Baked Brazilian Pineapple

by Karin and Ken · 27 Comments

Our Baked Brazilian Pineapple recipe shows you how to grill, air fry or oven bake fresh pineapple until caramelized in slices or rings, chunks and spears.

Baked Pineapple

If you love baked pineapple, then you are going to fall head of over heels for this oven caramelized Baked Brazilian Pineapple.

After trying Brazilian pineapple or Brazilian grilled pineapple at our favorite Brazilian steakhouse, I was determined to make a homemade baked version of this sweet, buttery brown sugar cinnamon glaze.

The steak was fantastic, but the truth was the brazilian grilled pineapple was my favorite part of dinner! I couldn’t get enough of it and, once you try it, I suspect you may just have the same issue.

This amazing baked pineapple recipe can be made in the oven, air fryer or grill. The flavor is absolute perfection!

Everyone who tries cooked pineapple always wants more and there are never any leftovers.

Set this roasted or baked pineapple on the table and see how fast it disappears in front of your eyes!

Like magic, it’s gone in an instant when I serve it.

I’m always lucky to get a small piece! ?

All kidding aside, this Baked Brazilian Pineapple recipe should be on every fresh pineapple recipe lovers bucket list!

I can’t say enough about this oven caramelized baked Brazilian recipe, and words, alone, won’t cut it. So, try it and see for yourself, as tasting is believing.

My best friend said many people will search how to grill pineapple for kebabs. So, as a bonus, I have included in this post, my recipe for Easy Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kebabs including the BEST marinade.

If you’re looking for grilled pineapple chicken, you’re in for a treat.

If not making grilled pineapple chicken, skip it and focus on the best oven caramelized baked pineapple recipe. It’s too good to pass by and you don’t want to miss it!

Back to what’s most important; the baked Brazilian pineapple and how to pick a pineapple when it’s ripe.

How to pick a ripe pineapple?

It may not come as a surprise to you that pineapple is loaded with nutrition and has amazing health benefits. Great for digestion and building bone strength, it is also low in calories. Bonus!

There are several ways to tell if a fresh pineapple is ripe and ready to eat.

Don’t go by the color though. The pineapple doesn’t have to be yellow. In fact, some pineapples will be green, even though they are ripe.

Make sure there’s no mold growing on the outside skin. There shouldn’t be any brown wrinkly sections either and the leaves on top should be green and not brown or dried-out looking.

Give the pineapple a smell. If there isn’t a whiff of sweet pineapple from the leafy end, it’s likely not ripe. Pineapple should be sweet smelling, but if it has an alcohol or vinegar scent, it means the pineapple is going bad.

Try plucking or pulling out one of the top leaves. Grab the pineapple with one hand and pull on an inner leaf. Give it a real pull as it will resist coming out. If the leaf comes out easily then the pineapple might be rotten or in the process.

Squeeze the pineapple, in one hand. It needs to be firm, but has a little give to it when pressed.

Compare the weight of the pineapple with the others that are about the same size. The heavier the pineapple, the more juice it contains and you want it to be as juicy as possible.

What is Brazilian Pineapple?

This tropical fruit came from South America, namely Brazil, and has been grown for centuries.

In Europe, it became a symbol of welcoming and warm heartedness.

Eating Brazilian pineapple at our local Brazilian Steakhouse was a great experience and I made it my mission to find out how to make this wonderful oven caramelized pineapple dessert at home.

Generally speaking, the pineapple is grilled and basted in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Made on the grill, air fryer or oven, this roasted Brazilian pineapple is perfection and tastes simply divine!

Baked Fresh Pineapple

There’s nothing like baked fresh pineapple. Just thinking about oven caramelized pineapple makes me smile.

Trimming and preparing pineapple can be a hassle and time-consuming at the best of times. My husband adores fresh pineapple and usually prepares it himself, so I’m grateful for that.

Most grocers sell fresh pineapple with the core and skin removed which is a fabulous option if you’re like me who struggles with trimming.

For convenience sake, look for fresh pineapple rings or spears, already cut and cored.

Frequently, my local market has fresh cut pineapples on sale that are cheaper than the whole, uncut ones. This is a huge time and money saver if the option is available to you.

If you want fresh, uncut pineapple and you don’t mind putting in the work of removing the skin and coring it, baking fresh pineapple is definitely worth the effort.

It is one of those pineapple dessert recipes that you will want to make over and over again. Promise.

Oven Caramelized Pineapple

The secret to making the best oven caramelized pineapple is the sweet, buttery sauce that includes cinnamon.

Strong in flavor and aroma, cinnamon has been described as sweet, spicy, woody and musty.

It is key in this caramelization process.

