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Apple & Cinnamon Squash Boats Recipe

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Apple & Cinnamon Squash Boats Recipe 2.2

Do you have certain recipes that are only made during the fall and winter? For us, this is about the only time I cook acorn squash. It usually isn’t something that is planned either, my husband will usually make the request when it starts getting a bit chillier outside while grocery shopping, leading to me coming home with two beautiful acorn squash and a small bag of granny smith apples. Really, it is one of the cheapest (and yummy) fall recipes made in our household!

Recently, my husband decided to make my traditional recipe while I was sick as a surprise. As always happens, we were out of about half the stuff we needed, so he started to improvise. While this can sometime lead to some…frightening creations, this time it turned into a recipe that may very well be better than my original acorn squash boat recipe! Since the recipe was so amazing, I couldn’t wait to share it with you guys! I am pretty certain you are going to love it just as much as us!

 

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Apple & Cinnamon Squash Boats Recipe

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4.6 from 85 reviews

A simple, easy to make acorn squash recipe that is a mix between dinner and dessert, with cinnamon and lime baked apples baked in the center of the squash. A new family favorite recipe!

  • Author: Susan Bewley
  • Category: dinner
  • Cuisine: vegetarian

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2–3 Granny Smith Apples (diced or cubed)
  • 2 Acorn Squash
  • 4 TBSP of melted butter
  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 TBSP Lime Juice
  • 2 TBSP Water
  • 2 Tsp Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. ) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is preheating, with a very sharp knife cut the acorn squash in half longwise and clean out the center strings and seeds.
  2. ) Place the acorn squash face down on a pan or baking dish with a half-inch (or higher) lip or ledge. Fill the pan with one-quarter to one-half inch of water – this seals the squash, preventing them from drying out while the inside is cooking.
  3. ) Carefully place the pan in the oven, where you will be baking the acorn squash for 20 minutes.
  4. ) While the squash is baking, mix the melted butter and apples, making sure they are covered thoroughly with butter.
  5. ) Mix the brown sugar, lime juice, water, and cinnamon in with the apples. Make sure everything is coated evenly.
  6. ) Remove the baked acorn squash from the oven and very carefully flip the acorn squash so that the centers are facing up. Do not dump the water.
  7. ) Fill the center of each of the squash halves with the apple mixture. Once filled, very carefully move the pan back to the oven and cook for another 20 minutes.
  8. ) Once finished, let cool for 5 – 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

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Disclosure: Budget Earth did not receive monetary compensation or product for this recipe. All opinions are our own and may differ from our readers’ opinions.

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About 

Susan Bewley is a professional writer who has been writing content online & in print format for over 10 years. As well, she is an alumni of the University of Louisville with a Masters Degree in Special Education. When not working as an online business consultant or ghost writing, she can be found writing on Budget Earth, on her own novel, or working with various entities in the pet industry.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. This sounds yummy! Although I’ve NEVER thought of combining squash with apples and cinnamon, but those are two of my many favorite foods & my MOST favorite spice! I’ll have to come back and let you know how it turns out once I make it

  2. That sounds delicious. I love squash but there are only so many ways to prepare it. I’m going to try this recipe this week.

  3. Believe it or not, I have actually never tried acorn squash! This recipe sounds (and looks) so delicious – I’m going to try it right away!

  11. looks and sounds good for those who like the sweet squash vrsiom. the apples would add a nice variation.

  14. I remember my Grandma making this often but not like this recipe. Think she just used butter but this sounds great

  15. We eat butternut squash all through the winter, but never tried acorn squash because i never knew what to do with it lol ty so much for sharing this! i KNOW my family will love it!

  17. What an interesting combination. i’m not too sure about what to say about this one until I try it

    sibabe64 at ptd dot net

  18. What a unique recipe! I love it. The presentation is perfect. They almost look to nice to eat!I’d like to try and make these for Thanksgiving.

  19. I am not sure about this receipe. I love squash and I love apples and cinnamon but I don’t know about putting them together! I will have to give it a try and see!

  22. This sounds delicious. I have got to try it. I bake my acorn squash with apples and cranberry sauce but not all of my children like cranberry sauce so your recipe may something that they will like. Thank you!

