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If you’re making Thanksgiving dinner for a smaller crowd, a boneless turkey breast roast is a great option. It cooks in about an hour, comes out tender and juicy, and here we use a maple seasoning dry rub and maple bourbon glaze to make it extra special. Don’t wait for the holidays to make this; it’s great for turkey sandwiches all year!
I love maple or honey-coated turkey breast deli meat, and this year I wanted to use a similar flavor profile to make the star of Thanksgiving dinner: the turkey!
In this recipe, we use a three-pound boneless turkey breast roast with a dry rub and a glaze. The result is tender, juicy turkey that’s packed with flavor but requires minimal effort. (Because the holidays are stressful enough without having to spend countless hours cooking!) It feeds six people or four generously.
What is a Boneless Turkey Breast Roast?
You might be wondering if a boneless turkey breast roast is the same as turkey breast. They’re from the same cut, but they aren’t exactly the same thing.
Turkey breast may or may not have the bones removed, while a boneless turkey breast roast always has the bones removed. Further, a turkey breast roast typically comes with netting around it that you leave on while roasting so it cooks more evenly and has a more uniform shape. Like turkey breast itself, turkey breast roast is usually a solid single piece of meat.
For this recipe, we use a Butterball three-pound boneless turkey breast roast. I found it in the freezer section of my regular grocery store. You can use turkey breast instead (either boneless or with the bone), but know that you will likely need to adjust the roasting time.
Pro Tip: How Long to Cook a 3-Pound Boneless Turkey Breast Depends on Whether It’s Shaped Into a Roast or Not
If you’re roasting a 3-pound boneless turkey breast that hasn’t been rolled into a roast and secured with netting, it generally roasts for 12 minutes per pound at 400F, for a total of around 36 minutes.
On the other hand, this recipe uses a 3-pound boneless turkey breast roast, meaning it’s rolled and shaped into the form of a roast. (You can see what it looks like in the ingredient photo below.) The meat is rolled tightly so it’s compressed, and it’s held together with netting. This helps it cook more evenly. Because of this, it cooks for about 20 to 23 minutes per pound for a total of about 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes.
As always, it’s best to go by internal temperature to know when your turkey is done. Use the time range given as an estimate.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Maple Seasoning (Dry Rub) Ingredients
- Granulated maple sugar – The star of the show! Granulated maple sugar is made by boiling maple syrup until the liquid has evaporated. Its flavor is intense maple, sweet and robust with notes of smoky caramel.
- Sweet paprika – I like to use sweet paprika here because I add a touch of cayenne for spicy heat. However, hot paprika will also work if that’s your preference.
- Smoked paprika – For rich smoky notes that enhance the natural slightly smoky flavor of maple.
- Garlic powder – Adds rich umami notes.
- Onion powder – Adds a savory, subtly sweet flavor.
- Salt – Salt is a natural flavor enhancer that ensures our seasoning blend isn’t bland.
- Black pepper – Sharp, pungent, and slightly spicy.
- Mustard powder – Adds a sharp depth, and helps create balance.
- Cayenne pepper – For a touch of spicy heat.
- Allspice – Allspice is warming, and tastes like a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves with a hint of black pepper. It plays well on the sweetness of maple.
- Cinnamon – Also enhancing the natural sweetness of maple, cinnamon adds a sweet, slightly spicy warmth.
- Cumin – Adds earthy complexity.
Turkey Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil (unpictured) – To prevent the turkey from sticking to the pan.
- 3 pound boneless turkey breast roast – Patted dry but left in the netting.
- Maple seasoning – You’ll need 4 tablespoons of the maple seasoning recipe for this turkey. Save the rest for salmon, chicken wings, ribs, or grilled meat.
- Chicken broth – We cook the turkey breast roast with chicken broth in the bottom of the roasting pan so the meat doesn’t dry out. If you have turkey broth instead of chicken, by all means use that instead.
Maple Bourbon Glaze Ingredients
- Pure maple syrup – This is the star of the show, so go for the good stuff. I like to use a dark, robust maple syrup for intense flavor.
- Bourbon – Bourbon adds rich flavor notes of caramel, vanilla, and smoky oak. Note that as this glaze boils, much but not all of the alcohol will cook off. You’ll still be able to taste it, but its intoxicating effects likely won’t be present.
- Unsalted butter – Adds richness and makes this glaze thick and glossy.
- Granulated maple sugar – Or use light brown sugar instead.
- Dijon mustard – Adds a subtle pungent, sharp flavor to cut through the richness, and also helps emulsify the sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar – For tangy flavor to balance out the sweetness.
