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Shrimp cocktail shooters are one of my favorite cold, refreshing summer appetizers or Christmas appetizers. They are perfect when you want something light, flavorful, and easy to make and serve!
They’re not actual shooters with alcohol (I won’t judge if you add some 😉), just chilled shrimp layered in shot glasses with a quick 4-ingredient homemade cocktail sauce, a slice of cucumber, and a sprig of dill for a pop of color!
I like to rim the glasses with Old Bay for a pretty presentation and a little extra kick.
Keep reading for ingredients and substitutions, instructions, tips for keeping the shrimp cocktail shooters cold for a party, frequently asked questions, and more! ⬇️
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Easy Shrimp Cocktail Shooters Recipe
Table of contents
These shrimp cocktail shooters are great for summer BBQs, poolside parties, or outdoor dinners, but they also work year-round for events where small bites are ideal, like Christmas, New Year’s Eve, bridal showers, baby showers, and cocktail parties!
They’re simple, everyone loves them, and they look super cute on a nice platter or chilled serving tray. Especially when decorated with edible wildflowers if you have them available. I grew some in my garden this year so that I could use them in my blog photos! If you love gardening too, I post a lot of it on my Instagram and share photos on my email list as well. 😊🌸
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make – Simple ingredients and minimal prep make this a go-to appetizer for any occasion.
- Perfect for warm weather – Served cold with fresh garnishes, these shooters are so refreshing on hot days.
- Make-ahead friendly – You can cook the shrimp and mix the sauce in advance, so assembly is quick when it’s party time!
- Beautiful presentation – Shot glasses rimmed with Old Bay give them a fun, eye-catching look with just a few minutes extra effort.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Extra jumbo shrimp (shells and tails on): Big, juicy shrimp are the star of the recipe! The shells help lock in flavor during steaming, and leaving the tails on gives them a clean, classic look for serving. You can buy them already peeled and deveined to save time, or prep them yourself if you prefer (see: How to Peel and Devein Shrimp).
Ketchup: The base of the cocktail sauce! It adds a sweet, tangy flavor that balances out the heat from the horseradish.
Horseradish (I like the extra hot): This gives the cocktail sauce its signature kick. If you’re not into heat, go for regular prepared horseradish instead of extra hot. Adjust to taste! We usually add even more than what’s listed in the recipe. To the point that it’s clearing us out from spice. 🤣
Fresh lemon juice: Adds brightness and acidity to the cocktail sauce.
Worcestershire sauce: Just a splash deepens the flavor of the sauce with a little umami.
Cucumber slices (optional): Thinly sliced cucumber adds a fresh garnish that’s cooling and pretty. You can skip it or swap with a thin slice of radish or a small celery stick for a similar effect!
Dill sprigs: A sprig of dill adds greenery and herbaceousness. If you’re not a dill fan, try parsley or a small fennel frond instead.
How to Make Shrimp Cocktail Shooters
Watch how I make the Shrimp Cocktail Shooters, and find the instructions below. For the full recipe card with ingredients and instructions, scroll down. ⬇️
Watch Me Make Them
Check out my favorite AVACRAFT stainless steel mixing bowls with tight-fitting lids, measurements inside the bowls, and non-slip bottoms for easy mixing (available in red and black)!
The Instructions
1. Prepare the shrimp. If using frozen shrimp, thaw them overnight in a bowl or run them under cold water until they are no longer frozen. If using fresh, you can skip that step. Either way, you’ll want to devein the shrimp if they didn’t already come that way (see shrimp notes below).
2. Now, steam the shrimp. Fill a pot with a steamer basket with about 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then place the shrimp in the steamer basket and place that on the pot with the lid. Steam the shrimp for about 4 minutes or until they are no longer opaque in the center, turning halfway through for even cooking.
3. Place the shrimp in a bowl filled with ice and cold water to prevent them from overcooking.
4. Make the cocktail sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and horseradish. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can also make the cocktail sauce the night before to allow the flavors to meld!
5. Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails on for a nice presentation. Tip: Prevent waste and save the shrimp shells in the freezer to make shrimp stock.
6. Grab two small plates. On one plate, add the Old Bay seasoning. On the other plate, squeeze some lemon juice or water. Dip each glass in lemon juice or water, then the Old Bay seasoning.
7. Thinly slice the cucumber and gather your dill sprigs, then build the shooters. Fill each shot glass with cocktail sauce (less than a tablespoon per glass). In each glass, place one shrimp, then garnish with a slice of cucumber and sprig of dill. See the FAQ below for tips on how to keep the shooters cold for parties, etc.
FAQ: Shrimp Cocktail Shooters
Yes! You can cook and chill the shrimp and mix the cocktail sauce up to a day ahead. Assemble just before serving for the best texture and presentation.
No, you don’t. Any small, clear cups will work. Disposable plastic shot cups or mini dessert cups are great for parties. However, for a more elegant presentation, I suggest the glass shot glasses.
Absolutely. Pre-cooked shrimp are a great time-saver. Just make sure they’re chilled and not overcooked.
It depends on your horseradish. Extra hot gives it a good kick, but you can use mild and adjust to taste.
You can skip the rim or sub with a mix of paprika, celery salt, and a pinch of cayenne!
They’re optional but recommended. Each adds freshness and color! You can swap the dill with parsley or fennel fronds and the cucumber with a radish slice.
