Sweet Whole Wheat Butternut Squash Bread

Name: Sweet Whole Wheat Butternut Squash Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 cup cooked and mashed butternut squash (if using canned squash, reduce to 3/4 cup); 1 cup unsweetened applesauce; ½ cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar for refined sugar free); ¼ cup avocado oil (or melted coconut oil); ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 large eggs; 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour; 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon; ½ teaspoon nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon cloves; ¼ teaspoon allspice; ¼ teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt; chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips for topping (optional)

by Taesha Butler on Oct 31, 2022 (updated Sep 29, 2023)

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5 from 5 votes

This sweet Butternut Squash Bread is moist, delicious and mixed together in one bowl. Made with whole wheat flour, butternut squash puree, warm spices, and perfectly sweetened with applesauce and brown sugar, it is the perfect fall treat!

A hand holding up a slice of butternut squash bread. The slice rests on a stack of slices on a plate and the remaining loaf is bluffed in the background.

Squash recipes are a favorite of mine and a total must come fall. In fact, I am game for squash all year round. Especially butternut squash.

Butternut squash puree is something I think of as a “convenience veggie”. Whether it is homemade puree that I’ve made from a whole squash and frozen or some canned puree I grabbed at the supermarket, I love keeping butternut squash on hand for quickly veggie-loading recipes. It can easily go savory in soups or be added to mac and cheese for a boost of veg. Or, use to sweeten muffins, brownies, or a sweet bread like this recipe.

This sweet Butternut Squash Bread is the perfect thing to add to your fall baking list. Mixed all in one bowl and baked up in about 50 minutes, it is moist, tender, and bursting with the perfect balance of warm spices. Made with whole wheat flour, applesauce, and less added sugar than many sweet bread recipes, this Butternut Squash Bread recipe is just wholesome and a delicious treat. This recipe makes a full loaf that is perfect for serving to a crowd or to make as part of meal prep so that you always have a fall sweet treat to grab during the week. Naturally vegetarian and easily nut-free when you omit the walnut topping.

The wet ingredients for butternut squash bread in a bowl before mixing. There is a gray napkin and a whisk next to the bowl.

The wet ingredients for butternut squash bread in a bowl after mixing with a whisk. There is a gray napkin next to the bowl.

Butternut Squash Puree

How to make your own:

Making your own butternut squash puree is super easy and great for stocking up your freezer! All you need is a whole butternut squash. I loath cutting hard winter squash (those suckers are a workout), so I opt to cook mine whole either in my slow cooker or in the oven. It is as easy as poking a few holes in the squash with a knife and cooking it. Once done, the squash is easy to cut in half and deseed. And it basically slides out of its skin.

After you have cooked, peeled and deseeded your butternut squash puree, just scoop the flesh into your blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. If your squash isn’t blending easily, add a little water at a time to get things moving. Just don’t add too much or your puree will be wetter than you want for recipes!

Where to find it in the store:

I usually find canned butternut squash puree in most grocery stores here in the United States during the fall and winter months. Where each store keeps them can vary depending on their layout. But here are a few spots to look for butternut squash puree before asking a grocery store employee for help….

with canned vegetables
in the baking section during fall and into winter

The dry ingredients for butternut squash bread in a bowl with the mixed wet ingredients. There is a green spatula in the bowl.

The mixed batter for sweet butternut squash bread in a bowl with a green spatula.

Suggested Adaptations

Make this bread dairy-free by using your favorite plant based yogurt. I like cashew or almond based yogurts.
Need egg-free? Use 2 “flax eggs” to replace the chicken eggs in this Butternut Squash Bread recipe.
Use sweet potato puree or pumpkin puree instead of butternut squash.
Reduce sugar to 1/3 cup if you prefer a less sweet bread.
Replace the applesauce with mashed ripe bananas. I would say about 2 medium bananas. Just be aware that the bread will have a strong banana flavor.
Add in chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or raisins. I topped mine with walnuts for a little extra crunch!

Tips and tricks

Let the loaf cool for a bit before enjoying.

While warm bread fresh from the oven is amazing, resist the urge to cut into this loaf right away. Let cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool more.

Why? Because baked goods are still cooking when they are removed from the oven. As this Butternut Squash Bread cools, it will firm up and finish setting. Cutting into it too early might result in finding wet spots in the middle and you thinking the bread needs longer to bake, when actually it doesn’t.

Don’t over mix the batter.

One of my favorite things of this Butternut Squash Bread is how light it is. The key to that fluff is to mix the wet and dry ingredients together until JUST combined. Over mixing can lead to dense bread and that is just kind of a bummer.

Butternut Squash bread in a loaf pan, topped with wall nuts, before baking.

Butternut squash bread fresh out of the oven on a wire cooling rack.

How to store this sweet bread

Because of how moist this Butternut Squash Bread is, I highly suggest keeping it in an airtight container in your refrigerator. This will help to keep it moist, fresh longer and prevent molding.

Or you can freeze it. I like to slice it and freeze the slices individually or place the whole loaf in a large freezer bag or freezer-safe large container. To defrost, I take a slice or the whole loaf out and leave it on the counter to thaw overnight.

Other butternut squash recipes to try out

Did you try this Butternut Squash Bread recipe and now you’re hungry for more?

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A slice of sweet butternut squash bread on a plate with a fork. The remainder of the loaf id blurred in the background.

Sweet Whole Wheat Butternut Squash Bread