Oh my gosh, you have to try this combination! Have you ever had that moment where sweet and heat hit your tongue perfectly at the exact same time? That’s what happens with these amazing Hot Honey Fried Shrimp. Seriously, forget those bland shrimp recipes; this is the one that makes you stop talking mid-sentence. The secret isn’t just the sauce, though—it’s the texture you get underneath. I love this because I can whip up something this flavorful in under 30 minutes. It’s pure weeknight magic when you need that spicy seafood fix!
Why I Know You Will Absolutely Love This Hot Honey Fried Shrimp Recipe
This isn’t just another shrimp recipe, trust me. Every time I make these, they disappear startlingly fast, and I always end up fielding requests for the recipe immediately afterward. Here’s why I’m so obsessed and why I think you will be too:
- Speedy Satisfaction: We’re talking from pantry start to plate in less than 30 minutes total. It’s the perfect answer when you need a restaurant-quality dinner fast.
- The Flavor Explosion: You get crunch, followed immediately by that sticky, sweet warmth from the honey, cut just perfectly by the vinegar and heat. It hits every single note in your mouth!
- Ultimate Crispy Texture: Because we use a double-dip dredging method (I’ll show you in a bit!), the coating stays incredibly crisp, meaning it holds up against that thick hot honey glaze like a champ. No soggy seafood here, I promise!
- Customizable Kick: The glaze is so simple to adjust. Want it super spicy? Add more hot sauce. Want it sweeter? Extra honey! You are totally in control of the heat factor.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Hot Honey Fried Shrimp
Okay, gathering the goods is half the fun! This recipe relies on simple pantry staples, so make sure your spices aren’t ancient. If your paprika or cayenne has been sitting for ages, you won’t get that vibrant color or punch we need for the coating. And please, use good quality, large shrimp—peeled and deveined, of course. That prep work saves so much time later, and the large ones hold up beautifully when frying and tossing!
We break the ingredients down into three simple groups: the shrimp itself, the dry dust, and the glorious sauce that brings it all together.
For the Crispy Coating
These are the dry components that give us that amazing crunch. You need 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of black pepper, and half a teaspoon of paprika for color. Don’t forget that small kick of cayenne pepper—just a quarter teaspoon to start!
For the Hot Honey Glaze
This is pure alchemy! You’ll combine half a cup of honey with 2 tablespoons of hot sauce—remember, you can totally play with that hot sauce amount if you’re brave! Finish it off with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to keep the sweetness from getting too heavy.
Also, don’t forget those other key players: 1 pound of large shrimp—make sure they are ready to go!—1 large egg, half a cup of milk for the wet dip, and plenty of vegetable oil for frying up the magic!
Expert Tips for Achieving the Best Hot Honey Fried Shrimp Texture
Okay, listen up, because this next part is where we separate good fried shrimp from amazing fried shrimp. The absolute, non-negotiable first step is drying those shrimp out!
I mean it—you need to pat them down with paper towels until they feel almost dusty. Any surface moisture is going to steam when it hits the hot oil, and that steam is the mortal enemy of crispiness. It leads to sad, slightly soggy coatings. Don’t let that happen!
If you have a minute to spare—which I highly recommend if you’re making a big batch—pop those fully coated shrimp onto a cooling rack lined with parchment paper and stick them in the fridge for about 15 minutes. This chilling step lets that coating firm right up against the shrimp. It’s seriously how I get that extra satisfying crunch that holds up even after being smothered in sauce. If you’re looking for other ways to master crispy coatings, I used a similar trick for my famous fried chicken recipe too. It just works!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Hot Honey Fried Shrimp
Alright, let’s get cooking! I’ve broken this down into the three distinct phases: getting everything prepped, the actual frying part (where the magic happens), and finally, bathing the crispy shrimp in that incredible glaze. This is where your patience pays off! Remember we talked about drying those shrimp? That sets the stage for perfect crunch. If you need some inspiration for prepping your shrimp before you start the dredging process, check out my suggestions for my garlic butter shrimp—it helps you get comfortable working with them!
