Air-Fryer Coconut Shrimp with Creamy Honey Sauce
By Kelly SongPublished on August 22, 2025
Time
50 minutes, plus 20 minutes chilling
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Creamy Honey Sauce
½ cup Kewpie mayonnaise 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk 2 teaspoons honeyShrimp
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut ¾ cup panko bread crumbs 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ¾ teaspoon table salt, divided2 large eggs 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails left onBefore You Begin
Look for untreated shrimp—those without added sodium or preservatives such as sodium tripolyphosphate (the ingredient list should tell you). This recipe was developed using a basket-style air fryer, but you can cook the shrimp in an oven-style air fryer. The cooking-time range in this recipe is intended to work with either a cold or a preheated air fryer.
Instructions
- Whisk ½ cup Kewpie mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, and 2 teaspoons honey in bowl until smooth; set aside. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Stir 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, ¾ cup panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and ½ teaspoon table salt together in medium bowl until evenly combined. Microwave coconut mixture, stirring often, until golden brown, 4½ to 5½ minutes. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Pulse coconut mixture in food processor until mixture resembles coarse sand, 8 to 10 pulses; transfer to shallow dish.
- Whisk 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour in small bowl until smooth. Pat 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Working with 1 shrimp at a time, hold shrimp by tail and dip into egg mixture, letting excess drip back into bowl, then coat with coconut mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Arrange breaded shrimp on rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Lightly spray base of air-fryer basket with vegetable oil spray. Arrange half of shrimp in even layer (avoid overlapping shrimp) in prepared basket. Place basket into air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees. Cook until shrimp are opaque throughout and coating is crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, flipping shrimp halfway through cooking. Transfer cooked shrimp to serving platter. Repeat with remaining breaded shrimp. Serve shrimp with sauce.
for the creamy honey sauce
for the shrimp
Time
50 minutes, plus 20 minutes chillingYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Creamy Honey Sauce
Shrimp
Ingredients
Creamy Honey Sauce
Shrimp
Ingredients
Creamy Honey Sauce
Shrimp
Why This Recipe Works
This postwar, tiki-inspired snack is a staple appetizer at American restaurants and bars alike. We reformatted this finger-food favorite for the air fryer; the result is neater and faster than traditional frying, with the same flavor and texture payoff. We patted dry and salted extra-large, plump shrimp and then dredged them in a combination of flour and eggs (mixing the two ingredients yielded a more consistent and easier-to-handle coating than dipping separately in flour and beaten egg). For the outer crust, we pretoasted a mixture of sweetened shredded coconut and panko bread crumbs in the microwave, which ensured even browning and crispness along the exterior crust without overcooking the shrimp in the air fryer. We found that just 6 to 8 minutes in the air fryer yielded tender, juicy results with a perfectly golden, crunchy crust. To amplify the coconut flavor, we paired the shrimp with a mayonnaise and condensed milk–based dip, inspired by the rich, sweet-and-salty sauce for Honey-Walnut Shrimp.
Before You Begin
Look for untreated shrimp—those without added sodium or preservatives such as sodium tripolyphosphate (the ingredient list should tell you). This recipe was developed using a basket-style air fryer, but you can cook the shrimp in an oven-style air fryer. The cooking-time range in this recipe is intended to work with either a cold or a preheated air fryer.
Instructions
- Whisk ½ cup Kewpie mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, and 2 teaspoons honey in bowl until smooth; set aside. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Stir 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, ¾ cup panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and ½ teaspoon table salt together in medium bowl until evenly combined. Microwave coconut mixture, stirring often, until golden brown, 4½ to 5½ minutes. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Pulse coconut mixture in food processor until mixture resembles coarse sand, 8 to 10 pulses; transfer to shallow dish.
- Whisk 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour in small bowl until smooth. Pat 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Working with 1 shrimp at a time, hold shrimp by tail and dip into egg mixture, letting excess drip back into bowl, then coat with coconut mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Arrange breaded shrimp on rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Lightly spray base of air-fryer basket with vegetable oil spray. Arrange half of shrimp in even layer (avoid overlapping shrimp) in prepared basket. Place basket into air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees. Cook until shrimp are opaque throughout and coating is crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, flipping shrimp halfway through cooking. Transfer cooked shrimp to serving platter. Repeat with remaining breaded shrimp. Serve shrimp with sauce.
for the creamy honey sauce
for the shrimp
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