So, if you enjoy the taste of cinnamon, use a higher amount. My husband isn’t crazy about it, so I use less than I would otherwise.

When you make oven caramelized pineapple for the first time, you will know whether to add more or less cinnamon the next time. It’s trial and error.

This sweet cinnamon glaze is truly the secret sauce and is nothing short of heavenly!

Baked Pineapple Chunks

Baked pineapple chunks, especially when caramelized in the oven, make a great dessert and gives a whole new meaning to side dishes.

Pineapple can be cut and baked with cinnamon in chunks, spears or rings and the baking time for each is slightly different.

Whether you bake, air fry or grill pineapple, the timing is very similar.

Here are three ways to cook pineapple:

Coat in oil – for plain baked pineapple, baste it lightly.
Teriyaki sauce – marinate and baste before cooking it.
Sweet, buttery cinnamon glaze – for Brazilian style, add a combination of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Although I’m partial to the Brazilian pineapple, these are great options and guarantee flavor.

Whether you serve baked pineapple in spears, slices, rings or chunks, the choice is yours and you can’t go wrong. I love them all.

Choose the shape of pineapple based on what you’re making. For example:

For a burger or sandwich, use slices or rings.
Make a teriyaki chicken breast as a “burger” and bake pineapple rings.
Ham salad or, as my husband calls it, “Spam salad”, add a pineapple ring on top or chop your pineapple up inside the salad.
For pineapple salad, use baked pineapple chunks.
Top cooked spears and dice them over ice cream and drizzle caramel sauce on top. Adding the drippings, turns into an incredible pineapple sauce.
Whip the pineapple sauce blend with some cream cheese and you have an excellent topping for a bagel or toast.

Serve oven caramelized pineapple warm or cold and decide what temperature you like best. Either way, this roasted pineapple is so wonderful it’s like a ray of sunshine on a plate!

All I can say is WOW!

Grilled Brazilian Pineapple

Whether you decide to grill Brazilian pineapple with cinnamon in spears, slices, rings or chunks, this grilled fresh pineapple recipe is super easy and so tasty!

My son made grilled brazilian pineapple over a campfire and said it was absolutely delicious. He didn’t have to convince me of that!

At least he is well past his cinnamon pineapple stage. For years, that is exactly what he called it.

Pan frying is another great way of making grilled pineapple with cinnamon.

No matter how you cook this pineapple, it always turns out well!

Grilling Brazilian pineapple, with or without cinnamon, directly on the grill can cause it to smoke and burn. As a result, I don’t recommend grilling Brazilian pineapple inside, on an indoor grill.

Before placing the fresh pineapple on your outdoor grill, it MUST be coated and painted with something like oil, teriyaki sauce or, best of all, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon!

Start with 1 large pineapple (about 3 1/2 pounds), peeled, ends removed.

Next, decide how you want to prepare and cut up your fresh pineapple.

How to Cut Fresh Pineapple

There are a few ways to cut or slice pineapple to make your favorite fresh pineapple recipes.

On a cutting board, slice the top and bottom off of the pineapple.
Stand the pineapple up on its end.
Carefully use a sharp knife to remove the outside peel or skin, slicing downward.
Using a small sharp knife, do your best to remove the remaining thorny bits!
After pineapple is cleaned and prepared, decide how you want to serve it.

Slices or Rings

Slice pineapple rings to a thickness of about 1/2 of an inch.

Using an apple corer, (like this one), press into the center of each pineapple ring, remove and discard the core from each slice.

Spears

Slice the pineapple vertically in half.

Place both halves flat on the cutting board.

Slice lengthwise to create three or four spears out of each half.

If the pineapple is large enough to cut each half in half lengthwise twice, go for it. What you end up with is four spears from each half.

If not, slice each half twice to make three spears.

Lay each spear on its side and slice off the remaining core.

Chunks

To make chunks, slice each spear into 1 inch pieces.

So many options. So little time.

Simple as ever. Easy peasy.

How to Grill Brazilian Pineapple

Now that you have your fresh pineapple cut the way you want it, decide which coating to use.

More decisions to make. You must choose one.

Options (pick 1)

2 – 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or enough to lightly coat the pineapple
2 – 3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce or enough for basting
brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and/or cooking spray (as listed in the recipe). For the best results, you may need a metal or disposable pan.

A healthy way to grill pineapple is lightly brush it with oil.

Otherwise you can add some different flavors like a squeeze of lime juice or use honey instead of brown sugar when making the Brazilian sauce.

