With over 10 years of experience making homemade beverages, I've created a lot of simple syrup recipes. This pineapple simple syrup is the perfect way to enjoy the fresh flavor of pineapples in any beverage you can imagine! It packs the juicy, sweet, and tropical flavor of ripe pineapple into a liquid syrup that adds a pineapple punch to all of your favorite drinks!
Use it in cocktail recipes, like a tropical pineapple coconut margarita, or in non-alcoholic beverages for the whole family, like a pineapple mint lemonade or a homemade pineapple soda.
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💕 why this pineapple simple syrup recipe works...
🍍 tropical. This pineapple syrup imparts the fruity tropical flavor of pineapple into anything you put it in! It's perfect for sodas, iced tea, and cocktails!
🙌 quick & easy. Simple syrups are one of my favorite quick ways to level up homemade beverages. All you need is about an hour of your time, and you can enjoy pineapple drinks all week long!
♻️ less wasteful. This recipe uses the core of the pineapple, which is often thrown away!
🛒 ingredients
- pineapple - fresh pineapple works best for this recipe, but you can also use frozen. If you want to use canned pineapple, be sure to select a variety that is canned in pineapple juice, not in a sugar syrup, which would be way too sweet for this recipe. I love using fresh pineapple because I use the core in this recipe, which would normally be too tough to eat, so it makes a great use of a part of the fruit that normally may get thrown away!
- granulated sugar - regular granulated sugar works perfectly in this recipe, but if you want to use a sugar with a stronger molasses flavor like brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or even demerara sugar, you can do that, too. Keep in mind the darker the sugar, the more caramelized the flavor will be! If you want a clean, pure, pineapple taste, stick with plain white sugar.
- filtered water - this recipe uses filtered water to make a simple syrup first, followed by infusing that syrup with the pineapple. Filtered water is preferred so that you don’t get any wonky flavors from your water.
optional ingredient:
- lemon - I like adding a bit of fresh lemon juice to my fruity simple syrups to bring out the flavor of the fruit. The acidity of the lemon helps the pineapple flavor to really POP! 💥
See recipe card for quantities.
🍳 instructions
1: Add 1 cup water to a 1.5-quart saucepan.
2: Add 1 cup of sugar to the water in the saucepan.
3: Cook over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved.
4: While the sugar dissolves in the water, cut the top and skin off the pineapple, then cut it in half.
5: Cut your pineapple into chunks, about 1-inch big.
6: At this point, your sugar-water mix should be bubbling. Add in pineapple, and cook over medium heat at a simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Some water will evaporate, this is okay!
7: Add in the lemon juice, if you're using it.
8: Allow the syrup to cool for up to 20 minutes.
9: Strain the mix using a stainless steel mesh strainer. Discard the solids or use them in a smoothie, or blend them into a sauce for desserts!
10: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze for longer storage.
Hint: While you can cut and process a pineapple using just a knife and cutting board, a pineapple corer is a worthwhile investment if you find yourself using a lot of the fruit throughout the year!
📌 how to use this pineapple simple syrup
Simple syrups are best used in beverages because they are so thin in consistency. Since it is so thin, it doesn't work well for topping desserts like ice cream or on breakfast foods like waffles and pancakes. You can still use it on food, but just be aware that it will be thin and may soak into porous foods quickly.
Cocktails: Use this in place of regular simple syrup in any cocktail recipe. It works especially well in rum, tequila, and vodka-based cocktails!
- pineapple vodka sodas - give your classic vodka soda a bit more flair using a splash of this syrup!
- pineapple mules - traditionally, a Caribbean mule is a Moscow mule made with rum instead of vodka. Switch it up even more by making a mule using rum + this syrup!
- pineapple margaritas - pineapple and tequila are a match made in heaven in a tropical pineapple margarita!
Non-Alcoholic Beverages: You can also use this pineapple fruit simple syrup to sweeten non-alcoholic beverages and mocktails! I love using it in iced coffee.
- homemade pineapple soda - this homemade pineapple soda is super easy to make; no fancy equipment required!
- pineapple mojito mocktail - mix up a faux-jito using this syrup for a tropical twist on a classic rum beverage, without the alcohol!
- pineapple iced tea - use this syrup in you favorite iced tea. It would be wonderful with passion tea or green tea!
Homemade shave ice topping - use this syrup as a homemade shave ice topping! Add some haupia coconut foam and toasted coconut for a piña colada twist!
💡 tips and tricks for getting it right
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- ripeness - Make sure to select a ripe pineapple. Pineapples don’t ripen much after being harvested, contrary to popular belief. The more yellow a pineapple is, the riper it is, so avoid greener fruit if you can.
- lemon juice - lemon juice helps enhance the flavor of the pineapple in this syrup. Be careful to only use a small amount, no more than 1 TBSP, or it can add too much lemon flavor.
🔆 top tip
This recipe can be made using the entire core of the pineapple! That means you can save more juicy pineapple for snacking!
