Remember this from our last post about making pumpkin puree? Those “guts” from your Halloween Jack-o-lantern needn’t go to waste! I’ll show you how you can make an easy and delicious snack from the leftover pumpkin seeds.
In yet another attempt in finding nutritious-things-my-son-might-consider-eating, I decided I would try roasting pumpkin seeds. I thought would be complicated, but it was actually super simple. They ended up being so good that it made the idea of taking pumpkin seeds out of a pumpkin slightly less gross. Just slightly.
Step One: Rinse Pumpkin Seeds with Water
I’ve assumed you’ve already removed them from your pumpkin and separated most of the general gunk by hand. Put the seeds in a colander in your sink and rinse them with water. Stir the seeds around and remove any larger chunks by hand. Repeat until the seeds are clean.
Step Two: Arrange on a Cookie Sheet
If you’re making a savoury combination of spices or using just salt, no need to bother with parchment paper. If you’re adding sugar, you’ll want to use parchment paper or one of those silicon mats.
Step Three: Spice and Bake the Pumpkin Seeds
For basic pumpkin seeds, sprinkle on sea salt, oil, and mix with your hands. I made Pumpkin Pie Spiced Seeds by adding brown sugar, salt, ginger, and allspice. (You could use nutmeg or cloves too, but I was out.)
Not a huge fan of pumpkin spice? Brown sugar, cinnamon and salt are a nice alternative.
Bake at 325 for 45 minutes and they’re done! Check on them half way through and stir if necessary.
Unfortunately my son didn’t take the bait, but the Hermit is a huge fan! Pumpkin seeds are high in iron, and a jar wrapped up with pretty ribbon or fabric makes a nice Thanksgiving hostess gift.
Yields 1 cup
15 minPrep Time
45 minCook Time
1 hrTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup cleaned pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp oil
Instructions
- Clean pumpkin seeds and arrange on a greased cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle on salt, oil, and all spices.
- Mix with your hands until evenly distributed.
- Bake in the oven at 325 for 45 minutes or until crispy. You may need to stir the seeds half-way through.
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Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots. She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden. She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.
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