- Smoked paprika – Adds smoky, fruity notes that pulls out maple’s subtle smokiness.
- Salt and black pepper – These pantry-staple seasonings make sure the glaze isn’t bland.
- Allspice – Allspice is its own thing; its name comes from the fact that it tastes like a blend of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. If you don’t have allspice on hand, you can use pumpkin pie spice mix or just ground cinnamon instead.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here are step-by-step instructions to walk you through making this recipe. For the recipe video, please see the recipe card below.
1: Make the Maple Seasoning
- Add all ingredients to a small-medium bowl.
- Whisk or stir to combine.
2: How to Cook a Boneless Turkey Breast Roast
To prep, preheat the oven to 400F. Get out a roasting pan that is big enough to hold your turkey breast roast. Drizzle the olive oil in the bottom of the pan.
- Leave the turkey breast roast in the netting it came in, but pat it dry on all sides. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of maple seasoning all over the outside and rub it in (or roll it around). Place the turkey in the roasting pan and pour the chicken broth into the bottom.
- Roast (uncovered) at 400F for 45 minutes, then generously brush 1/2 cup of maple bourbon glaze on top.
- Return to the oven and roast until done, about 15 to 25 minutes more.
3: Make the Maple Bourbon Glaze
Make the glaze while the turkey is roasting. The glaze gets brushed on the turkey and the turkey goes back into the oven to finish cooking.
- Add all ingredients to a small-medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a rolling boil.
- Boil (uncovered) until reduced by about half, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
4: Serve
Once it’s out of the oven, let the turkey rest for about 15 minutes before removing the netting and slicing it. You can serve it with the pan drippings or the remaining half of the maple bourbon glaze to drizzle on top.
Variations
- Skip the homemade maple seasoning and use any dry rub you think would be good. Try maple bourbon bbq rub for a similar flavor profile. I also like Simply Organic Turkey Rub, which contains a blend of rosemary, sage, garlic, black pepper, onion, fennel, and coriander.
- Instead of making maple bourbon glaze, opt for a 5-minute gravy that you can make on the stovetop without drippings. It’s rich, creamy, and a lot more traditional.
Storage Tips
- Maple seasoning – Store this spice blend in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for 6 months to 1 year.
- Maple bourbon glaze – Cool to room temperature, and then store this glaze in an airtight container (preferably a covered glass jar) in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Turkey breast roast – Cool to room temperature, and then store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Tips For the Best Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast
- Remember to thaw your turkey ahead of time! A boneless turkey breast roast should thaw for two days in the fridge before you want to roast it. (Remember to put it in a large bowl or on a rimmed baking tray to avoid having to cleanup a mess in the fridge.)
- A three-pound boneless turkey breast roast serves six people or four people generously. You know your crowd though! If need be, make two of these roasts; you’ll want leftovers anyway!
- I developed this recipe with ease of preparation in mind. I wanted it to be easy and relatively fast with minimal hands-on time, so there’s no brining or basting required. This frees you up to spend just a couple hours making Thanksgiving dinner (including making the side dishes), instead of multiple days!
What to Serve with This Turkey Dinner
- Green beans – You can make the famous holiday green bean casserole if you like, or go with regular green beans. And for a real time-saver, use a bag of frozen green beans (as shown in the photos here).
- Whipped sweet potatoes (recipe coming soon!) – With vanilla, maple, and brown sugar, these have to be on of the best ways I’ve ever had sweet potatoes. Is it dessert or dinner? On a holiday, does it matter?! Lol!
- Savory sourdough brioche stuffing (recipe coming soon!) – Buttery, crisp on top and on the sides, and fluffy in the middle. Full of savory onion and herb flavor with the complexity of sourdough and richness of brioche. Yes. Just yes.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a ton of methods people swear by when it comes to making sure your turkey is juicy and doesn’t dry out! One of my favorite methods is brining, where you soak the raw turkey in a solution of water, sugar, salt, and sometimes herbs for up to 3 days in the fridge. After that, you rinse it, pat it dry, and use any cooking method you like.
However, here we’re simplifying! Sometimes you want a gorgeous juicy, tender, flavorful turkey with minimal effort. Especially if you’re cooking for a smaller group of people! A three-pound boneless turkey breast roast is a great option. It comes with a netting around it, which holds the meat in a compact shape and prevents it from drying out.
And in this recipe we use a failsafe: we add chicken broth to the roasting pan! As a bonus, the chicken broth mixes with the turkey juices as it roasts, and reduces into a flavorful sauce you can drizzle on top when serving.
