This Squash and Maple Apple Spoon bread is a cozy, fall-inspired side dish made with puréed yellow squash, caramelized apples, maple syrup, and creamy cornmeal baked until soft and spoonable. It’s a perfect Thanksgiving side dish everyone will love!

The Unexpected Flavor Combo You’ll Want to Make All Season

At first glance, squash and apples might seem like an unusual pairing, but once they bake together the flavors turn into something incredibly cozy and nostalgic. The squash keeps the spoon bread tender and silky, the apples add little bursts of sweetness, and the sweet corn flavor paired with the maple rounds everything out with a subtle caramel note. It’s one of those spoonbread recipes you’ll want to make again and again

Helpful Tips

• Drain the squash well. Yellow squash holds a lot of water — pressing it through a sieve or colander keeps your spoonbread from turning soupy.
• Purée until completely smooth. A silky squash purée gives the spoonbread its custardy texture.
• Warm the squash before mixing. Adding warm purée helps the cornmeal mixture blend evenly and prevents clumping.
• Let the mixture cool slightly before adding eggs. Too much heat can scramble the eggs, so give it a minute to settle.
• Use fine cornmeal. Coarse cornmeal won’t soften enough and will make the texture gritty instead of soft and spoonable.
• Caramelize the apples until golden. The deeper color adds flavor and keeps them from disappearing into the batter.
• Don’t overbake. Spoonbread should be set around the edges but still soft and slightly jiggly in the center.
• Rest before serving. Letting it stand for 10 minutes helps the texture finish setting and deepens the flavors.

Ingredients 

How to Make Squash & Maple Apple Spoonbread

1. Cook the squash:
   Slice squash into rounds or half-moons (no need to peel). Steam for 8–10 minutes, until very tender. Drain well and let cool slightly.
   Transfer to a sieve or colander and press gently to remove excess water. Purée in a food processor or blender until completely smooth — you should have about 2 cups of squash purée.

2. Make the cornmeal base:
   In a medium saucepan, heat 4 tbsp butter over medium heat until warm then turn to low.and stir in cornmeal. It will look like a thick paste. Remove from heat and stir in salt, maple syrup, baking powder, and nutmeg.

3. Stir the warm squash purée into the cornmeal mixture until smooth and well combined. Let cool slightly before adding the eggs.
4. Caramelize the apples:
   In a small skillet, melt butter. Add diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring often, until golden and tender.
5. Combine and bake:
   Stir into the warm squash-cornmeal mixture. Gently fold in caramelized apple and sprinkle cinnamon over the top.
   Pour batter into a greased 9×9-inch baking dish or a 8-inch square pan
   Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, until golden and set in the center. Make sure it doesn’t over bake – you don’t want crispy edges.
   

Storing Leftover Squash & Apple Maple Spoonbread

• Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
• For best texture, let the dish cool completely before storing.

Freeze:

• Spoon bread freezes surprisingly well!
• Scoop into an airtight container or wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months.
• Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheat:

If the spoonbread seems dry after reheating, add a splash of cream or milk before warming. 

Oven (best texture): Warm at 300°F for 12–15 minutes or until heated through.

Microwave (quick): Heat individual portions for 30–45 seconds, adding more time as needed.

Squash & Maple Apple Spoon bread

Cozy, fall-inspired side dish made with puréed yellow squash, caramelized apples, maple syrup, and creamy cornmeal baked until soft and spoonable

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

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• 4 medium yellow squash yields 1 cups purée
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 cups half and half or heavy whipping cream
• 1.5 cups fine cornmeal
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 large eggs lightly beaten
• Caramelized apples:
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 medium apples peeled and diced
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• Pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Cook the squash:
• Slice squash into rounds or half-moons (no need to peel). Steam for 8–10 minutes, until very tender. Drain well and let cool slightly.
• Transfer to a sieve or colander and press gently to remove excess water. Purée until completely smooth — you should have about 1½ cups of squash purée.
• Make the cornmeal base:
• In a medium saucepan, heat 3 tbsp butter over medium-low until warm then turn to low, and stir in cornmeal. It will look like a thick paste. Remove from heat and stir in salt, maple syrup, baking powder, and nutmeg.
• Stir the warm squash purée into the cornmeal mixture until smooth and well combined. Let cool slightly before adding the eggs.
• Caramelize the apples:
• In a small skillet, melt butter. Add diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring often, until golden and tender.
• Combine and bake:
• Add eggs to the warm squash-cornmeal mixture. Gently fold in caramelized apple and sprinkle cinnamon over the top.
• Pour batter into a greased 9×9-inch baking dish
• Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, until golden and set in the center.

Keyword spoonbread recipes, squash and apple casserole, squash apple bake, squash dish

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