Fruit syrup
Pineapple Syrup
Fresh pineapple macerated overnight in sugar, no cooking. Bright, juicy, tiki-bar syrup with two minutes of work.
- 8 hr 10 min total
- 1¾ cups420 ml
- Keeps 1 week
Quick answer
Pineapple syrup is chopped fresh pineapple macerated in sugar overnight, then loosened with a little water and strained. Toss 2 cups pineapple with 1 cup sugar, refrigerate 8–12 hours, stir in ½ cup water until the sugar dissolves, strain and refrigerate for up to 10 days.
Cooking pineapple gives you canned-pineapple flavor. Sugar alone does a better job: overnight it draws out the juice, and the syrup keeps the bright, tangy taste of fresh-cut fruit. It's the old bar method behind classics like Pisco Punch.
It takes two minutes of work and one night in the fridge. Short on time? The quick pineapple-juice version in the variations is ready in five minutes.
Tastesfresh pineappletangytropical
The recipe
Pineapple Syrup
Ingredients for 1¾ cups420 ml
You’ll need: glass jar, kitchen scale, fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, swing-top bottleglass jar, kitchen scale, fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, swing-top bottle
Method
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Macerate
Toss the pineapple with the sugar in a glass jar or bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours, stirring once if you think of it. The sugar pulls out the juice and mostly dissolves.
2 cups330 g fresh pineapple1 cup200 g granulated sugar
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Dissolve
Add the water and salt, then stir (or seal the jar and shake) until the remaining sugar dissolves, 1–2 minutes. If a few stubborn crystals remain, warm it in a pan over low heat for a minute; don't cook it.
½ cup120 ml water
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Strain
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer and press the pineapple gently to release its juice. For a clearer syrup, strain again through damp cheesecloth.
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Bottle
Funnel into a clean bottle and refrigerate.
Storage. Refrigerate for up to 10 days. Because it's uncooked, it can start to ferment after that; a fizzy, boozy smell is the sign. Freeze extra in ice-cube trays for up to 3 months.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 28 kcal, 7.1 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Pineapple daiquiri
2 oz (60 ml) white rum, ¾ oz (22 ml) lime juice and ¾ oz (22 ml) pineapple syrup. Shake hard and strain into a coupe.
Pisco Punch
2 oz (60 ml) pisco, ¾ oz (22 ml) lemon juice and ¾ oz (22 ml) pineapple syrup. Shake, strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a sugared pineapple chunk from the batch.
Full recipe and historyPineapple margarita
2 oz (60 ml) blanco tequila or mezcal, 1 oz (30 ml) lime juice and ¾ oz (22 ml) pineapple syrup, shaken and strained over ice.
Pineapple soda
1½ oz (45 ml) syrup and ½ oz (15 ml) lime juice in 6 oz (180 ml) sparkling water over ice.
Pineapple iced tea
1 oz (30 ml) per 8 oz (240 ml) glass of black or green iced tea.
Classic drinks with Pineapple syrup
Gear for this recipe
Ball Regular Mouth 16 oz Pint Mason Jars (12-pack)
Tough, heat-safe glass you can pour hot syrup straight into. Lids seal tight and replacements are sold everywhere.
Best for Big batches and everyday storage
Escali Primo Digital Kitchen Scale (11 lb)
Best for Exact ratios, every batch
Otis Classic 16 oz Swing-Top Glass Bottles (6-pack)
Best for Storing and gifting any syrup
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Stainless Strainers (set of 3)
Best for Every infused or fruit syrup
More gear for this recipe (1)
Regency Wraps Ultra Fine Cheesecloth (9 sq ft)
Best for Crystal-clear syrups
Tips for the best batch
- Use a ripe pineapple: it should smell sweet at the base and give slightly when squeezed.
- Toss the core and trimmings in with the chunks. They're too tough to eat but full of flavor.
- The leftover sugared pineapple is a bonus. Grill it, spoon it over ice cream or use it as a tiki garnish.
- Raw pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that curdles milk and stops gelatin from setting. Use this syrup in sodas and sours, and use the cooked juice version for cream drinks or jelly shots.
Variations
Quick pineapple-juice syrup
Warm 240 ml unsweetened, shelf-stable pineapple juice with 200 g sugar until dissolved, then cool. Ready in 5 minutes; less vibrant, but it keeps about 2 weeks.
Demerara pineapple
Use demerara sugar for a molasses-tinged syrup that suits dark and aged rums.
Grilled pineapple
Char pineapple slices on a grill or in a dry pan before chopping and macerating, for a smoky-caramel syrup that's great with mezcal.
Questions people ask
Can I make pineapple syrup with canned pineapple or juice?
Yes. Drained canned pineapple can be macerated the same way, with a milder flavor. Or warm unsweetened pineapple juice with an equal amount of sugar for a 5-minute version.
Do you have to cook pineapple syrup?
No. Overnight maceration in sugar pulls out the juice without heat and keeps the fresh-pineapple taste. Cooking makes it taste more like canned fruit, though it helps it keep a few days longer.
Will pineapple syrup curdle milk?
Raw pineapple syrup can, because of the enzyme bromelain. For milk or cream drinks, use the variation made with shelf-stable (pasteurized) juice, or bring the finished syrup to a brief simmer to deactivate the enzyme.
How long does pineapple syrup last?
About 10 days refrigerated. Freeze it in ice-cube trays for up to 3 months.
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