Introduction

Oh, honey walnut shrimp! Does just saying that name bring back memories of cozy nights out, or maybe that one amazing meal you had at a restaurant that you’ve been trying to recreate ever since? I know it does for me! There’s something so incredibly satisfying about that sweet, creamy sauce coating plump, perfectly cooked shrimp, all topped with those delightfully crunchy, candied walnuts. And guess what? You don’t need to wait for a special occasion or a fancy takeout order to enjoy it. Today, we’re diving into a recipe that’s surprisingly simple, incredibly delicious, and will have you feeling like a gourmet chef in your very own kitchen!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Whip this up for a weeknight dinner that feels like a treat!
Easy: Seriously, even if you’re new to cooking, you’ve got this.
Giftable: The candied walnuts are perfect for gifting to friends and family!
Crowd-Pleasing: Picky eaters and seasoned foodies alike will devour this.

Ingredients

Let’s get our mise en place ready! Having everything prepped makes the cooking process so much smoother and more enjoyable.

For the Candied Walnuts:

1 cup water: The base for our simple syrup.
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark): Either works wonderfully for that caramel-y sweetness.
1 ½ cups walnut halves: The star of our crunchy topping!

For the Shrimp:

1 pound large shrimp (raw, deveined, peeled): Look for good-quality shrimp – it makes a difference!
½ teaspoon salt: Just a touch to bring out the shrimp’s natural flavor.
¼ teaspoon pepper: A little black pepper for a subtle kick.
3 eggs: Our binder for that crispy coating.
⅔ cup cornstarch: This is key for getting that beautiful, golden crunch.
1 tablespoon butter (salted): Adds richness and helps with browning.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil: Along with the butter, it creates the perfect frying fat.

For the Honey Sauce:

¾ cup Miracle Whip or mayonnaise: This is where the creamy magic happens! Miracle Whip adds a slight tang, while mayo is a bit milder. Your choice!
3 tablespoons honey: The star sweetener that makes this dish sing.
3 tablespoons heavy cream: For extra silkiness and richness in the sauce.
½ teaspoon soy sauce (low sodium): A little umami boost to balance the sweetness.

For Garnish:

Green onions: For a pop of fresh color and a hint of oniony bite.

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get cooking! Grab your apron, put on some good tunes, and let’s create some deliciousness together.

Candied Walnuts:

Sugar Syrup Base: In a saucepan, combine the water and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir gently until the sugar has completely dissolved. No grainy bits allowed!
Coat the Walnuts: Now, toss in your beautiful walnut halves. Keep stirring frequently for about 5-7 minutes. You’ll see the syrup start to thicken and coat the walnuts like a delicious glaze.
Cool and Harden: Spread the glazed walnuts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let them cool completely. They’ll harden up into irresistible, crunchy clusters! I love these so much, I sometimes make an extra batch just for snacking.

The Shrimp:

Prep the Shrimp: Make sure your shrimp are nice and dry by patting them with paper towels. This helps the coating stick better. Then, season them with a little salt and pepper.
Dredging Station: Set up your dredging station! In one shallow dish, whisk up your eggs. In another shallow dish, pour your cornstarch.
Coat ’em Up: Now for the fun part! Take each shrimp, coat it evenly in the cornstarch, then dip it into the beaten egg, and finally, dredge it in cornstarch again. You want a nice, even coating on every single piece.
Get Sizzling: Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. You want it nice and hot, but not smoking.
Cook to Perfection: Carefully add your coated shrimp to the hot skillet in a single layer. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, until they’re a beautiful golden brown and cooked through. Important tip: Don’t overcrowd the pan! Cook in batches if you need to, otherwise, the shrimp will steam instead of fry, and you won’t get that lovely crispness.

The Honey Sauce:

Whisk it Up: In a medium bowl, grab a whisk and combine the Miracle Whip (or mayo), honey, heavy cream, and soy sauce. Whisk until it’s all smooth and creamy. Taste it – does it need a tiny bit more honey? Go for it!

Assembly:

Sauce the Shrimp: Gently add your perfectly cooked, crispy shrimp to the bowl with the honey sauce. Toss them ever so carefully until each shrimp is beautifully coated.
Add the Crunch: Now, gently fold in those amazing candied walnuts. We want to keep them as crisp as possible!
Serve and Enjoy: Serve your glorious Honey Walnut Shrimp immediately. A sprinkle of fresh green onions on top adds a lovely touch of color and freshness. This is absolutely divine served with fluffy white or brown rice.

Substitutions & Additions

Feeling adventurous? Or maybe you’re missing an ingredient? No problem! This recipe is super forgiving.