🍍How to pick the perfect pineapple:
- Feel: a ripe pineapple will yield and feel slightly soft when you squeeze it. Under all those spikes, that is. If the pineapple doesn’t squeeze and feels, well…like a rock, pick another pineapple!
- Smell: give the base of your pineapple a sniff. Pineapple will smell tropical, fruity, and floral when ripe. If it’s overripe, it will smell kind of funky or sour, maybe even fermented. Skip that pineapple and go for another one!
- Color: ripe pineapples are yellow in color. The more golden, the better. Green pineapples won’t turn much more yellow because pineapples don’t ripen after being picked.
♻️ substitutions & variations
♻️ substitutions
Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- sweetener - if you only have light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or a natural less-processed sugar, you can still make this recipe! Your finished syrup will have a more caramelized flavor. You can also use agave or honey if you only have that on hand. Just be mindful that the flavor of the syrup will change slightly, and you may need to adjust the sweetness by adding more agave or honey to your liking. As a general rule, use ⅛ cup less honey than sugar, and ¼ cup less agave than sugar.
- minty - add in a handful of fresh mint leaves to make the perfect syrup for pineapple mojitos!
- ginger - the spicy flavor of ginger partners beautifully with pineapple. Adding in a bit of fresh grated ginger or a bit of powdered ginger will turn this into a totally new syrup!
- spicy - pineapples and peppers pair well together! Try adding in some jalapeño pepper or habanero pepper if you want a little kick to your pineapple syrup!
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🧰 tools needed
Check out this post here for the ultimate guide of tools to use when making your own simple syrups!
- heavy-bottomed non-reactive saucepan - you can use whatever saucepan you have on hand, I love this 1.5-quart saucepan from All-Clad. The heavy bottom ensures even heating throughout the cooking time! A non-reactive pan is a pan that is made from a metal that doesn’t react to acidic substances, like stainless steel or enameled cast iron. Pineapple juice is very acidic, so if you use an aluminum pot or pan, it could impart a metallic taste into your syrup. If you don’t have a non-reactive pan, try the no-heat method for making this syrup.
- mesh strainer a fine mesh strainer helps you to separate the pineapple from the liquid after simmering the mixture. Make sure to use a mesh strainer that is made of stainless steel, or use a nylon straining bag for this recipe.
- airtight storage you can use any airtight storage container you like. I also love storing syrups in squeeze bottles like these ones from OXO (affiliate link).
- measuring cups - my favorite measuring cups are from King Arthur Baking! They are a high-quality set that includes every cup measure you need, even ⅛ cup! For glass measuring cups, I love using Anchor-Hocking brand cups. They stand up to temperature changes without shattering, and I never have issues with the pour spout.
- kitchen scale - using a kitchen scale has so many benefits, from being more precise to helping you do less dishes! If you use a scale, you can simply put everything right in the pot as you measure it, no need to dirty up a bunch of extra dishes! I love my scale from OXO.
🫙 storage tips
Store your pineapple simple syrup in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze it for longer storage. In the freezer, simple syrups can last three to five months.
💬 q+a
You can use canned pineapple or even frozen pineapple for this recipe! Just make sure that the only ingredient is pineapple.
You can make this syrup in a no-cook way through maceration. Maceration is when you combine the fruit with sugar, and allow the sugar molecules to draw out the moisture in the fruit. Follow the instructions for the no-cook method if you prefer not to heat your syrup!
After it cools and when stored in the fridge, it will thicken up. It will not be as thick as a sauce or jam, though. It will be mostly liquid, with a little bit of viscosity to it.
Think of it like the flavored syrups you see pumping out at your favorite coffee shops. This allows it to easily blend in with hot or cold beverages without clumping.
If you want a thicker syrup, you can let your infusion simmer a bit longer so the liquid reduces. This will also intensify the flavor and make it a rich syrup, which has a higher sugar content than water content.
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
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🥣 recipe
Pineapple Simple Syrup
Equipment
- 1 1.5-quart saucepan non-reactive, like stainless steel or enameled cast iron
- 1 fine mesh strainer non-reactive, stainless steel
- 1 2-cup glass measuring cup for straining
- 1 airtight storage bottle
- 1 kitchen scale optional
- 1 chefs knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 500 g pineapple about ½ of a whole pineapple, or 3 ½ cups
- 200 g sugar granulated
- 227 g water filtered
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional, but helps the flavor POP!
Instructions
- Add 200g sugar (1 cup) to 227g of water (1 cup) in a 1.5-quart saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is completely dissolved.
- While the sugar is dissolving, cut top and skin off the pineapple, then cut it in half.
- Cut ½ of the pineapple into 1-inch chunks, including the core. You should have about 500g of pineapple, or 3 ½ cups.
- Add in the pineapple chunks to the sugar-water mix, which should be at a low simmer by now, and cook over medium heat at a simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Some water will evaporate, this is okay!
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Strain the mix using a stainless steel mesh strainer. Discard the solids (or use them in a smoothie, or blend them into a sauce for desserts).
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
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