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Recipe: How to Make the Best Grilled Pineapple

Looking for a dessert that can be made out on the grill with the rest of your meal? This recipe for how to make the best grilled pineapple is my favorite summer dessert!

When it comes to grilling, what foods do you think of first? I think of many of the usuals: hot dogs, burgers, steak, chicken, and corn.

But, since I have a bit of a sweet tooth, I like to think of some desserts, too. However, since it's summer, I also want my sweets to be a bit more on the lighter and healthier side.

Recipe: How to Make the Best Grilled Pineapple

That's why this recipe for the best grilled pineapple is the perfect solution! Since summer is sadly already winding down, I was inspired to pick up a few of our grilling favorites to enjoy while we still can.

Things like grilled hot dogs on potato buns piled high with my favorite meaty Carolina-style hot dog sauce and creamy coleslaw, paired with my favorite BBQ chips or potato salad and washed down with ice-cold raspberry tea.

To me, some grilled pineapple is the perfect way to end the meal while outside watching the sunset.

If you've ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse or grill, you might have had pineapple similar to this.

It has a nice, slightly sweet, caramelized exterior, while the center is full of that juicy pineapple flavor I love.

Recipe: How to Make the Best Grilled Pineapple

Plus, this recipe couldn't be simpler, with less than five ingredients and just a few minutes to cook. It's great by itself, or you can get really fancy by pairing it with some grilled pound cake, vanilla ice cream, and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. Yep, I'm drooling as I type!

While I love baking, I don't like heating up the kitchen too much during the summer, so I do secretly enjoy that I can purchase all the ingredients for a really nice cookout dessert that literally takes just a  few minutes to put together.

Here's how to grill the pineapple.

Recipe: How to Make the Best Grilled Pineapple

As it marinates, the dry mix will begin to turn into a sauce of sorts coating the pineapple.

Recipe: How to Make the Best Grilled Pineapple
grilled pineapple on a white round plate

The Best Grilled Pineapple

Yield: 6 - 8 grilled pineapple spears
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 41 minutes

This simple grilled pineapple makes the perfect light dessert after a grilled meal.

Ingredients

  • 6 - 8 (about 1 pound total) fresh pineapple spears/wedges (you can use whatever cut you like but I find spears cook best)
  • 1 cup brown sugar (dark will give a bit more caramel flavor)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

  1. If using pre-cut pineapple, blot it with paper towels to dry.
  2. In a large plastic food baggie or container with lid, add brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mash ingredients together (or stir with fork) to break up any clumps and thoroughly combine.
  3. Add pineapple to the container with sugar mixture, seal bag or place lid on the container and shake so that sugar mixture thoroughly covers pineapple.
  4. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours, tossing the container now and then to make sure all pieces are covered.
  5. When ready to cook, preheat your grill to medium heat and then lightly oil grates. Place pineapple on the grill and cook on all sides for a couple of minutes until lightly caramelized, turning frequently. You will likely have juices left in the marinating container that you can drizzle over the grilled pineapple after cooking if desired.
  6. Place the grilled pineapple on a platter and serve immediately. The pineapple is great on its own or with ice cream, pound cake, salted caramel topping, and/or whipped cream.

Notes

You can also use canned pineapple slices, though it will likely take less time to cook.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 pineapple spear
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 83Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 2gSugar: 16gProtein: 1g

Nutrition information may not be accurate. Nutrition information is calculated automatically by and provided by Nutritionix. Exact nutrition information depends on the specific ingredients, brands, and amounts you use.

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Recipe: How to Make the Best Grilled Pineapple

Grill some pound cake after the pineapple, add a scoop of ice cream, a spear of pineapple, and a drizzle of salted-caramel sauce, and you have a pretty fancy dessert with little work!

Now that you have the recipe for how to make the best grilled pineapple, what will you be serving it with?

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