Christmas Party Recipes

Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree

A Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree that turns the retro party classic into the centrepiece — pink shrimp in a tree shape on a long white platter, lemon wedges, fresh dill and a bowl of red cocktail sauce at the base. No cooking, one hour in the fridge, and the table does the talking.

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By admin · Recipe tested in The Daily Plate kitchen

Published Nov 8, 2026 · Updated Nov 9, 2026

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A shrimp cocktail Christmas tree on a long oval white platter — rows of pink cooked shrimp in a triangle, lemon wedges and dill sprigs around the edges, a small bowl of red cocktail sauce at the base.

If you searched for a Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree, you found the one from the pin with the long white platter, the pink shrimp in a triangle and the little bowl of red sauce at the bottom. This is the retro classic, reimagined: bought cooked shrimp, a five-minute homemade cocktail sauce, and an hour in the fridge. No oven, no frying, no special equipment — just a long platter and a little patience while you build the rows.

The method itself is simple — stir the sauce, dry the shrimp, build the tree, chill it. One tree serves twelve, it holds its shape for hours when kept cold, and guests serve themselves with cocktail picks. Build it once and it will be requested every Christmas after.

Why this Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree works every time

No cooking at all. Bought cooked shrimp, a five-minute sauce, and the fridge does the rest — the easiest centrepiece on the Christmas table.
The tree is the decoration. Rows of pink shrimp, green dill garland and lemon wedges — no extra decorating and no special equipment beyond a long platter.
Made for parties. One tree serves 12, it holds its shape for hours when chilled, and guests serve themselves with cocktail picks.

How many does one tree feed? The 1× tree below uses 48 large shrimp and serves 12 — about 4 shrimp per person. Feeding a crowd? Scale to 2× in the recipe card for 24 servings and build two trees side by side on the table. A smaller gathering? Scale to ½× for 6 servings and a half-tree.

Cost & timing at a glance: about $25–35 of groceries at a regular supermarket (the shrimp is most of it), 20 minutes of hands-on work plus 1 hour of chilling. Everything can be prepped ahead — the sauce keeps 3 days, the tree can be built up to 4 hours ahead — see the make-ahead plan in the notes and the full storage guide after the recipe card.

Choose Your Tree

Make the Shrimp Cocktail Tree Your Way

Tap your occasion, how many you’re feeding and your style — the tree photo, the servings, the quantities in the recipe card below and your shopping list all update to match.

Occasion

Serves

Style

Christmas Eve Dinner · Serves 12 · Classic

The Classic Shrimp Cocktail Tree

The classic tree: pink cooked shrimp in a triangle on a long white platter, lemon wedges, fresh dill and a small bowl of red cocktail sauce at the base.

The original tree, exactly as pinned: pink cooked shrimp in a triangle, classic red cocktail sauce, lemon wedges and fresh dill. If it’s your first party tree, build this one — it’s the most forgiving.

48 large cooked shrimp
240ml ketchup
2 tbsp prepared horseradish
2 lemons
1 large bunch fresh dill
1 small serving bowl

See the full ingredients & steps ↓

Equipment for your Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree

Long oval platter, at least 45 cm long — the tree needs room to widen toward the base
Small serving bowl, for the cocktail sauce at the base of the tree
Paper towels, for patting the shrimp very dry
Plastic wrap, for covering the tree while it chills
Small spoon, for stirring the sauce
Cocktail picks or small forks, for serving
Sharp knife and chopping board, for the lemon wedges

Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree shopping list — by store section

Take this list as-is: quantities are for the 1× tree (serves 12). Tick items off in the ingredient list below as you gather them — the counter at the top tracks you.

Seafood counter

48 large cooked shrimp (16–20 count, about 900 g / 2 lb), peeled and deveined, tails on

Produce

2 lemons, for wedges and juice
1 large bunch fresh dill

Condiments

240 ml ketchup · 2 tbsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce · ½ tsp hot sauce

Pantry

Flaky sea salt · coarsely ground black pepper
Cocktail picks or small forks, for serving

Make It Yours

Shrimp Cocktail Tree Variations

Same pink shrimp triangle, same method — just change the sauce and the garnish to fit your guests.

