Our Baked Brazilian Pineapple recipe shows you all about how to cook this yummy tropical fruit using many different methods and styles! Learn how to make baked pineapple in the oven or outdoors on the grill. Juicy cinnamon, sugar spears cook up perfectly no matter which way you choose!
Baked Pineapple
If you love baked pineapple, then you are going to fall head over heels for this oven caramelized baked Brazilian pineapple, also called Brazilian grilled pineapple.
This recipe is inspired by a dish at our favorite Brazilian steakhouse, where we also enjoy these Brazilian Cheese Puffs. After trying it for the first time, I was determined to make a homemade oven-baked version of this dessert fruit with its sweet, buttery brown sugar cinnamon glaze.
This amazing baked pineapple recipe can be made in the oven or grill. The flavor is absolute perfection! Sweet and lightly spiced cinnamon baked pineapple makes a delicious side dish for juicy, bacon-wrapped pork or dessert treat with this orange bundt cake.
If you like this recipe featuring pineapple, I think you will also love Easy Grilled Chicken Kebabs made with the BEST marinade.
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.
Baked Brazilian pineapple is a delicious dessert made by grilling fruit that’s been basted in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Traditionally it’s grilled but I’m going to show you how to make it in the oven too. This oven-roasted Brazilian pineapple is dessert perfection, and it tastes simply divine!
Ingredients
All you need are a few simple ingredients to prepare this recipe.
- pineapple
- brown sugar
- cinnamon
- butter
- cooking spray
How to Cut Fresh Pineapple
There are a few ways to cut or slice this fruit when making baked fresh pineapple recipes.
- On a cutting board, slice the top and bottom off of the fruit.
- Stand it 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 the outside is cleaned and prepared, decide how you want to serve it
Once you’ve got the outside cleaned, you can cut it into spears, rings, or chunks.
- Rings: Slice rings to a thickness of about half an inch. Use an apple corer, (like this one) to press into the center of each ring and remove the core from each slice.
- Spears: Slice the fruit vertically in half. Place both halves flat on the cutting board and slice lengthwise to create three or four spears out of each half. Lay each spear on its side and slice off the remaining core.
- Chunks: To make chunks, slice each spear into one inch pieces.
Not sure which shape to choose?
- For a burger or sandwich, use slices or rings.
- Make a teriyaki chicken breast as a “burger” and top with baked pineapple rings.
- Ham salad or, as my husband calls it, “Spam salad,” add a ring on top or chop it up inside the salad
- For pineapple salad, use baked fresh chunks
- Chop them up and serve over ice cream and drizzle caramel sauce on top. Add the drippings as a delicious sauce.
- Chop up into small pieces after cooking and blend with some cream cheese for an excellent topping for a bagel or toast
How to Make Baked Brazilian Pineapple
Follow along with this brief overview of how to make this delicious dessert recipe. For step-by-step images and more detailed instructions check out the recipe card.
Step 1: Cut the Fruit
Choose your cut of pineapple to make this recipe and prep them up.
Step 2: Make the Coating for the Oven Caramelized Pineapple.
Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a large resealable bag or on a shallow plate or bowl.
Step 3: Add the Coating or Marinade
Add the spears, rings, or chunks to a resealable bag and close the bag tightly.
Shake it so that the cinnamon and brown sugar completely coat the spears.
Press sugar mixture onto spears as you remove from bag. If you are using a bowl or plate, roll each piece of pineapple in the sugar until all are coated.
HINT: You can also use a shallow dish or bowl and dip each piece into the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
Step 4: Prep for the Oven
Place on a prepared baking sheet in a single layer and dot with tiny butter cubes across the top of the pieces.
Step 5: Bake Oven Roasted Pineapple
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or so, then flip each piece over with tongs and baste with the sugary mixture for another 12 to 15 minutes.
Total cooking is 25-30 minutes and the baked pineapple will be juicy and bubbly.
How to Make Brazilian Grilled or Baked Pineapple Slices or Rings
Grilled slices or rings are delicious on their own and perfect for sandwiches, burgers and that’s just the beginning. The list is endless!
Keep each slice at about ½ an inch thick; especially if using the ring to add to a burger or sandwich.
The size of the fruit will determine how many grilled slices you end up with.
How to Make Baked or Grilled Pineapple Spears
Whether on the grill or the oven, this is how we usually cook up baked Brazilian pineapple. It comes out so incredibly delicious. It works either on the grill or baked in the oven.