In this recipe, we cook the turkey breast roast uncovered for the whole time for a couple of reasons. First, it comes wrapped in netting, which holds it together and helps the meat cook evenly. Also, cooking uncovered helps the glaze take on a deep, rich color.
Note that if you’re careful to monitor the internal temperature for doneness, your turkey breast won’t dry out.
Here we roast a three-pound turkey breast roast at 400F for 1 hour, to 1 hour 10 minutes.
You’ll find conflicting information on what the internal temperature of turkey should be when it’s fully cooked. It can be confusing! I pull my white meat turkey breast roast out of the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 157F, and here’s why.
According to the USDA and foodsafety.gov, turkey needs to reach an internal temperature of 165F measured with a food thermometer at the thickest part of the breast. If you’ve ever removed your turkey from the oven when the breast meat registered 165F, it’s likely that you’ve fallen victim to dry-as-a-bone turkey. That’s because the 165F rule is an oversimplification, as you can see in the USDA’s Time-Temperature Tables. The tables show that turkey held at 157F (69C) for 50.4 seconds will achieve the same lethality on Salmonella as a turkey cooked to 165F (74C) does instantly. (You can read more about the explanation on ThermoWorks; and if you’re interested, you can also read their article on turkey temperatures and doneness.)
Of course, you should do your own research when you decide what temperature to pull your turkey out of the oven. Yours and your family’s safety are paramount. Cheers to a safe holiday and a delicious turkey dinner!
More Turkey Dinner Recipes
- Air Fryer Boneless Turkey Breast Roast with Stuffing – This is a great option if you’re traveling or live in a dorm room and have an air fryer but not an oven to make Thanksgiving dinner.
- Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner – This makes a Thanksgiving dinner for four people entirely on a sheet pan!
- 30-Minute Thanksgiving Dinner – A traditional full Thanksgiving dinner made in just 30 minutes! How?, you ask. Head over and find out!
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Maple Bourbon Glazed Boneless Turkey Breast Roast Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
Maple Seasoning (Dry Rub):
- 1/4 cup granulated maple sugar
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Turkey:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 pound boneless turkey breast roast patted dry but left in the netting
- 4 tablespoons maple seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth
Maple Bourbon Glaze:
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup maple sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
For the Maple Seasoning:
- Add all ingredients to a small-medium bowl and whisk to combine.
For the Turkey:
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400F. Get out a roasting pan that is big enough to hold your turkey breast roast. Drizzle the olive oil in the bottom of the pan.
- Season the turkey. Leave the turkey breast roast in the netting it came in, but pat it dry on all sides. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of maple seasoning all over the outside and rub it in (or roll it around). Place the turkey in the roasting pan and pour the chicken broth into the bottom.
- Roast, glaze, and roast again. Roast (uncovered) at 400F for 45 minutes, then generously brush 1/2 cup of maple bourbon glaze on top. Return to the oven and roast until done, about 15 to 25 minutes more.
For the Maple Bourbon Glaze (make this while the turkey is roasting):
- Add all ingredients to a small-medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil, and boil (uncovered) until reduced by about half, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
To Serve:
- Once it's out of the oven, let the turkey rest for about 15 minutes before removing the netting and slicing it. You can serve it with the pan drippings or the remaining half of the maple bourbon glaze to drizzle on top.
Video
Notes
- What temperature is turkey done? You’ll find conflicting information on what the internal temperature of turkey should be when it’s fully cooked. It can be confusing! I pull my white meat turkey breast roast out of the oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 157F, and here’s why. According to the USDA and foodsafety.gov, turkey needs to reach an internal temperature of 165F measured with a food thermometer at the thickest part of the breast. If you’ve ever removed your turkey from the oven when the breast meat registered 165F, it’s likely that you’ve fallen victim to dry-as-a-bone turkey. That’s because the 165F rule is an oversimplification, as you can see in the USDA’s Time-Temperature Tables. The tables show that turkey held at 157F (69C) for 50.4 seconds will achieve the same lethality on Salmonella as a turkey cooked to 165F (74C) does instantly. (You can read more about the explanation on ThermoWorks; and if you’re interested, you can also read their article on turkey temperatures and doneness.) Of course, you should do your own research when you decide what temperature to pull your turkey out of the oven. Yours and your family’s safety are paramount. Cheers to a safe holiday and a delicious turkey dinner!
- Storage: Here’s how to store each component:
- Maple seasoning – Store this spice blend in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for 6 months to 1 year.
- Maple bourbon glaze – Cool to room temperature, and then store this glaze in an airtight container (preferably a covered glass jar) in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Turkey breast roast – Cool to room temperature, and then store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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