Indigenous to North and Central America, the squash was introduced to early European settlers by Native Americans.

Golden acorn squash with an orange color are sometimes sold around Halloween for carving into small jack-o'-lanterns.

Acorn squash keep well in a temperature-controlled environment, such as a root cellar, maintaining their quality well for at least 3.5 months with a simple cleaning pretreatment[5] known as Hot Water Rinsing and Brushing or HWRB.

Curing takes seven to ten days in a sheltered area outside or a warm dry place (like a storage space) protected from frost.

[3] If a sweeter dish is desired, maple syrup is often used to fill the halves prior to baking, or used in a sauce or glaze to enhance the squash's flavor.