Baked grapefruit with caramelized sugar is a simple yet elegant way to start your day. The sweet and tangy grapefruit pairs perfectly with the rich caramelized sugar and cinnamon spice. This dish is simple enough for a weekday breakfast yet sophisticated enough for a weekend brunch.

Four halves of grapefruit in a white baking dish.

Baking, poaching, or grilling fruit is a great way to enhance the natural sugars. Grilled pineapple and grilled peaches always get devoured during a cookout. And poached pears make an elegant dessert. But citrus fruit like grapefruit can really shine when baked.

The grapefruit gets completely transformed when you bake it in the oven. The heat brings out the sweetness and mellows the sour flavor. A pinch of salt brings it all together and enhances the flavors.

Here is Why This Recipe Works

Sugar adds a caramelized richness to the top of the fruit.
Salt enhances the sweetness and balances the bitter taste of grapefruit.
Cinnamon adds a warm, spicy flavor.

Sugar baked grapefruit makes a fantastic breakfast. Serve it with a dollop of yogurt and some coconut granola (or some whole grains granola).

A collage of four photos showing how to make baked grapefruit.

The Ingredients

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

Grapefruit. The redder the flesh, the sweeter the grapefruit.
Cinnamon. Cinnamon compliments the citrus
Salt. A pinch of regular salt will work, but large salt flakes like Malden salt will add a crunchy texture.
Sugar. Choose brown sugar if you want a hint of molasses.

How to Make It

Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

Slice each grapefruit in half, then cut around the membranes to loosen the sections.
Sprinkle sugar on top, then add a pinch of cinnamon.
Bake or broil until the sugar melts
Add a pinch of Maldon salt flakes and serve.

Tips for Success

Cut a small section off the bottom of each grapefruit, so they sit in the baking dish without wobbling.
For a recipe with unrefined sugar, replace the brown sugar with honey or maple syrup.
The longer you cook the grapefruit, the milder the flavor and the softer the fruit will become.
If you want a firmer texture and more assertive flavors, place the grapefruit under the broiler, so the sugar cooks faster.

Scooping fruit out of a baked grapefruit.

Grapefruit is a natural for breakfast but it also makes a great dessert. If you’re looking for a new twist on your typical dessert, try adding some baked grapefruit segments to our passion fruit ice cream.

Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:

Our grapefruit salad is sweet and savory and perfect for any meal. It has a medley of flavors and textures from mint, fennel, and pistachios. It is a great way to use grapefruit at the dinner table.

Our Roasted Beet Salad is loaded with flavor! Fat sections of sweet, juicy grapefruit, soft, creamy blue cheese chunks, and chopped Pistachio nuts add crunch and flavor to the dish.

This fruit salad includes juicy pomegranates, sweet berries, and crunchy pecans. Grapefruit would make a lovely addition to the salad, as would a variety of different citrus fruits. The salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge, making it perfect for entertaining.

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A grapefruit half with char marks from the oven.

Baked Grapefruit

Baking grapefruit highlights its sweetness and tones down the tart flavor for a delightful addition to breakfast. You can either bake the grapefruit so all the fruit gets warm and soft or you can broil it at a higher heat just until the top of the grapefruit gets slightly charred.

The longer you cook the grapefruit, the milder the fruit will taste.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 53kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

2 grapefruits cut in half
¼ cup 50 grams brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of flaky sea salt

Instructions

Choose to either bake or broil the grapefruit. Baking will take longer and soften all of the fruit. Broiling will be quicker and only heat the top of the grapefruit, leaving most of the fruit firmer.
To bake the grapefruit, preheat the oven to 400°F.
If you want to broil the grapefruit, pre-heat the oven broiler to high.
Slice a small section off the bottom of each grapefruit half so it will sit without rocking. Cut around the sections of the grapefruit halves to loosen the sections. Place the grapefruit halves on a baking sheet.
Top each grapefruit with a tablespoon of sugar then sprinkle some cinnamon on top.
To broil, place under the broiler for 6-8 minutes until the sugar melts.
To bake, place in the oven at 400°F for 15 to 18 minutes.
Sprinkle flaked sea salt over the top of each grapefruit half and serve warm or cold.

Notes

You can replace brown sugar with white sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
Salt enhances the sweetness and balances any bitterness of the fruit. We used Maldon salt flakes as a finishing salt. The large salt flakes also add a crunchy texture.