Grandma’s Easy Candied Acorn Squash Rings
When the autumn air starts to crisp up and holiday planning begins, there is one side dish that always steals the show on Grandma’s holiday table: Candied Acorn Squash Rings. If you’ve never tried slicing acorn squash into rings before, it completely transforms the vegetable!
Grandma loved this method because cutting them into rings creates beautiful, scalloped flower shapes on the plate that look incredibly festive. Baked in a sweet, buttery glaze of brown sugar and warm spices until completely tender and caramelized, this dish tastes more like a decadent treat than a vegetable. It’s a vintage holiday staple that will make a squash lover out of absolutely anyone.
Why You’ll Love These Candied Squash Rings
This simple, sweet-and-savory side dish brings effortless old-school charm to your dinner table.
- Beautiful Presentation: Slicing the squash crosswise creates stunning, natural scalloped “flower” rings that look beautiful on a serving platter.
- Built-In Portion Control: The pre-sliced rings make it incredibly easy for guests to serve themselves during a big holiday family buffet.
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Glaze: The combination of melted butter, sweet brown sugar, and cinnamon creates a rich syrup that caramelizes beautifully in the oven.
- Simple Holiday Prep: Requires only a handful of basic ingredients and takes very little hands-on effort to get into the oven.
Grandma’s Tips for Perfect Candied Acorn Squash
Acorn squash can be a bit tough to handle, but Grandma’s old-school preparation tricks make it a breeze:
- Soften the Squash First: Acorn squash can be notoriously hard to cut through when raw. Grandma’s secret shortcut? Microwave the whole squash for 1 to 2 minutes before slicing. This softens the outer skin just enough to let your knife slide through safely and easily.
- Leave the Skin On: Do not try to peel the squash! The green skin is entirely edible when roasted, and more importantly, it holds the ring structure together so your “flower” shapes don’t collapse into mush while baking.
- Clean the Seeds Cleanly: Slice the squash into rings first, then use a spoon or a round cookie cutter to easily scoop the seeds out of the center of each individual ring.
- Baste with the Glaze: Halfway through the baking process, use a spoon to scoop up the melted butter and brown sugar from the bottom of the pan and pour it back over the top of the squash rings. This ensures every single bite is deeply infused with candied flavor.
Grandma’s Easy Candied Acorn Squash Rings
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 large spoon
- 1 shallow baking pan
- aluminum foil
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn squash
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Remove and throw away the seeds.
- Cut each half crosswise into ½ inch slices. Discard the ends.
- Arrange the squash in a shallow baking pan and cover with foil. Bake until it is just tender about 25 minutes.
- In a bowl combine the butter and sugar. Spread this mixture over the squash.
- Bake the squash uncovered for about 15 to 20 minutes longer, making sure to baste it occasionally.
Nutrition
Share Your Table!
Did you whip these up for Thanksgiving dinner, or are they a cozy Sunday side dish for your family? I would love to hear how they turned out!
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