Preparing the Shrimp and Dredging Stations
First things first: grab your shallow dishes. In one, mix up all your dry ingredients—flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Whisk that until it looks uniform. In the second bowl, whisk your egg and milk together until it’s pale yellow. Now, you need to double-dress these guys. Dip a dried shrimp first into the flour mix, shaking off the excess. Then, dunk it into the egg wash, and immediately back into the flour mixture. Firmly, but gently, press that coating on. You want it totally covered!
Frying the Shrimp to Golden Perfection
Time to heat the oil! You need about two inches deep in a heavy skillet, and you absolutely must get it to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). It’s crucial for that perfect fry. Work in small batches so you don’t drop the oil temperature too much. Drop the coated shrimp in and let them sizzle away for just 2 to 3 minutes per side until they are beautiful and golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to pull them out and set them immediately on a wire rack. Don’t use paper towels here; the rack lets the air hit the bottom so they stay crisp!
Making and Applying the Hot Honey Glaze
While the shrimp are frying, get your glaze ready. In a very small saucepan, combine your honey, hot sauce, and apple cider vinegar. You only need gentle heat—just enough to warm it through and let everything melt together happily. I mean it: do not, under any circumstances, let this boil! Once it’s warm and smooth, take it off the heat. Drop your hot, freshly fried shrimp directly into that glaze and toss them around super fast until every single piece is shiny and coated. Serve these immediately while they are piping hot and crunchy!
Serving Suggestions for Your Hot Honey Fried Shrimp
Wow, you’ve achieved peak flavor with these shrimp—now we just need something to surround them with to make it a complete meal, right? Because the flavor profile here is so bold—super sweet and definitely spicy—you want sides that bring a little bit of cooling, fresh relief to the plate. You don’t want anything heavily seasoned that will compete with that amazing hot honey glaze!
Here are my two absolute favorite ways to serve these beauties:
- Cooling Pineapple Cucumber Salad: This is my go-to! The cucumber is crisp and watery, which is amazing against the heat, and a hint of pineapple brings just enough tropical sweetness to match the glaze without being overwhelming. I love adding a splash of lime juice to keep things bright. You can find my favorite very simple recipe for it right here!
- Simple Coconut Rice: Forget plain white rice! Cooking your rice in a mix of water and a little bit of canned coconut milk adds such a subtle richness. It’s creamy, it’s cooling, and it’s the perfect soft base to soak up any extra honey glaze that drips off the shrimp. Plus, it feels fancy even though it takes almost no extra effort.
- Crisp Green Cabbage Slaw: If you want crunch on your side dish too, skip the mayo-heavy stuff. Mix shredded green cabbage with a tiny bit of rice vinegar, a drizzle of sesame oil, and maybe a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds here and there. It adds texture and a sharp tang that cuts right through the richness of the fried coating.
Serve everything family-style so everyone can dip their cooling sides into the leftover glaze. Happy eating!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Hot Honey Fried Shrimp
Now, I have to be honest: these are absolutely best when they are eaten five minutes ago, right after they’ve been tossed in the glaze. That fresh, sticky crispiness is hard to beat! But if you happen to have any leftovers—which, bless your heart, I hope you do!
Keep them in a short-term, airtight container in the fridge. We’re talking no more than a day or two because fried foods just don’t stay crisp forever once they are glazed. Please, for the love of all that is crunchy, do not try to reheat these in the microwave! That’s a guaranteed way to turn your beautiful shrimp into chewy, soggy messes.
If you want that crunch back, put them on a baking sheet in the oven at about 375 degrees F for about 8 minutes, or better yet, toss them quickly in an air fryer until they firm up again. That gets them back close to their original glory!
Frequently Asked Questions About Hot Honey Fried Shrimp
It’s so common for people to have questions when dealing with frying and glazes, and I totally get it! Getting the texture just right can feel like a tightrope walk. I’ve compiled a few things I get asked most often when people try making these spicy shrimp for the first time, especially if they decide to try my hot honey glazed salmon later and want to compare techniques.
Can I use pre-cooked shrimp for this Hot Honey Fried Shrimp recipe?
