Air Fryer Pineapple
This Air Fryer Pineapple tastes just like grilled pineapple, with sticky caramelized edges, warm cinnamon and a buttery brown sugar glaze. No BBQ, no grill pan, and it’s ready in about 15 minutes. Pile it on vanilla ice cream and you’ve got a dessert that tastes like summer.
Air Fryer Pineapple With Cinnamon
Pineapple has been one of my favourite fruits since I was a little girl. We ate it every way you can imagine. Cut into wedges with a sprinkle of salt and chili powder, tossed into fruit salads, cooked into curries, or simmered down with sugar as a sweet treat. This grilled version brings all of that right back for me.
I’ve been cooking in an air fryer for years now (it’s basically the busiest appliance in my kitchen), and pineapple is one of those foods it handles beautifully. The hot circulating air does the same job as a grill. It caramelizes the natural sugars in the fruit and gives you those golden, slightly charred edges, without you standing over a BBQ.
Because pineapple is already so sweet, you don’t need much sugar at all. A little brown sugar, some melted butter and a good pinch of cinnamon is all it takes to turn plain fruit into something special. It’s the kind of dessert I make on a weeknight when everyone wants “something sweet” and I don’t want to bake.
Ingredients
- Pineapple – Fresh is best. It holds its shape and caramelizes better. Canned pineapple rings work in a pinch, just drain them really well and pat them dry with paper towel so they brown instead of steam.
- Brown sugar – Helps create that sticky, caramelized glaze. Light or dark both work. Dark gives a molasses flavour.
- Melted butter – Adds richness and helps the sugar and spices cling to the fruit. Coconut oil is a great dairy-free swap and pairs beautifully with pineapple.
- Cinnamon – The star spice here. Warm and cozy.
- Nutmeg – Just a little, for depth.
- Cayenne – A tiny pinch gives a little heat. Totally optional, but if you grew up eating pineapple with chili like I did, you’ll love it.
How to Pick a Good Pineapple
Choose a pineapple with bright green leaves. The outer skin should be firm and shouldn’t yield when pressed.
I prefer to use ripe pineapples for their natural sweetness so I can use less sugar. The pineapples you find in the store are raw. To ripen, leave the pineapple in your fruit basket for a few days. When ripe, pineapple skin turns orange and has a sweet smell.
How to Cut a Pineapple
Cutting a pineapple looks intimidating, but it’s honestly easy once you’ve done it once.
How to Make Grilled Pineapple in Air Fryer
- Cut the pinepple into rings or quarters.
- Add the pineapple along with melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg into a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Preheat the Air fryer at 380F for 5 minutes.
- Line the Air fryer with parchment paper and place the pineapple slices. Sprinkle more brown sugar on top.
- Air fry at 380F for 12 to 15 minutes until the slices are browned on the edges.
- Remove and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the slices even. Similar thickness means everything is done at the same time.
- Every air fryer is different. Start checking at 10 minutes, especially if your slices are thin. I use a 6-quart basket air fryer and anywhere from 12 to 15 minutes is the sweet spot.
- Use parchment with a few holes in it so air can still flow underneath. It saves you from scrubbing sticky sugar off the basket.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Pineapple
The classic way is warm pineapple with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, with all those buttery brown sugar juices poured right over the top. It’s the best part, trust me. Whipped cream works beautifully too, and if you want something a little lighter, frozen vanilla yogurt or thick Greek yogurt is lovely.
It’s not just for dessert, either. Grilled pineapple is a fantastic side with savoury dishes, especially anything smoky or spicy. Try it alongside Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken, Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Legs or tucked into Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos. That sweet and savoury combo is so good.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Apples
- Air Fryer Apple Fritters With Cinnamon Glaze
- Air Fryer Banana Bread
- Air Fryer Caramelized Bananas
- Air Fryer Apple Crisp
- Air Fryer Apple Chips
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Recipe
Air Fryer Pineapple With Cinnamon
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pineapple, peeled and sliced around 8 to 10 rings
- ¼ cup brown sugar plus 2 tablespoon to sprinkle
- 3 tbs melted butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
- Cut the pinepple into rings or quarters.Add the pineapple along with melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg into a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Preheat the Air fryer at 380F for 5 minutes.
- Line the Air fryer with parchment paper and place the pineapple slices. Sprinkle more brown sugar on top.
- Air fry at 380F for 12 to 15 minutes until the slices are browned on the edges..
- You can turn the pineapple slices and grill on the other side for 1 or 2 minutes, if you prefer.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Store – in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- Reheat – in the microwave or Air fryer.
Nutrition
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