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These oven baked coconut shrimp are the perfect appetizer or light dinner. Crispy, crunchy, served with a dipping sauce, this one is a winner!
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below!
These crispy coconut shrimp are one of my favorite things to serve when we have guests. They’re golden and crunchy and the first thing to go when I pull them out of the oven!
I double, triple and quadruple this recipe and because they are baked in the oven, I can make several sheets of them and bake them as we need them during a party.
There’s just something about a pile of appetizers on platter than makes people want to dig in, right?
Anytime we are out to eat and these are on the menu, my husband and sons grab a couple of orders immediately.
The ones they usually eat are deep-fried, and crunchy and I thought there has to be a way to make these at home without using a deep fryer.
This is mainly because I don’t have a deep fryer, but also because I wanted to try my hand at making healthy coconut shrimp.
If it’s just us, I will sometimes use smaller shrimp and thread them on skewers and bake. It’s meat on sticks, and there really needs to be more of that, right?
I just like having an easy (and fast to cook) appetizer or light lunch to serve the family.
If you love shrimp, you’ll also like this Garlic Butter Shrimp, and my Baja Shrimp Tacos recipe!
What do shrimp sizes mean?
The count refers to the number of individual shrimp in 1 pound. When you buy 1 pound of 21/25 count shrimp, you can expect to get 21 to 25 shrimp. The smaller the numbers, the bigger the shrimp.
| Common Name | # of Shrimp per lb |
| Extra Jumbo | 16/20 |
| Jumbo | 21/25 |
| Extra Large | 26/30 |
| Large | 31/35 |
| Medium | 41/50 |
| Small | 51/60 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Shrimp are cooked when they turn pink and the meat is opaque.
Well, relatively. If you are comparing oven-baked shrimp to being fried in a deep fryer, obviously baked is going to be better for you!
I bake them for 10-12 minutes at 425 F, but you may need to do it longer depending on your oven.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Super Easy. A simple flour, egg, breadcrumb action then they are thrown in the oven and baked. No deep frying!
- Homemade. These are fresh, not frozen! They get crispy and yummy, and remain juicy on the inside.
- Scaleable. You can double, triple, quadruple this recipe and bake them all at one time for big parties, or keep it simple and make just enough for your family.
What to serve with Coconut Shrimp
This shrimp is great with a garlic butter, cocktail sauce or even an Avocado Cilantro dip.
Recommended Equipment/Tools
- Cookie sheet or baking sheet (sheet pan)
- Small bowls for dipping and breading shrimp.
Recipe Ingredients and Possible Substitutes
The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below.
- All-Purpose Flour. You can use almond flour if you prefer.
- Egg. Use a large egg. Some people use just the egg whites, and that’s totally fine too.
- Milk. This is solely for moisture, so use whatever milk you have on hand.
- Breadcrumbs. I use panko breadcrumbs. They are Japanese breadcrumbs, known for their crispy texture when cooked. Find these with the regular breadcrumbs at the store.
- Coconut. I use unsweetened shredded coconut. Find it in the baking aisle.
- Shrimp. I use large raw shrimp (see the table above).
- Butter. This is used to drizzle over before cooking, so you get nice crispy shrimp.
How to make Baked Coconut Shrimp
Scroll for Recipe
The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a shallow bowl (a pie plate is perfect), combine 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and salt (see notes for other seasoning suggestions).
In another small bowl, whisk eggs together with the milk.
In a third bowl, combine panko bread crumbs and coconut flakes.
Bread the shrimp
Dip shrimp in the flour mixture first, then into the beaten eggs mixture, turning until it is well coated.
Finally, in the third bowl, cover the shrimp with the panko and shredded coconut mixture, spooning over the shrimp and pressing it make the coconut coating stick well.
Place coated shrimp on in a lightly sprayed baking sheet in a single layer or use a rack over a sheet pan.
Repeat with remaining shrimp.
Let’s cook!
Drizzle shrimp with the melted butter (you could use cooking spray).
Bake for 12-15 minutes until cooked shrimp are golden brown and the meat is pink and firm.
Remove shrimp from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain if necessary.
Serve.
Kylee’s Notes & FAQs
Alternate cooking instructions:
These can also be cooked in a skillet and pan-fried in a little oil if you prefer!
Baked Coconut Shrimp can also be cooked in an air fryer. Spray the basket with cooking spray and cook at around 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
About the ingredients
Panko breadcrumbs are important here, they’re a Japanese style breadcrumb that is super crispy when cooked. They add the crunch (along with the coconut).
I use unsweetened coconut for this recipe.
Smaller shrimp are awesome too – they are good if you cook them on skewers.
You could just use egg white vs the whole egg if you prefer.
Flavor changes:
If you like the spicy/sweet flavor combination, add a little cajun spice to the flour.
Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper is a good way to season the shrimp for a real savory boost.
How do you know when shrimp are cooked?
Shrimp are cooked when they turn pink and the meat is opaque.
What to serve with coconut shrimp
Serve with cocktail sauce, tartare sauce, sweet chili sauce mixed with some orange marmalade, or simply dip in some melted butter.
More delicious appetizers:
- Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball. This is a great make-ahead appetizer!
- Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls. Sweet corn, black beans, spinach and cilantro. These are as tasty as they sound!
- Baked Chicken Taquitos – baked in the oven, not fried – easy to make, super delicious, and freezer friendly.
- ALL APPETIZER RECIPES
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Easy Baked Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoon milk
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
- 1 lb shrimp (I use large shrimp)
- 1/3 cup melted butter
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a shallow bowl, combine flour and salt. In another shallow bowl, whisk eggs with milk. In a third shallow bowl, combine panko crumbs and coconut.
- Coat shrimp in the first bowl, with the flour mixture, then dip the shrimp into the second bowl, with the egg mixture, until it is well coated.
- Finally, in the third bowl, cover the shrimp with the panko and coconut mixture, spooning over the shrimp and pressing it to coat.
- Place coated shrimp in a lightly sprayed cookie sheet or baking pan.
- Once all the shrimp have been dipped and placed in a pan, evenly drizzle shrimp with the melted butter.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until shrimp are pink and firm.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Update: This recipe was originally published in October of 2020. It was republished in June of 2022.
Anne says
Easiest most efficient recipe. I had this on the table in less than 30 with a homemade orange sauce. I used sweet coconut and a soy sauce substitute.