Clean the grill.
Next, the cooking grate will need to be oiled.
Squeeze a bunch of paper towel together and grab some tongs.
Dip the paper towel in vegetable oil and rub on top of each grate, repeatedly.
Turn burners on high, cover, and heat grill until hot (about 15 minutes).
Reduce burners to medium heat.
If using teriyaki sauce OR brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter, place the ingredients inside a large resealable bag.
Add cleaned and cut pineapple and marinate up to 30 minutes. Adjust pineapple occasionally.
If using oil only, coat the pineapple in a resealable bag but don’t marinate it. Just add it when you’re ready to cook it.

Another choice:

Cook prepared pineapple directly on top of your grill or in a pan.
You can buy disposable tin foil pans at your local dollar store. They are cheap and involve no cleaning afterwards.
Prepare the pan with cooking spray or just smear on some extra butter using paper towel.
Dump contents of resealable bag into pan, including the brown sugar mixture, teriyaki or oil.
Using a brush (or even a spoon), adjust, brush or flip pineapple until completely coated.

Grilled Pineapple Slices or Rings

Grilled pineapple slices or rings are delicious on their own and perfect for sandwiches, burgers and that’s just the beginning. The list is endless!

Keep the pineapple slice size to about 1/2 an inch thick; especially if using the ring to add to a burger or sandwich.

The size of the fresh pineapple will determine how many grilled pineapple slices you end up with.

You have two choices to grill pineapple slices:

Option 1

Place prepared fresh pineapple rings directly on top of your grill and cook covered until softened and lightly charred; 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of pineapple.

Option 2

Place prepared pineapple in a pan on top of the grate for 7 to 10 minutes, flipping midway. Then…
Brush or baste the excess mixture often, and again just before serving. This takes some effort but it’s so worth it.
Transfer grilled pineapple slices to serving plate.

My husband prefers option 2 to grill pineapple slices, but switches it up a little.

He starts with the pineapple in the pan on the barbecue, then immediately places the pineapple slices quickly on the oiled grill to get some grill marks on each slice before placing back into the pan.

He tried the grill marks after cooking the pineapple slices in the pan, but the cooked pineapple was too soft.

Grilled Pineapple Spears

Two choices:

Option 1

Place prepared pineapple spears directly on top of the grill, or on a skewer lengthwise; just like a pineapple popsicle or lollipop.
Cook covered until soft and lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness of the pineapple.
Turn spears at least twice so all three sides are cooked evenly.

Option 2

Place pineapple in pan on top of the hot grate for 7 to 10 minutes, flipping at least twice throughout. Then…
Brush or baste excess mixture often and just before serving to lock-in the flavors. You won’t regret it.
Transfer to serving plate.

Grilled Pineapple Skewers or Chunks

Slice spears into 1 inch chunks and make grilled pineapple skewers.

Option 1

Place pineapple chunks on a skewer, one after the other, creating a sort of bumpy pineapple popsicle or lollipop.
Place pineapple skewers directly on a well-oiled grate.
Cover and cook until grilled pineapple skewers are soft and lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness of the pineapple.
Make sure you turn the grilled pineapple skewers at least twice while cooking, so all sides evenly cook.

Option 2

Place pineapple skewers in pan on top of the hot grate for 7 to 10 minutes, flipping a few times throughout. Then…
Brush or baste excess mixture as often as possible and just before serving.
By doing this, you’re sealing in the flavor of that gorgeous sauce on your grilled pineapple skewers.
Transfer grilled pineapple skewers to serving plate.

This Brazilian baked or grilled pineapple, in slices, spears or skewered in chunks, no matter how to prepare it, is a delicious crowd pleaser, every time.

How do you make Baked Brazilian Pineapple?

Ingredients

pineapple
brown sugar
cinnamon
butter
cooking spray

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a large resealable bag. Add the pineapple spears, close the bag tightly, and shake it so that the cinnamon and brown sugar completely coat the spears.
As you remove the pineapple from the bag, press sugar mixture onto spears, and place on prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
Dot with tiny butter cubes across the top of the pineapple.
Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes or so, then flip pineapple over with tongs and baste with sugary mixture for another 12-15 minutes.
Total cooking is 25-30 minutes and pineapple will be juicy and bubbly.
Serve and enjoy!

It doesn’t get any easier than that.

Air Fryer Brazilian Pineapple

Many of you know I recently purchased a new air fryer and, if one can love a machine, then I’m in love!

This apparatus gives the illusion of deep-fried foods when, in reality, you’re using only a small amount of oil. This method of cooking gives you healthier choices and there are hundreds of fantastic recipes out there that I can’t wait to explore.

Recently, I learned to make Air Fryer Brazilian Pineapple and what a discovery!

If you have an air fryer, put this recipe on your “must try” list. If you’re list is long, this recipe deserves to be near the top of that list!