  23. What a great fall dish! My family loves squash and we have an abundance of apples since we went apple picking last month

  24. This sounds incredible! I am always looking for new recipes for squash. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

  26. I think that combining apples with squash is a good recipe and cinnamon just makes it better.

  30. Yum! I Just picked up a couple acorn squashes at the store yesterday, I want to give this one a try!

  31. These look and sound delicious! And easy to make, too. I great, healthy dinner side.

  32. Brown sugar and cinnamon really make this recipe I bet. So good for you too and crunchy with the apples.

  33. This Apple Cinnamon Squash Boat recipe looks & sounds delicious! Planning on making it real soon…I bet it will help make my husband a squash lover =)

  35. This looks and sounds delicious! I love the flavor combinations and look forward to trying this. Such perfect fall food! Thanks for sharing!

  38. What an interesting mix. I can’t recall having squash before, but I love trying new vegetables, so I may try this recipe out. Sounds like a really good one for fall! Thank you.

  41. This sounds soo delicious! I am going to try this out asap, thanks for sharing the recipe, cheers!

  45. That looks really yummy! We make acorn squash about once a year, usually around fall like y’all. I’ve never done it with apples, usually just Maple syrup and lots of butter.

  46. Looks yummy! My husband and I love squash. I’ll be trying this next time I go to the farmers market.

  48. This sounds awesome! I volunteered at an urban farm last year and took home my first ever acorn squash and had no idea what to do with it. Sure wish I’d seen this recipe then!

  49. Cool, that your hubby came up with the original idea for this and that he went ahead and cooked, it, wonderful man. I think that this sounds great, my hubby is not into squash, but we may try this for Thanksgiving when my married sons and granddaughters come, they would love it, Printed and ready and waiting. Meanwhile can we borrow your hubby I have a bad headache and don’t feel like cooking…LOL

  50. I love squash because it has such a mild flavor and pairs well with different spices and foods. I haven’t tried acorn squash yet.

  51. My kids are not great squash lovers, but I bet I could get them to try this due to the apples. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

  52. I like your husband’s recipe and I have never tried using lime juice instead of lemon juice.

  53. I think the one ingredient that i had to read twice lol was lime juice! never used that before when using apples and can’t wait to see what flavor it gives them!

  58. First of all how sweet of ur hubby and I sure can relate to being out of items needed so I do a little of adding this & that to. Everything sounds great as I read and look at it but I’m not a major fan of squash but it is something easy to try. Thanks for sharing

  62. I’ve never had acorn squash, but this and looks like a great recipe full of the flavors of Fall!

  64. I wonder if you can do this recipe in a crock pot? The weather has cooled down so I can use the oven now without overheating the whole house.

  66. What a great fall dish. Apples and squash are a nice pairing. I make a side dish for Thanksgiving every year with sliced squash and apples that everyone loves.

  69. I greatly appreciate the tip about the water sealing the squash so that it does not dry out.

  70. My husband has been asking me to make squash for awhile now. I want to make this for Thanksgiving but I’m thinking I should do a trial run first. Maybe this weekend. Looks so good!

  72. I just got a couple of acron squash the other day I might give your way a go siince everyone else likes them sweet. They do look good.

  73. I’m going this weekend to get the squash and apples so that I could make this recipe. It sounds so good!!

  75. I tried thses this evvening and they were really quite good and werent nearly as sweet as I thought they would be. They turned out nicely.

  76. I’m not a real big fan of Granny Smith Apples and like to use a mixture so I’ll try the ones on sale this weekend. Apples are apples to me.

  81. The recipe looks and sounds good and definitely good for you. Will try this sometime. Thanks.

  84. This looks and sounds delicious! My husband doesn’t like squash though so I would have to blindfold him to get him to try it!

  88. This recipe came at a perfect time for me. I just got a box full of squash and was trying to figure out different recipes I could do to utilize them so they won’t go bad. This is one I’ve got to try. Thanks for posting. I’ve pinned it for later.

  91. LOL I have been reading other people comments as well to get some tricks nd believe it or not I didn’t even know there were different kinds of squash. i saved your recipe on that site which by the way is so awesome because trying to go bk thru book never worked for me.My daughter in law likes to cook different things and when i told her about this she assured me that on her next visit she could make this and that i would love it.

  92. With all the carrots I’ve been eating and now with this squash, I’ll definitely be getting my vitamin A for a while. So nutrition and easy to make too.

  96. I was thinking that to change this completely to a dessert all I would have to do is take some of the brown sugar out of the inside and mix it with butter and flour to make a crumb topping.

  98. I love reading and trying new recipes. Especially something that’s healthy. I am a junk food lover.

  99. This squash recipe sounds awesome. We always had winter squash as a child. My Mom had many delicious recipes for all kinds of squash.

