Enjoy a delicious, moist, and flavorful turkey breast this holiday season with our maple butter roasted turkey breast recipe. This quick and easy recipe is perfect for any holiday meal and is sure to be a hit!
'Tis the season for home-cooked meals so why settle for the same-old bird? Give your traditional Thanksgiving dinner an upgrade with a tasty twist on a classic: Maple Butter Roasted Turkey Breast.
Making a whole turkey is great for large, holiday gatherings, but we love turkey throughout the year too. And with only two of us at home now, it's just way too much food.
That's why, these boneless turkey breasts are fantastic for feeding a small family. Plus, you'll still have some leftovers to make some Turkey Orzo Soup or Turkey Stroganoff Casserole.
This delectable dish infuses the sweet flavor of maple syrup with the savory flavor of butter, creating a rich and juicy dish your family will love. It's also gluten free for those following those meal plans. Enjoy!
Suggested Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- 2-Quart Baking Dish or Small Roasting Pan
- Turkey Baster
- Meat Thermometer
- Carving Board
- Knife
- Serving Platter
Ingredients Needed
Boneless Turkey Breast
Maple Syrup
Light Brown Sugar
Melted Butter
Fresh Sage: Sage has an earthy flavor with hints of mint, eucalyptus and lemon. It's my go-to Fall fresh herb as it pairs well with rich flavors. If you're not a fan, you can substitute rosemary or thyme.
Liquid (optional): If you're going to want to make a gravy to go with your turkey breast, you'll need to add a bit of liquid (broth, wine, etc) to the bottom of the pan while roasting.
I added a bit of chicken broth to the bottom of the pan and it made a nice au jus..no gravy needed!
Type of Turkey
For this recipe, I opted to use a boneless turkey breast which can be found at your local grocery store or butcher. It usually comes in a net to hold the meat in place until after cooking.
Once cooked, you just snip the netting away before carving. It's the perfect size for a family of four; especially if you only like the white meat.
You can also use a whole turkey, turkey parts or try the maple butter topping on whole chicken or cornish game hens.
Prepare the Maple Butter topping
To make the topping, combine the maple syrup, melted butter, brown sugar and chopped fresh sage in a small bowl; mix well.
Roast the Turkey Breast
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; then place the turkey breast in an oven safe baking dish or small roasting pan. Pour the topping on top of the turkey making sure to coat the top. If adding liquid to the pan for gravy, you'll need about ½ cup.
Cook the turkey for approximately 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches at least 170°F (77°C).
You can baste the turkey about halfway through cooking time. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before carving.
While the turkey is resting is the best time to make any gravy you would like to go with it.
Carving the Maple Butter Turkey
Place the turkey on a cutting board; then using kitchen shears carefully lift up the netting and cut it away from the turkey breast. Slice the turkey into ¼-inch thick slices and place on a serving platter.
If you're carving a whole turkey or chicken, check out our How to Roast a Thanksgiving Turkey post and it will instruct you on how to do that!
Serving Suggestions
This Maple Butter Roasted Turkey Breast is full of those rich, Fall flavors so pairing them with Sweet Potato Casserole, Cream Cheese and Chive Mashed Potatoes or Green Bean Casserole would make the perfect side dish.
If you're looking for a nice presentation, consider placing the sliced turkey on a large serving platter; then surround the edges with some smashed potatoes and maple roasted carrots.
VISIT THE RECIPE INDEX TO SEARCH FOR MORE RECIPES BY CATEGORY.
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- The Best 22 Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
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- Maple Bacon Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
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Maple Butter Roasted Turkey Breast
Equipment
- 2-quart baking dish (or Small Roasting Pan)
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless turkey breast
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- ½ (optional) liquid (chicken broth, white wine, etc)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176.7°C); then place the turkey breast in an oven safe baking dish or small roasting pan.
- Combine the maple syrup, melted butter, brown sugar and chopped fresh sage in a small bowl; mix well.
- Pour the topping on top of the turkey making sure to coat the top; then add any liquid to the bottom of the pan (if applicable)
- Cook the turkey for approximately 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches at least 170°F (77°C). You can baste the turkey about halfway through cooking time. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before carving. While the turkey is resting is the best time to make any gravy you would like to go with it.
- Place the turkey on a cutting board; then using kitchen shears carefully lift up the netting and cut it away from the turkey breast. Slice the turkey into ¼-inch thick slices and place on a serving platter.
Marjorie Ebersole says
After reading this entire recipe with the easy ingredients, I'm thinking this could be done in my crockpot instead of the oven. Do you think 🤔 this is possible? If so what would be the cook time both Low and High for a 3 pound breast? Thank you!
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen says
I've never tried cooking this in the crockpot as I find most meats become too tough through the long cooking process. Though my crockpot only has warm, high and low settings; not the kind with temperature control. So I'm sorry, I would have no idea what temperature or time it would take to cook one of these in there. If you decide to experiment and it comes out well, please come back to let me know and I can add those instructions to the recipe for the future.