For the Sauce: If you don’t have heavy cream, a splash of milk or half-and-half can work in a pinch, though it might be a little less rich. Some people even use a bit of evaporated milk.
For the Walnuts: Pecans make a fantastic substitute for walnuts if that’s what you have on hand.
Spice it Up: Want a little heat? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the honey sauce or a tiny dash of sriracha for a sweet and spicy kick.
Citrus Brightness: A little squeeze of fresh lime or orange juice in the sauce can add a wonderful zing.
Vegetable Power: Serve this over a bed of steamed broccoli or snap peas for a complete meal.

Tips for Success

A few little tricks can make this recipe even better!

Dry Shrimp is Key: I can’t stress this enough – really pat your shrimp dry before dredging. It’s the secret to a crispy coating.
Cornstarch Coating: Make sure each shrimp is well-coated in the cornstarch. You can even lightly dust off excess before dipping in the egg to prevent clumping.
Don’t Overcook: Shrimp cook very quickly! Overcooked shrimp can turn rubbery, so keep an eye on them in the skillet.
Prep Ahead: You can absolutely make the candied walnuts a day or two in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. The sauce can also be mixed ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Just give it a good whisk before tossing with the shrimp.
Sauce Consistency: If your sauce seems a little too thick after chilling, you can stir in a tiny bit more heavy cream or milk to reach your desired consistency.

How to Store It

Leftovers are a rare commodity with this dish, but if you’re lucky enough to have some:

Store any leftover Honey Walnut Shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
For the best texture, I recommend enjoying it fresh. The shrimp coating can lose some of its crispness when stored. Reheat gently in a low oven or an air fryer to try and revive some of that crunch.

FAQs

Q: Can I make this ahead of time?

A: You can prepare the candied walnuts and the honey sauce ahead of time. However, I recommend cooking the shrimp and tossing everything together just before serving for the best crispy texture.

Q: What kind of shrimp should I use?

A: Large or jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined) work best as they are easier to handle and have a satisfying bite. Fresh or frozen (then thawed) are both fine!

Q: Can I make this healthier?

A: You can try using Greek yogurt or a lighter mayonnaise for the sauce, and perhaps bake the shrimp instead of frying, though the texture will be different. The cornstarch coating is key for the signature crunch!

I hope you have so much fun making and devouring this Honey Walnut Shrimp! It’s a recipe that truly brings joy to my kitchen, and I hope it does for yours too. Happy cooking, friends!

Honey Walnut Shrimp

A surprisingly simple and incredibly delicious recipe for Honey Walnut Shrimp that you can make at home, featuring plump, perfectly cooked shrimp coated in a sweet, creamy sauce and topped with crunchy, candied walnuts.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

Saucepan
Baking Sheet Lined with parchment paper
paper towels
Shallow dish For dredging (2 needed)
Large skillet
Medium bowl

Ingredients

Candied Walnuts

1 cup water The base for our simple syrup.
1 cup brown sugar light or dark; for that caramel-y sweetness.
1.5 cups walnut halves The star of our crunchy topping!

Shrimp

1 pound large shrimp raw, deveined, peeled; look for good-quality shrimp.
0.5 teaspoon salt to bring out the shrimp's natural flavor.
0.25 teaspoon pepper for a subtle kick.
0.66 cup cornstarch This is key for getting that beautiful, golden crunch.
1 tablespoon butter salted; Adds richness and helps with browning.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Creates the perfect frying fat with butter.

Honey Sauce

0.75 cup Miracle Whip or mayonnaise This is where the creamy magic happens! Miracle Whip adds a slight tang, while mayo is a bit milder.
3 tablespoons honey The star sweetener that makes this dish sing.
3 tablespoons heavy cream For extra silkiness and richness in the sauce.
0.5 teaspoon soy sauce low sodium; A little umami boost to balance the sweetness.

Garnish

Green onions For a pop of fresh color and a hint of oniony bite.

Instructions

Candied Walnuts: In a saucepan, combine the water and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir gently until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Toss in your walnut halves. Keep stirring frequently for about 5-7 minutes, until the syrup starts to thicken and coat the walnuts.
Spread the glazed walnuts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let them cool completely to harden.
Shrimp: Pat your shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
Set up a dredging station: whisk eggs in one shallow dish and pour cornstarch into another.
Coat each shrimp in cornstarch, then dip in beaten egg, and dredge in cornstarch again.
Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
Add coated shrimp in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Cook in batches if necessary.
Honey Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together Miracle Whip (or mayo), honey, heavy cream, and soy sauce until smooth and creamy.
Assembly: Gently add the cooked shrimp to the honey sauce and toss to coat.
Gently fold in the candied walnuts.
Serve immediately, garnished with green onions. It's divine served with rice.

Notes

You can prepare the candied walnuts and the honey sauce ahead of time. For the best crispy texture, cook the shrimp and toss everything together just before serving. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but the shrimp coating may lose crispness. Reheat gently to revive some crunch.