This delicious acorn squash is baked with butter and brown sugar making it super soft with just the right amount of sweetness. Perfect as a side dish, or all on its own!
- 1 acorn squash
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- dash kosher salt
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Microwave the squash for a minute each to make them easier to cut. Then stabilize the squash on a cutting board as best you can, stem end down if the stem is short enough, otherwise on the side. Using a sharp, sturdy chef's knife, carefully cut the acorn squash in half, from tip to stem. If it's on the side, the squash can rock back and forth so be careful as you are cutting it.
3. use a sturdy metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy bits inside each half, until the inside is smooth.
4. Take a sharp paring knife and score insides of the squash halves in a cross-hatch pattern, about half an inch deep cuts.
5. Place the squash halves cut side up in a roasting pan. Pour 1/4 inch of water over the bottom of the pan so that the squash doesn't burn and get dried out in the oven.
6. Rub 1/2 tbsp butter into the insides of each half. sprinkle with a little salt if you are using unsalted butter. Crumble 1 tbsp brown sugar into the center of each half and drizzle with 1 tsp maple syrup.
7. Bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 mins, until the tops of the squash halves are nicely browned and the flesh is soft and cooked through. It's hard to overcook squash, it just gets better with more caramelization, don't undercook it.
8. When done, remove the squash halves from the oven. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas. let cool a bit before serving.
