Mini Shrimp Cocktail Shooters
Whip up a quick and easy appetizer that's sure to be a show-stopper with this recipe for shrimp cocktail shooters! Since there's no baking involved, you'll have a batch of delicious party snacks ready in no time. And who doesn't love shrimp cocktail? With these mini appetizers, you can serve each guest an individual shrimp cocktail to enjoy as they mingle.
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What Do I Need to Make Shrimp Cocktail Shooters?
This easy party snack comprises two elements - cocktail shrimp and a homemade cocktail sauce. It can be prepared in minutes with just a handful of ingredients! To make your shrimp cocktail shooters, you'll need:
- Cocktail shrimp
- Ketchup
- Horseradish
- Lemon juice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Pepper
- Salt
- Fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges
How Do I Make Shrimp Cocktail Shooters?
This simple recipe can be prepared in just three quick steps! That means you'll have a cute party appetizer ready to go in the snap of a finger. Just follow these easy instructions for preparing your homemade sauce and displaying these adorable snacks.
Step One: Mix the Sauce
In a small bowl, stir together the Ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and salt until the sauce ingredients are fully combined.
Step Two: Assemble the Cocktail Shooters
Spoon the sauce into 5 shot glasses, leaving some space at the top of each glass for the shrimp to rest. After adding the sauce, carefully place two shrimp onto the side of each glass. Start by lightly pressing the end of the shrimp into the center of the sauce, then gently laying the tail over the edge of the glass.
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Step Three: Garnish the Shooters
When all the shooters are filled, all that's left to do is add some garnishes! Before serving, top each shot glass with freshly minced parsley and a lemon wedge.
Shrimp Cocktail Shooter Recipe Tips
Whether you're serving your cocktail shooters at a holiday party or brunch, they're sure to be a popular snack among your guests! And you'll love how simple they are to put together - especially after reading these tips and tricks.
- Serve with more shrimp. After your guests enjoy the two shrimps provided in the glass, they'll probably have extra sauce leftover. That's why it's a good idea to serve the shooters with some extra shrimp for your guests to eat.
- Make sure to use short shot glasses. For easy eating, it's a good idea to stay away from tall, slender shot glasses. That's because it's difficult to dip the shrimp into the sauce when the glass is too tall. Instead, use small, short glasses to make it easier for your guests to enjoy all the sauce in the glass.
- Add a kick with spicy ketchup. If you prefer to eat spicy shrimp cocktail, simply swap out the regular ketchup for your favorite spicy ketchup brand.
- Mix in some alcohol. To give the appetizers more of a zing, turn your shooters into shrimp cocktail shots by adding alcohol. Mix a small amount of vodka into the sauce before filling your shot glasses.
- Use premade cocktail sauce. In a hurry and need to get your shrimp shooter ready right now? Skip the homemade sauce and use store-bought cocktail sauce instead! You can fill each shot glass with the jarred sauce and serve your mini appetizers instantly.
What is the Best Shrimp for Shrimp Cocktail?
Since the shrimp is the star of this fun appetizer, you need to make sure it tastes delicious! That means you'll need to pick the best shrimp to serve with your cocktail sauce. As you're checking your grocery store for the ingredients for this appetizer, make sure to consider these factors when selecting your shrimp.
- Freshness. Using fresh seafood is the best way to ensure your appetizers have amazing flavor. If you don't have access to fresh shrimp, frozen shrimp is the next best option. Just make sure to fully thaw the shrimp before serving.
- Cooked. You can't serve raw shrimp in your shrimp cocktail! Either make sure your shrimp is pre-cooked or cook the shrimp yourself and allow it to cool completely before adding it to the appetizer.
- Peeled and deveined. Make it easy for your guests to eat their shrimp by purchasing shrimp that is already peeled and deveined.
- Tail-on. While this is optional, using shrimp with the tail-on makes it a little easier for your guests to dip the shrimp as they snack. The tail also looks great as it dangles over the edge of your shot glasses!
Can I Make Shrimp Cocktail Shooters in Advance?
The assembled cocktails taste best right after they're made. But if you want to do some prep work in advance, you can mix the sauce ingredients and store them in the fridge until you're ready to serve the snacks. The sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
How Do You Store Shrimp Cocktail Shooters?
These fun appetizers are sure to be a hit at your party! But if you have a few left over when the celebration is over, it's best to keep them in the refrigerator. Remove the shrimp from the cocktail sauce and store each part in separate airtight containers. The sauce will stay good for up to 10 days, while the shrimp will keep for up to four days.
Mini Shrimp Cocktail Shooters
Equipment
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Stirring Utensil
- 5 2-Ounce Shot Glasses (shorter is best)
- Spoon
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 10 Cocktail Shrimp cooked, tail on
- 1 Cup Ketchup
- 3 Tablespoons Horseradish
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ½ Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- Fresh Parsley optional garnish
- Lemon Wedges optional garnish
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients except the garnishes and shrimp into a small mixing bowl and mix until fully combined.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into 5-shot glasses. I use 2-ounce glasses, but if you have some a little smaller, that’s fine too. Be sure the sauce sits just under the top of the glass so that when you add the shrimp, it won’t spill over.
- Put two cocktail shrimp on the side of the shot glass (I lightly press the tip of the shrimp into about the middle or close to it, before letting it rest against the glass so it holds in place well).
- Top each shot glass with some minced, fresh parsley, a sprig of parsley, or a lemon wedge, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
