squeeze over their slices for a bright, acidic contrast to the rich filling.

This dish is best served immediately after the brief five-minute resting period, while the pastry is at its flakiest and the cheese is beautifully melted. Slice the ring into individual portions along the natural seams of the crescent triangles using a sharp serrated knife. It pairs wonderfully with a crisp green salad or a chilled glass of white wine.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Garlic Butter Seafood Crescent Ring with Shrimp and Crab

Prep 20 minCook 25 minRest 5 minTotal 50 minServes 8

Ingredients

• 2 cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
• 8 oz lump crab meat, drained and picked over
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into sixteen triangles.
2. Arrange the dough triangles on the prepared baking sheet in a circular pattern, overlapping the wide bases in the center to form a ring, with the pointed tips facing outward. The inner opening of the ring should be about five inches in diameter.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, chopped raw shrimp, drained lump crab meat, and shredded mozzarella cheese. Keep the raw shrimp refrigerated until the exact moment of mixing, ensuring it sits at room temperature for at most 30 minutes before cooking. Stir the mixture thoroughly until all components are evenly distributed.
4. Spoon the seafood mixture evenly over the wide, overlapping bases of the crescent ring. Bring the pointed outer tips of the dough triangles up and over the filling, tucking the points under the inner edge of the ring to secure them.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted unsalted butter, minced garlic, and one tablespoon of the chopped fresh parsley. Brush this garlic herb butter generously over the exposed dough of the ring. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, and the internal temperature of the shellfish filling reaches 145°F (63°C).
6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the crescent ring cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining chopped fresh parsley over the top of the warm ring, then slice and serve warm.

Contains: gluten, crustaceans, milk

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

420

Protein

18 g

Carbohydrates

24 g

Fat

28 g

Fiber

0.5 g

Sugar

4.2 g

Sodium

850 mg

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.