Roasted Acorn Squash Bread

Oh how my family loves sweet, delicious quick breads.  This time of year I usually make pumpkin bread, but just about any sweet winter squash can be substituted.  Today I'm using pureed acorn squash, but think about using other tasty varieties like butternut, buttercup, cushaw, delicata, hubbard, kabocha, and so on. 

I like to freeze the roasted, pureed squash in 1-cup portions so I can bake a fresh loaf whenever the mood strikes.  Also, baked loaves freeze beautifully when wrapped well in plastic followed by heavy-duty foil, being sure to seal very well.  Thaw, wrapped, in the fridge overnight.

To begin, we'll need to roast some squash.  For the bread shown in the photo, I used acorn squash, but just about any sweet winter squash variety can be used.

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds (this tool works really well).  

We won't be needing the seeds today's recipe, but you can certainly roast them separately (like I did here).

Preheat the oven to 400F and place the squash cut side down on a half sheet pan.  Pierce the squash with the point of a sharp knife a few times so they don't explode in the oven.  

Roast uncovered for about 30 minutes until they look like this.  They'll be soft to the touch and the flesh will scoop out easily when they're cool enough to handle. 

They should be soft enough to give under pressure.  Don't be alarmed if the squash halves start to caramelize during the roasting process.  Extra flavor.  Cool and scoop the squash from the skins and puree it.  If I have a lot of squash to puree, I use my food processor (this is the one I have).  For a smaller amount, a hand-held immersion blender works well - I use this one).

Time to mix the dry ingredients for the bread.  Flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Whisk to combine.  Have you tried a flat whisk yet?  I have this one - changed my life. 

In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.  Pureed squash, applesauce, sugar, and eggs.

Whisk to combine.

Now pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix thoroughly.  I usually start out whisking, then switch to a silicone spatula. 

Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with Baker's Joy.... unless you want the corners of your bread to stick in the pan.  Another life changing product.  Just saying.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about an hour.  Remove from oven and rest for about 10-15 minutes before unmolding.  Cool completely on a rack before slicing with a serrated knife (my favorite brand).

Be sure to use a really good quality pan, like this one, for best results.  Your bread won't burn and your pan won't rust.  Commercial quality pays.  

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• professional loaf pan https://amzn.to/3Gy7ItC

• baker’s joy baking spray https://amzn.to/3B9i6qG

• flat whisk https://amzn.to/3GzHnv1

• ice cream scoop https://amzn.to/35U3JH9

• my favorite serrated knife https://amzn.to/3B36rJX

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Roasted Acorn Squash Bread

makes one 9x5-inch loaf

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup roasted acorn squash puree (see note below)

• 4 ounces applesauce

• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (or double if using dried)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F, coat a 9x5-inch metal loaf pan with baking spray, and place oven rack in lower center position.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the pureed squash, applesauce, sugar, and eggs; set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, and cinnamon.

4. Pour squash mixture into flour mixture and whisk until no dry lumps remain.

5. Spread batter evenly in prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center (and all the way down to the bottom of the pan) comes out clean.

6. Remove bread from oven and rest for 10- 15 minutes before unmolding.

7. Allow bread to cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Notes

• To roast squash, preheat oven to 400F. Cut squash in half, scoop out and remove seeds. Place halves, cut side down, on half sheet pan. Pierce skin with knife in several places. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the outer skin softens and gives under pressure. When cool enough to handle, scoop flesh from skins and use a food processor to puree (you can skip this step if your squash doesn't have a stringy texture).

• Freeze the roasted, pureed squash in 1-cup portions so you can bake a fresh loaf whenever the mood strikes.

• Baked loaves freeze beautifully when vacuum sealed or wrapped well in plastic followed by heavy-duty foil, being sure to seal very well. Thaw overnight in the fridge before unwrapping.

Maple Leaf Cookies

Here's a recipe for extremely delicious maple cookies that are very easy to make. Of course, they're perfect served in the fall, but honestly, you can't go wrong serving them any time of year.  If you love pure maple syrup, you must try these cookies.  You won't believe how good they are. 

Roll cookies to 1/4-inch thickness.  I like to use rolling guides to ensure all my cookies are the same thickness.  

I also like to roll my cookie dough between two layers of wax paper.  This eliminates the need to dust extra flour all over the counter and cookie dough.  It's a much less messy operation and the dough scraps can easily be rerolled. 

The cookie dough for this recipe is frozen for 15 minutes before cutting (don’t freeze longer or the dough will get too hard).  You can make any shape cutout, but I love this maple leaf cutter.  Press the cutter into the dough, then push the plunger to leave an impression of the design.  Work quickly because the dough will soften in a short time.

I love the way these look.  

Transfer the frozen cutouts to two silpat-lined half sheet pans.  If the cutouts soften before you've had a chance to transfer them to the pan, pop them back in the freezer to firm up.  Be sure to freeze the cutouts for at least 15 minutes before baking too.  That will help them retain their shape as they bake. 

Look how cute they turned out.  And just wait until you taste them - they're amazing.  Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

If you don't have a maple leaf cutter, feel free to use any shape you like.  I sometimes cut them with a 2 1/2-inch cutter from this round scalloped cutter set - they look very elegant stacked on a footed cake stand.  This recipe makes about thirty 2 1/2-inch round cookies.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• pure maple syrup https://amzn.to/3rcnFB6

• maple leaf plunge cutter https://amzn.to/3usHeHF

• rolling guides https://amzn.to/3objSlT

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/35CtsaU

• silpat liner https://amzn.to/3rfun9m

• double sided round cutter set https://amzn.to/3AI53Mo

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Maple Leaf Cookies

makes about 3 dozen cookies (2 1/2-inch)

Printable Recipes

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt; set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or BeaterBlade attachment, beat butter and both sugars together on medium speed for 3 minutes.

3. Reduce speed a little and add egg yolk and pure maple syrup; mix until combined.

4. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined.

5. Wrap cookie dough well in plastic and chill for a minimum of 2 hours (or up to several days).

6. Preheat oven to 325F and line 2 half sheet pans with Silpat liners.

7. Roll chilled cookie dough 1/4-inch thick between two layers of wax paper.

8. Freeze rolled cookie dough for exactly 15 minutes before cutting shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters; imprint design if using plunge cutters (don’t freeze longer than 15 minutes or the dough will be too hard to cut).

9. Transfer cutouts to prepared pans and return to freezer for another 15 minutes.

10. Bake one pan at a time in the center of the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the cookies just begin to turn golden around the edges. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

adapted from Martha Stewart