Plan for 1–2 per person as an appetizer, depending on what else you’re serving.
Keep the shooters chilled until right before serving. You can nest the shot glasses in a shallow tray filled with crushed ice to keep them cold on a buffet table. If you’re serving outside in warm weather, set the tray over a larger one lined with ice packs underneath the ice to help it last longer, or use the chilled serving tray I previously mentioned. Always refrigerate any extras within two hours!
I’d love to hear about your experience with this Shrimp Cocktail Shooters recipe! I hope you love it. 😋
Please leave a question or comment below, get in touch via email, and follow me on social media, which I have linked below.
You can also subscribe to the Heavenly Spiced email list to stay updated on new recipes, giveaways, life updates, and more! Hope to see you there. – Jenna 😊💌
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Shrimp Cocktail Shooters
- Total Time: 19 minutes
- Yield: 12 shrimp cocktail shooters 1x
Description
Chilled shrimp cocktail shooters are served in Old Bay-rimmed shot glasses with an easy and flavorful 4-ingredient homemade cocktail sauce. Topped with cucumber slices and fresh dill for garnish, they’re a refreshing and elegant small bites appetizer perfect for summer parties, bridal showers, cocktail parties, and more!
Ingredients
- 12 extra jumbo shrimp (frozen or fresh), thawed if frozen *see note
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon horseradish (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 of an English seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
- 12 small springs of fresh dill
- Old Bay seasoning + water or lemon juice (optional – for the rim)
- lemon wedges, for serving on the side (optional)
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp. If using frozen shrimp, thaw them overnight in a bowl or run them under cold water until they are no longer frozen. If using fresh, you can skip that step. Either way, you’ll want to devein the shrimp if they didn’t already come that way (see shrimp notes below).
- Now, steam the shrimp. Fill a pot with steamer basket with about 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then place the shrimp in the steamer basket and place that on the pot with the lid. Steam the shrimp for about 4 minutes or until they are no longer opaque in the center, turning halfway through for even cooking.
- Place the shrimp in a bowl filled with ice and cold water to prevent them from overcooking.
- Make the cocktail sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the ketchup, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and horseradish. Cover and set in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. You can also make this the night before to allow the flavors to meld!
- Strain the shrimp in a fine mesh strainer or collander. Now, peel the shrimp, leaving the tails on for a nice presentation.
- Grab two small plates. On one plate, add the Old Bay seasoning. On the other plate, squeeze some lemon juice or water. Dip each glass in lemon juice or water, then the Old Bay seasoning.
- Thinly slice the cucumber and gather your dill sprigs, then build the shooters. Fill each shot glass with cocktail sauce (less than a tablespoon per glass). In each glass, place one shrimp, then garnish with a slice of cucumber and sprig of dill. See the FAQ above the recipe for tips on how to keep the shooters cold for parties, etc. I hope you love these shrimp cocktail shooters!
Notes
- Shrimp: I buy the frozen raw shrimp with the shells and tail still on. The shells help lock in flavor during steaming, and leaving the tails on gives them a classic look for serving (plus you get to save the shrimp shells for shrimp stock)! You can buy them already deveined to save time, or prep them yourself if you prefer (see: How to Peel and Devein Shrimp).
- Thawing Shrimp: If using frozen shrimp, you can thaw them overnight in a covered bowl, then drain and rinse them before steaming. For a faster method, rinse them under cold water until they are thawed/no longer frozen. I recommend thawing them overnight in a covered bowl. Thawing shrimp under water can make them mushy and less presentable (see: Tips for Defrosting Shrimp).
- You can serve the shrimp cocktail shooters with either bamboo appetizer forks or cocktail picks if you wish!
- If you don’t want to do the shooters, this recipe can of course be served the classic way with shrimp surrounding a bowl filled with cocktail sauce.
- In a pinch, skip the homemade cocktail sauce and grab a premade one from the grocery store.
- Tip: Prevent waste and save the shrimp shells in the freezer to make shrimp stock!
- Check out my favorite AVACRAFT stainless steel mixing bowls with tight-fitting lids, measurements inside the bowls, and non-slip bottoms for easy mixing (available in red and black)!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Category: 30 Minutes or Less, Appetizers, Spring/Summer Recipes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
These shrimp cocktail shooters look like such a fun, elegant appetizer. I love it!
So glad you’re loving my shrimp cocktail shooters, Angelia! Thank you!
I loved your idea to add in some fresh dill and cucumber. This is the perfect refreshing summer appetizer, your flavors are outstanding!
Thank you so much, Heidi! I’m glad you’re loving the flavors in my shrimp cocktail shooters. Enjoy! 🙂
I love how fun and tasty these shrimp cocktail shooters are! They are so perfect for hosting a party! Thank you for the great instructions on how to make them!
I love how fun and tasty these shrimp cocktail shooters are! They are so perfect for hosting a party! Thank you for the great instructions on how to make them!
You’re so welcome, Debbie! I’m glad you like the shrimp cocktail shooters recipe. Enjoy! 🙂
LOVE this recipe. Simple, Delish. Elegance. I love the addition of Old Bay on the rim. My guest loved it.
I’m so happy you and your guest loved the shrimp cocktail shooters, Laurie! Yes the Old Bay adds a nice, fun touch. Thank you so much!