A sheet pan with roasted acorn squash.

The only thing I love more than roasted acorn squash is …

…stumbling upon Roberta’s at something called Madison Square Eats just minutes after emerging from Penn Station:
Roberta's at Madison Square Eats.

…eating beet-cured lox and cream cheese on Black Seed everything bagels followed by kouign amann from Dominique Ansel:
Black Seed Bagels and Kouign Amann.

…meeting a dear high school friend for dinner at a place called Ichabod’s that serves the most unbelievable squash dumplings with brown butter, sage, and truffle oil (not pictured), flowering kale caesar (not pictured), duck breast with dirty wild freekah (not pictured), Old Bay chips (pictured! addictive!) and …
Ichabod's menu & Old Bay chips.

…the most unbelievable ice cream sundae: homemade vanilla ice cream, salted caramel sauce, pretzel bits and roasted marshmallow! It’s the only dessert on the menu. I can’t stop thinking about it:
Ichabod's ice cream sunday.

There is never enough time in New York.

Three acorn squash on a table.

Three halved acorn squash on a table.

6 acorn squash halves, cut side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan.

A liquid measuring cup filled with maple butter.

Six acorn squash halves roasted with maple butter on a sheet pan.

Alas. I returned from NYC to find a few acorn squash on my counter and made a recipe I had been drooling over on the train ride home. I rarely season squash with anything more than olive oil, salt and pepper, but I do love the flavor of maple, and the recipe reminded me of a roasted parsnip recipe I became addicted to last winter. The parsnip recipe called for the addition of chilies, which would be nice here, too, but the maple-butter alone is delicious. It also encouraged some nice caramelization on the top surfaces.

A sheet pan with 6 acorn squash halves roasted with maple butter.

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Roasted acorn squash with maple butter on a sheet pan.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Butter

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5 from 2 reviews

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Description

Adapted from Dana Cowin’s Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen.

Notes: You can get away with using about a tablespoon of sauce in each squash half, which will leave you with plenty of sauce to repeat the recipe on the following evening. So, you could either halve the sauce recipe or make it as is and save some of it for a future evening or just go all out and use it all.

Ingredients

  • 3 acorn squash
  • extra-virgin olive oil, for rubbing the squash
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (see notes re halving this part of the recipe)
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional, I omit because of the little people in the house)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Using a heavy chef’s knife, carefully cut each squash lengthwise in half. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and the stringy interior and discard. Rub the squash halves with olive oil and place them cut side down on the prepared baking sheet.
  3. Place the squash in the oven and bake until nearly tender (test with paring knife), about 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the butter, maple syrup, coriander (if using), and salt.
  5. Remove the squash from the oven, turn them cut side up and pour the maple butter evenly into the cavities — I use about a tablespoon per cavity. Return the squash to the oven and bake until it is totally tender, the maple butter is absorbed and everything is slightly caramelized, about 20 minutes longer. Serve hot. Sprinkle additional sea salt on top if necessary.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Oven, Roast
  • Cuisine: American