How to Make a Pineapple Jack o’ Lantern

Last year, we carved some tiki-themed pumpkins for Halloween. This year, we wanted to bring even more tiki spirit into our Halloween festivities by carving turning some pineapples into jack o’lanterns! We carve out pineapples all the time using a handy pineapple corer, using the flesh of the fruit for cocktails and desserts, while turning the rest of the pineapple into handy drinking vessels. We started with a whole pineapple, cored it and let the carving begin.

To carve the face of the pineapple, we used a sharp paring knife. The knives that come with pumpkin carving kits also work very well, as their thin blades allow you to cut very detailed shapes. Pineapple is tender and much easier to carve than a pumpkin. Since you can use a handy tool to hollow it out, the process is also much, much faster from start-to-finish.

Carve your basic shape first, then trim away at the edges to add detail and expand the size of your cutouts. You can’t easily put pineapple back in place once it is cut away! We kept this design simple so that the features would really stand out when it was lit up.

You have a couple of options when it comes to lighting up your pineapple. For instance, you can use a small tealight (candle) for a classic jack o’ lantern look, or you can use a small led for an extra-bright effect. If you really want to have some fun, place a small glass bowl inside your pineapple and fill it with 151. Light the overproof rum carefully (very carefully) and sprinkle cinnamon over the top for a truly tiki effect.

The rum-light has a beautiful blue color, but isn’t enough to distinctly illuminate the pineapple for a party. We recommend using a candle most of the time, then switching to the 151 as your finale.

The carved pineapple will keep longer than a carved pumpkin, so you can prepare it a couple of days ahead of your Halloween party. It should be stored in the refrigerator until it is ready to go on display.