Cinnamon Maple Butternut Squash Bread Recipe
This Cinnamon Maple Butternut Squash Bread is a cozy, moist quick bread infused with warm cinnamon and rich maple syrup flavors. The addition of mashed roasted butternut squash keeps the bread tender and soft while adding natural moisture and subtle sweetness without overpowering the taste. Perfect for fall and winter, it’s easy to prepare, stays fresh for days, and freezes beautifully for later enjoyment.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55–65 minutes
- Total Time: About 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices 1x
- Category: Quick Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120ml) pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup (70g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (340g) mashed roasted butternut squash, cooled
Optional
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with vegetable oil or use baking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the eggs, pure maple syrup, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and the cooled mashed roasted butternut squash until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Make the Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold the mixture with a rubber spatula just until no dry flour remains. If using, fold in the chopped pecans carefully to avoid overmixing.
- Fill the Pan: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan to ensure uniform baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before slicing into 10 equal pieces for clean, sturdy slices.
Notes
- Roast the butternut squash until very soft to ensure easy mashing and moisture.
- Cool the mashed squash before mixing to prevent cooking the eggs prematurely.
- Fold the batter gently to maintain a tender crumb and avoid toughness.
- Start checking the bread five minutes before the baking time ends as oven temperatures vary.
- Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to avoid crumbling.
- Optional: Substitute vegetable oil with melted butter for a richer flavor.
- You can replace pecans with walnuts or omit nuts altogether.
- For added flavor, try adding ½ teaspoon ground ginger or mixing in dried cranberries/raisins.
- Store wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerate up to 1 week, or freeze slices/loaf for up to 3 months.
Keywords: cinnamon, maple syrup, butternut squash, quick bread, fall recipe, moist bread, homemade bread
