Let me tell you about the day my kitchen smelled like a dreamy Italian seaside vacation crossed with a garlicky, buttery heaven. I was tinkering, as I often do on a lazy weekend, with a pound of plump shrimp and a serious craving for something indulgent. I wanted the comfort of warm, soft bread, the savory punch of garlic butter, and the sweet luxury of shrimp, all in one bite. What emerged from my oven were these glorious, bubbling, golden-brown Crabby Shrimp Garlic Bread Bombs. The name is as fun as they are to eat! The moment I pulled them out, the aroma of roasted garlic and toasty cheese filled the air, and my first bite was pure bliss—a warm, creamy, seafood-filled delight that’s perfect for sharing (or not, I won’t judge). It’s become my go-to appetizer for impressing guests or treating myself.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup lump crab meat, well-drained (optional, but adds fantastic flavor)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (16.3 oz) can of refrigerated flaky biscuit dough (8 count)
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 more cloves garlic, minced (for the butter wash)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
A few personal notes on ingredients: Don’t skip the fresh garlic for the butter wash—the pre-minced jarred stuff just doesn’t deliver the same aromatic punch. Trust me, it makes a huge difference. I’ve tried this with imitation crab and while it works in a pinch, the texture and flavor of real lump crab meat or even good-quality canned crab is far superior. For the shrimp, I’ve found that medium-sized (41/50 count) work perfectly—they’re small enough to distribute well but still give a great bite. And please, wait for your cream cheese to truly be at room temperature; I’ve tried mixing it cold, and you end up with lumps instead of that beautifully smooth, spreadable filling.(See the next page below to continue…)