These pineapple spears are grilled to perfection with a jalapeno honey glaze! An easy and healthy summer dessert idea that everyone will LOVE!
I love skewered appetizers. In my opinion, these pineapple skewers are "THE BEST' way to grill pineapple!
Why? Well first of all, I did not use brown sugar in this recipe like most of the other grilled pineapple recipes. Instead, I used honey! This way, your pineapple spears will still be able to caramelize without making your pineapple overly sweet!
Secondly, I added jalapenos! I am no where near a spicy food fan but I loved the added kick it gave the pineapple. It was subtle enough but noticeable. Just how I wanted it.
Besides being EASY, another reason this grilled pineapple recipe is the best is because I added some lime juice to the jalapeno honey glaze. The acidic component creates a slightly tart, refreshing flavor and balances the sweetness of the pineapple.
Lastly, I cut my pineapple into spears or 'wedges' and I skewered them making them such a fun BBQ party snack or dessert!
Jalapeno Honey Glaze
This grilled pineapple glaze is SO tasty and can be used as a marinade, a glaze or even a sauce to dip your spears into!
Adjusting the heat:
Jalapenos are not very hot and are considered on the mild side when it comes to the pepper world. If you are not used to eating hot foods, you can tone down the heat by doing two things:
- Add ½ of a jalapeno instead of 1 whole one
- Remove all of the seeds! (this is where a lot of heat lies)
If you love hot peppers and want to kick up the heat on these spears, add more jalapenos or even some chili pepper if you feel up to it!
I used honey for this glaze because it is naturally thick and sweet! Plus it is better for you than refined sugar. Pineapple juice also has natural sugars in it so you don't want to overdo the sweet factor.
I also added cinnamon! Grilled pineapple with cinnamon is just delicious!!
How To Cut Fresh Pineapple Into Spears (Wedges)
It is not tricky to do as long as you have a sharp knife and a ripe pineapple! Using a pineapple corer is super helpful in making sure you are using as much of the pineapple as possible with minimal waste!
If you don't have a corer, that's okay!
Here are some tips on how to cut a pineapple:
- Don't trim off TOO much, seeing some of the 'eyes' are okay!
- Cut your spears into any size you please.
- Make sure your pineapple is RIPE! The leaves should easily pop out if you pull on them! Ripe pineapples are sweeter too!
How To Grill Your Spears
Now you have TWO options:
Grill your pineapple spears on a grill pan OR grill your pineapple spears an outdoor BBQ.
Whatever works for you at that time! Indoor grill pans are a great grilling alternative when the weather is poor or you just don't feel like firing up the grill. You just wont get a super smokey flavor.
Grilling pineapple kabobs on the BBQ is super easy! You don't have to worry about cooking temperature or drying them out. So although it is pretty hard to mess up, I do have a few tips to make your spears turn out perfect every time!
- Soak your skewers! Soak your wooden skewers for at least an hour. Overnight is best. You don't want your skewers catching on fire!
- Clean your grill! Clean your grill thoroughly before you start so your grates are free from past burn/blackened foods.
- Dark, defined grill marks are key! To get the best grill marks, place them directly over the fire (on high), close the lid, and DON'T TOUCH THEM! If you keep moving them around, the grill marks will be all over the place.
- How to get beautiful crosshatch marks! A crosshatch is like a tic-tac-toe board. Grilling experts know this term very well. There is a specific way to rotate your food to get these marks. Watch the video below to see how!
Serve as a Snack or Dessert!
I love to serve these pineapple skewers as a sweet snack or a light dessert post dinner!
You could ALSO serve these skewers as a SIDE DISH to your meal! There are no rules for this recipe!
Tip* Make these ahead of time to allow the glaze to marinate the pineapple.
My suggestion is to grill them ahead of time and chill them in the fridge until you are ready to serve. They are not meant to be enjoyed HOT so it makes the most sense. Either throw them on the grill right BEFORE you start cooking your other food, when it's nice and clean or do it hours before the party.
You, of course, could throw them on the grill right after you're done grilling dinner but the grill will be a mess AND you are going to have to wait for them to cool down before serving your spears. Plus, everyone else will be enjoying dinner and you'll be stuck on the grill. Not fun.
Alternate ways to cut and serve your grilled pineapple:
IF you don't have skewers, you can always serve the spears as is and have people use a fork or just their fingers if it's a super casual party!
You could cut your wedges into small pineapple pieces and serve with mini toothpicks! This is definitely my second favorite way to eat this grilled pineapple dessert!
Another option is to cut your pineapple into round slices and grill your slices as is. If you do this, make sure you cut them thick enough so they don't fall apart. Also, make sure you have a pineapple corer if you want to cut your pineapple into slices!! It will remove the core so easily and create perfectly round slices.
If you purchase fresh pineapple a lot, you should definitely get a pineapple corer!
Final Tips
- Don't try grilling canned pineapple!! It is way too soft and thin to grill and just does not taste the same!
- Don't overcook your spears! As soon as you get some good grill marks, they are done!
- Baste your pineapple slices a few times while they are on the grill! This will help the sugars caramelize!
- Serve chilled with extra glaze drizzled on top!
- Try serving with ice cream on the side! It pairs wonderfully!
Do you have skewers?? Here are some wooden and stainless steel ones you may like!
Here are some other fun summer snacks you may like!
Tempura Crab Stick Bites with Old Bay
Mini Angel Cakes with Berry Syrup
Mini Lemon Curd Blueberry Popsicles
Triple Melon Sticks With Yogurt Dip
Grilled Pineapple Spears with Jalapeno Honey
Ingredients
- 1 Ripe Pineapple
- 10 Skewers ((wooden or steel))
Jalapeno Honey Glaze
- ½ Cup Honey
- 1 Large Lime
- ½ Tsp. Cinnamon
- ½ Tsp. Salt
- 1 Small Jalapeno
Instructions
- **If using wooden skewers, make sure you let your skewers soak in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling!
- Clean your grill and turn it on high so the internal temperature is about 400 degrees.
- While heating, cut your pineapple into 10 spears. Watch the video above or see photos if you need help cutting!
- Add the glaze ingredients to a small bowl and mix!
- Skewer your pineapple spears by sticking your skewers into the CENTER of each spear. Be careful and take your time! You can stop about 1" from the top.
- Lay skewered spears onto a flat plate and brush your glaze onto both sides.
- Place spears onto grill directly over the flames (at a 10 o'clock angle) and close the lid. After about 5 minutes, rotate skewers to a 2 o'clock angle and baste them with the glaze. Close the lid again. You will only be grilling them on ONE side so keep the same side down when you rotate! *Watch the video above to see how to do this properly!
- Once grill marks are achieved, remove and set skewers on a large flat serving plate. Brush or spoon remaining glaze over top of each spear! Chill for at least 15 minutes before serving!
Yes please!! We love grilled pineapple in our house, and these Grilled Pineapple Spears look incredible! I love that you added a little kick with the jalapeños, great touch!
Thank you!!
I never had pineapple with jalapeno honey glaze, but I can only imagine how wonderful it tastes. I like that you also put them on skewers. I'll be adding this deliciousness to my next BBQ for sure!
Thanks for sharing.