Classic

The original tree, exactly as pinned:

Classic red cocktail sauce — ketchup, horseradish, lemon and Worcestershire
Lemon wedges around the edges, points facing out
Fresh dill tucked between the rows like garland
The retro party classic, exactly as your guests remember it

Spicy Sriracha

For guests who like heat:

Swap the classic sauce for a sriracha cocktail sauce
Use lime wedges instead of lemon
Tuck sliced jalapeño and cilantro between the rows
Keep the dill — its coolness balances the heat

Citrus Herb

Bright, herby and the lightest of the three:

Extra lemon wedges — three lemons instead of two
A pale lemon-herb sauce with dill and a little olive oil
Dill and flat-leaf parsley tucked through the whole tree
Prettiest on a white platter, and lovely with white wine

Serving & Pairings

How to Serve Your Shrimp Cocktail Tree

The same tree, ready to serve: pink shrimp in a triangle on the long white platter, lemon wedges and dill around the edges, the red sauce at the base — set it in the centre of the table and serve within 2 hours, while the shrimp is still cold.

Serving ideas: Set the platter in the centre of the table and let guests serve themselves with cocktail picks — one pick per shrimp keeps fingers out of the tree. Put the lemon wedges where everyone can reach them, and set a small dish of extra sauce beside the platter for guests who want more. For a big party, build two trees side by side and put one at each end of the table.

Drink pairings: A crisp white wine is the classic partner; for something lighter, sparkling water with lemon, or a glass of prosecco. Keep the drinks cold, like the shrimp.

What to serve with it: This tree is the opener — set it out with Christmas Cheese Trees and Christmas Cranberry Pinwheels on the party table, and let Pigs in Blankets Wreath follow from the oven while guests pick at the tree.

Plan Ahead

Shrimp Cocktail Tree Storage & Make-Ahead Guide

Make-ahead timeline

Up to 3 days ahead: Make the cocktail sauce, cover it and keep it in the fridge — the flavours get better as they sit.
The night before: If using frozen shrimp, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Chill the platter too, so it is cold when you build.
Up to 4 hours ahead: Build the tree, cover it loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.
At the party: Set the tree out and serve within 2 hours, while the shrimp is still cold.

Storing leftovers

Leftover shrimp: Keep for 1 day in a covered container in the fridge; eat cold, or toss into pasta or a salad the next day.
Leftover sauce: Keeps for 1 week in a sealed jar in the fridge — good with any seafood, or as a dip for fries.
Freezing: Do not freeze the assembled tree. Cooked shrimp that has been thawed once should not be frozen again.
Food safety: Keep the tree chilled until serving and discard anything left out for more than 2 hours — do not return it to the fridge.
Allergen note: Shrimp is shellfish. Label the platter clearly, use separate serving picks, and keep a non-shellfish option (such as Christmas Cheese Trees) on a separate board for guests who cannot eat shellfish.

Per Serving

Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree Nutrition

Estimate for 1 of 12 servings — about 4 large shrimp with 2 tablespoons of cocktail sauce. Actual values vary with shrimp size and sauce amount.

Calories	140 kcal
Total fat	1 g
Saturated fat	0 g
Cholesterol	185 mg
Sodium	450 mg
Total carbohydrates	9 g
Dietary fibre	0 g
Sugars	6 g
Protein	24 g
Vitamin C	10% DV

Questions

Shrimp Cocktail Tree FAQs

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes — most cooked shrimp is sold frozen. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then pat it very dry with paper towels before building the tree. Wet shrimp slides off the platter and the sauce won’t cling. Never thaw shrimp at room temperature.

Can I poach the shrimp myself?

Yes. Bring a large pot of salted water with a halved lemon to a boil, add raw peeled shrimp and cook for 2–3 minutes, just until pink and opaque. Lift them into a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking, then drain and pat dry. Chill before building the tree.

How far ahead can I make it?

The sauce keeps 3 days in the fridge. The tree itself can be built up to 4 hours ahead — cover it loosely with plastic wrap and keep it refrigerated. Set it out no more than 2 hours before guests eat, and keep it cold until then.

How do I keep it cold at a party?

Chill the platter for 30 minutes before building, and set the finished platter over a shallow tray of crushed ice if the party runs long. Put out half the tree first and keep the rest chilled, refreshing the board halfway through the night.

What about a shellfish allergy?

