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Looking for a kid-friendly way to serve squash? This Cinnamon Roast Butternut Squash is sweet, cozy, and packed with fall flavor! Roasted with maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon, it’s a simple, nutritious side dish that both kids and adults will love.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Sweet and flavorful: Maple syrup and cinnamon bring out the natural sweetness of butternut squash, making every bite of this easy butternut squash recipe taste like fall. It’s just as cozy as my Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup & Lime.
- Nutritious: Packed with vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, this easy roasted squash is as healthy as it is delicious. Try it with these Cast Iron Brussels Sprouts for a veggie-loaded meal!
- Versatile: A perfect side dish for everything from Perfect Roast Chicken to Air Fryer Salmon!
- Kid-approved: The sweet, cinnamon-spiced flavor wins over even picky eaters! If your kids love this, try my Sweet and Sour Roasted Squash next.
The Ingredients
- Butternut Squash: Any squash will work for this recipe! Feel free to try acorn, curry, delicata, honeynut or even kabocha squash! More on different squash varieties below!
- Oil: Any oil will work, just make sure it has a pretty high smoke point. Olive oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil are great.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon actually has a lot of benefits, so adding it to this recipe makes it even better!
- Maple Syrup: I opt for 100% maple syrup which you can find pretty easily as most grocery stores.
How to Make Cinnamon Roast Butternut Squash
- Prep the Squash: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the squash on a baking sheet, drizzle or spray with oil and toss to coat well.
- Bake: Bake for 40 minutes or until fork-tender. Keep an eye on them, as every oven cooks differently! Remove from oven, sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with the maple syrup. Toss to coat, return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes.
How to Get Kids to Eat Butternut Squash
If your kids turn up their noses at squash, let them help in the kitchen! I discovered this trick when my little ones went from loving butternut squash purée as babies to refusing it as toddlers. One night, I let them toss the squash with a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon, and suddenly, the kitchen smelled like fall. They couldn’t resist! Sometimes letting kids take charge (and adding a touch of sweetness) is all it takes to turn a “no thanks” into “more please.”
How to Cook Winter Squash: Skin or No Skin?
Wondering which winter squash have edible skin or if you need to peel them before cooking? You’re not alone! Here’s a quick guide to some of the most popular types of winter squash:
- Butternut Squash: Think sweet and nutty goodness with a smooth, orangey inside. I recommend to peel this one as the skin is quite thick and as a tough bite.
- Acorn Squash: It’s got this cute little acorn shape and a slightly nutty taste. I don’t peel acorn squash, but you can if you want.
- Kabocha Squash: A Japanese pumpkin look-alike with a sweet, fluffy inside that’s like sweet potatoes. Don’t peel the skin on this one. The skin becomes super tender when you cook it.
- Delicata Squash: This one’s known for its edible skin and sweet flavor, with a smooth and creamy texture. Don’t peel and just roast it up for hassle-free cooking.
- Honeynut Squash: It’s like a mini butternut squash, packing a sweet punch. You can roast it whole or in halves and you don’t peel the skin unless you want to.
- Curry Squash: There are different types, but generally, they’re sweet and nutty with a smooth texture. Don’t peel this one either. The skin is tender after it’s cooked!
FAQs
Yes, it’s best to peel the squash before roasting since the skin can be tough. If you’re short on time, you can buy pre-cut peeled cubes from the store for an easy shortcut.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat them in the oven or toss them into salads, grain bowls, or soups.
More Winter Squash Recipes
And that’s it! An easy, kid-friendly winter squash recipe that’s as nutritious as it is delicious. Cinnamon Roast Butternut Squash is a perfect way to introduce the little ones to the wonders of winter squash, all while making mealtime fun and enjoyable for the whole family. Let me know what you think — leave a comment and rating below!
Cinnamon Roast Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 2 cups peeled and chopped butternut squash* (about 1 small squash)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Place the squash on a baking sheet, drizzle or spray with oil and toss to coat well.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until fork-tender. Keep an eye on them, as every oven cooks differently! Remove from oven, sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with the maple syrup. Toss to coat, return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes.
Notes
- Butternut Squash: Think sweet and nutty goodness with a smooth, orangey inside. I recommend to peel this one as the skin is quite thick and as a tough bite.
- Acorn Squash: It’s got this cute little acorn shape and a slightly nutty taste. I don’t peel acorn squash, but you can if you want.
- Kabocha Squash: A Japanese pumpkin look-alike with a sweet, fluffy inside that’s like sweet potatoes. Don’t peel the skin on this one. The skin becomes super tender when you cook it.
- Delicata Squash: This one’s known for its edible skin and sweet flavor, with a smooth and creamy texture. Don’t peel and just roast it up for hassle-free cooking.
- Honeynut Squash: It’s like a mini butternut squash, packing a sweet punch. You can roast it whole or in halves and you don’t peel the skin unless you want to.
- Curry Squash: There are different types, but generally, they’re sweet and nutty with a smooth texture. Don’t peel this one either. The skin is tender after it’s cooked!
Nutrition
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Yes!
Will olive oil work for this?
So my 14-month old, totally picky eater LOVES this!! I’m so happy — its actually helped him eat other things.
Questions — can this squash be frozen after roasting?
Would this work with sweet potatoes?
Thanks!!!!
I use the same as I use for pancakes! I buy pure maple syrup from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and sometimes the Farmers Market when they have it!
What kind of maple syrup do you use? Is it different than what you would buy for pancakes?
Seriously, so incredibly delicious!!!!!!!! It’s almost like eating dessert!! Love this and making or Thanksgiving!!!
I’ve been making something similar for my daughter with all the lovely squash at the grocery store and farmers market. It’s amazing to me that she did the same thing. She loved the puree with cinnamon and now, at 11 months she didn’t like the small cubes of it I was giving her. The teeniest bit of maple syrup and roasting turned her around!
this looks delicious! i might have to make some and puree it for my 9 month old 🙂
Catherine – I really am glad you said that your kids don’t eat everything. Sometimes I have watched your videos and thought that you have to be bribing Kenya and Chloe! I feel like I have tried so many of these techniques (keep presenting the food, let them help make it, give them something new as well as something familiar) and really have very little success getting my son to eat ANYTHING. Its not just that he only wants chicken nuggets or mac n cheese, even if I give him those he will only eat a bite or two (sigh).
Anyway, thanks for letting us know there are sometimes food battles at your house too. That gives me new resolve!
You should try this recipe.
He said you marinate it in
2 parts olive oil
1 part honey
1 part red wine vinegar
I usually use about a tablespoon as my measure so 2 tbsp oil; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp vinegar Marinate it for about 30 minutes or so. I grill mine.
I now roast my butternut squash too and love it! It really brings out the flavors. I love the addition of maple syrup to this!
What fun! And it answers my prayers for a good autumn breakfast vegetable for my 2 year old. I’ll try putting it out alongside pancakes or french toast fingers. Thank you. <3
I just made butternut squash last night and my 17 month old refused to eat it. I too am a huge lover of squash so, I was a little surprised he didn’t want to try it. I have leftovers so I may be cubing it up and adding cinnamon and syrup and seeing if that gets him to at least try it! Thanks for the recipes!
This recipe sounds delicious and I’m looking forward to trying it!
The scenario you described plays out almost daily in our house, and most times my 5-yr old son decides not to try some portion of our meal. But every once in a while we get a small victory and my son discovers he actually likes something he thought he didn’t, so there’s always hope!
Yes, this will work with any squash!
I’m assuming this can be done with any kind of squash? My son devoures about 1/2 a squash a day, so I am always looking for new ways to prepare it!