  100. This looks so good. I love squash and this recipe is another way I can cook it. Can’t wit to try it

  101. wow thisis quite the interesting combination I am not sure I would have ever come up with this combo

  103. I have never tried this type of squash. I pass them by because I don’t know how to pick them. Lol. Have to google it because I keep seeing this recipe and want to try it.

  109. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. I always see these in the store and wanted recipes to make with them.

  110. I like eating squash of any type, and this recipe sounds very good to me. I am going to make this for my daughter and myself to eat-

  115. The brown sugar really gives this dish a nice flavor.And, it’s healthy. Even kids will like it.

  117. I have always been a person to give all foods a try and not just decided for no reason that i did not like something. WELL i did that with squash, and FINALLY this year i have decided to give it a try AND i am so sad that i did not do so earlier! Love it and i have been looking for recipes now! Thank you for sharing

  128. I think I would scoop out the squash for the kiddos. The younger ones might have a real hard time eating it and it might end up flying (or sailing since it’s a boat!) across the room, lol.

  131. I wonder if this recipe would work with other types of squash too. I think this might be a bit more firm than yellow squash.

  134. I am on a squash kick- something else that would bbe good with the apples is add some bacon and eliminate the cinnamon. Bacon makes everything better 🙂

  139. Great timing for this recipe. The grocery ads have apples on sale and fall veggies are soon to follow I’m sure.

  140. Oh yum! Looks delicious!! I love squash especially in the winter. It’s healthy, delicious and you can do so much with it. Thanks for sharing!

  141. Great recipe. I like to serve different types of squash to my family. The spaghetti squash is delicious too.

  146. I like that the recipe does not make a lot. My family are picky eaters and are very hesitant to try anything new. Lol.

  149. Have to be honest, this would probably be the last recipe I would try. If it had been Apple & Cinnamon anything else I would be on board. Just no one in my home that likes squash & I dont think I could trick my boys into it. But I do know people that like squash & I will be happy to share this recipe w/ them. They will probably love.. Thanks for sharing!!!

  155. I love fall foods. Everything about fall (except that it leads to winter) is wonderful. This looks so delicious. I still haven’t had the chance to make it yet but I will!

  157. I think this was an awesome recipe. I added a little bit of nutmeg but other than that I went right by this recipe. It is one I will definitely make again.

  160. I think my family tinks I have an acorn squash addiction now- these turmed out great and are so very versitile!

  161. Shucks my daughter in law had planned to come down and make these but her work schedule wouldn’t allow it this weekend so hopefully soon. Even though my hubby would never eat any of the main ingredients he does and continues to stay true to Granny Smith apples so we will save him some of those lol

  163. They had the long zucchini squash on sale today and I was tempted to make “long” boats, but I’ll save that recipe for later.

    • Hi Dana,

      Yes, making them is pretty much the same amount of effort whether you’re opening 1 squash or 5. The limiting factor is really how many will fit in the oven at once! You’d just have to adjust the recipe, since the ingredient list should comfortably fill two squash (so four halves).

      Happy cooking!

  169. It’s getting cold here in Maine and I like serving warm comfort food on cold rainy days. We have lots of squash to use up so I think I’m going to make this again tonight. Thanks so so much for sharing this recipe.

  170. I made it for the first time yesterday and it was delicious/. It will be a repeat recipe for us.

  173. I’m having family over for dinner this weekend and I’m going to make this for them. I loved it.

  174. I am not much of a squash person myself but this recipe sounds like it would be really healthy.

  175. These would alo be good if you added say bacon or ham and they could be a complete meal. We love squash!

  176. I will be making this with my sister in law over the holidays since my son refuses to try it. He is 14. Lol.

  177. I don’t use butter but I would sub the butter with some healthy oil like coconut or a nice pistachio flavored olive oil I have.

  180. I have a lot of acorn squash from my garden this year, so I’m looking for new recipes. This looks yummy, thank you!

  183. I don’t really like squash but this looks like a great recipe to make for my little girl when she starts to eat big girl food 🙂

  186. I was wondering if you could use different kinds of squash? Does it have to be acorn squash?

  187. wow that looks good, I always wondered how you cooked squash. the only recipe i know is with eggplant

  189. I just got some brand new spices so I’m going to add to the cinnamon in this. I think nutmeg would taste great too, just a pinch though.

  190. I have made a variation of these 3 times siince seeing this post. I beed to get more squash!

  202. This looks delicious as well as much healthier than other dessert recipes. I love squash and cinnamon so I think this would fit the bill.

  204. This really is a terrific recipe. I bought more acorn squash and am going to try this also using butternut too.

  205. I have some yummy cranberries I’ll add to this recipe and it should brighten up the color, as well as make it tart and sweet.

