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    Grits and Pinecones » Recipes » Appetizers

    Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

    January 21, 2022 by Sharon Rigsby, Updated February 19, 2023 43 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Pinterest pin showing cooked shrimp wrapped in bacon.

    Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon Wrapped-Shrimp are amazingly delicious with fresh, briny shrimp wrapped in sweet and smoky bacon, topped with a mixture of brown sugar and chili powder, then baked in the oven until they reach perfection! Easy, simple, and utterly addictive.

    Like my recipe for Oysters Rockefeller, they are versatile; they can be served as an entree, and they are just as incredible as an appetizer.

    Baked bacon wrapped shrimp on a cutting board.

    If you are like me, just the name of this dish is enough to send you into sensory overload. It contains my two favorite foods: smokey bacon and fresh gulf shrimp. But when you add brown sugar and chili powder to the equation, well, let’s say mouth-watering doesn’t even begin to describe how delicious this salty-sweet combination of shrimp wrapped in bacon is.

    Here’s what’s in it:

    A bowl of raw shrimp, bacon and seasonings for bacon wrapped shrimp.

    Besides kosher salt and lemon pepper, which enhances the flavor, you only need four additional ingredients for bacon-wrapped shrimp:

    • Bacon – what’s not to love? The sweet, smoky flavor of bacon and fresh shrimp is a match made in heaven.  
    • Shrimp – beautiful, jumbo shrimp with their slightly sweet and briny taste are the star of this dish. 
    • Light brown sugar – if you have never had bacon dredged in brown sugar and chili powder, you are in for a treat. 
    • Chili powder – adds just the slightest bit of heat, which pairs beautifully with the brown sugar. 

    You will also need toothpicks, a wire baking rack, a rimmed baking sheet, aluminum foil, or parchment paper.

    Here’s how to make this recipe:

    1. If you are ready to get started making this delicious dish, gather all of your ingredients, and preheat the oven to 400°F.
    2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place a large wire rack (the kind you would use to cool a cake or cookies on after baking) on the baking sheet and spray liberally with non-stick cooking spray. 
    3. Add the brown sugar and chili powder to a shallow bowl and mix well.
    Mixing brown sugar and chili powder in a bowl.
    1. Cut the bacon in half and dredge both sides in the brown sugar mixture. Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on the rack.
    Pieces of bacon cut in half and dredged in brown sugar and chili powder.
    1. Bake for ten minutes or until the bacon is partially cooked but still pliable.  Cool five minutes or until you can handle it.
    2. Sprinkle salt and pepper lightly over the shrimp and wrap each with a piece of bacon. Secure with a toothpick and place back on the wire rack. Sprinkle any remaining brown sugar mixture evenly over the top.
    Shrimp wrapped with bacon on a wire rack.
    1. Bake the bacon wrapped shrimp for another eight minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and the shrimp are done.
    Baked bacon wrapped shrimp on a wire rack.
    1. Serve immediately! Enjoy!
    Bacon wrapped shrimp on a white plate.

    Frequently asked questions:

    How to serve:

    Bacon-wrapped shrimp is the ultimate appetizer, or it can also be served as a fantastic entree! Perfect for a game-day crowd, a holiday party, or just a cozy evening for two!

    Serve either at room temperature or warm from the oven.

    What’s the secret to perfectly cooked shrimp and bacon?

    I tried my hand at making this dish several times before I got it right. I was never able to figure out how to get the two main ingredients done at the same time. If the bacon was nice and crispy, the shrimp was tough and overdone and vice versa.

    The secret to making sure both are cooked perfectly is to precook the bacon for about ten minutes in the oven before wrapping them. The results, oh my goodness, well, you will have to try this recipe yourself to see if I got it right!

    Are the tails left on or taken off in this recipe?

    It’s up to you. If I am serving this dish as an appetizer, I usually leave the tails on. For an entree, I often pull them off. But I have also reversed this, and it works either way. 

    How many to serve per person?

    Whether you are serving this dish as an appetizer, or an entree, it depends on the other appetizers or sides served with them. However, in general, you can plan on five to six per person for average appetites.

    Nevertheless, my best advice is to make more than you think you need because these tasty morsels are irresistible.

    How to store leftovers?

    Cooked seafood should be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for four days.

    Can you make this recipe ahead of time?

    The best way to make this dish ahead of time is to cook the bacon and wrap the shrimp. You can do this up to 24 hours ahead and then store covered in the fridge. Then, when you are ready to finish them up, take them out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes ahead of time, then bake as directed.

    How to tell when they are done?

    Raw shrimp are a grayish translucent color. The thickest part should be slightly opaque and have more of a whitish hue when they are done.

    They cook very quickly, so keep a close watch on them and take them out of the oven immediately when they are done.

    Sharon’s tips:

    • This recipe works best if you use jumbo shrimp. This means that there are 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. 
    • If you use larger ones, you will have to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time. On the other hand, if they are smaller, they will not need to cook quite as long. This also means that your bacon might not be quite as crispy either.
    • If the shrimp are small or medium, cut the bacon into thirds. The amount of bacon you will need depends on how many you have; you need one piece of bacon for every two.
    • You can add a little Old Bay seasoning when adding the salt and pepper if you like. 
    • If your shrimp are frozen, you can quickly thaw them in minutes by putting them in a colander and running cold water over them.
    • You can use a broiler pan if you don’t have a wire rack.
    • Be sure to use regular sliced bacon, not thick.

    More recipes like this one:

    If you have followed my blog for any amount of time, you know I love these sweet crustaceans! Here are a few of my favorites that I know you will like too!

