Spicy Maple Fruit Kabobs

Sweet meets heat on the grill. These fruit kabobs skewer kiwi, banana, watermelon, and pineapple, then get brushed with a punchy maple-brown sugar glaze spiked with cocktail bitters and red pepper flakes. Six minutes over the coals turns the fruit jammy and caramelized at the edges while keeping the centers cool and juicy.

The glaze is the trick. Maple syrup caramelizes in the heat, brown sugar deepens it, cinnamon adds warmth, and the bitters plus pepper flakes pull the whole thing back from cloying sweetness. Without that bitter and spicy backbone these would be candy on a stick.

Keep the fruit alternated on the skewer so each bite hits a different flavor. Cut everything to similar sizes so the chunks cook at the same pace, and use sturdy fruit; mushy melon or overripe banana will fall off the stick before you flip them.

Pro Tips

• Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes in cold water before threading to keep them from burning over the coals.
• Choose firm-ripe bananas; soft ones turn to mush on the grill.
• Brush the glaze on after the first sear so the sugar doesn’t scorch immediately.
• Drizzle the reserved glaze on the second the kabobs come off the heat for max flavor.

Variations

• Swap maple syrup for honey for a floral version.
• Add cubes of pound cake between fruit pieces for a grilled dessert kabob.
• Serve over vanilla ice cream with a squeeze of fresh lime.