Oh, I would strongly advise against using pre-cooked shrimp for this recipe. Remember, we need that raw shrimp to cook through in just about 5 minutes while it’s frying. If you start with shrimp that’s already cooked, by the time the flour coating gets golden and crisp, the inside shrimp will be rubbery, tough, and honestly kind of gross. You really need that raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp so it cooks perfectly *concurrently* with the coating and absorbs the delicious glaze.
What is the best oil temperature for frying shrimp?
This is the most critical number for successful frying, so don’t skip checking your thermometer! You absolutely must keep that oil right at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). If the oil is too cool—say, below 325°F—the flour coating will just soak up a ton of grease before it ever starts to stiffen, and you end up with soggy, heavy shrimp. If you get it way too hot, above 375°F, the coating burns to a dark brown almost instantly, but the inside shrimp stays cold or raw. 350°F gives you that beautiful golden brown exterior and perfectly cooked interior in those crucial 2 or 3 minutes.
I want these shrimp to be much hotter than the recipe calls for—what do I do?
That’s the fun part! If you want to dial up the heat on these **Hot Honey Fried Shrimp**, ditch relying only on the hot sauce in the glaze. After you pat the shrimp dry (like we talked about!), you can add an extra half-teaspoon of cayenne pepper right into your flour dredging station. Coating the raw shrimp with that extra spice means you get heat right in the crust, which complements the heat in the sweet honey glaze perfectly for a truly fiery bite!
Estimated Nutritional Data for Hot Honey Fried Shrimp
I’m not a nutritionist, heavens no! I’m just a cook who loves garlic butter and spicy honey. So, take these numbers with a giant grain of salt, okay? These estimates are based on dividing the entire recipe by four standard servings, using measurement equivalents, and standard ingredient weights. They should give you a good, rough idea of what you’re eating, but if you start doubling the honey or using extra-thick coatings, your numbers will change!
When I whip this up for dinner, I generally focus on the fact that we’re getting a fantastic hit of protein from the shrimp. Here’s the rough breakdown:
- Calories: About 450 per serving
- Protein: A solid 30 grams! Great for dinner.
- Total Fat: Around 20 grams
- Carbohydrates: Roughly 40 grams (mostly from the coating and the honey glaze)
- Sugar: Be prepared, this clocks in around 25 grams because of that lovely hot honey!
- Sodium: Approximately 450 mg
See? High protein, some fat from the frying process, and a good bit of sugar from the glaze. It’s totally worth every bite, but it’s good to know what you’re working with! Just remember, these are just estimations based on standard measurements, not lab results!
Share Your Experience Making Hot Honey Fried Shrimp
Well, we did it! We turned simple shrimp into something unbelievably addictive with that sweet, sticky heat. Now it’s your turn to take these out of my kitchen and into yours. I genuinely can’t wait to hear how they turned out for you and your family. Did you manage to eat them all right off the rack before they even hit the serving platter, or did you manage to save a few for later?
I’d be thrilled if you took a moment to leave a rating for the recipe right down below. Five stars if you’re obsessed—I hope you are!
But the feedback I really crave is all about your customizations. Did you try a super-hot chili sauce in that glaze? Or maybe you went the opposite way and toned down the spice for the kiddos? Tell me exactly what changes you made to your hot honey ratio! Knowing how you tweak things helps me learn and even helps other readers decide how bold they want to be with their spice levels.
And please, please, please share a photo! Tag me on social media or send a picture over through my contact page. Seeing your golden, glazed shrimp makes my whole week. Don’t keep that deliciousness a secret!
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Hot Honey Fried Shrimp
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
Crispy fried shrimp coated in a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and milk together.
- Dip each shrimp first into the flour mixture, then into the egg mixture, and finally back into the flour mixture, pressing lightly to coat.
- Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Fry the shrimp in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack.
- While the shrimp fries, combine the honey, hot sauce, and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until warm and well mixed. Do not boil.
- Toss the hot, fried shrimp immediately in the hot honey mixture until evenly coated.
- Serve right away.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, you can chill the coated shrimp for 15 minutes before frying.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce to control the spice level of the glaze.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 16
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 180
Keywords: hot honey, fried shrimp, spicy shrimp, sweet and spicy, seafood