    • Spicy Coconut and Lime Grilled Shrimp
    • Delicious Shrimp and Blue Cheese Pasta
    • Roasted Shrimp Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
    • The Best Crispy Buffalo Shrimp
    • Easy Crispy Pan-Fried Shrimp
    • The Ultimate Creamy Shrimp Creole
    • Smoked Shrimp – A Quick and Easy Recipe
    • Blackened Shrimp

    Need even more recipes or menu ideas? Check out all of my seafood recipes here. 

    ★ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

    Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!

    Bacon wrapped shrimp on a white plate with carrots and celery.

    Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp Recipe

    Sharon Rigsby
    Easy Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp is amazingly delicious, simple to prepare, and utterly addictive.
    4.50 from 16 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 18 mins
    Total Time 38 mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 18 shrimp
    Calories 94 kcal

    Equipment

    • Rimmed baking sheet
    • wire cooling rack
    • aluminum foil or parchment paper
    • wooden toothpicks

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound jumbo shrimp peeled, deveined and tails removed (16-20 shrimp), fresh or frozen,
    • 9 pieces bacon cut in half, regular sliced, not thick
    • 1 cup light brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat your oven to 400°F.
    • Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place a large wire rack (the kind you would use to cool a cake or cookies on after baking) on the baking sheet and spray liberally with non-stick cooking spray.
    • Add the brown sugar and chili powder to a shallow bowl and mix completely.
    • Cut the bacon in half and dredge both sides in the brown sugar mixture. Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on the rack.
    • Bake for 10 minutes until the bacon is partially cooked and still pliable. Cool five minutes or until you can handle it.
    • Sprinkle salt and lemon pepper lightly over the shrimp and wrap each shrimp with a piece of bacon. Secure with a toothpick and place back on the wire rack. Sprinkle any remaining brown sugar mixture evenly over the top.
    • Bake for another eight minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and the shrimp are done.
    • Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Notes

    The nutritional analysis is based on one jumbo shrimp wrapped in bacon.
    This recipe works best if you use jumbo shrimp. This means that there are 16 to 20 per pound. 
    If you use larger shrimp, you will have to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time. On the other hand, if they are smaller, they will not need to cook for quite as long. Unfortunately, this also means that your bacon might not be quite as crisp either.
    If the shrimp are small or medium, cut the bacon into thirds. You need one piece of bacon for every two jumbo shrimp.
    You can add a little Old Bay seasoning if you like. 
    If your shrimp are frozen, you can quickly thaw them in minutes by putting them in a colander and running cold water over them.
    If you don’t have a wire rack, you can use a broiler pan.
    Be sure to use regular sliced bacon, not thick. 
    The best way to make this dish ahead of time is to cook the bacon and wrap the shrimp. You can do this up to 24 hours ahead and then store them covered in the fridge. When ready to finish them up, take them out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes ahead of time, then bake as directed.
    Raw shrimp are a grayish translucent color. When they are done, the thickest part should be more of a slightly opaque whitish color. They cook very quickly, so keep a close watch on them and take them out of the oven immediately when they are done.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 94kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 154mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 138IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag me today! Mention @gritspinecones or tag #gritspinecones!

    *This recipe was originally posted on July 18, 2016. Republished on January 21, 2022, with a new ingredient image, and the addition of a FAQ section.

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    1. Linger

      January 28, 2020 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      Two of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE things – bacon and shrimp. And just in time for a Super Bowl Party this weekend! These look fantastic. Thanks so much Sharon for posting.

      Reply
    2. Teri Ayer

      December 19, 2017 at 11:51 am

      Can these be reheated? I need to make them at home and then take them to a party. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Gritsandpinecones

        December 19, 2017 at 12:53 pm

        They can be reheated, just be careful to barely warm them up or your shrimp will end up overcooked and tough. I usually serve them at room temperature and they are fine!
        All my best,
        Sharon

        Reply
    3. Kayla C.

      March 17, 2017 at 8:04 am

      I love shrimp cooked anyway you can think of. My daughter and I have made the bacon wrapped shrimp several times not with this recipe. We usually do them with garlic. Definitely have to try this. We are always experimenting. One thing I’ve noticed is that I’ve never had the bacon issue. If your bacon is sliced thin it always comes out done in no time.plus it saves time and dirty dishes.😀

      Reply
      • Gritsandpinecones

        March 17, 2017 at 8:26 am

        Hi Kayla,
        Thanks so much for the comment! I’m with you on shrimp. I love shrimp too, fixed just about anyway and could eat them every day. I’ve never had them with garlic but will have to try that the next time. Do you actually use garlic cloves or garlic powder? Sounds yummy! Maybe my bacon is too thick, but I always have to precook it to have the shrimp and bacon done at the same time.

        Reply
    4. Ben

      March 16, 2017 at 8:19 pm

      Thank you so much, I myself am a fan of brown sugar, bacon, but especially shrimp, I made this for my family and they just loved it

      Reply
      • Gritsandpinecones

        March 16, 2017 at 9:11 pm

        Hey Ben,
        Thanks so much for your nice note. It made my day! I am so glad you and your family enjoyed the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.
        Sharon

        Reply
    5. Giselle Rochford

      February 06, 2017 at 11:01 pm

      Forwarding this onto my roommates! They’ve been on a shrimp kick lately and I’m sure they’ll love another idea for how to cook it.

      Reply
      • Gritsandpinecones

        February 07, 2017 at 8:12 am

        Thanks, Giselle, I love shrimp too!

        Reply
        • Ben

          March 16, 2017 at 8:20 pm

          Also I’m only a 14 year old kid

    « Older Comments

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    Sharon Rigsby, blogger at GritsandPinecones.com

    Hello, I'm Sharon Rigsby, blogger, recipe developer, videographer, and photographer for Grits and Pinecones®. I have over 50 years of experience in the kitchen, and I like nothing better than developing and reimagining recipes for my family, friends, and you!

    More about me →

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