Crispy Fried Firecracker Shrimp Rolls

July 8, 2017 (Last Updated: March 13, 2020)

These crispy fried firecracker shrimp rolls are fun, delicious snacks with that satisfyingly crunchy snap and crackle that are commonly served as appetizers or “small chops” in weddings and parties.

Crispy fried firecracker shrimp rolls laid out on grill.

When I was a kid, I remember my dad going to a fancy supermarket and buying a pack of frozen spring rolls, shrimp rolls (also known as firecracker shrimp), and samosas. He would bring them home and all we needed to do was fry them and serve them. In our minds, we all pretended it was special guest food, but in all honesty, we would fry them up every now and then when my parents were in the mood. My favorite of the lot were the firecracker shrimp, so I had to figure out how to make them myself. To the uninitiated,  crispy fried firecracker shrimp rolls are a delicious combination of shrimp wrapped in a thin starch wrap (like a spring roll wrap) that’s commonly served as an appetizer or “small chops” as we Nigerians like to call it in our parties. They’re usually called firecracker shrimp because of the satisfyingly crisp snap and crackle that comes out of biting into one.

firecracker shrimp rolls on oven grill with peanut sauce dip

I recently had firecracker shrimp in a restaurant, and it instantly brought back memories of my once forgotten favorite childhood treat. Once I mentioned this to my husband, who happened to be dining with me, he challenged me to make them myself. I accepted the challenge, and on my first try, it was a success. Like with the samosas that I made previously, I used store bought spring roll wrappers for ease and convenience. One day I will perfect my spring roll wrapper recipe and share, but for now, I am satisfied with the store bought version since it is fairly inexpensive.

How to Make Crispy Fried Firecracker Shrimp Rolls

Main Ingredients

  • 2 lbs of large deveined tail on shrimp (should amount to about 25 shrimp)
  • 15 sheets of thawed spring roll wraps
  • 2 tablespoons of cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons of water
  • 2 teaspoons onion salt or any all purpose seasoning of your choice
  • 1 teaspoons of black pepper
  • Vegetable oil for frying (I used canola oil)
  • Optional: 3 tablespoons Nigerian spicy peanut butter plus 1 teaspoon of honey

Prep the Shrimp

Season the shrimp with the onion salt or all purpose seasoning and black pepper and set aside for about 30 minutes to marinade.
After 30 minutes, prep the shrimp by simply scoring them lightly on two sides on the inner curve of the shrimp as seen above to straighten the shrimp and prevent them from curling up while cooking.

4-step image showing how to cut and prep raw shrimps

Wrap Shrimp in Spring Roll Wrap

Cut the sheets of spring roll wraps to form triangles as shown. While the spring roll wraps are not in use, be sure to cover them with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.

To assemble the shrimp rolls, simply roll up the shrimp in the spring roll wraps following the steps as shown below, and seal with corn starch.

6-step photo showing wrapping of shrimp with spring roll wrapper
Again, make sure the shrimp rolls are covered with with a damp cloth so they do not dry out once they have been prepped.

You may freeze the shrimp rolls on a single layer and store, or deep fry them right away.

Deep Fry the Firecracker Shrimp

Fry the shrimp rolls in a deep pan in oil (about 350 Fahrenheit) until golden brown. It should take about 10 minutes. If they are fried from frozen, fry them for about 15 minutes.

dee[ frying shrimp rolls
Drain the shrimp once they are golden brown and serve alone or with a dip. I used a Nigerian spicy peanut butter and honey dip

overhead view of crispy fried firecracker shrimp rolls on oven grill.

I served these firecracker shrimp with a peanut dip made with a Nigerian style spicy peanut butter sauce called ose-oji (recipe coming soon). You may also serve it with a sweet and spicy sauce of your choice.

close up of firecracker shrimp rolls laid out on oven grill

Please be sure to rate my firecracker shrimp recipe and leave a comment below if you tried it! Also while you’re here why not take a quick second and subscribe to my newsletter to get email notifications on new recipes, click the links to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST or INSTAGRAM? You can catch some behind the scenes action, my shopping hauls, personalized tips and friend-only recipes with videos on my Instagram. Also pin this recipe for later and explore some of my favorite recipes on Pinterest and if you love it as much as I know you will, SHARE with some friends! 

Crispy fried firecracker shrimp rolls laid out on grill.
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Crispy Fried Firecracker Shrimp Rolls Recipe

These crispy fried firecracker shrimp rolls are fun, delicious snacks with that satisfyingly crunchy snap and crackle that are commonly served as appetizers or "small chops" in weddings and parties.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snacks
Cuisine: American, Asian, Nigerian, Tropical
Servings: 24
Calories: 78.6kcal
Author: Yummy Medley

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs of large deveined tail on shrimp about 25 shrimp
  • 15 sheets of thawed spring roll wraps
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch plus 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tsp onion salt or any all purpose seasoning of your choice
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • Optional: 3 tbsp Nigerian spicy peanut butter plus 1 tsp honey

