While pumpkin gets all the attention in sweet dishes, butternut squash is actually better in many baked goods. It’s naturally sweeter and creamier and adds a moist richness to this delightful bread. Butternut squash bread hits all the right notes for a breakfast loaf—moist but tender, sweet but not too sweet. It has just the right amount of spice, enough to celebrate the season without overpowering the squash. Equal parts oil and butter ensure a flavorful loaf that will stay moist for days. And with a crispy and nutty streusel top, it’s pretty enough for a bakery shop window. It’s a low key, low stress weekend project or weeknight bake (especially since it tastes even better the next day). Paired with tea or coffee, there’s nothing better on a chilly morning.
How to Make Butternut Squash Purée
I like to roast butternut squash when making purée for a few reasons. It’s easy and largely hands-off, results in the best flavor, and gives a nice texture to the finished bread. You could boil or microwave cubed squash instead, but these methods often introduce unwanted moisture into the purée and can make the bread gummy. Luckily, you can roast the squash up to two days ahead of time. Cool and tightly wrap the halves in plastic wrap. Or go ahead and make the purée and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
How to Use Leftover Butternut Squash Purée
This recipe calls for roasting a whole butternut squash. However, you won’t end up using all of it. It’s easy to double the recipe if you’d like to make two loaves and use most of the roasted squash. Otherwise, there are plenty of delicious ways to utilize the leftovers:
Make a savory butternut squash and parmesan sauce for pasta. Make a creamy butternut squash soup. Mix it with cheese and stuff ravioli or pasta shells. Create a creamy filling for enchiladas. Add color and flavor to a fall lasagna.
Leftover butternut squash purée also freezes well for up to three months, so you can save the excess to make bread another day.
Can You Use Canned Purée
While the recipe calls for roasting the squash, you can use canned butternut squash purée. Canned pumpkin will also work in a pinch, although I think the flavor, texture, and color of butternut squash is superior in this bread.
Recipe Variations
This recipe is easy to adapt to your own personal tastes. Here are some ideas to get you started:
No Nuts: If you have a pecan allergy or simply don’t care for them, leave them out. The streusel top without the pecans will still add a crispy element.Extra Nuts: If you’re on the other end of the spectrum and love nuts, you can add more chopped pecans to the batter (up to 1/2 cup). Fold them in at the end. Walnuts also work well in the topping and the batter.No Topping: For a less sweet, more traditional loaf, leave off the streusel topping. I recommend adding another 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and, if you’d like a bit of texture, add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts to the batter.Chocolate Chips: For an extra decadent bread, fold in up to 1/2 cup of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.Non-Dairy: To make this bread dairy-free, swap the butter in the bread for equal amounts of oil, and swap the butter in the topping for non-dairy butter (or leave off the topping). I don’t recommend swapping out the oil in the batter with butter, because an all-butter bread loses its moisture quickly.
Storage Instructions
To keep the topping crisp, let the bread cool completely before wrapping it for storage. It will stay moist for about four days at room temperature. You can also freeze it, but the topping gets a bit soggy once defrosted. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a zip top freezer bag, squeezing out all the air. Freeze it for up to two months. Defrost it in the fridge before serving.
More Quick-Bread Recipes to Try
Guinness Bread with Molasses Cranberry Orange Nut Bread Easy Zucchini Bread Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
1 medium (about 2 1/2 pound) butternut squash 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
For the topping
1/3 cup (70g) light brown sugar, packed 1/3 cup (46g) all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 pinch salt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/3 cup (42g) chopped pecans
For the bread
Nonstick cooking spray for the loaf pan 1/2 cup (100g) sugar 1/2 cup (105g) light brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons water 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups (210g) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds out using a large spoon. Rub both halves with the oil and place them cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast the squash until you can easily pierce the thickest part with a sharp knife, 40 to 50 minutes. Carefully flip over the squash and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Leave the oven on. Return the 1 cup of squash to the food processor for the bread. Set this aside while you make the streusel. Bake it until well-risen and the streusel has browned, about 1 hour. A cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center all the way to the bottom should emerge clean without any liquid batter. A few crumbs are okay.
