The Easy "Fancy" Appetizer I Make Every Single New Year's Eve

It’s a real showstopper.

By
Nick Evans
Nick Evans
Nick Evans

Nick has been creating recipes for home cooks for almost 15 years. He is the author of Love Your Leftovers and has contributed to Simply Recipes since 2017.

Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published December 26, 2025
Nick Evans
A casserole dish of baked lobster dip with bread crumb topping beside crackers and a lemon wedge

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser
  • Fresh lobster tails and creamy cheese make this baked dip a standout for holiday parties.
  • A quick stovetop cook with butter, shallots, and garlic gives the lobster more flavor.
  • You can assemble the dip a day ahead and bake it just before serving guests.
  • This baked dip pairs well with crackers or bread for a shareable appetizer.

Around the holidays, I always like to have a semi-fancy dip to serve as an appetizer during a party. My hot crab dip is a holiday favorite, but if you are looking to change it up, this baked lobster dip is another great option. Rich, cheesy, and packed with real lobster, this is a fantastic showstopper to share with guests.

The key to this dip is to use fresh lobster and to cook it in a skillet with some shallot and garlic to really infuse it with flavor. Then, chop it up and bake into a bubbling, cheesy dip that goes well with crusty bread or crackers! 

A dish of lobster dip with crackers and a hand dipping a piece of cracker

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

Key Ingredients in This Lobster Dip

You don’t need a ton of ingredients for this dip, but these are some of the essentials: 

  • Lobster: Use fresh lobster for this dish to make it special. I prefer using lobster tails since they are readily available at most seafood counters, but you can substitute an equal weight of claws, if you prefer. 
  • Cream cheese: Cream cheese forms the base of this dip, offering creamy richness that can withstand the heat of the oven.
  • Aromatics: A mix of minced shallots and garlic amp up the flavor.
  • Old Bay Seasoning: A classic pairing for seafood, this seasoning blend goes well with the lobster flavors.
  • Ketchup: Just a little bit of ketchup adds a touch of color and sweetness to the dip.
  • Lemon: Fresh lemon juice brightens up the rich flavors. 

How to Prepare the Lobster for This Dip

Normally, I would steam lobster to cook it, but for this dip, I prefer to cook the lobster in butter with some shallot and garlic to infuse the flavors. To do this, slice your lobster tail down the center, exposing the flesh inside. Add the halves to a skillet along with melted butter and cook for a minute or two until the lobster shell starts to turn red.

Add the shallot and garlic to the skillet and stir to start cooking the aromatics. Cover the pan with a lid and turn heat down to low to finish cooking the lobster. Finish with some lemon juice, and when it’s cool enough to handle, you can remove the lobster flesh from the shell and chop it up for the dip.

Overhead view of cooking the lobster in a pan for Baked Lobster Dip

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

Easy Tweaks

  • If you don’t like lobster or can’t find it, use canned crab meat, which works well in this dip. 
  • If you want to make the dip even cheesier, stir in a few ounces of grated cheddar cheese. Cheddar and lobster go quite well together. 
  • If you want to make this dip spicy, add some diced jalapeños to your aromatic mix. 

Making This Dip Ahead

You can absolutely make this dip a day or so in advance. Assemble it as directed, then store in the refrigerator and bake it right before serving. I wouldn’t make it any farther in advance, though, as the lobster loses its freshness quickly. 

Baked seafood dip in a dish surrounded by crackers and lemon wedges on a table

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser

More Fancy Party Snacks

Baked Lobster Dip

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 4 servings
Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

  • Nonstick cooking spray

  • 2 small or 1 large fresh lobster tail (about 6 ounces)

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1/4 cup minced shallot

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1/2 lemon, juiced

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

  • 1 tablespoon ketchup

  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish, optional

  • 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs

  • Crackers, for serving

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

    Lightly grease a 15-ounce ramekin or small baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

  2. Prep the lobster:

    Use a large chef’s knife to crack down the center of each lobster tail lengthwise. Use the point of the knife to cut down through the center of the tail through the shell underneath. Open up the tail, exposing the flesh inside.

    Overhead view of the lobster after cracking and ready for cooking for Baked Lobster Dip

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser
  3. Cook the lobster:

    Melt the butter in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add the split lobster tails, flesh side down, and cook until the meat turns opaque and shells turn red around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, and salt and stir to combine.

    Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the lobster shells are red and the meat is cooked through, another 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the skillet and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool for a minute or two.

  4. Chop the lobster:

    Remove the lobster from the skillet and use a fork to pry out the cooked lobster meat from the shells. Roughly chop into bite-sized pieces. (Reserve the butter mixture remaining in the skillet.)

  5. Assemble the dip:

    In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, Old Bay seasoning, ketchup, chives, chopped lobster meat, and the butter mixture remaining in the skillet. Stir together until well combined. Transfer the dip mixture to the greased ramekin or baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the panko.

  6. Bake and serve:

    Bake until the dip is bubbling and browned around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with additional chives, if desired, and serve warm with crackers.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
344 Calories
26g Fat
12g Carbs
16g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 344
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 34%
Saturated Fat 15g 76%
Cholesterol 111mg 37%
Sodium 526mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 16g
Vitamin C 12mg 62%
Calcium 105mg 8%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 255mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.