Nut & Caramel Dessert Kabobs

These dessert kabobs turn the grill into a pastry station. Pound cake cubes get the peanut-butter-and-peanut treatment for crunch, fresh stone fruit (nectarines and bananas) brings juicy sweetness, and a warm caramel baste ties everything together with a glossy, sticky finish.

The peanut butter on the cake isn’t just filler. It acts as edible glue that holds the chopped peanuts in place, and it melts slightly on the grill, creating a nutty caramelized crust on each cake cube.

Tossing the banana and nectarine chunks in lemon juice is an anti-browning move and adds a bright acid note that balances the sugar. Skip it and the bananas turn gray by the time you’re ready to skewer.

The grilling window is short. 4 to 7 minutes total, turning every minute or so. Longer and the cake burns, the fruit collapses, and the caramel turns into hardened candy stuck to the grill grates.

Pro Tips

• Use firm, just-ripe nectarines and bananas. Soft fruit turns to mush on skewers before it hits the grill.
• Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes in water before threading, or they’ll char and snap.
• Warm the caramel before brushing. Cold caramel doesn’t spread evenly and leaves thick bare patches.
• Grill over medium heat, not high. Sugar burns fast at high temperatures and the cake will blacken before the fruit warms through.

Variations

• Swap nectarines for peaches, pineapple chunks, or firm mango.
• Use cream cheese instead of peanut butter for a lighter, tangier coating.
• Drizzle with melted chocolate and a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a full sundae-bar finish.