Name: Gluten-Free Baked Coconut Shrimp
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Asian-fusion
Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray; 6 tablespoons gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs; 3 tablespoons gluten-free flour; ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes; 2 egg whites; 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled (tail on) and butterflied; Salt and pepper; Fresh cilantro, chopped; Sweet chili sauce for dipping

These super tasty Gluten-Free Baked Coconut Shrimp will have you doing cartwheels at the dinner table! No lie, they are that good! And, I cannot tell you how easy they are to make. They're not only healthy, but a real treat to eat!

A woman's hand holding chopsticks with a baked coconut shrimp over a platter of coconut shrimp with a beer in a mug on the side.

I typically do not follow a gluten-free regimen, but sometimes I enjoy cooking with gluten-free products because I have family members that must adhere to a strict gluten-free diet.

These Gluten-Free Baked Coconut Shrimp are a bit healthier than the fried version, but just as tasty. You'll wish you made double batches of this appetizer, they will go quickly!

a woman holding a knife while butterflying several jumbo shrimp on a wooden cutting board.

If you haven't mastered the art of butterflying a shrimp, ask your fish monger to do it for you, but no need because butterflying shrimp is a cinch. Seriously!

Three glass prep bowls filled with ingredients for baked coconut shrimp on top of a white board with a whisk and napkin on the side.

How to make Baked Coconut Shrimp:

First, get your dredging prep in order: egg whites, gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs, coconut flakes, and the flour mixture.

A woman's hand dipping a butterflied shrimp into a Panko bread crumb mixture, with a glass bowl of raw shrimp on the side.

2. Second, dredge the butterflied shrimp into the crumb mixture and make sure to coat evenly on both sides. The dredge of the coconut flakes, gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs provide the crispiness to this dish.

A baking tray layered with jumbo coconut shrimp ready for the oven, on top of a white wooden board.

3. Third, place the shrimp onto a baking tray in a single layer making sure not to crowd them together.

4, Lastly, bake in the oven at 450 degrees. These bake up very quickly (about 10 minutes) so watch carefully for the shrimp to turn pink and curl. Look for that golden-brown finish on the shrimp!

Baked coconut shrimp on a gray serving platter with wooden chopsticks on top and a small bowl of chili sauce on the side.

These Gluten-Free Baked Coconut Shrimp are a real crowd-pleaser! The sweet chili sauce makes the perfect dip for this delectable dish!

Tips & Tricks

If you want to eliminate the gluten-free part of this recipe, you can substitute this with regular flour and Panko bread crumbs using the same recipe.
Make sure to spray the baking tray and the tops of the shrimp with cooking spray to keep the shrimp from sticking to the sheet and to give the shrimp a golden-brown finish.
You can absolutely use an air fryer instead of the oven to make these coconut shrimp. Set the air fryer on 380 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Check the shrimp after 6 minutes to see if golden brown and crispy. If not, keep cooking another minute or two.

Want more?

If you liked this Gluten-Free Baked Coconut Shrimp recipe, you’re going to want these seafood recipes:

Update Notes: This post was originally published on September 24, 2018, but was republished with slight text changes and additions, like new images, step-by-step instructions, and tips in February 2021.