Coconut Pineapple Chili Island Jam

Coconut pineapple chili island jam combines finely chopped pineapple, lime and red chili with a coconut cream finish. It is a sweet, spicy spread for readers who enjoy fruit with some heat and want a saucepan recipe that takes about 30 minutes. The finished jam goes into a clean jar and stays refrigerated.

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Ingredients for coconut pineapple chili island jam

Measure everything before you begin, keeping the coconut cream separate from the ingredients that go into the saucepan first. This recipe makes about 3 cups, so have a clean jar ready for the cooled jam.

• 4 cups finely chopped pineapple
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 red chili, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut cream

Start with ripe, finely chopped pineapple

The recipe’s tip is to use a ripe pineapple so the jam needs less cooking. Choose that fruit before you begin chopping, then measure the finely chopped pineapple to get the full 4 cups. The measured amount refers to the prepared fruit, so chopping comes before measuring.

Keep the pieces fine as directed. You are looking for pineapple that can soften into a spoonable mixture while still giving the jam its fruit texture. Large chunks would leave you with a different starting point from the one described in the recipe.

Watch the texture before adding the cream

The first simmer is where the pineapple mixture becomes soft and thick. Use both cues when checking it: the fruit should have softened, and the mixture surrounding it should have thickened. Watching only the clock can leave you overlooking the texture that the instructions ask for.

Keep the coconut cream aside during this stage. It has its own place at the end, after the pineapple, sugar, lime juice, minced chili, pepper flakes and salt have simmered together. Adding everything at once would skip that separate fruit-cooking stage.

The red chili and red pepper flakes both belong in the initial mixture. Mince the chili before adding it, as the ingredient list specifies. That preparation keeps the chili pieces small enough to run through the chopped pineapple instead of leaving larger pieces in individual spoonfuls.

Cook the pineapple, then finish with coconut

• Put the 4 cups finely chopped pineapple, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, minced red chili, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan.
• Simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, until the pineapple is soft and the mixture is thick. Check the fruit and the surrounding mixture together before moving to the next step.
• Stir in the 1/2 cup coconut cream and cook for 2 minutes. Work the cream through the pineapple mixture so it is incorporated throughout.
• Let the jam cool, then spoon it into a clean jar.
• Keep refrigerated and use within 2 weeks.

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Cooling, spooning and keeping the jar

Follow the cooling step before transferring the jam. The sequence is straightforward: finish cooking with the coconut cream, let the mixture cool, then spoon it into a clean jar. Keep the finished jar refrigerated and use the jam within 2 weeks.

When you spoon it out, include the softened pineapple along with the creamy mixture around it. The fruit pieces are part of this jam’s texture. The instructions end with spooning the cooled mixture into a jar; there is no blending or straining step.

This is a refrigerator recipe. Its storage instructions call for refrigeration, and the method does not include a canning process. Keep that distinction in mind when planning how to store the batch.

For more coconut recipes, try our sweet potato coconut curry soup or Thai coconut lime chicken . For a sweet finish, there is also old fashioned coconut cake .

Questions about the pineapple jam

Does this recipe include pectin?

No pectin is listed. The method calls for simmering the pineapple mixture until soft and thick, then adding coconut cream. Follow those texture cues without adding another setting ingredient.

Should the finished jam be completely smooth?

The recipe starts with finely chopped pineapple and does not call for pureeing it. Expect softened fruit pieces in the finished mixture. Finely chopping the pineapple at the beginning gives you the texture the method is built around.

Can I leave out one of the chili ingredients?

The supplied recipe uses both a minced red chili and red pepper flakes. It does not give a milder variation or adjusted quantities, so this version keeps both ingredients at their stated amounts.

Do I need to prepare lime zest?

No. The ingredient list calls for 2 tablespoons lime juice and includes no zest. Measure the juice for the saucepan mixture; there is no separate lime garnish in this recipe.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us