Honey Walnut Shrimp
intro
Crispy battered shrimp tossed in creamy sweet honey sauce, paired with crunchy candied walnuts for a beloved takeout favorite with perfect sweet-savory balance.
Ingredients
Steps
Candy the walnut halves
Combine 50g granulated sugar and 60ml water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar fully dissolves (about 2 minutes). Add 150g walnut halves, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to coat every nut in syrup. Use a slotted spoon to transfer walnuts to a parchment-lined plate, spread in a single layer, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes; do not stack nuts as they will stick together in hard clumps.
Mix shrimp batter
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk 1 large (30g) egg white until light and frothy, about 30 seconds. Add 80g cornstarch, 40g all-purpose flour, 1g (1/4 tsp) ground white pepper, and 1.5g (1/4 tsp) kosher salt, stirring until a thick, sticky batter forms. If the batter is too thick to flow, stir in up to 15ml (1 tbsp) cold water, 5ml at a time, to reach a consistency that thickly coats the back of a spoon. Add 450g fully patted-dry shrimp to the batter, tossing until every piece is completely coated.
Fry battered shrimp
Pour 500ml neutral vegetable oil into a deep heavy-bottomed pot or wok, heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 175°C (350°F), measured with a candy thermometer. Working in 3 equal small batches to avoid dropping oil temperature, carefully drop battered shrimp into the oil one at a time to prevent sticking. Fry each batch for 2.5 minutes, until shrimp are pale golden and crispy, then transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Wait 1 minute between batches to allow the oil to return to 175°C before adding the next batch.
Whisk honey sauce
In a large clean mixing bowl, combine 120g full-fat mayonnaise, 80ml honey, 30ml sweetened condensed milk, and 5ml (1 tsp) unseasoned rice vinegar. Whisk continuously for 45 seconds until the sauce is completely smooth, pale creamy gold, with no visible lumps of mayonnaise. Taste and adjust as needed: stir in an extra 5ml honey for more sweetness, or a tiny pinch of salt to cut richness if desired.
Toss to combine
Add the hot, freshly fried crispy shrimp to the bowl of honey sauce, then add 3/4 of the fully cooled candied walnuts. Gently fold with a rubber spatula for 30 seconds, until every shrimp is evenly coated in sauce, taking care not to scrape or knock the crispy batter off the shrimp. Sprinkle with the remaining 1.5g (1/4 tsp) kosher salt to balance the sweet flavor.
Plate and serve
Transfer the sauced shrimp and walnuts to a warm serving platter, top with the remaining 1/4 of candied walnuts for extra crunch and visual appeal. Serve immediately, ideally alongside steamed jasmine rice; do not let the dish sit for more than 5 minutes before eating, as the crispy batter will soften quickly from the creamy sauce.
Tips
2.Do not overcrowd the frying pot, as this drops the oil temperature too quickly, resulting in soggy, oil-soaked shrimp instead of light, crispy pieces. Frying in small batches is key for perfect texture.
3.Wait until candied walnuts are fully cool and firm before adding them to the sauce—warm walnuts will melt the creamy sauce and turn the dish runny, while also losing their signature crunchy texture.
OMG this crispy honey walnut shrimp is BETTER than the takeout we get from our local spot! The batter got so perfectly crunchy even after I tossed it in the sauce, no soggy shrimp at all. My kids begged for seconds before they even finished their first helping. Total game changer for our Friday family dinner nights!
Really solid recipe! Flavor was spot on, but my walnuts came out a little more candied than I wanted, they were almost too sticky. Did I cook the honey glaze for the walnuts too long? Also, can I use frozen shrimp if I thaw them really well first?
Made this for a potluck at work last week and people were hounding me for the recipe before we even got to dessert! The sweet creamy sauce with the crunchy walnuts and crispy shrimp is chef’s kiss. Even my coworker who hates seafood went back for a second scoop. 10/10 will make again.
Taste was wonderful, but I found the cook time was a little longer than 35 minutes for me — closer to 50 minutes by the time I prepped all the shrimp, made the walnut coating, and got the oil to the right temp. Maybe I’m just slower in my old age! Flavor was great though, my grandkids loved it.
SO good! I did a little meal prep twist on this — pre-cooked the walnuts and pre-battered the shrimp the night before, then fried everything up right before dinner and it turned out amazing. Cut my weeknight cook time down to 15 minutes total! Will absolutely be adding this to our regular rotation.
Great flavor! I used pecans instead of walnuts because that’s what I had in the pantry, and it was still delicious. Only issue was I think my oil was too hot at first, so the batter got dark before the shrimp was cooked all the way through. Turned it down and the rest came out perfect.
Just finished making this for dinner and my entire table went quiet for 10 minutes because everyone was too busy eating! The sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and creamy, not cloying at all like some takeout versions I’ve had. This is going in my permanent weeknight recipe binder for sure.
I’m usually terrible at frying seafood at home, it always comes out greasy or rubbery, but this recipe was foolproof! The batter instructions were so easy to follow, and the shrimp came out plump and crispy every single batch. Already sent this link to my whole group chat of guy friends who can’t cook.
Made this for our neighborhood block party and it was the first dish gone! So many neighbors asked if it was gluten free, and I had no idea — has anyone tried making this with gluten free flour for the batter? I’d love to make a GF batch next time for our neighbors with celiac.
Made this in my tiny dorm kitchen with a little countertop fryer and it was so good! Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I made a huge mess splattering oil everywhere when I dropped the shrimp in, pro tip don’t overcrowd the fryer basket lmao. Definitely making this again for my roommates this weekend.
I was worried this would be too complicated for a medium difficulty recipe, but the steps were broken down so clearly I had zero issues! The candied walnuts are my favorite part, I might make a double batch of them next time to snack on on their own. 10/10, no notes.
Tasted great, but I forgot to toast the walnuts first and they were a little bland. Don’t be like me, don’t skip that step! The sauce was incredible though, I’ll definitely be paying more attention next time I make this.
I’ve tried three different honey walnut shrimp recipes online in the last month and this one is by far the best! The sauce doesn’t use that weird condensed milk goop some recipes call for, it’s light but still creamy and so flavorful. My husband said it’s better than the shrimp we got on our honeymoon in Hawaii, that’s high praise.
This recipe is a chef’s kiss! Quick question though — can I air fry the shrimp instead of deep frying to cut down on oil? I try to avoid deep frying at home when I can but I don’t want to lose that crispy texture.
Made this for my partner’s birthday dinner since it’s his favorite takeout dish, and he said it’s the best version he’s ever had! I added a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little heat, and it cut the sweetness perfectly. Will be making this for every special occasion from now on.
Really solid recipe! Only note is I wish there was a little more sauce, mine just barely coated all the shrimp and walnuts when I followed the measurements. Next time I’m making 1.5x the sauce so there’s extra to dip my egg rolls in, it’s that good.