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How to Make Dried Pineapple Flowers
In case you didn’t know it, I’m a sucker for a good edible garnish. In this post, I’ll cover how to make one of my new favorites: Dried Pineapple Flowers! Even though they look like a million bucks, I can guarantee they’re easy enough for any home cook to tackle. Add some pizazz to your favorite cakes and cocktails with this gorgeous and healthy bouquet – you’ll be so glad that you did.
As someone who eats sleeps and dreams about food all day, every day, I’m still surprised by how much the simplest things absolutely tickle me. These dried pineapple flowers are made with just 1 ingredient – fresh pineapple – and they look as pretty as a picture book. As an added bonus, they only take about 10 minutes of active time to pull off. Honestly, how could I NOT love them??
About This Recipe
While I love spending time in the kitchen, decorating cakes has never been my expertise. I’ll bake up something delicious, do some simple frosting swoops or swirls, and call it a day! However, when I recently discovered the insane beauty of dried pineapple flowers, I simply had to learn the secret.
Turns out, dried pineapple flowers have long been a thing in Southern cooking. Who knew? They are apparently the garnish of choice for the delicacy known as Hummingbird Cake, which is a Jamaican-inspired banana-pineapple-spice cake with cream cheese frosting. (Doesn’t that sound incredible?!? I have a feeling that a recipe post will be forthcoming.)
What I find the most impressive about these dried pineapple garnishes is how much they actually look like flowers! With a ruffled edge, a slightly crepe-y looking texture, and a naturally occurring “stamen” from the pineapple core, they almost look like yellow hibiscus or poppy flowers.
These pineapple flowers are also completely edible, and delicious to boot! Since they are made with just a single ingredient – fresh pineapple – they’re sweet, tart, lightly crisp, and entirely addictive. If I’m being honest, I always have to stop myself from eating the whole batch before I can use them as cake decorations or cocktail garnishes. They’re seriously so tasty.
Best of all, the method for making dried pineapple flowers couldn’t be easier. Simply remove the rind of a fresh pineapple, then cut into thin, horizontal slices. All that is left to do is shape place them in muffin tins and bake them; the whole process takes no more than about 10 minutes. So come meet me in the kitchen – we’re about to make the prettiest edible arrangement you ever did see!
How to Make Dried Pineapple Flowers
Making these beautiful and delicious pineapple flowers couldn’t be easier! First, remove the skin from the pineapple. If needed, use a melon baller to remove any remaining “eyes.”
Next, thinly slice the pineapple with a knife, keeping the core intact. Using a mandolin is an option, but being that the pineapple is very wet, I recommend a sharp knife.
Preheat oven to 200 F.
Carefully, lay the slices of pineapple on a cooling rack and place the rack over a large baking sheet and place the rack and baking sheet in the oven for 2 to 3 hours or until the slices are fully dried out and brown on the edges. The baking sheet underneath will catch any drippings.
While warm, place dried pineapple slices into the inside of a muffin tin or mini muffin tin with smaller cups to create the shape you’d like. Allow pineapple to fully cool in the muffin tin. Once cool and dried, they will hold their curved flower shape!
Allow pineapple flowers cool in the muffin tins to set, then remove. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container for 2-7 days (depending on local weather conditions).
Serving Suggestions
Dried pineapple flowers are an amazing snack or edible garnish, no matter how you use them. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Bunch together a bouquet for a cake topper, like on my Ultimate Carrot Cake or on a Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Use individual flowers as cupcake toppers
- As a cocktail drink garnish or in Agua de Piña
- Use them like confetti to dress up a buffet table or decorate a cheese board
- Add them to any platter (perhaps on a plate of tacos al pastor) to make it more beautiful
- Garnish a bowl of Pineapple Mango Salsa
- On a platter of Paletas
No matter how you end up using these stunning dried pineapple flowers, I have a feeling they’re sure to impress.
Did you make something beautiful with your pineapple flowers? Tag me on Instagram (@muybuenocookbook) so I can cheer you on!
Expert Tips
Making dried pineapple flowers is much simpler than you might think. However, I’ve learned a few things along the way:
- Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag.
- Dry them out by using a towel first. Dabbing the pineapple slices with a clean tea towel or some paper towels prior to baking will help to accelerate the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
It honestly depends on where you live and the weather and humidity there. I find that keeping my pineapple flowers in an airtight container will help them last for about 3 days. If I add a pack of silica to the container to wick away moisture, I can usually get them to last for 5-7 days.
The closest I’ve gotten to making different colored pineapple flowers is by using a simple dusting of cinnamon or Tajin. If you are lucky enough to find pink pineapples, you can also add some color that way.
Otherwise, while I haven’t tried it, I’d imagine you could probably paint the flowers with gel food coloring at about the halfway point of baking. You’ll likely need to add a few minutes to the final baking time to continue to remove the excess moisture of the dye.
While you can certainly dry slices of fruit like apples or oranges using this same method, they won’t end up looking like flowers the way that pineapple slices do.
More Pineapple Amor
How to Make Dried Pineapple Flowers
Ingredients
- 1 Fresh Pineapple
Instructions
- First, remove the skin from the pineapple. If needed, use a melon baller to remove any remaining "eyes."
- Next, thinly slice the pineapple with a knife, keeping the core intact. Using a mandolin is an option, but being that the pineapple is very wet, I recommend a sharp knife.Â
- Dry pineapple slices on paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.Â
- Preheat oven to 200 F.Â
- Carefully lay the slices of pineapple on a cooling rack and then place the rack over a large baking sheet. Now place the rack and baking sheet in the oven for 2 to 3 hours or until the slices are fully dried out and brown on the edges. The baking sheet underneath will catch any drippings. Â
- While warm, place dried pineapple slices into the inside of a muffin tin or mini muffin tin with smaller cups to create the shape you'd like. Allow pineapple to fully cool in the muffin tin. Once cool and dried, they will hold their curved flower shape!
- Allow pineapple flowers cool in the muffin tins to set, then remove. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container for 2-7 days (depending on local weather conditions).
Notes
- Nutrition facts are for the entire pineapple – the nutritional content per flower will depend on how thick your slices are!
- Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container for 2-7 days (depending on local weather conditions).
- Bunch together a bouquet for a cake topper, like on my Ultimate Carrot Cake or on a Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Use individual flowers as cupcake toppers
- As a cocktail drink garnish or in Agua de Piña
- Use them like confetti to dress up a buffet table or decorate a cheese board
- Add them to any platter (perhaps on a plate of tacos al pastor) to make it more beautiful
- Garnish a bowl of Pineapple Mango Salsa
- On a platter of PaletasÂ
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Photography by Jenna Sparks
2 Comments on “How to Make Dried Pineapple Flowers”
Hello my beautiful friend Yvette!
Thank you so much for your wonderful ideas for recipes with these beautiful pineapple Flores.
Please can you tell me what that cake is in the photo you show decorated with the Flores de piña?
and also what the other garnishments are that decorate this scrumptious looking cake ?
Is it the Jamaican spice you mention in your blog ?
I love the way you explain things . You make it so easy . You and Patti Janich are to me great examples of Mexican cooks !
Linda Hernandez
Just wanted to offer a tip for the eyes of the pineapple I learned from a friend. If you go around the pineapple on the diagonal of the eyes after you have peeled it off with a paring knife, they connect diagonally! So you can just slice them off working your way diagonally around the pineapple and you lose a lot less fruit! Love your recipes and thank you!!!