Pineapple Filling (How to Make From Scratch)

Jump to Recipe

This pineapple filling makes a great filling not only for cakes and cupcakes but also for other desserts like ice cream, pancakes, cheesecakes, and tarts.

It only requires 5 ingredients (i.e. pineapple, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and water) and takes less than 30 minutes to be ready!

Some people like fruit fillings that are smooth, while others like them with visible pineapple chunks in them. This recipe is for a smooth pineapple filling. I prefer pineapple filling to be smooth, especially when making cheesecakes (like in my pineapple cheesecake) and when used as cake fillings. It makes cutting the cakes a lot easier and neater.

I also have another recipe for pineapple topping, in which I used chopped pineapple. It has tiny chunks of pineapple and is more suitable for individual desserts such as mini cheesecakes or even cupcakes fillings. And it is also great as ice cream toppings too.

And you like this easy recipe, do check out my other equally easy recipes like this homemade pumpkin puree, ube halaya (ube jam), blueberry filling, strawberry filling, homemade salted caramel and lemon curd.

Jump to:

❤️Why you will love this recipe
📋Ingredients
🧾Substitution and Variations
👩‍🍳How to Make
🍽️Serving & storage
💡Expert Tips
⭐What can you use the filling for?
💭FAQs
❤️More Recipes You Will Love
📖Recipe

❤️Why you will love this recipe

This recipe makes a great fruit filling with tropical flavors.
It only requires 5 ingredients and is very quick and easy to make. You can make a batch of this delicious pineapple filling in under 30 minutes.
The recipe can be made using both fresh pineapples as well as canned pineapple.
The filling has the right amount of thickness to be used as a filling (not too runny). You can easily adjust the thickness to suit your needs by adjusting the cooking time.
It makes perfect filling for pineapple desserts. You can use it as pineapple cake filling between layers of yellow cake, or mix it into cheesecake batter to make pineapple cheesecake.
The good thing about making your own fruit fillings such as this pineapple filling is that you get to make it fresh.
And you get to adjust the consistency and the level of sweetness in it too. You can decrease the amount of sugar if you prefer the filling to be less sweet.

📋Ingredients

Fresh (or canned) pineapple - if using fresh pineapples, choose well ripened fruits. For canned version, you can use either cubed pineapple, crushed pineapple or pineapple rings. Drain the syrup before measuring.
Brown sugar - both light or dark brown sugar will work for this recipe. The color of the sugar will have an impact on the color of the filling.
Cornstarch (mixed with some water) - stir well to break all lumps.
Lemon juice - use fresh juice and strain to remove any seeds.
Water (or pineapple syrup if using canned pineapple) - use filtered water.

*Refer to the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and exact quantities. For best results, use a digital kitchen scale where applicable*

🧾Substitution and Variations

The sugar used in this recipe is brown sugar, hence the deep golden color of the cooked filling. You can substitute it with white sugar if you wish, and your filling will be of a more yellowish tone.

This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you do try, please let me know in the comments section below!

👩‍🍳How to Make

Option 1: Pineapple filling with fresh pineapple

Start by peeling the pineapple and cutting it into small cubes. If you are not sure how to peel a pineapple, be sure to check out my step-by-step tutorial on how to cut pineapple for tips.

A poster of 6 images showing how to make filling.

Place the cut pineapple cubes into a food processor. Add the water and blend until smooth. The mixture will be quite runny from the pineapple juice after processing.
Once done, pour the processed fruit into a medium-sized pan.
Add lemon juice.
And then add the sugar. Turn on the fire to medium low heat and let the fruit and sugar mixture cook slowly. Keep stirring to avoid it burning. Let the filling simmer slowly and then turn the heat to low. Continue cooking until it turns slightly deeper golden brown.
Add the cornstarch (mix it with water first) and stir quickly and thoroughly to avoid it from clumping.
Once the pineapple filling thickens up, turn off the heat. To check if the filling is ready, gather it to the center of your pan. If it stays in place without spreading out too quickly, the filling is ready. Let it cool completely to room temperature before transferring it into a clean container or mason jar. Keep it refrigerated until ready to use.