Instructions

  • Season the shrimp with the onion salt or all purpose seasoning and black pepper and set aside for about 30 minutes to marinade.
  • After 30 minutes, prep the shrimp by simply scoring them lightly on two sides on the inner curve of the shrimp as seen above to straighten the shrimp and prevent them from curling up while cooking.
  • Cut the sheets of spring roll wraps to form triangles as shown above. While the spring roll wraps are not in use, be sure to cover them with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
  • To assemble the shrimp rolls, simply roll up the shrimp in the spring roll wraps following the steps above, and seal with corn starch.
  • Again, make sure the shrimp rolls are covered with with a damp cloth so they do not dry out once they have been prepped.
  • You may freeze the shrimp rolls on a single layer and store, or deep fry them right away.
  • Fry the shrimp rolls in a deep pan in oil (about 350 Fahrenheit) until golden brown. It should take about 10 minutes. If they are fried from frozen, fry them for about 15 minutes.
  • Drain the shrimp once they are golden brown and serve alone or with a dip. I used a Nigerian spicy peanut butter and honey dip.

Notes

The nutritional information for a serving of a single firecracker shrimp is shown below with the assumption of 10% oil retention on deep fried foods.

19 Comments

  • Reply
    Isi
    July 11, 2017 at 8:29 am

    This looks delicious and easy!! I think I’ll make these!! Thanks Lois!!

    • Reply
      Ms. Yum
      July 11, 2017 at 3:41 pm

      Hey Isi! Yes this is pretty easy to make, and they come out quite impressive, so people will think you are extra fancy. Send me pictures when you make them!

  • Reply
    Esther
    July 11, 2017 at 10:09 am

    Good work, well done

    • Reply
      Ms. Yum
      July 11, 2017 at 3:41 pm

      Thank you kindly! I hope you give the recipe a try.

  • Reply
    Veena Azmanov
    March 11, 2020 at 3:17 am

    5 stars
    Delicious and best party snack option. Crunchy and my kids favorite too.

    • Reply
      Lois
      March 11, 2020 at 3:22 am

      Totally agree! This is always going to be a hit!

  • Reply
    Heidy McCallum
    March 11, 2020 at 8:57 am

    5 stars
    These Crispy Fried Firecracker Shrimp Rolls look amazing! This
    Crispy Fried Firecracker Shrimp Rolls would also be a perfect appetizer to serve at our party we are having this coming weekend. I love all the delicious flavors, and the sauce looks to die for. Quick question? Where can I find the Nigerian Spicy peanut butter? Online? I don’t know if our international market has it or not.

    Thanks in advance
    Heidy

    • Reply
      Lois
      March 11, 2020 at 8:52 pm

      Hi Heidi!
      Thanks for your kind words! They look amazing but they taste incredible! It’s always a hit when I have them at parties, so you’re totally covered there. The last time I brought them, they were totally the first to go…no lie! The Nigerian Spicy peanut butter is hard to find but it may be available in your local African store. I actually make mine from scratch and I’ve got a recipe loading in the oven just waiting to pop out so stay tuned!

  • Reply
    Kay
    March 11, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    5 stars
    Pinned these to make next time we have family over, great sharing food!

    • Reply
      Lois
      March 11, 2020 at 8:46 pm

      Yes they are! Let me know how you like it when you try it!

  • Reply
    GUNJAN C Dudani
    March 13, 2020 at 4:24 pm

    5 stars
    Looks like an interesting party snack. These crispy firecrackers is for sure a crowd pleaser.

    • Reply
      Lois
      March 14, 2020 at 1:15 pm

      You got that right!

  • Reply
    Linda
    March 14, 2020 at 10:35 am

    5 stars
    You got me craving firecracker shrimp so bad I had to make these immediately! It made a quick and easy dinner alongside some roasted veggies and everyone enjoyed them immensely. I loved the fact that there were just a few ingredients and that I could use wrappers that were all set to go. These will def be served at my next party.

    • Reply
      Lois
      March 15, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      Let me know how it goes Linda!

  • Reply
    Marisa F. Stewart
    March 14, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    5 stars
    WOW!! This looks super easy and the little shrimp tails do make the appetizers look like firecrackers. Our family is really big into appetizers. This one is being made at our next gathering.

  • Reply
    Debbie
    March 15, 2020 at 11:14 pm

    5 stars
    These Firecracker Shrimp are amazing!! I made these last night for game night and my family devoured them . The perfect hearty appetizer to satisfy 3 teenage boys. That’s for all of your fabulous pictures to guide me along the way.

    • Reply
      Lois
      March 16, 2020 at 12:05 pm

      Teenagers are the true critics so a win with them is the best compliment! I’m glad you liked them!

  • Reply
    Jenni LeBaron
    March 16, 2020 at 1:14 am

    5 stars
    These shrimp rolls look absolutely delicious and that spicy peanut butter sounds totally wonderful with these! I bet these will disappear quickly at any event I serve them at!

  • Reply
    Aline
    March 16, 2020 at 1:31 am

    5 stars
    Yassss – we’re planning a small get to together, and these babies will be on the menu for sure!! Can’t wait!!

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