This Grilled Pineapple recipe with caramel is the easiest (and impressive) dessert you can make this summer. Smoky, grilled pineapple is topped with rich caramel sauce, candied pecans, and fresh whipped cream for a stunning no-oven summer treat that’s ready in 30 minutes.
When it comes to dessert, especially summer desserts, I love a recipe that feels indulgent without requiring hours in the kitchen. My favorites are those that let the ingredients do the heavy lifting, cue fresh pineapple!
It's the star of tropical drinks like my Perfect Pina Colada, the secret ingredient in my Ginger Pineapple Snack Cake, and the ingredient I reach for whenever I want to add a bright, tropical twist to a recipe.
Already grilling? My Grilled Pineapple Chicken makes a great main course before this dessert.
In this article you'll learn:
The heat of a grill caramelizes pineapple's natural sugars and creates a smoky depth you can't get from any other cooking method. I'll tell you how to select a perfectly ripe pineapple at the store.
- ⏱ Total Time: 30 minutes. 🍽 Serves: 6 to 8. 🧾 Ingredients: 10. 📊 Difficulty: Easy. 🍍 Dietary: Gluten-Free.
- No oven required. This dessert works on an outdoor grill or a grill pan on the stovetop.
- Fresh pineapple only. Canned pineapple releases too much water to caramelize and falls apart on the grill.
- Grill over medium heat, not high. Medium heat caramelizes the rings without burning.
- Pralines take 15 minutes and can be made up to 5 days ahead.
- Dulce de leche vs. caramel sauce: both work, but dulce de leche is creamier with more depth of flavor.
- Full guide to picking a ripe pineapple is in the article. Smell the base for sweetness — it's the most reliable test.
Generated with AI and experts from the Tara Teaspoon team.
Why this grilled pineapple dessert belongs on your summer table
The magic really happens with grilled pineapple. The heat from a hot grill caramelizes the natural sugars in the fruit, gives the edges a beautiful smoky char, and brings out its natural juices.
Once dressed with a few simple but stunning toppings, Grilled Pineapple with Caramel is a dessert that looks and tastes like it came straight from a restaurant kitchen. Here's what else you'll love:
- Show-stopping simplicity: This is an impressive dessert that comes together with minimal effort. No oven, no complicated techniques.
- Great flavor combination: Caramelized grilled pineapple topped with rich dulce de leche or caramel sauce, candied pecans, and fresh whipped cream is sweet, smoky, rich, and light all at once.
- Perfect for entertaining: This is the kind of dessert that feels special enough for a dinner party but easy enough for a backyard cookout. It can be prepped ahead and assembled in minutes, making it a stress-free finale to any meal.
Jump to:
- In this article you'll learn:
- Why this grilled pineapple dessert belongs on your summer table
- Ingredients and variations
- How to pick a pineapple
- How to make this grilled pineapple recipe
- Tara's top tips for grilled pineapple
- Serving suggestions
- Equipment
- Storage
- FAQ
- More summer desserts
- 📖 Full Recipe
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Grilled pineapple is my FAVORITE!! This recipe is so yummy!
- Brittany
Ingredients and variations
Use these helpful tips to gather your ingredients before making your grilled pineapple with caramel sauce. See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Butter
- Pecans: You can use pecan halves or pieces. Feel free to swap the pecans with walnuts.
- Heavy whipping cream
- Confectioners' sugar
- Pineapple: This recipe works best with fresh pineapple.
- Dulce de leche or caramel sauce: My favorite topping for the pineapple is dulce de leche. You can find it in the grocery store on the baking aisle near sweetened condensed milk. Or, drizzle the pineapple with caramel sauce.
How to pick a pineapple
Choosing a ripe pineapple makes all the difference in this recipe. Here's what to look for at the grocery store:
Color: Look for a pineapple that is golden yellow at the base and working its way up the fruit. A little green at the top is perfectly fine, but a completely green pineapple is underripe.
Smell: This is the most reliable indicator of ripeness. A ripe pineapple will smell sweet and fragrant at the base. If it has no scent, it's not ready. If it smells fermented or overly sweet, it's past its prime.
Feel: The pineapple should feel firm but give ever so slightly when pressed. If it feels mushy or has soft spots, skip it.
Leaves: Give one of the inner leaves at the top a gentle tug. If it pulls out easily, the pineapple is ripe.
Size: A ripe pineapple will feel heavier than it looks because it's juicier. Always go for the heavier one!
How to make this grilled pineapple recipe
Let's grill this gorgeous fruit with my step-by-step photo tutorial. See recipe card for comprehensive directions to make the pralines and whipped cream.
- Step 1: Use a sharp chef's knife to cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple. Then remove the peel and all the green "eyes" without cutting too deeply.
- Step 2: Turn the peeled pineapple on its side and slice it into ½-inch-thick rounds.
- Step 3: Remove the core from each round with a pineapple corer or small circular cutter.
- Step 4: Heat the grill to medium or medium-high and place the pineapple rings directly on the grates.
- Step 5: Cook the rings on the first side (2 to 3 minutes). Then flip.
- Step 6: Finish cooking and marking the back side, another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 7: To serve, place a few slices on a plate and top with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of dulce de leche or caramel sauce.
- Step 8: If desired, top with candied nuts and enjoy while still warm!