Option 2: Pineapple filling with canned pineapple (crushed pineapple, pineapple cubes and pineapple rings in syrup)

Place the pineapple cubes (or the crushed pineapple) in a food processor. If using pineapple rings, chop them into smaller pieces first for easy processing. Add the sugar syrup (from the can) and blend to a smooth paste.

A poster of 6 images showing how to cook fruit puree.

Pour the processed fruit into a medium-sized pan.
Add lemon juice.
And then add the sugar. Mix and let the mixture cook and simmer over low to medium heat until it starts to simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Stir constantly.
Mix cornstarch with water and add to the pan.
Stir quickly and thoroughly. Continue to stir constantly and cook until the filling thickens further and reaches your desired consistency.
Remove from heat and let it cool completely before storing it in a container. Keep the filling refrigerated until ready to use.

🍽️Serving & storage

The filling can be used on the same day it is made. Keep leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container or a clean mason jar. The filling can last, refrigerated, for a good 4 to 5 days.
If you wish to keep it longer, freeze the filling. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw it completely before using.

💡Expert Tips

Most fruit fillings start with fruits and sugar as the main ingredients. Cornstarch is added to thicken the filling and lemon juice is often added to enhance the taste. Similarly for this pineapple filling.
If you are using canned pineapples, they are soaked in sugar syrup which makes their taste consistent. If you are using fresh pineapple however, it is important that you choose a pineapple that is well ripened. Unripe pineapples will be bland and less flavorful.
Cornstarch mixed with water will tend to settle if you leave it untouched for a few minutes. Make sure to stir it well before pouring into the filling.
The filling will thicken slightly further as it cools down so keep this in mind when cooking it.

⭐What can you use the filling for?

Here are some common uses for this pineapple filling:

Use it as a cake filling for a layer cake. It pairs well with cake flavors like vanilla cake, coconut, and even carrot cake.
Use a filling for cupcakes or muffins.
Add into cheesecake batter before baking to make pineapple cheesecake.
Use as a pineapple pie filling to make pineapple pie. This makes a great homemade pie filling like this blueberry filling.
Spread a thick layer into pre-baked tart or pie crust to make easy pineapple tarts.
Use a filling for danishes, turnovers, or other pastries or to make pineapple empanadas.
Layer the pineapple filling with yogurt, granola, and fresh fruits to create a refreshing and tropical parfait.
Swirl into homemade vanilla ice cream to create easy and quick pineapple flavored ice cream.

💭FAQs

How to know if a pineapple is ripe?

There are 2 easy ways that I use to choose pineapples. The first method is by ensuring the pineapple is not too hard (or too soft as this could indicate the fruit has gone bad inside). Generally, pineapple skin tends to be hard even after the fruit has ripened, but when compared with an unripe one, you will be able to feel the difference. A ripe fruit will somewhat be slightly softer when pressed (hold the sides of the pineapple with your fingers and give it a squeeze).

The other method that I often use is doing a smell test. Often, ripe pineapple will have a sweet pineapple fragrance. However, you will only often be able to smell this at the bottom or base of the fruit. So if you want to check if a pineapple is ripe, pick it up and smell the base of the fruit. If you get the pineapple fragrance, the fruit is ripe.

If you are not able to find a pineapple that is fully ripe, you can buy an unripe fruit and continue to let it ripe at home. Simply wrap it well with a paper (you can remove the crown and the stem at the bottom of the fruit by simply snapping them out) and keep the fruit wrapped in a cool and dry place. Check every day for progress.

Can I make the filling without the lemon juice?

Lemon juice is added to the filling simply to enhance its taste. It's used in very little quantity but definitely makes a difference to the taste of the filling.

If you leave the lemon juice out, your pineapple filling will still be ok, but there will be a difference in taste. I do not recommend leaving it out.

Can I make the filling without the cornstarch?

Cornstarch is added to the filling to thicken it without drying it out. You can omit the cornstarch and continue to cook the filling until it thickens up, however, when thickened in this manner, what effectively happens is that the liquid in the filling dries up, resulting in a thicker, but drier filling.

Adding cornstarch to the filling helps to thicken the filling with some sauce to it and gives it a spreadable consistency. This consistency is better for most fillings particularly cakes and cupcakes.

❤️More Recipes You Will Love

Do you like this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐rating in the recipe card below and consider a review further down this page. I would love to hear from you. Thank you!