  212. This looks lovely! Usually I only cut the acorn squash in half, put butter in the middles and bake.

  213. This is a great idea, and I really like the presentation. I’ve not combined the sweet with the squash for my family as of yet.

  220. I have always heard to never go grocery shopping while hungry well I think you may need to warn us all not to read your recipes while hungry lol. It’s after midnight right now and I would love to be eating this right now

  222. We’ve not tried it with cut apples before, used apple jelly and cinnamon. It works with butternut squash too. Makes the house smell wonderful

  223. I have some very small squash and lemon juice instead of lime juice but I’m ready to make and bake them up. Can’t wait.

  228. I was wondering if you could use any other kinds of fruit. Pear is what I had in mind. I’m not sure how that would taste, maybe even mixing one in to see?

    • Mixing them in seems like a good idea – they might have too subtle of a flavor on their own, but with the apples? I bet it would be very tasty indeed!

    • Hi Sarah! Thanks for the idea actually, that does sound wonderful! I’ll have to try it next time.

  230. I am always looking for something new and easy to bring to Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe I will try this one.

  232. Confession…I’ve never had squash in my life! It looks really good tho, and my daughter loved it as a baby. I definitely need to try it.

  233. This sounds like a really yummy recipe. I am going to keep it so I can give it a try during Thanksgiving holidays.

  235. So I am going back and forth with this recipe and I am thinking I bet it would taste great with pears, sweet potatoes and honey plus some of that Kashi cereal. LOL I didn’t mean to change your recipe I was just thinking and sometimes that’s dangerous 🙂

  236. The apples & cinnamon sound great, but I don’t know why, I cannot stand squash!! I have tried it a few times as an adult, but nothings changed from when I was a kid. I can’t even touch the stuff. I’m sure this is a great recipe – just not for me. SORRY!!

  241. I’m making this again this week! I shared this recipe with my Mom and they loved it too! 🙂

  243. Looks good. I am always looking for something new to serve on the side at Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks for the recipe.

  245. This looks and sounds delicious. I’m always looking for new recipes to try especially great ways to get my kids to eat their veggies.

  248. These look great! I’ve never mixed apple with squash but with the cinnamon it sure does sound delicious!

  250. This recipe is healthy and the perfect blend of flavors. It doesn’t get much better than this.

  252. Here I am again just thinking of ways to alter or come up with more recipes from your already flawless recipe. lol I don’t know why but the thought of eggs, sausage,potatoes and cheese stuffed in their also sounds yummy to me 🙂

  253. I made acorn squash this evening and pt bacon and maple syrup in them- pretty good- I would have tried the apple but didnt have any around.

  254. This recipe looks really good. I love cinnamon and apple but I don’t remember if I have ever has acorn squash before. This would probably work well with just about any squash too.

  255. Looks incredibly yummy! Definitely need to try this recipe out. I’m not usually big on squash but I think this might just make me change my ind on squash.

  257. I am not sure if I would like this or not. I never had acorn squash before so that is why I would be hesitant on this recipe.

  260. Yum! I’ve never had squash before, but this looks like a delicious and easy recipe to put together. I also love that it’s healthy and pretty low-calorie. I think even if I ended up not liking the squash, I would have no problem eating the cinnamon apples! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  261. I never thought to put these together but sounds really good. Sounds pretty healthy too.

  263. I was gifted 2 acorn squash and wasn’t sure how I would prepare them. Thanks for the yummy sounding recipe. I think I’ll give this a try.

  264. I would’ve never thought to combine squash with apples and cinnamon. It certainly sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing this.

  265. Definitely got to try this. I’m always looking for new recipes to add veggies to our meals and I think the family will like this one.

  266. My family loves acorn squash. This sounds like a great recipe for my gang. Thank you so much for sharing

  267. I really like acorn squash but can find very few recipes. This one looks very good. Thanks for the recipe.

  269. I love acorn squash and just purchased one from Aldi’s yesterday. I love how simple this recipe is…sounds great!

  271. I really enjoy squash. I have only tried savory recipes and this more sweet variety looks really fun and tasty

  272. My daughter and I would really like these Apple & Cinnamon Squash Boats. It is a unique and fun recipe to make!

  273. my son and his wife dont eat meat or dairy products,so this would be perfect for me to fix for them

  274. This is such a nice looking recipe. I would love to make this during the Summer.

  275. I’m going to pass this along to my son and his wife,they are vegans and I think they would love this

  276. This sure looks good. It has transformed to feeling like fall almost overnight! What a perfect way to celebrate the start of a new season.