Winter Squash Bread

Winter Squash Bread served with a bowl of hot soup gives me all the feelings of fall. The squash in this yeast bread makes it ultra-soft. It’s perfect to eat plain with butter, to use in a sandwich, or enjoy with chili.

Squash Bread

Welcome fall! I’ve been waiting for you, for boots and sweatshirts, bonfires and leaf raking, pumpkins and apples. Let the celebration begin! Not that I haven’t been foreshadowing the arrival with pumpkin cookies and hot chocolate already.

Growing up on a farm, fall meant harvest. I loved riding in the combine with my dad, watching the grain pour into the hopper wagons, and smelling the harvest dust in the crisp air. It was a busy time of hard work, but rewarding and filled with energy.

During harvest, most of our meals were eaten on the go while we worked in the fields. A sandwich with an apple and cookies was the norm. Mom made a lot of homemade bread to keep us full.

This Winter Squash Bread is a new adaptation of a bread recipe in her cookbook. Adding squash makes it softer and moist, and a bit of fall color and flair.

I used Cushaw squash, but any winter squash, such as butternut or even pumpkin would work. I baked mine and then pureed it in a blender before adding it to the recipe with the honey and olive oil.

Squash Bread Recipe

1. Stir together the yeast and warm milk. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
2. Stir in honey, olive oil, and squash. Add whole wheat flour and enough of the white flour until a soft dough is formed.
3. Turn out onto a floured surface, knead for 5 to 6 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This could take 1 to 3 hours. Check it after one hour. Punch the dough down and divide in half.
5. Form each portion into a loaf. Place loaves into greased bread pans and let rise again, wait for it to double in size.
6. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for 30 to 35. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

Winter Soup Recipes

Winter Squash Bread is the perfect accompaniment to a body warming soup in the cooler months. A simple but hearty supper, perfect for cold nights, this Vegetable Beef Barley Soup.

This Zuppa Toscana soup recipe is simply made with Italian sausage, potatoes, and kale. While the ingredient list is basic, it is packed with tons of flavor.

Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup — Classic, comforting, and tastes just like grandma made but way easier and faster!

{originally published 8/23/2014 – recipe notes and photos updated 8/4/22}