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Roasted with cinnamon, honey and a touch of spice, this cinnamon roasted butternut squash is the perfect holiday side dish, great for wowing those Thanksgiving guests, or impressing your co-workers at the company potluck.
The combination of sweet, savory and tart from the cranberries in this recipe is just absolutely delicious. The roasted butternut squash is tender and caramelized, with just a hint of sweet, brought out by a drizzle of honey and sugared cranberries.
This is droolworthy stuff guys. The kind of stuff that makes you want to curl up with a bowl in front of the fire and just shovel it down.
And if you're a fan of butternut squash, you have got to try this butternut squash curry, red pepper and butternut squash soup or this sous vide butternut squash!
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Why this cinnamon roasted butternut squash recipe works
- The edges of the squash cubes come out all caramelized and delicious due to the sugars in the squash and the honey we use.
- This is ultra easy to make, and can be made in advance which is perfect for busy weeknights or holiday meals!
- This baked butternut squash has the perfect warm, fall flavors making it perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.
- The ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper add a touch of sweet heat to the roasted squash.
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Ingredients to make this recipe
Full disclosure - butternut squash is a pain in the a** to cut up. If you can find pre-cut squash, you should totally buy it. If not, just make sure you use a very sharp knife to avoid cutting yourself.
Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used here. If using frozen, you'll want to make sure you thaw them and drain them well so to not have too much liquid in your squash.
The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Variations and substitutions
- Fresh butternut squash works best for this recipe. Frozen tend to be mushier when roasted.
- For more spice, add additional cayenne pepper. You can also omit the cayenne if you prefer no spice.
- Substitute pure maple syrup or brown sugar for the honey.
- Add fresh thyme, sage or rosemary to the squash while roasting it.
- Substitute olive oil for the avocado oil if desired. You can also use coconut oil, or any other type of cooking oil.
- You can make this recipe with sweet potato instead of butternut squash as well.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F degrees.
Step 2: Cut your butternut squash in cubes (1-2") if you didn't buy the pre-cut.
Step 3: Place the squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and drizzle the avocado oil, salt and pepper over the squash; toss to coat.
Step 4: Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until squash can be easily pierced with a fork and the edges are starting to brown and caramelize.
Step 5: Remove from oven and toss the squash with the honey, cinnamon, cranberries, and cayenne pepper in a bowl.
Step 6: Pour back on the baking sheet and place back in the oven for 10 minutes, being careful not to let it burn.
Serving options
- This is amazing with main courses like these sous vide pork chops, dutch oven roast chicken or chipotle glazed ham.
- It's amazing mixed in with pasta like this creamy pumpkin pasta or even on top of this pumpkin risotto.
- Garnish this winter squash with fresh chopped sage and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt - the salt really brings out the other flavors.
- Serve this at Thanksgiving dinner along with these oven roasted turkey thighs, sour cream mashed potatoes, and air fryer biscuits.
Expert tips to make roasted butternut squash
- The edges should be browned and caramelized (but not burned) when the squash is done cooking.
- Watch the squash at the end to ensure the honey doesn't burn (honey can burn quickly).
- Ensure the squash is spread in a single layer to allow it to cook evenly and caramelize.
- If not using pre-cut squash, use a very sharp knife to cut it to avoid injuring yourself.
Recipe faqs
You can cut the squash in advance and store it overnight until you're ready t use. You can also roast the squash in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-5 days.
Reheat in a 375°F oven for 5-10 minutes, or in a microwave in 30 second intervals until heated through.
Butternut squash is harvested in late summer and early fall, but it lasts a long time so can be used all year around.
The skin is edible, but it can have a slightly tough consistency so I do recommend peeling the squash before roasting it.
More simple butternut squash recipes
If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 pound butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ⅓ cup cranberries halved (fresh or frozen)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F degrees.
- First, cut your butternut squash in cubes (1-2") if you didn't buy the pre-cut.
- Place the squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and drizzle the avocado oil, salt and pepper over the squash; toss to coat.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until squash can be easily pierced with a fork and the edges are starting to brown and caramelized.
- Remove from oven and add the honey, cinnamon, cranberries, and cayenne pepper. It's easiest to mix these in a bowl.
- Pour back on the baking sheet and place back in the oven for 10, being careful not to let it burn.
Expert Tips:
- The edges should be browned and caramelized (but not burned) when the squash is done cooking.
- Watch the squash at the end to ensure the honey doesn't burn (honey can burn quickly).
- Ensure the squash is spread in a single layer to allow it to cook evenly and caramelize.
- If not using pre-cut squash, use a very sharp knife to cut it to avoid injuring yourself.
Nutrition
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Liz
I printed this recipe last year and came back to the site to share so I could share others. The recipe has changed! The version I have is made with coconut oil and is fabulous! I'm curious why it has change.
Danielle
Oh no! I honestly changed it because I didn't love the old recipe, I thought the cranberries were too overpowering. I'm glad you printed the old version so you still have it. I really think people will love this version too!
Liz
For me, I think the coconut oil creates such a great combination of flavors. I took it to a couple of dinner parties last year and it was a huge hit every time! Maybe I'll try making it with avocado oil (if I ever have some on hand) and see which I like better. If I do, I'll be sure to let you know the verdict!
Danielle
Please do!
Susie Creamcheese
Made this tonight and it was good. While I don't like things super sweet, the cranberries were way too tart for me. I couldn't eat them. I had to add some sugar to offset the bitterness and bake for a couple more minutes. Other than that, it was tasty as is!
Danielle
I'm glad you liked it! Cranberries can have a tendency to be tart - I can totally understand that! I'm thinking of re-working the recipe a bit to reduce the tartness of them!
Healthy World Cuisine
We would seriously love this on top of our oatmeal. I know weird, but we know you still love us. Thanks giving dinner is going to rock this year. Pinning!
Danielle
LOL I would have never thought to put it on oatmeal!
Kelly Anthony
This dish has me craving fall weather and all the hearty dishes like this one to go with it. Can't wait to make this for my family.
Danielle
Totally - fall here we come!
Julia
What a great side dish! The cape cod packaging looks great. I would definitely choose them in a supermarket.
Danielle
While fresh fruit is great, frozen is always super convenient!
Demeter
This recipe gets me so excited for all things fall! Looks delicious and so gorgeous in the bowl too!
Danielle
Right? I love summer but am super excited about all the fall foods 🙂
Claudia Lamascolo
this is a delicious way to butternut squash recipe making, I love the fact you roasted it this will be on my Thanksgiving Day table love the color too!
Danielle
Thanks Claudia - hope you enjoy it 🙂
Shashi at SavorySpin
You are spot on, butternut squash is a pain to cut - but thank goodness for the pre cut baggies! So love what you did with them here - a delicious pairing! So gonna bookmark this recipe!
Danielle
Right? I looooooooove precut veggies of all kinds!