Buttery Brazilian Grilled Pineapple

I never thought of grilling pineapple until I tried it at a Brazilian steakhouse a few years back. The waiter brought out these caramelized spears that were warm, sweet, and somehow even better than regular fresh pineapple.

Turns out, making Brazilian grilled pineapple at home is way easier than I expected. You basically coat pineapple spears in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then let the grill (or a grill pan) do its thing. The sugar melts and gets all caramelized, the butter makes everything rich, and the lime juice keeps it from being too sweet. It’s become my go-to dessert when we’re already grilling dinner—no need to heat up the oven, and it feels a little fancy without any real effort.

What Kind of Pineapple Should I Use?

Fresh pineapple is definitely the way to go for this recipe – you want those nice, sturdy spears that can hold up on the grill. When picking out your pineapple at the store, look for one that’s golden yellow on the outside and gives off a sweet smell at the base. You should be able to pull a leaf from the crown fairly easily if it’s ripe. Avoid pineapples that are too green or have soft spots, as they won’t grill up as nicely. If you can only find a slightly underripe pineapple, let it sit on your counter for a day or two before grilling.

Options for Substitutions

This simple grilled pineapple recipe is pretty straightforward, but here are a few swaps you can make:

• Pineapple: Fresh pineapple is really the star here and shouldn’t be substituted – canned pineapple won’t hold up well on the grill and lacks that fresh, juicy texture you need.
• Brown sugar: You can use coconut sugar for a slightly different flavor, or regular white sugar if that’s what you have. The taste will be a bit less rich, but it’ll still caramelize nicely on the grill.
• Butter: Coconut oil makes a great dairy-free swap and adds a tropical twist. Use the same amount and make sure it’s melted before brushing it on.
• Cinnamon: Feel free to experiment with other warm spices like nutmeg, cardamom, or even a pinch of cayenne for some heat. You could also try a mix of cinnamon and ginger for extra warmth.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Grilling

The biggest mistake when grilling pineapple is using too high heat, which will burn the sugar coating before the fruit gets those beautiful grill marks – stick to medium heat and resist the urge to crank it up.

Don’t skip removing the tough core from each spear, as it stays fibrous and unpleasant to eat even after grilling, and make sure to cut your spears thick enough (about 1 inch) so they don’t fall apart on the grill grates.

Another common error is not letting the sugar mixture sit on the pineapple before grilling – give it at least 10-15 minutes to create a light syrup that caramelizes perfectly.

Keep your butter-sugar sauce warm on the side of the grill while cooking, and if it starts to separate or get too thick, just whisk in a splash of water to bring it back together.

What to Serve With Grilled Pineapple?

This grilled pineapple is perfect as a dessert on its own, but it really shines when you add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top – the cold ice cream melting into the warm, caramelized pineapple is absolutely delicious. You can also serve it alongside grilled meats like chicken, pork chops, or steak for a sweet and savory combo that works surprisingly well. If you’re going the dessert route, try adding a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut for extra flavor. This also makes a great topping for pound cake or angel food cake if you want to make it feel a bit fancier.

Storage Instructions

Store: Grilled pineapple is best enjoyed fresh off the grill, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pineapple will release some juice as it sits, so just drain it before serving again.

Serve: You can enjoy leftover grilled pineapple straight from the fridge if you like it cold, or warm it up in the microwave for about 30 seconds. It’s also great chopped up and tossed into yogurt or oatmeal for breakfast the next day!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1100-1250
• Protein: 3-4 g
• Fat: 45-55 g
• Carbohydrates: 195-215 g

Ingredients

For the fruit:

• 1 large fresh pineapple (peeled, cored, and sliced into 8 long spears)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

For the glaze:

• 2/3 cup Domino light brown sugar
• 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Kerrygold salted butter
• 1 pinch flaky sea salt

Step 1: Prepare the Pineapple

• 1 large fresh pineapple

Peel the pineapple by slicing away the skin in vertical strips, then cut the fruit lengthwise into 8 long spears.

Remove the tough core from each spear by making a diagonal cut along the center or using a thin knife to carve it out.

Pat the spears dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps them caramelize better on the grill.

Step 2: Make the Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Butter Sauce

• 1/2 cup Kerrygold salted butter
• 2/3 cup Domino light brown sugar
• 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 pinch flaky sea salt

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the brown sugar and cinnamon, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture becomes smooth and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and flaky sea salt.

This butter sauce will be your basting glaze for grilling.

I like to make this sauce just before firing up the grill so it stays warm and pourable.

Step 3: Grill the Pineapple with Butter Glaze

• pineapple spears from Step 1
• cinnamon-brown sugar butter sauce from Step 2

Heat your grill to medium heat (around 375-400°F).

Place the pineapple spears directly on the grill grates and brush generously with the cinnamon-butter sauce from Step 2.

Grill for 10 minutes total, turning and brushing the spears with sauce every 2 minutes, ensuring all sides develop a caramelized golden-brown crust.

The sugar in the butter sauce will caramelize beautifully and create a sweet, slightly charred exterior.

I recommend using a silicone brush to apply the sauce so it doesn’t burn on the grill grates.

Step 4: Finish and Serve

• grilled pineapple spears from Step 3
• remaining cinnamon-brown sugar butter sauce from Step 2

Transfer the grilled pineapple spears to a serving plate and pour any remaining warm cinnamon-butter sauce from Step 2 generously over the top.

Serve immediately while the pineapple is still warm and the sauce is flowing over the caramelized surface.

Buttery Brazilian Grilled Pineapple

Delicious Buttery Brazilian Grilled Pineapple recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 8 spears

Calories: 1175

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the fruit

• 1 large fresh pineapple (peeled, cored, and sliced into 8 long spears)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

For the glaze

• 2/3 cup Domino light brown sugar
• 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Kerrygold salted butter
• 1 pinch flaky sea salt

Method

 

1. Peel the pineapple by slicing away the skin in vertical strips, then cut the fruit lengthwise into 8 long spears. Remove the tough core from each spear by making a diagonal cut along the center or using a thin knife to carve it out. Pat the spears dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps them caramelize better on the grill.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the brown sugar and cinnamon, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture becomes smooth and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and flaky sea salt. This butter sauce will be your basting glaze for grilling. I like to make this sauce just before firing up the grill so it stays warm and pourable.
3. Heat your grill to medium heat (around 375-400°F). Place the pineapple spears directly on the grill grates and brush generously with the cinnamon-butter sauce from Step 2. Grill for 10 minutes total, turning and brushing the spears with sauce every 2 minutes, ensuring all sides develop a caramelized golden-brown crust. The sugar in the butter sauce will caramelize beautifully and create a sweet, slightly charred exterior. I recommend using a silicone brush to apply the sauce so it doesn't burn on the grill grates.
4. Transfer the grilled pineapple spears to a serving plate and pour any remaining warm cinnamon-butter sauce from Step 2 generously over the top. Serve immediately while the pineapple is still warm and the sauce is flowing over the caramelized surface.