These oven-baked coconut shrimp are one of my favorite things to serve when we have guests over. They’re golden, crunchy, and always the first thing to disappear from the platter! I love that I can double or triple the recipe and bake a few trays as needed, so there’s always plenty to go around.
We’re big fans of ordering coconut shrimp when we’re out – my husband and boys grab them whenever they see them on a menu – but I wanted to find a way to make them at home without a deep fryer.
Baking them in the oven keeps them crispy and delicious, and it’s an easy (and quick) appetizer or light meal we all love. Plus, if it’s just us, I’ll sometimes thread smaller shrimp on skewers for a fun twist. Because really, meat on sticks just makes everything better!
If you love shrimp, you’ll also like this Garlic Butter Shrimp, and my Baja Shrimp Tacos recipe! Also, try my Honey Garlic Shrimp – it’s an easy recipe that packs a sticky, garlicky punch
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
Would you like to save this recipe?
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 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 |
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
(affiliate links may be used here, which helps me earn some pennies – with no increased pricing to you)
- Cookie sheet or baking sheet (sheet pan)
- Small bowls for dipping and breading shrimp.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts 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
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you know when shrimp are cooked?
Shrimp are cooked when they turn pink and the meat is opaque.
Is coconut shrimp healthy?
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!
How long do you bake coconut shrimp?
I bake them for 10-12 minutes at 425 F, but you may need to do it longer depending on your oven.
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.
Get free recipes in your inbox!
Find me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.
If you make this recipe, please comment and let me know how it turned out and leave a star rating!
Easy Baked Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
- 1 pound shrimp (I use large shrimp)
- 1/3 cup butter (melted )
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a shallow bowl, combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon salt. In another shallow bowl, whisk 1 large egg with 2 tablespoons milk. In a third shallow bowl, combine 1 cup panko breadcrumbs and 1 cup shredded coconut.
- Coat the 1 pound 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 1/3 cup butter (melted).
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until shrimp are pink and firm.
Would you like to save this recipe?
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.
Leave a Reply