After cutting the spears, you can put them on a skewer to cook in the grill or oven or simply leave them loose and cook them that way.
How to Make Brazilian Grilled Pineapple Skewers or Chunks
You can cook up chunks either on their own in a pan or skewer them for cooking. I suggest aiming for one-inch chunks when making baked or grilled pineapple skewers.
When cooking the skewers directly on the grate, be sure to turn the skewers at least twice while cooking, so all the sides evenly cook. You will need to cook for two or three minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fruit.
This Brazilian grilled or baked pineapple, in slices, spears, or skewered in chunks, is always a delicious crowd pleaser, every time. No matter how you choose to prepare it.
Variations of Baked Fresh Pineapple
Want to keep it simple? Make plain grilled or baked pineapple by basting the outside of the fruit pieces with your favorite neutral oil.
Want a more savory preparation? Brush the outside of the pieces with teriyaki sauce or marinate in a bag for a more intense flavor prior to cooking.
Add some citrus? Squeeze some lime juice or lemon juice over the top of your freshly cooked Brazilian oven roasted pineapple.
Change up the shape? This method works for all different types of pineapple, but you might need to make a few changes.
- Chunks: Baked pineapple chunks, especially when caramelized in the oven, make a great dessert. Perfect for serving over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Rings: While cutting rings might be a little more work, it really gives a stellar presentation. Serve it up for a delicious dessert either on its own or with whipped cream or a scoop of your favorite ice cream.
Substitutions
Sugar: Use honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar to make the Brazilian sauce for the pineapple. You can also use white sugar instead of brown sugar but brown sugar does have a more flavorful taste.
Different flavors: We keep it simple with just cinnamon but you could also use pumpkin spice mix or any blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
Make it spicy: Add a touch of cayenne pepper or chipotle chili powder to the cinnamon-sugar mixture for a little spicy and sweet combo.
All I can say is WOW! Baked pineapple is not to be missed!
How to Grill Brazilian Pineapple
Use this method to cook spears, rings, or skewers of pineapple chunks.
- Clean and oil up the grill. To oil the cooking grate, squeeze a bunch of paper towels 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 the grill until hot (about 15 minutes).
- When you’re ready to start cooking, reduce burners to medium heat and add the skewers or fruit directly to the grill.
- Let it cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Basting with any leftover juices from marinating the pineapple.
Alternatively, you can also cook the pieces in a pan on top of your grill. This method works much better when you are preparing chunks of pineapple.
Prepare the pan with cooking spray or just smear some extra butter over the insides of the pan.
Dump the contents of the resealable bag into the pan, including the brown sugar mixture. Use a brush (or even a spoon) to make sure each piece is completely coated.
Place the pan on top of the grill and cook until the fruit is heated through, turning to heat on various sides of the pieces of pineapple.
Tips for Grilled Brazilian Pineapple
My son made grilled Brazilian pineapple over a campfire and said it was absolutely delicious.
Grilling Brazilian pineapple 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 fully with brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon!
Expert Tips
Try serving this baked Brazilian pineapple dessert warm or cold and decide which temperature you like best. Either way, this roasted pineapple is so wonderful it’s like a ray of sunshine on a plate!
Whether cooking in the oven or on the grill, be sure to brush or baste excess mixture as often as possible and just before serving. This seals in the flavor of that gorgeous sauce on your grilled pineapple skewers.
Use a fresh, good-quality pineapple for making baked Brazilian pineapple.
FAQs
When choosing a pineapple, you can’t simply choose by the color alone. It 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 instead of brown or dried-out looking.
Give it a sniff. You want to catch a whiff of sweet pineapple from the leafy end which tells you the fruit is ripe. Watch out for an alcohol or vinegar scent, it means it is going bad.
Try plucking or pulling one of the leaves from the top leaves. Grab the fruit with one hand and pull on an inner leaf. Give it a strong yank as it will resist coming out. But pay attention to how hard you have to pull—if the leaf comes out easily then it might be rotten or in the process of going bad.
Squeeze it, in one hand. It needs to be firm with a little give to it when pressed.
Compare the weight of the pineapple with the other similar-sized pineapples. The heavier it feels, the more juice it contains. This is a good thing, you want it to be as juicy as possible for this roasted pineapple recipe.
Yes, for the best flavor you want to use fresh pineapple. I realize trimming and preparing a pineapple for this recipe can be a hassle and time-consuming at the best of times.
