18 Smoky, Delicious Ways to Grill Fruit

Magic Happens When Fruit Meets Flame

Grilled peaches.

 The Spruce

Fresh fruit is delicious on its own, but have you ever tried grilling it? The intense heat of the grill—whether gas or charcoal—adds a fantastic, smoky-sweet flavor and caramelized texture to most fruits. Whether you use a grill-safe baking dish, skewer fruit on kebabs, or place it directly on the grill, it will be ready in minutes for tossing in salads, plating alongside savory cookout mains, or topping with a scoop of ice cream for dessert. Learn how easy it can be, with our best grilled fruit recipes of summer.

  • 01 of 18

    Grilled Plums

    Grilled Plums

    Bloxsome Photography-Getty Images

    Grilling plums over high heat is a great way to boost their natural sweetness, adding wonderful depth of flavor. The cut sides of sugary plums will caramelize beautifully over the grill. You don't even need to add any other ingredients, though a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon would be lovely.

  • 02 of 18

    French Grilled Watermelon

    French Grilled Watermelon

    sveta_zarzamora/Getty Images

    Grilled watermelon takes on a smoky-sweet flavor that is truly out of this world. Enjoy the grilled fruit with a little lime juice and salt as a refreshing palate-cleanser, in a tossed green salad with crumbled cheese, or as part of a memorable fruit salad. Set your grill on medium, instead of hot, to avoid scorching the wedges while cooking.

  • 03 of 18

    Grilled Pear and Sweet Potato Salad

    Grilled Pear and Sweet Potato Salad

    Regarding BBQ Inc.

    This grilled pear and sweet potato salad makes an elegant starter or side dish at summer dinner parties and has tons of nutrition and flavor. The pear and cooked sweet potatoes marry beautifully with the flavors of tangy feta cheese, fresh spinach and arugula leaves, toasted pecans, and an apple-flavored dressing. Parboiling the sweet potatoes before grilling them with the pears makes for the perfect fork-tender texture.

  • 04 of 18

    Grilled Apple and Brie Flatbread

    Grilled Apple and Brie Flatbread

    Sabrina S. Baksh/Regarding BBQ Inc.

    Looking for a gorgeous summer party appetizer? Impress guests with this stunning gourmet-style apple and brie flatbread with walnuts, honey, and thyme. It is easy to prepare on the grill and has fantastic flavor and texture from the combination of melted cheese, sweet warm fruit, and crispy, toasted flatbread. 

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  • 05 of 18

    Grilled Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Cake

    Grilled Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumb Cake

    John E. Kelly/Getty Images

    Did you know that you could bake a cake on the grill? Wow your guests with this scrumptious strawberry rhubarb crumb cake that uses your grill instead of the oven to "bake." It makes a fabulous 4th of July party dessert. All you need to make it is a grill-safe dish, lots of fresh strawberries, and some pantry baking staples.

  • 06 of 18

    Rum and Pineapple Kebabs

    Rum and Pineapple Kebabs
    Rita Maas

    Grilling pineapple is a game-changer thanks to the intense sweetness this cooking method adds to this summer-favorite fruit. Fresh sliced pineapple is threaded onto skewers and basted with a sweetened rum sauce. Serve as a delectable topping for vanilla ice cream or an impressive garnish for tropical cocktails.

  • 07 of 18

    Honey Grilled Apricots

    Honey Grilled Apricots

    John Gagne/Getty Images

    Deeply sweet, butter-basted grilled apricots make an outrageously delicious topping for bowls of vanilla ice cream at your summer dinner parties. You could also serve them as an elegant starter, alongside thick slabs of a soft, ripened, cow's milk cheese, such as Brie or camembert, served at room-temperature.

  • 08 of 18

    Grilled Lemons

    Grilled Lemons

    Molly Watson

    Grilled lemons make a gorgeous statement on the plate and are a tasty accompaniment to grilled fish, chicken, or vegetables. They take only five minutes to grill, drizzled with a little olive oil, and the heat loosens their sour, citrusy juices and adds a tasty, charred flavor.

