Blackstone Grilled Pineapple with Cinnamon Sugar
Grilled pineapple barely counts as a recipe, and that’s exactly its appeal: fresh pineapple, cinnamon sugar, six minutes on a hot flat top. The griddle drives off surface moisture and caramelizes both the fruit’s own sugar and the cinnamon coating into a bronzed, jammy crust, turning an ordinary fruit plate into the dessert people ask about.
It’s also the most versatile thing on our dessert list. Serve it with coconut ice cream and it’s a plated dessert; dice it and it’s a topping for teriyaki bowls, tacos al pastor-style, or a burger that thinks it’s on vacation.
Ingredients
- 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into rings or spears
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Neutral oil for the griddle
- Coconut or vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Cut the pineapple
Slice off the top and bottom, stand the pineapple up, and cut away the skin in strips. Slice into ¾-inch rings and punch out the core (a biscuit cutter works), or quarter it lengthwise into spears and cut out the core wedge.
Step 2: Preheat the griddle
Heat the Blackstone to medium-high — 375–400°F — and wipe on a thin coat of neutral oil.
Step 3: Sugar the fruit
Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pat the pineapple dry — dry fruit chars, wet fruit steams — and sprinkle both sides with the cinnamon sugar.
Step 4: Char side one
Lay the pineapple on the griddle and leave it alone for 3–4 minutes, until the underside shows deep golden char and the sugar has melted glossy.
Step 5: Flip and finish
Flip and cook 2–3 minutes on the second side. The pineapple should be bronzed outside and tender-warm inside.
Step 6: Serve
Serve hot — on its own, over ice cream, or diced onto whatever else came off the griddle tonight.
Tips
Pat it dry. Fresh pineapple is wet, and surface water is the enemy of caramelization. Thirty seconds with paper towels is the difference between char marks and pale steam-cooked fruit.
Fresh beats canned. Canned rings are pre-cooked, waterlogged, and fall apart. If canned is all you have, dry the rings hard and expect softer results.
Ripe pineapple, firm flesh. It should smell sweet at the base and give just slightly. Rock-hard pineapple stays sour no matter how much sugar you add.
Think beyond dessert. A charred ring on a teriyaki chicken bowl or a burger is outstanding, and diced grilled pineapple makes a salsa that belongs on fish tacos.
More flat-top desserts: Blackstone Dessert Recipes · Grilled Peaches · Griddled Pound Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature do you grill pineapple on a Blackstone?
375–400°F — medium-high. That’s hot enough to caramelize the sugars and build char marks in 3–4 minutes per side without burning the cinnamon sugar coating.
Can you use canned pineapple on the griddle?
Fresh is far better. Canned pineapple is soft and waterlogged, so it steams instead of chars. If you use it, pat the rings very dry and accept a gentler result.
How do you know when grilled pineapple is done?
Look for deep golden-brown char on both sides and a glossy, melted sugar coating — about 3–4 minutes on the first side and 2–3 on the second. The fruit should be warmed through but still hold its shape.
Is grilled pineapple only a dessert?
Not at all. Charred pineapple is a classic burger and teriyaki-bowl topping, and diced it makes an excellent taco salsa. Same cook, savory destination — skip the ice cream and go straight to the plate.