Tara's top tips for grilled pineapple
Grill pineapple simply: Grilled plain pineapple takes on incredible sweet and smoky flavor without any fancy tricks. You don't need to brush it with butter or oil. There's also no need to add sugar before grilling; if you do, use lower heat or add it after the pineapple cooks.
Use a pineapple corer: If peeling and slicing a whole pineapple feels daunting, a pineapple corer makes the job effortless. This handy tool creates a spiral-cut, cored cylinder of pineapple flesh. To separate it into rings, simply cut the cylinder lengthwise from top to bottom. Each ring will have an open slice but it won't affect the look or flavor of the dessert, and they will grill up perfectly.
Getting the grill temperature and slices right: Grill the pineapple over medium heat rather than high heat to avoid burning the outside before the fruit has a chance to warm through. For a tender but firm bite, grill ½-inch slices for 4 to 6 minutes. For a softer, more cooked result, grill for up to 8 minutes.
Serving suggestions
My favorite way to serve grilled pineapple is with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, a drizzle of dulce de leche, and a sprinkle of cinnamon pralines.
That said, feel free to swap toppings and make it your own. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Sugar and spice: Sprinkle with brown sugar, granulated sugar, or cinnamon sugar right after the pineapple comes off the grill. For a hint of warmth, add a dusting of ground cinnamon. Feeling adventurous? A pinch of cayenne adds a surprising and delicious kick.
- Sweet drizzles: A drizzle of honey or maple syrup and a squeeze of fresh lime juice are simple but stunning additions that bring out the natural sweetness of the pineapple. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to balance the sweetness.
- Cool and creamy: Serve alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic combination, or top with toasted coconut for a tropical twist. Both pair beautifully with the smoky, caramelized pineapple.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Pastry brush
- Mixer
- Pineapple corer or sharp chef's knife for peeling the pineapple
- Apple corer or round cookie cutter for removing the pineapple core
Storage
Make-ahead: Candy the nuts up to 5 days ahead.
Refrigerate: This dessert can be eaten cold if you want to refrigerate the grilled pineapple slices for up to 3 days.
FAQ
Absolutely! If you don't have an outdoor grill, a cast iron grill pan on the stovetop works beautifully. Heat the pan over medium-high heat until it's very hot, then cook the pineapple slices just as you would on an outdoor grill. You'll still get those gorgeous grill marks and caramelized edges, just without the smoky outdoor flavor. A regular cast iron skillet also works if you don't have a grill pan — you won't get the grill marks.
Both are rich, sweet, golden sauces but they are made differently and have distinct flavor profiles. Caramel is made by cooking sugar until it melts and turns golden, then adding cream and butter. Dulce de leche is made by slowly cooking sweetened condensed milk until it thickens and turns a deep amber color. The result is a creamier, milky-sweet sauce that is more complex than traditional caramel. Both are lovely with grilled pineapple, but dulce de leche is my personal preference for its depth of flavor.
Fresh pineapple is strongly recommended for this recipe. Canned pineapple has a much higher water content than fresh, which means it will release a lot of liquid on the grill and won't caramelize the way fresh pineapple does. It also tends to be softer and can fall apart during grilling. If you're looking for a time saving tip, look for pre-cut fresh pineapple rings in the produce section of your grocery store.
More summer desserts
Indulge in refreshing desserts like Key Lime Pie Bars and Lemon Lush! Try more of my favorite sweet treats:
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📖 Full Recipe
Grilled Pineapple Recipe with Caramel
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup (4 ounces) pecans
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 1 fresh pineapple (peeled)
- ¾ cup dulce de leche (or caramel sauce)
Instructions
Make pralines
- Prepare a small baking sheet by lining it with parchment or a silicone mat. Set aside.
- To candy the nuts, dissolve sugar with 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; remove stirring spoon (do not place back in the pot because it will create sugar crystals). Brush the inside of pan with a clean pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals.
- Cook until the syrup turns light amber, swirling pan occasionally. Remove from heat and add salt, cinnamon, butter and pecans; with a clean spatula, stir to combine.
- Pour onto the parchment-lined baking sheet; spread into a thin layer that will be easy to break, separating clumps of nuts. Cool completely, then break or cut into pieces.
Make whipped cream
- Whip cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Makes 2 cups sweetened whipped cream. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Grill pineapple
- Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Slice pineapple into ½-inch-thick rounds; remove core. Cook pineapple slices until heated through and marked, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
- Serve slices topped with whipped cream, dulce de leche, and candied nuts.
Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Mary Bench says
Two of my favorite things combined! Must try!
Jana says
OMG! So smart idea! Definitely try it!
Daisy says
I absolutely love eating pineapple so this sounds AMAZING!!! Such a delicious recipe!!!
Karla says
I've tried apple and caramel but I haven't tried pineapple and caramel! This recipe looks perfect for a party! I'll print this and try it this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Maune says
The dulce de leche drizzle sounds amazing on this! Definitely will have to try this soon.
-Jennifer
Patricia G. says
oooh this looks so good! Also, I agree that natural pineapple has plenty of sugar already, but the praline and the caramel make it a nice dessert. The pictures of this recipe make my mouth water!
Nicole Anderson | Camping for Women says
I can imagine the flavours of pineapple and caramel working very well together. Anyone with a sweet tooth would absolutely love this. It also looks so appetising and I am looking forward to giving it a go.
Tara Fuller says
i'm such a sweet tooth - especially with anything pineapple. i cant wait to try!
Brittany Smart says
Grilled pineapple is my FAVORITE!! This recipe is so yummy