There are a couple of options to help save you some time. First, some grocery stores sell fresh pineapple with the core and skin removed, which is a fabulous option if you struggle with trimming the fruit as I do. Second, you can also use fresh pineapple rings or spears, already cut and cored.
While canned pineapple rings or chunks sound like an easy option, I simply don’t feel it maintains the same texture and flavor as the fresh ones when used to make Brazilian baked pineapple.
It’s perfect to use to make this Brazilian baked pineapple recipe or add to skewers with meat and vegetables to cook for meals. You can also chunk it up and add it to smoothies.
Once cooked, baked pineapple will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator. You can eat it cold or reheat it in the oven or air fryer until heated through.
More Great Tasting Pineapple Recipes
Take a moment to view the Baked Brazilian Pineapple video below. You won’t be disappointed and that’s a promise!
Baked Brazilian Pineapple Video
Baked Brazilian Pineapple
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
- barbecue or grill
Ingredients
- 1 large pineapple peeled, cored and cut into spears
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1-3 teaspoon cinnamon, ground more or less to taste
- 2-4 tblsp butter COLD, cubed
- cooking spray
NEEDED FOR GRILL
- disposable or metal pan to hold your pineapple if desired for best results
- extra butter or cooking spray to grease pan
- vegetable oil for your grill
Instructions
- Get out and measure your ingredients.
- Decide how you want to cut your pineapple; sliced, spears or chunks.
Marinate the Pineapple in Resealable Bag
- Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a large resealable bag.
- Add the pineapple spears and close the bag tightly.
- Shake it so that the cinnamon and brown sugar completely coat the spears. Press sugar mixture onto spears as you remove from bag.
OR Use Shallow Plate or Bowl
- Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Toss pineapple in sugar.
- Lay them on a tray and repeat until all are coated.
PINEAPPLE IN THE OVEN
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil and a light coating of cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place coated pineapple on prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Place tiny butter cubes across the top of the pineapple spears.
PINEAPPLE ON THE GRILL
- You may need a metal or disposable pan for best results but the choice is yours. I always use one.
- Wipe and clean your grill.
- Completely oil your cooking grate. Grab tongs and squeeze a bunch of paper towel together. Dip paper towel in vegetable oil and rub on top of each grate repeatedly.
- Turn burners on high, cover, and heat your grill until hot; about 15 minutes.
- Reduce all of your burners to medium heat.
- Dump contents of resealable bag into your pan. Include all of the brown sugar mixture, teriyaki or oil.
- Using a brush or even a spoon; adjust, brush or flip pineapple until well-coated.
- Serve and enjoy every bite!
Dorothy
Love this recipe. Will definitely make again.
Karin and Ken
Glad to hear it. I can’t get enough of it! All the best. Karin
Susan
Can you make rings in advance and briefly rewarm to serve topped with ice cream. Should they be warmed i. Oven or will microwave work?
Karin and Ken
You bet you can! I always prefer the oven to reheat but the microwave works just fine. I use it myself. Remember that in the microwave the pineapple will get very hot fast and the sugars can burn you! Perfect with ice cream. Enjoy! Take care, Karin
Donna Marie
My family visited a Brazilian Steakhouse in Myrtle Beach. The food was amazing and the pineapple was incredible. They sliced our pineapple at the table and we had seconds and thirds of the pineapple. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I just bought a pineapple and plan on a test this week and then making it for Thanksgiving. Thank you again.
Karin and Ken
No problem at all. I love this recipe myself and can’t wait to hear what you think of it! Hopefully you enjoy it as much as we do! All the best. Karin
Marcus
The entire family loved this pineapple recipe. I will definitely be making it again and again. So good. Thx for sharing.
Karin and Ken
As always you are most welcome. We love this recipe too and I’m so glad we’re not alone! Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much. Take care. Karin
George Vescio
Omg just amazing I made it after our dinner it was so tasty it is better baked then on the BBQ
Karin and Ken
Thank you for taKing the time to let me know you loved the pineapple! I can’t get enough of it. You honestly made my day! Take care and be well. Karin
Christine Hepburn
Excellent – as Long as you don’t over cook it, you can really start to eat it any at any point. Even if it has not yet caramelized !! I took a piece out a bit too early and it still tasted delicious but once you let caramelize a bit longer and really intensifies. I could see also adding anise to this and it’s fabulous over ice cream. Very versatile.
