If you’ve never tried the combo of bacon and pineapple together, you’re in for a treat. It’s one of those sweet and salty pairings that just makes sense once you taste it.
These air fryer bacon wrapped pineapple bites are super easy to put together. You just need a few simple ingredients and about 15 minutes of your time.
A quick toss in soy sauce and spices gives the pineapple a savory kick. Then you wrap each piece in bacon, sprinkle on some brown sugar, and let the air fryer work its magic.
The result is crispy, caramelized, and incredibly flavorful. They make a perfect appetizer or snack for pretty much any occasion.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sweet and Savory Perfection – The combo of juicy pineapple and crispy salty bacon hits every flavor craving at once.
The Caramelized Glaze Is Unreal – Brown sugar melts over the bacon in the air fryer and creates a sticky candy-like coating that is addictive.
A Little Kick of Heat – The cayenne pepper adds a subtle spicy kick that balances the sweetness and keeps you reaching for more.
Crispy Bacon Every Single Time – The air fryer gets the bacon perfectly crispy all around without any greasy sogginess.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Fresh Pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 24 pieces)
- 12 slices Bacon, cut in half crosswise
- 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- Toothpicks, for securing
How To Make
Step 1
In a medium bowl, toss the pineapple chunks with the soy sauce, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until evenly coated. Let them sit for about 5 minutes so the flavors soak in.
Step 2
Wrap each pineapple chunk with a half slice of bacon, pulling the bacon snug around the fruit. Secure each one with a toothpick pushed all the way through.
Step 3
Arrange the wrapped pineapple pieces on a plate or tray and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over all sides, pressing it gently onto the bacon so it sticks.
Step 4
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Place the bacon wrapped pineapple in a single layer in the basket, leaving a little room between each piece. You may need to work in batches.
Step 5
Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the bacon is crispy and the brown sugar has caramelized into a sticky glaze.
Step 6
Let the bites rest for 2 minutes before serving so the caramel firms up slightly. Serve warm as an appetizer or snack.
Tips
Use Thin-Cut Bacon
Thick-cut bacon doesn’t work well here because it won’t wrap tightly around the pineapple chunks and it takes way longer to crisp up. By the time thick bacon gets crispy, the pineapple turns to mush and the brown sugar burns.
Regular thin-cut bacon is the move. It wraps easily, crisps up fast, and finishes cooking at the same time as everything else.
Pat the Pineapple Dry Before Marinating
Pineapple holds a lot of juice, especially fresh-cut pineapple. If you skip drying it off, the extra moisture makes the bacon soggy and prevents it from getting crispy in the air fryer.
Just lay the chunks on a paper towel and give them a few pats before tossing them with the soy sauce mixture. You don’t need them bone dry, just not dripping wet.
Press the Brown Sugar On
Don’t just sprinkle the brown sugar and call it done. You want to actually press it onto the bacon with your fingers so it sticks. If it’s just sitting loosely on top, the air fryer fan will blow most of it off before it gets a chance to caramelize.
Roll each piece around in the sugar a bit and give it a gentle squeeze. The slight stickiness of the bacon will hold the sugar in place long enough for it to melt and turn into that glaze.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pickle Spears
- Air Fryer Teriyaki Pineapple Chicken Skewers
- Air Fryer Maple Glazed Pork Belly Bites
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned pineapple instead of fresh?
You can, but fresh pineapple works way better here. Canned pineapple has a lot more moisture, which means the bacon will have a harder time getting crispy and the brown sugar won’t caramelize as nicely.
If canned is all you have, go with pineapple chunks in juice (not syrup) and pat them really dry with paper towels before wrapping. Just know the texture and flavor won’t be quite the same.
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pineapple
- toothpicks
- 1 lb Fresh Pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 24 pieces)
- 12 slices Bacon, cut in half crosswise
- 3 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- Toothpicks, for securing
- In a medium bowl, toss the pineapple chunks with the soy sauce, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until evenly coated. Let them sit for about 5 minutes so the flavors soak in.
- Wrap each pineapple chunk with a half slice of bacon, pulling the bacon snug around the fruit. Secure each one with a toothpick pushed all the way through.
- Arrange the wrapped pineapple pieces on a plate or tray and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over all sides, pressing it gently onto the bacon so it sticks.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Place the bacon wrapped pineapple in a single layer in the basket, leaving a little room between each piece. You may need to work in batches.
- Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the bacon is crispy and the brown sugar has caramelized into a sticky glaze.
- Let the bites rest for 2 minutes before serving so the caramel firms up slightly. Serve warm as an appetizer or snack.