In my opinion, spears are definitely the easiest cut when making this recipe as you can fit more pineapple inside the air fryer.

That being said, this recipe works well with fresh pineapple chunks, rings or slices too! To promote even cooking, do your best to ensure all the pieces are as close to the same size as possible.

In a medium bowl, blend brown sugar and cinnamon together.
Dip or brush pineapple with melted butter until coated.
Press cinnamon mixture onto all sides of each piece of pineapple.
In a single layer, place the pineapple into the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to make your pineapple in batches.
Set temperature to 400 degrees and cook pineapple for 10 minutes.
Open air fryer and gently pierce pineapple pieces with fork to confirm they’re cooked. You may need another 2 minutes.
Brush pineapple with more melted butter at the 5-minute mark.
Since the fryer is already warm, reduce cooking time 7 to 8 minutes for additional batches.
Once warmed, just before serving, drizzle excess juices all over the top of the pineapple from the bottom of the air fryer.

BONUS RECIPE

My best friend believes that my Easy Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kebabs and marinade is so good, she insisted I include this baked or grilled Brazilian pineapple recipe as a bonus recipe.

So, I share it with pleasure.

If you want to know how to cook pineapple on the grill because you want to include it on a kebab, you are in for a treat!

Give this Easy Grilled Chicken Pineapple Kebabs recipe a try.

I have included a copy of it here for you to save or print.

Easy Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kebabs

My family and I very much enjoy it and the marinade is out of this world!

If not, skip over it and go to the pineapple recipe video below.

Easy Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kebabs

Use 16 skewers that are 10 or 12 inches long to make these Easy Grilled Chicken Kebabs. Double them up for each kebab. I find this helps to ensure everything cooks at the same rate.

You end up with is a total of 8 skewers.

Easy Garlic and Herb Marinade for Chicken

2/3 cup olive oil
3-4 tablespoons garlic, minced
3-4 tablespoons fresh thyme, or rosemary, minced OR 1/2 cup fresh chives, basil, oregano, cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks

Cut chicken into pieces as close to the same size as possible.

Combine all of the ingredients in a large resealable bag and give it a shake.

Refrigerate up to 24 hours (minimum 4 hours), massaging bag occasionally.

I use dark meat or chicken thighs, instead of breast, as they are less likely to dry out. No matter which you choose, do not mix white and dark meat on the same skewer as cooking times vary and you don’t want to end up with chicken that is both under cooked over cooked.

cut peeled onions into half inch chunks
zucchini into half inch rounds
mushrooms skewered whole
seeded bell peppers cut into one inch squares
pineapples peeled, cored, and cut into one inch chunks

Easy Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kebabs

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch chunks
3 cups vegetables, chopped accordingly, including pineapple (approximately)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil or enough to just to coat vegetables and fruit

Turn on grill to medium low. You should be able to hold your hand about 5 inches above grill surface for about 5 seconds, WITHOUT BURNING YOURSELF.

Although the grill is very hot, you should be able to tolerate the heat 5 inches above the grate.

Remove chicken pieces from the marinade and discard it.

Toss vegetables and fruit in a bowl with enough oil to lightly coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

If you’re using wooden skewers, soaking them in water is necessary with this grilled pineapple chicken recipe.

Use 2 skewers, side-by-side, to hold all of the pieces. Although this is not necessary, I highly recommend it to ensure even cooking and to ensure food is held in place.

Decide how many pieces you want on each skewer.

Personally, I make small piles beside each pair of skewers. Once everything is divided evenly, start adding to the skewers one piece at a time.

For presentation and aesthetic purposes, alternate the ingredients and don’t put the same pieces together.

My best friend puts the same ingredient on each skewer because each item cooks at a different rate. This means chicken pieces on the same skewers; onions on another, pineapple on the other, etc.

Then she removes the items from each skewer, tosses everything together and serves it on a large platter.

Both ways work beautifully so the choice is yours.

Once skewers are ready, place them on top of your heated grill.

Turn each kebab a quarter turn every 2 minutes, until cooked.

In general, chicken breast or white meat cooks about 8 minutes in total or 4 turns of the skewer. With chicken thighs, total cooking time is about 9 minutes with an extra turn.

Chicken should be somewhat brown and check to see there is no pink in the center.

Remove your grilled pineapple chicken kebabs and serve.

Savor every bite.

Easy Grilled Pineapple Chicken Kebabs

Take a peek at these Brazilian Cheese Puffs . I discovered them at the same Brazilian restaurant and decided to make my own. These little cheesy, garlic bread balls are fantastic and so addictive, they are almost indescribable.

Take a moment to view the Baked Brazilian Pineapple video below. You won’t be disappointed and that’s a promise!