Karin and Ken
Anise is a wonderful idea! I am going to try that myself. Can’t thank you enough for the suggestion! It’s true this pineapple recipe is difficult to time based on the ripeness of your pineapple but is definitely worth the effort. On ice cream this pineapple is amazing too! Thank you for taking the time to comment. I am truly grateful. Take care and all the best. Karin
María Tirado
Thank you for the recipe! My daughter in law and I go to this Brazilian restaurant as well and they serve this pineapple dessert it is sooo good! I think my main reason to visit this place is for the pineapple lol. I mentioned to her I will find the way to make it so searching I came across your recipe which is exactly what I am looking for. I will try it this weekend definitely! Thank you kindly
Karin and Ken
I can’t wait to hear what you think! Watch the timing. It will depend on how ripe your pineapple is! Also make the spears a good size so they stand up and can handle the cooking time. Please let me know how it goes. I would love to hear! Regardless take care and all the best. Karin
Catherine
Can’t wait to try this! Can you use canned pineapple?
Ginnie B
I tried this recipe, followed directions to the letter, turned out overly sweet and mushy, suggest using far less sugar and cooking half the time,
Karin and Ken
I apologize that your pineapple turned out mushy! I am so grateful you took the time to send me a comment. I have to update the cooking time on this recipe as well. My oven was broken and I didn’t know it so I am going through recent recipes with my new oven to correct baking times. I found out by making my 75 minute cheesecake that I have made for at least 20 years and it took 2 1/2 hours! I was mortified and still am. Regardless, you can easily reduce the amount of sugar and the cooking time as well. Another issue is that some pineapples are more ripe and more juicy. Cooking time will fluctuate somewhat but not so much as to create mush! I can’t apologize enough for wasting your time, energy and effort. I hope you will consider trying this recipe again. It is definitely worth it! Regardless, take care and all the best. Karin
Sharon Meyer
Just found your recipe while looking for a matching ones like what I saw demo’d in a grocery store. This is just about exactly like it!
Just one question: in the comments, you say the last 10 minutes you stand the spears up? Huh? LOL – how do you make a hot, sticky, gooey pineapple spear STAND UP ? ?
Thanks!
Sharon
Karin and Ken
If you cut the spears on an angle and thick enough they will definitely stand up! If to have to you might be able to use a pan with a high edge (13×9) and lean them against it! Glad you enjoyed this recipe! I can’t get enough of it. All the best. Karin
Jillian
Wow, just made this tonight and it was so good! I couldn’t stop eating it. My seven year old’s reaction was, “Mom, mind blown!”
Karin and Ken
You have made my day! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I just love it and I am always wondering if I am the only one! I love the reaction of your 7 year old! I can’t thank you enough for letting me know! Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much. Take care and all the best to you! Karin
Darlene
So excited to try I am going to love making and taking these for the Holidays… ♥️
Karin and Ken
This recipe is a personal favourite! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! If you have a moment please let me know what you think after you try it! I would love to hear! All the best. Karin
Theda
I love pineapple and I have to try these soon, but as I was reading, I wondered how making a pineapple milkshake would be with these…Hmmmm
Karin and Ken
What a brilliant idea! I’m going to think about what is the best way to do that myself! I just put that on my bucket list! Can’t thank you enough for the suggestion. I have made this pineapple so many times and never even considered it. Thank you again. Take care and all the best. Karin
Nikki Turner
I can see using peaches as well as pineapple. Will be trying both soon!
Karin and Ken
What an amazing idea! It never occurred to me to try it with peaches too! I bet that will be delicious! If you have a moment please let me know how it all turns out! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the pineapple and peaches! I want to try that myself! I can’t thank you enough for giving me the idea! Take care and I hope to talk soon. Karin
Wesley Christianson
Do you bake it 30 minutes total or after flipping it twice so 50 minutes total?
Karin and Ken
I bake it for about 30 minutes in total. I apologize for that not being more clear in the recipe. I usually start with all of the spears on their side. After 10 minutes I move them around to make sure they are coated and then I flip them to their other side. After another 10 minutes or so I make sure they are coated in the bubbling mixture and I stand them up for the last part of the baking, another 10 minutes. I hope that makes sense! Too funny. Although I love these pineapple spears warm I have some in the fridge! They are a fabulous snack! Please let me know what you think of this recipe if you try it. I would love to hear if you enjoy this pineapple as much as we do! All the best. Karin
Mike Hirsch
I have made this three or four times now. Everyone loves it.
Karin and Ken
I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let me know! So glad to hear you all enjoy it! I love making this pineapple recipe around here. I can’t get enough of it! Take care of you and thank you again for taking time out of your day to let me know! Karin