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  • 09 of 18

    Grilled White Wine-Poached Pears Dessert

    Grilled White Wine-Poached Pears Dessert

    bhofack2/Getty Images

    Elegant wine-poached pears are a classic restaurant dessert that is easily prepared using your grill. Simply halve and seed the pears, place in a grill-safe baking dish with white wine and spices, and cover to cook until soft and tender. Serve the warm, sweetened pears with vanilla ice cream, or top with a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

  • 10 of 18

    Grilled Peaches with Brown Sugar

    Grilled Peaches with Brown Sugar

    Lew Robertson/Photolibrary/Getty Images

    Fresh grilled peaches are so delicious and versatile. They make an excellent side dish for roast pork or ham or a gorgeous topping for ice cream bowls. This recipe halves them to place directly on the grill, basted with a simple mixture of sugar, butter, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.

  • 11 of 18

    Grilled Honey Basted Nectarines

    Grilled Honey Basted Nectarines

    nicolebranan/Getty Images

    You only need 10 minutes and four ingredients to grill up dessert with this fantastic summer dessert recipe that makes the most of fresh nectarines. The fruit is halved and pitted, then simply brushed with butter and honey, and placed directly on the grill. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon or nutmeg before serving solo or with ice cream.

  • 12 of 18

    Grilled Brown Sugar Bananas

    Grilled Brown Sugar Bananas
    Bayside/Getty Images

    Grilled bananas with brown sugar and cinnamon have a richly sweet taste and soft texture that takes this fruit to the next level of flavor. This recipe keeps bananas in their peel for cooking, which helps to keep them intact on the hot grill. Drizzle cooked bananas with a little rum for a boozy, grown-up dessert topping for ice cream.

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  • 13 of 18

    Grilled Cinnamon Apples

    Grilled Cinnamon Apples

    Sabrina Baksh-Regarding BBQ Inc.

    You might think of cinnamon apples as a perfect match for vanilla ice cream, but they also make a fabulous side dish for roast pork and grilled game meats. Start with Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples that only need a little bit of cinnamon, brown sugar, and lemon juice to transform into caramelized treats on the grill.

  • 14 of 18

    Grilled Watermelon Salad with Mint

    Grilled Watermelon Salad with Mint

    Alexandra Grablewski/Getty Images

    Watermelon is a popular cookout food that makes a refreshing salad ingredient. This clever recipe takes the juicy fruit to the grill for a quick sear, before tossing it in a minty sweetened syrup. Add some crumbles of feta or goat cheese if you like, for serving.

  • 15 of 18

    Grilled Fresh Pears

    Grilled Pears

    Molly Watson

    A hot grill adds a smoky flavor to ripe, fresh pears that tastes great alongside sausages, ribs, or roast pork. All that's needed is a little vegetable oil for basting. Add a sprinkle of brown sugar for added sweetness that makes this grilled fruit an easy choice for topping ice cream bowls.

  • 16 of 18

    Grilled Pineapple Sundae

    Grilled Pineapple Sundae

    Rita Maas/Getty Images

    Use your grill to turn a whole pineapple into a spectacular ice cream dessert that feeds a large table of family or friends. The fruit is simply sliced, brushed with a sweetened basting liquid, and grilled for a quick one minute per side. Top the pineapple sundaes with caramel sauce, and optional chopped nuts or marshmallow fluff.

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  • 17 of 18

    Grilled Tomatoes

    Grilled Tomatoes

    Molly Watson

    Tomatoes are fruits and they take beautifully to the heat of the grill, which intensifies their natural sweetness. Add grilled tomatoes to vegetable medleys, toss them in salads, or plate them alongside roasted chicken, fish, and other meats.

  • 18 of 18

    Grilled Pineapple Dessert

    Grilled Pineapple Dessert

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    Delight the grown-ups at your next cookout with grilled pineapple slices flavored with tequila or rum, vanilla, cinnamon, and a little sugar. The boozy basting liquid amplifies the natural sweetness of pineapple, adding a new dimension that is out of this world. Serve as a tropical topping for scoops of coconut or vanilla ice cream.