Maple-Roasted Acorn Squash (VIDEO)
Acorn Squash roasted with butter and maple syrup is so comforting in the cooler months. Seasoned with cinnamon, this has all of the cozy fall vibes. Watch the video tutorial and see our tips below for how to cut an acorn squash.
This is a sweet and savory side dish and it’s irresistibly good. Roasted Acorn Squash is simple enough for a weeknight with Roast Chicken and stunning on a holiday table alongside a Juicy Roast Turkey.
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We love all kinds of squash recipes from Spaghetti Squash to Butternut Squash and let’s not forget pumpkin recipes! If you are a fan of squash recipes, this Roasted Acorn Squash is a must-try!
Roasted Acorn Squash Recipe
If you’ve never tried Acorn Squash, this is a great one to start with – you will fall in love! I was pleasantly surprised at how much both of my kids loved it. I suppose it’s hard to resist the combination of maple syrup and butter.
Watch my daughter’s adorable reaction in the video below. I didn’t realize the camera was still rolling when she walked in for her taste test but her expression was priceless. You bet we will be making this on repeat!
Roasted Acorn Squash Video
Watch Natasha make this Maple-Roasted Acorn Squash. The flavor combination is memorable and you will love how easy it is. I hope you’re craving it by the end of the video.
What is an Acorn Squash?
Acorn squash has the shape of an acorn (hence the name) with grooves or ridge lines running from the tip to the stem. Similar to pumpkin, it has a tough skin that is difficult to cut through, so be sure to review our tips below before getting started. Most acorn squash is dark green on the outside but can vary in color from orange to yellow. Inside, they have pale yellow flesh.
Pro Tip: Pick a squash that feels heavy for its size and look for a squash with smooth skin without soft spots. Like with a watermelon, a green acorn squash should ideally have a deep orange spot where the squash was facing the ground indicating it was picked at the right time.
Ingredients
The ingredients here are super simple, refrigerator and pantry staples.
- Acorn Squash – use 1 squash to serve 2 people (see tips below on buying squash).
- Olive oil – use extra light olive oil for a milder flavor to brush the squash.
- Unsalted Butter – it may seem generous to add 1 Tbsp per squash half but once you cut into it, you’ll be glad you were generous. Butter definitely makes this better.
- Maple Syrup – use real maple syrup here and you will want more for serving.
- Cinnamon – ground cinnamon gives this lovely Fall flavor notes.
- Fine Sea Salt – add 1/2 teaspoon of salt before roasting and more to taste after if needed.
How to Cut an Acorn Squash
- Use a towel – Place the squash over a towel on a cutting board to give it more stability.
- Cut into the Side – Push the tip of your knife deep into the side of your squash then cut through to the tip.
- Stand the squash up – set the squash on the stem side and cut all the way through from the tip to the stem.
- Scrape the seeds – use a spoon to scoop and scrape out the seeds and strings from the center.
How to Roast an Acorn Squash
- Arrange the Squash cut-side-up on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet.
- Brush with oil – lightly brush inside the squash with olive oil.
- Add Toppings – Add a pat of butter to each squash, sprinkle with salt and cinnamon, and drizzle with maple syrup.
- Roast the squash at 400˚F in the center of the oven for 45-60 minutes depending on the size of the squash, until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a knife.
Pro Tip: To infuse flavor, after the squash has been roasting for 30 minutes, brush the cut side of the squash with the juices accumulated inside the squash.
Common Questions
You can roast and enjoy acorn squash seeds like we did with our Roasted Pumpkin Seeds and they do make a tasty snack.
Acorn squash has a mildly sweet, buttery and nutty flavor. It’s a little milder in taste than butternut squash.
Store acorn squash in a cool dry place around 50-55 degrees F for up to 3 months. A garage in the cooler months is a good choice. Avoid refrigerating unless you plan to enjoy it within 1-2 weeks since the quality will start to decline with long refrigeration.
This recipe can easily be scaled up or down, just use a baking sheet that fits all of the squash with a little space in between them.
How to Serve Acorn Squash
Once the Squash is out of the oven, drizzle on a little more maple syrup before serving to really amplify the natural sweetness of the squash. You can serve a roasted squash in several ways:
- Out of the Shell – score the flesh, being careful not to cut all the way through the skin then use a fork to scoop out the flesh, and enjoy
- Cut into wedges – cut the halves in half again or even into smaller slices, arrange on a platter and drizzle with maple syrup.
- Add to salad – add chunks of roasted acorn squash to a salad as we did in our Roasted Sweet Potato Salad.
Make-Ahead
- To Refrigerate: Let roasted squash cool to room temperature then cover and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or cover with foil and reheat in the oven at 400˚F until warmed through.
- Freezing: Acorn squash will lose some quality in texture when frozen, but roasted acorn squash can be frozen. Scoop out the flesh and set it in an airtight freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to 2 months. It would be a good option for making an acorn squash soup later.
I hope this Maple Roasted Acorn Squash becomes a new favorite Fall recipe for you! It’s as cozy and comforting as it looks and you will enjoy every bite.
