Hot Honey Fried Shrimp
Jumbo shrimp marinated in seasoned buttermilk, fried to a shattering golden crunch, then glazed in glossy hot honey butter. Sweet, spicy, sticky and crispy all at once — served with cool ranch for dipping, these vanish in minutes.
Prep
45 min
Cook
15 min
Total
60 min
Serves
4
Ingredients
Shrimp marinade
- 1.5 lb extra large jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp hot sauce
- 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Dredge
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Hot honey sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1/2–2/3 cup honey (adjust to taste)
- Splash of apple cider vinegar
Other
- Neutral oil, for frying (canola, vegetable or avocado)
- Ranch, for dipping
- Chopped parsley, to garnish
Method
- 1
Whisk the buttermilk, egg, hot sauce and all the marinade seasonings in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.
- 2
Cover and marinate at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours) in the fridge.
- 3
Combine the flour, cornstarch and dredge seasonings in a separate bowl.
- 4
Lift the shrimp from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and press each one firmly into the flour mixture for a craggy coating. For extra crunch, rest the coated shrimp on a wire rack for 10 minutes before frying.
- 5
Heat oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C).
- 6
Fry the shrimp in batches for 2–3 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy. Drain on a wire rack.
- 7
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk in the hot sauce, honey and a splash of apple cider vinegar, and simmer 1–2 minutes until glossy.
- 8
Toss the shrimp in the hot honey sauce — or drizzle it over for maximum crispiness — garnish with parsley and serve immediately with ranch.
- 9
bon appetit..
Tips
- Drizzling instead of tossing keeps the crust crispier for photos and serving.
- Resting the dredged shrimp 10 minutes before frying helps the coating stick and crunch.
- Don't crowd the pan — fry in batches so the oil temperature holds at 350°F.
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