Oven Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

There’s nothing better than making fall desserts with homemade pumpkin purée until you get stuck with a bowl of pumpkin guts you don’t know what to do with. After all that scooping, you might as well put those pumpkin seeds to good use and roast them for a delicious source of protein and dietary fiber!

If you haven’t tried them yet, roasted pumpkin seeds are a super simple way to get the most out of your baking pumpkins and most varieties of carving pumpkins. My preference for roasting and puréeing is the Jarrahale variety which is bluish-grey and flatter than its counterparts. They’re the sweetest pumpkins I’ve ever baked with and quickly became my favorite after the first time I cut into one.

If your pumpkin variety is sweet like the Jarrahale, you can leave the pumpkin slime on them for baking. If preferred, wash the pumpkin guts away with cool water and gently dry them before baking.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups pumpkin seeds
• 3 tbsp. white sugar
• 1.5 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. salt

These measurements are recommended for roughly 1.5 cups of uncooked pumpkin seeds, though it’s a very forgiving recipe and can be adjusted to better fit how many seeds come from your pumpkin. If you are particularly fond of cinnamon like me, feel free to add an extra half teaspoon of cinnamon, though its flavor is prevalent regardless of this change.

If you are working with a more bitter variety or washed your seeds and are concerned about missing that extra pumpkin flavor, mix in a teaspoon of pumpkin spice.

Instructions

1. Scoop the seeds from the pumpkin of your desired variety.
2. Preheat your oven to 325F
3. Remove the majority of the pumpkin guts from the seeds by hand or by rinsing them with cool water. If rinsed, gently dry before further handling. Set aside in a deep bowl.
4. Mix sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a separate container. Stir well to combine.
5. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over your bowl of seeds and toss to coat evenly.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the seeds evenly on the paper.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes, stirring with a spatula every 5 minutes. Sprinkle the salt over the seeds at the first 5-minute mark.

Roasted pumpkin seeds can last for quite a while in a sealed container. I prefer to keep ours in a glass jar and they can keep for up to two weeks, though I doubt it’ll take that long to finish them off. They make a great sweet and savory snack and will top off your seasonal charcuterie if you’re hosting this year!

Well, there you have it! An incredibly easy (and delicious) way to make the most of your pumpkins this season. If you’re looking for more pumpkin spice goodness, check out my Pumpkin Pie Bar recipe here or head over to the dessert page for year-round inspiration!