More Roasted Vegetable Recipes
If you love the simplicity and ease of roasted vegetables, you are sure to find some new favorites in this list:
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Oven-Roasted Carrots
- Spaghetti Squash
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes
Maple-Roasted Acorn Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Acorn Squash, mine were 1 1/2 lbs each
- 2 tsp extra light olive oil
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
- Carefully cut squash in half from the tip through the stem (placing the squash over a towel will help prevent rolling). Start by inserting the knife deep into the side of the squash then cut through to the tip. Once you have cut through the tip, stand the squash up on the stem side and cut all the way through the stem. Scrape out the strings and seeds with a spoon. Place squash on a baking sheet cut-side-up.
- Brush the cut-sides of the acorn squash with olive oil. Add 1 Tablespoon of butter into each acorn squash half and drizzle each half with 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup. Sprinkle with salt and cinnamon.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes, depending on squash size, or until squash is tender when pierced with a knife. To infuse flavor, I like to brush the cut side of the acorn squash with the juices accumulated in the squash after 30 minutes.
- To serve, transfer squash to a platter, cut squash in half if desired, drizzle with more maple syrup and sprinkle with salt to taste.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Thank you, Natasha! It was super tasty! I had with a farmer cheese inside – yammm 🙂
Yummy indeed! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely amazing. A perfect blend of salty & savory. Pretty much tastes like dessert.
Thanks for the awesome feedback, Abbie!
NO maple syrup no problem sub a little brown sugar and honey. nutmeg and cinnamon work great. try about 2tsp of chopped cashews you can’t believe the added taste (per half}
This recipe is so good and so easy! My daughter who is 18 months old loved it and my sister’s 3 year old loved it! Great for recipe for everyone!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
D E L I C I O U S I have also baked Butternut squash using this same recipe. It is one of our favourite ways to serve squash. Thank you
Hi Maxine! That’s wonderful. So glad you enjoy this recipe.
This is an amazing fall recipe. I would have this as a Dessert. Turned out perfect.
Hello Esther, sounds good and happy to know that you liked this recipe. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try!
This is my new “go to” acorn squash recipe. Beyond delicious….. always looking for ways to use my husbands maple syrup that he works so hard on making in the spring. This is perfect! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
You’re welcome, Julia! Thank you for the wonderful review.
I have never fixed acorn squash before and when I saw this recipe I decided what better way than with Natasha’s! So, so glad I did because you now have us hooked on this squash. It turned out wonderful!! Thanks so much!
That’s wonderful, Connie! I’m so glad you gave this recipe a try. Thank you for sharing your experience.
This recipe works in the microwave as well. Instead of in the oven cover with plastic wrap and bake in microwave on high for 6 minutes. I do it this way always and it is delicious. Add more time if not cooked to your liking.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Bernice!
Hi Natasha
Never tried Acorn Squash
How do you know if it is ripe or not bad when you buy it
Thanks
Hi Fran, I did a quick Google search to find this answer: “A ripe Acorn Squash is heavy for its size and has smooth, dull skin, and no soft spots. A good mix between green and orange coloring is desired. Avoid an Acorn Squash that has shiny skin, which indicates it was picked before full maturity, unless the producer has applied wax.” I hope this helps!
What does everyone eat this with to balance out the sweetness? Thanks… can’t wait to try this.
Hi Lisa, it is very mildly sweet but we love it as a side dish with steak or chicken and a salad or asparagus or green beans. There are so many options. It’s really not overly sweet unless you pummel it with maple syrup afterwards.
Hi. Looks delicious! Can I substitute maple syrup with honey? Thanks!
Hi Eugenia, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Oh Wow! My mouth is watering at the thought! I’ll be making this! I have pumpkin, zucchini, and butternut squash also growing in my garden! I’ll be searching Nathan’s Kitchen dot com for more excellent recipes Yum! Thank you Natasha! 😋
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Steven!
The only time I like squash is…….never. From childhood to adulthood, I could never appreciate the taste and I abhorred the texture.
But since I have been a student of yours, I have not one complaint. You have made eating squash into an enjoyable part of cooking. The cinnamon neutralizes the bitterness and adds a wonderful flavor. I do have maple syrup, but I think it’s important to point out that 2 Tbsp of packed brown sugar sprinkled evenly is an acceptable alternative for those who rarely or ever use maple syrup.
Btw, I have a binder full of your recipes and I require a new, empty binder to make the recipes manageable.
Could you add some of your daughter’s favorite recipes? Perhaps in its own category on your website for kids. (named in your daughter’s honor would be cool!). Kids LOVE sweet & healthy recipes and I would be very interested in what she enjoys. It would help me to surprise me 12yo nieces with healthy and delicious meals and deserts. As always, thanks Natasha! Смачно!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me and for you suggestion, Andrew!
Do you ever prepare anything without salt? I am on a sodium free diet and I can eliminate salt from any recipe and quality wise it turns out fine even baked goods
Hi Ed, you can find my diet-friendly recipes at the top of my blog under the Recipes menu; see the diet categories. I hope this helps you!
I will be eating this all fall long!! That maple, cinnamon butter is amazing! I want to pour it over everything!!
It really is the best, Kristyn! Thank you for that great review!
This was absolutely delicious! We made it to go along with the chicken I made for dinner, and it was the perfect fit. Thank you!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Jessica!
Words can’t explain how amazing this is!! I am making it again tomorrow.
Thank you, Sharron! I’m so glad you loved it!