Roasted Squash Brown Sugar Butter (Printable)

Tender squash halves finished with a sweet brown sugar butter glaze for a comforting side.

# Ingredient List:

→ Squash

01 - 2 medium acorn or butternut squash
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Brown Sugar Butter

05 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
07 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
03 - Brush cut sides with olive oil and season evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
04 - Place squash halves cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
05 - Roast squash for 35 to 40 minutes until the flesh is very tender when pierced with a fork.
06 - In a small bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mixing until smooth.
07 - Remove squash from oven and carefully turn halves cut-side up.
08 - Spoon the brown sugar butter mixture evenly over each squash half.
09 - Return to oven and roast for 5 to 7 minutes more until the butter is melted and bubbly.
10 - Serve hot, spooning any extra glaze over the squash.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like autumn dessert but counts as a vegetable, which feels like getting away with something.
  • Once the squash goes in the oven, you have almost forty minutes to breathe—it's impossible to mess up.
  • The brown sugar butter dissolves into the softest, most luxurious glaze that makes regular roasted vegetables feel fancy.
02 -
  • Don't skip the parchment paper—squash releases moisture as it roasts, and parchment saves you from a stuck, frustrated moment at the end.
  • The brown sugar butter must be at room temperature before you mix it, otherwise you'll be wrestling with cold, lumpy butter instead of making a silky glaze.
03 -
  • Make the brown sugar butter the night before and keep it in the fridge—it's ready to go and actually easier to portion onto the squash when it's cold.
  • If your squash halves are uneven and won't sit flat, trim a thin slice off the rounded side so they don't rock around in the oven.

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