Shrimp is shellfish, so label the platter clearly and use separate serving picks that don’t travel to other dishes. Keep a non-shellfish option on a separate board — Christmas Cheese Trees works well — so every guest has something to eat.

Can I make the sauce milder or spicier?

Yes. For a milder sauce, use 1 tablespoon of horseradish and leave out the hot sauce. For a spicier one, add more horseradish and hot sauce to taste — or build the Spicy Sriracha variation above, with sriracha, lime and jalapeño.

More Recipes You’ll Love

The Daily Plate · Recipe Card

Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree

Pink cooked shrimp in a tree shape on a long white platter, with lemon wedges, fresh dill and a bowl of homemade red cocktail sauce at the base.

Prep Time

20 min

Chill Time

1 hour

Total Time

1 hr 20 min

Servings

Calories

140

Scale tree:

Makes 12 servings · 1 tree (48 shrimp) · metric weights
0 of 11 gathered

Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree Ingredients

For the tree

For the cocktail sauce

How to Make a Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree — Step by Step

Work in this exact order: sauce first, shrimp second, build the tree third, chill last. Total hands-on time is about 20 minutes, plus 1 hour of chilling.

Make the cocktail sauce (5 minutes). Stir the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and black pepper together in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and add more horseradish for heat or more lemon for brightness. Cover and refrigerate while you build the tree.
Prep the shrimp. If using frozen cooked shrimp, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Pat every shrimp very dry with paper towels — dry shrimp grips the platter and the sauce clings better, while wet shrimp slides around.
Chill the platter. Put the long oval platter in the fridge for 30 minutes before building. A cold platter keeps the shrimp cold on the table, which matters for a dish that is served chilled.
Start the tree. Place one shrimp at the top centre of the platter, tail pointing out. Build rows below it, adding one more shrimp per row as you go down, until the base row holds 9–10 shrimp — about 48 shrimp in all. Keep the rows tight so the triangle reads clearly from above.
Tuck in the dill. Push small dill sprigs between the rows so they read like garland — a sprig every two or three shrimp, with a few longer sprigs poking out at the edges like branches.
Set the lemon wedges. Place the lemon wedges around the edges of the platter, points facing out, then season the shrimp lightly with flaky sea salt and black pepper.
Set the sauce bowl at the base. Put the small bowl of cocktail sauce at the bottom centre of the platter — the “trunk” of the tree — and set a few cocktail picks beside it for serving.
Chill for 1 hour. Cover the platter loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until everything is thoroughly cold. The tree can be built up to 4 hours ahead and kept chilled like this.
Serve at once. Set the platter in the centre of the table, uncover it, and serve within 2 hours while the shrimp is still cold. Let guests serve themselves with cocktail picks, one pick per shrimp.

Notes, tips & make-ahead

Make ahead: Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Build the tree up to 4 hours ahead and keep it chilled until serving.
Dry shrimp is everything: Pat the shrimp very dry before building — wet shrimp slides, and the tree loses its shape. Paper towels, not a rinse.
Keep it cold: Chill the platter first, keep the finished tree refrigerated, and set the platter over a tray of crushed ice if the party runs long.
Poach your own: If you buy raw shrimp, boil salted water with a halved lemon, cook the peeled shrimp 2–3 minutes until pink and opaque, then lift into iced water, drain and pat dry.
Swaps: Swap the classic sauce for the sriracha version (spicy) or the lemon-herb version (citrus); swap lemon wedges for lime in the spicy version; swap dill for parsley if you prefer it.
Allergen note: Shrimp is shellfish — label the platter clearly and keep a non-shellfish option on a separate board for guests who cannot eat shellfish.
Food safety: Serve within 2 hours of setting out and discard anything left out longer — do not return it to the fridge.

Scale: ½× = 24 shrimp, 6 servings (a half-tree) · 1× = 48 shrimp, 12 servings (1 tree) · 2× = 96 shrimp, 24 servings (2 trees). Servings scale 6 / 12 / 24.

Nutrition (per serving, estimate):
Calories 140Protein 24gCarbs 9gFat 1gFibre 0gSodium 450mg

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Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree

Why this Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree works every time

Make the Shrimp Cocktail Tree Your Way

Equipment for your Shrimp Cocktail Christmas Tree