Butternut squash is one of my all time favorite ingredients. From soups to pie and everything in between, I’m in love with this versatile and healthy gourd.
If you’re unconvinced of its merit, this gluten free apple butter butternut squash casserole will win you over. Sweet enough to convince the kids to try it, but not one of those melted marshmallow dishes that makes you wonder if it’s a side dish or a dessert.
If you’ve read a lot of my recipes, you know that I often use creative ingredient substitutions in my gluten free baking, either to reduce the fat and calories or to accommodate other dietary restrictions. Well, one of my new favorite secret ingredients does both of those things, and adds delicious flavor to recipes, as well: apple butter!
I’ve now used apple butter in everything from cakes to granola, and in preparation for Thanksgiving, I’ve now used it to make this amazingly yummy gluten free apple butter butternut squash casserole! I think you’ll find that it makes an already flavorful, creamy, feel-good autumn dish even better!
And if you make your own apple butter with my recipe, you’ll be rewarded with extra to slather on your homemade gluten free bread – bonus!
Gluten Free Apple Butter Butternut Squash Casserole
Butternut squash casserole might not be something you would think of as your favorite side dish, but it tastes like all the best parts of pumpkin pie and sweet potato casseroles rolled up into one! The perfect autumnal side dish!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (~ 2 lb.) butternut squash
- 1/3 cup unrefined coconut palm sugar OR brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple butter (make your own!)
- 3 eggs or substitute
- 1 cup sour cream, dairy or non-dairy
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ginger
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
topping ingredients:
- 4 Tbs. melted butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance®)
- 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
- 2 Tbs. gfJules All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans OR favorite gluten free granola
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Peel butternut squash and cut into large chunks.
Line a baking pan with foil drizzled lightly with olive oil.
Toss the squash chunks with the oil and bake until fork tender, approximately 45 minutes.
Once cooked, mash the squash with a potato masher or in a food processor. Combine in a large bowl with sugar, apple butter, eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Whisk in the spices and fold in raisins, if using.
Spread mixture in an oiled 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the center is no longer jiggly.
In a small bowl, melt the butter and stir in other topping ingredients.
When the casserole is finished cooking, sprinkle the topping ingredients across the top and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
Remove and serve warm or cold.
muffins made with your flour would be yummy!!
I would love to make apple butter donuts! I make a mean pumpkin donut, so this would be a great compliment for my Fall treats!!
I was thinking about the muffin mix, and then adding walnuts( if not allergic),and rasins.
I would like to try it on the pumpkin bread recipe of yours. The recipe was so easy and yummy. Plus same last name as applebutter
I would use it in a yellow cake and make it taste like apple and more moist.
pumpkin bread! DELICIOUS!
I think I’ll give apple butter a go in the gluten free pancake mix I just bought — hubby’s working hard to actually LIKE going gluten free!
I would definately use Apple Butter in recipes. My Mom use to eat it all the time and just loved it. I have a coffee cake recipe that I would probably try it in. There are alot of calories in it and it needs to be toned down a little. LOL….if you know what I mean!
Apple butter in cupcakes with an apple filling sounds good to me.
I bake with Jules flour all the time
and would love to try apple butter in
oatmeal cookies and oatmeal pumpkin
muffins.
I want to try apple butter in a carrot cake bread loaf.
This recipe looks awesome and combines two of my favourite foods – apple butter and butternut squash! I also love spreading apple butter on my GF pancakes for some extra flavour. Thanks in advance for the recipe giveaway, looking forward to trying them out!
I am allergic to eggs. Would this work with an egg replacer?
Hi Nancy – it would be different with egg replacer, but probably still good because of all the yummy flavors and spices. I’d recommend adding some of my Jules GF Flour (maybe ~1/4 cup?) and a teaspoon of baking powder to the casserole if you’re not using eggs, and then you could use more squash or pumpkin puree or applesauce (~ 1/2 – 3/4 cup) to replace the eggs. Let me know if you try it, since I haven’t had a chance to make it yet without eggs — this is my best guess for a starting place!
I would first use it on my German Gluten Free pancakes, gluten free toast, and mix it in with some dessert and casserole recipes. I love sharing my experiences and new creations with products that make a difference in my cooking. This Apple Butter has many possibilities to enhance my cooking for the upcoming holidays.
apple butter butternut squash casserole sounds like a great recipe to try-haven’t had apple butter in many a years-grew up as a child with it for breakfast almost every day!
What a great idea to use apple butter! Cant wait to try it in my cooking and baking!
I would love to try your recipe with some of my banana squash.
This is well timed. Someone at church gave us a squash and I had no idea what to do with it. I don’t have any apple butter, but I do have Musselman’s applesauce … anyone know if I could sub applesauce for apple butter in the casserole?
Also, if I had some apple butter, after I made the casserole, I’d put it on whole grain GF waffles. It is also nice if we have GF biscuits for a holiday.
You can absolutely use applesauce instead, but add pumpkin pie spice or some cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves!
Do you think I could use canned pumpkin in place of the squash for this recipe?
Hi Aimee, yes, that would work just fine!
I’d like to try this butternut recipe…. looks yummy and sweet!