
I love winter squash and this Butter Bourbon Acorn Squash recipe is rich and sweet. Use this recipe two ways: serve each person a squash bowl or scoop out the squash, including the remaining butter-bourbon liquid, and mash.
Setup
Give the outer skin a quick scrub and dry thoroughly.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
Method
Combine the brown sugar, butter, bourbon, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan or microwavable bowl and melt.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a soup spoon.
To steady the bowl, cut a small piece off the outside center rib or bottom of each squash. The shoulders of the squash on the top should balance the squash nicely.
Pierce each half with a fork or paring knife to create openings for the bourbon butter to soak into the squash, being careful not to pierce through the skin.
Pour 1/4 of the butter-bourbon liquid into each bowl and baste the inside and edges.
Place in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes, baste again and continue baking. Repeat 3 more times.
The squash is done when the the squash is easily pierced with a fork.
The outside skin of the acorn squash toughens during cooking; slide a sharp knife between the skin and pulp along the sides. Serve and let each dinner use a fork to stir the squash and sauce together.
Alternatively, pour the remaining liquid into a serving bowl, scrape the pulp out of each bowl, scrape all the pulp out and stir to combine. Use this method if you want to use as mashed acorn squash.
PrintButter Bourbon Acorn Squash

Use this recipe two ways: serve each person an individual squash bowl or scoop out the squash, including the remaining butter-bourbon liquid, and mash.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
Ingredients
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 acorn squash
Instructions
Give the outer skin a quick scrub and dry thoroughly.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.
Combine the brown sugar, butter, bourbon, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan or microwavable bowl and melt.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a soup spoon.
To steady the bowl, cut a small piece off the outside center rib or bottom of each squash. The shoulders of the squash on the top should balance the squash nicely.
Pierce each half with a fork or paring knife to create openings for the bourbon butter to soak into the squash, being careful not to pierce through the skin.
Pour 1/4 of the butter-bourbon liquid into each bowl and baste the inside and edges.
Place in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes, baste again and continue baking. Repeat 3 more times.
The squash is done when the the squash is easily pierced with a fork.
The outside skin of the acorn squash toughens during cooking; slide a sharp knife between the skin and pulp along the sides. Serve and let each dinner use a fork to stir the squash and sauce together.
Alternatively, pour the remaining liquid into a serving bowl, scrape the pulp out of each bowl, scrape all the pulp out and stir to combine. Use this method if you want to use as mashed acorn squash.
Keywords: squash, mashed squash, bourbon-spiked squash, vegetarian side dish
I don’t usually make acorn squash but this sounds delicious. Will have to give this recipe a try!
Eric loves it. Nice change from Butternut squash. Enjoy!