Honeynut squash

Cucurbita 'Honeynut'
Ripe honeynut squash
Genus	Cucurbita
Hybrid parentage	C. moschata × C. maxima
Cultivar	'Honeynut'
Breeder	Michael Mazourek, Richard W. Robinson
Origin	1980s in Geneva, New York

Honeynut squash is an interspecific hybrid winter squash cultivar bred from butternut and buttercup squash. It has dark tan to orange skin with orange fleshy pulp. When ripe, it turns from green to a deep orange and becomes sweeter and richer. Honeynut squash has a similar shape and flavor to butternut squash but averages about half the size and is sweeter. It has two to three times more beta-carotene than butternut squash.^{[citation needed]} Honeynut squash can be roasted, sautéed, puréed, added to soups, stews, and braises, and has enough sugar content for desserts.

The squash was developed in the 1980s by Richard W. Robinson, a professor emeritus at Cornell University, though it was not made available to the public. Around 2006, Cornell professor and plant breeder Michael Mazourek began developing a cultivar that eventually entered USA national markets in 2015. Mazourek received assistance from Dan Barber, chef and owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York.^{[citation needed]}