Description
Succulent jumbo shrimp wrapped in crispy bacon and baked to perfection with a hint of brown sugar and spices. This easy bacon wrapped shrimp recipe is the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer that takes just 30 minutes from start to finish!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1½ pounds large shrimp (20–24 count), peeled and deveined, tails on
- 10–12 strips regular-cut bacon (not thick-cut)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika (smoked or regular)
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- Wooden toothpicks, soaked in water for 10 minutes
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire cooling rack on top (or grease the foil if not using a rack). This step ensures easy cleanup and helps the bacon cook evenly.
- Prepare the Shrimp: Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. This is crucial for getting crispy bacon—any moisture will create steam and prevent proper browning. If your shrimp still have tails on, that’s perfect as they make great little handles for serving.
- Cut the Bacon: Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut each bacon strip in half crosswise. You want pieces that are long enough to wrap around the shrimp once with a slight overlap. If your shrimp are particularly large, you might not need to cut the bacon.
- Season the Shrimp: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper (if using). Lightly sprinkle this mixture over both sides of the shrimp, reserving about 2 tablespoons for later.
- Wrap the Shrimp: Take one half-strip of bacon and wrap it around the center of a shrimp, starting at the head end and wrapping toward the tail. The bacon should wrap around once with a small overlap. Secure it with a toothpick inserted through the bacon and shrimp. Place the wrapped shrimp on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
- Final Seasoning: Once all shrimp are wrapped and on the baking sheet, sprinkle them lightly with the reserved brown sugar mixture. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice for brightness.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and the shrimp are pink and cooked through. For extra crispy bacon, you can broil for the last 2-3 minutes, but watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from the oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes. The bacon will continue to crisp up slightly as it cools. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Bacon Thickness Matters: Use regular-cut bacon, not thick-cut. Thick bacon won’t cook through by the time the shrimp are done.
- Don’t Skip Drying: Patting the shrimp completely dry is essential for crispy bacon.
- Watch the Sugar: If you’re not using brown sugar, reduce cooking time slightly as the sugar helps protect the shrimp from overcooking.
- Size Consistency: Try to use shrimp that are all the same size so they cook evenly.
- Make It Ahead: You can wrap the shrimp up to 4 hours in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature for 10 minutes before baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 pieces
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 145mg