Soul Warming Butternut Squash Soup

I fell in love with a local restaurant's version of this soup. It just tastes like fall - and it's so comforting! 

I'm not a fan of sweets, and this soup is on the sweet side - but not too sweet. Most of the recipes I read used half the amount of spices I did - but the combination of those spices is so soul warming!! 

Butternut Squash Soup

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp freshly grated ginger

2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup apple cider

2 lbs butternut squash cut into 1 inch cubes (I just buy it precut - saves so much time and hassle)

2 carrots sliced
2 cups heavy cream
roasted or candied pecans as garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a sheet pan, drizzle the squash and carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 15 - 20 minutes.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and spices to melted better and stir for 1 minute.

Add chicken stock and apple cider. Bring to a boil.
Add squash and carrots. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes to let the flavors marry. Check liquid in the pot while simmering. Add more chicken stock if necessary.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup as best you can.

Blend in heavy cream one cup at a time.

Let simmer and test for seasonings.