Q: How many calories are in half an acorn squash?

A: Half of an average acorn squash on its own is about 84 calories. Once you add butter and brown sugar the way our family always has, it comes to about 220 calories.

Q: How long do you bake acorn squash, and at what temperature?

A: Most acorn squash recipes bake at 400 degrees, cut side up, for about 30 to 50 minutes, until a fork slides easily into the flesh.

Q: How do you cut acorn squash without it sliding around?

A: Set the squash on a towel on the counter, hold it steady with a pot holder, and cut straight through with a sharp knife. If the blade gets stuck, set the squash down on a towel on the floor, knife still in it, and press down to finish the cut.

Q: Can you microwave acorn squash before cutting it?

A: Yes. Pop the whole squash in the microwave for about a minute first. It softens the skin just enough to make cutting through it much easier.

Q: How do you keep acorn squash halves from tipping over in the pan?

A: Choose a baking pan that holds the halves snugly so they cannot roll. That keeps all that buttery, sugary goodness right where it belongs instead of spilling into the pan.

Baked Acorn Squash with Butter and Brown Sugar

Ingredients

Scale

2 acorn squash
4 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
spray oil to coat the pan

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F
With a sharp knife and each acorn squash stable on a towel on the counter, cut each squash in half. (see notes)
Scoop out the seeds from each half of each acorn squash.
Spray a baking pan with spray oil and set each half in the pan.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to each of the 4 halves.
Bake the acorn squash uncovered for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until, when you insert a fork, it is tender.

Notes

Be very careful cutting the squash in half. I like to set the squash on a towel on the counter after I removed the stem with the tip of the knife. I then put a pot holder in my hand that is not holding the knife and cut through the squash. If your knife gets stuck you can take the squash with the knife in it and bang it on the floor. Just put the towel on the floor and use gravity to cut through the squash.
You can also put the squash in the microwave for one minute to try to soften the skin before cutting.

Author: Crafting a Family Dinner
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/2 of an acorn squash
Calories: 220
Sugar: 8.7 g
Sodium: 10.4 mg
Fat: 11.7 g
Carbohydrates: 30.7 g
Fiber: 3.2 g
Protein: 1.8 g
Cholesterol: 30.5 mg