Roasted Pumpkin Seeds 3 Ways!

Don't toss those pumpkin seeds - roast them instead! These roasted pumpkin seeds come in three family-favorite flavors (sweet maple pumpkin spice, warm Indian spiced, and tangy dill and vinegar), and all of them bake up golden, crunchy, and completely snackable from the guts of your jack-o'-lantern.

In my house, pumpkin carving was a full family event: a trip to the pumpkin patch for the perfect (preferably lopsided) pumpkin, newspaper spread across the kitchen table, and a giant bowl of pumpkin guts by the end of the night. Roasted pumpkin seeds were the reward, and since we only got them one week out of the whole year, choosing the flavor was a big decision. After many years of carving, these are the three I keep coming back to.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Pumpkin seeds. A medium carving pumpkin gives you roughly 1 cup of seeds, which is enough for one flavor. The seasoning amounts in the recipe card are per cup, so scale up if you have a big pumpkin or want to make all three flavors. Seeds from butternut, acorn, or other winter squash work too; they're smaller, so they roast a little faster.
• Maple syrup and brown sugar. These make the sweet coating on the maple pumpkin spice seeds. Use real maple syrup rather than pancake syrup, which is thinner and burns more easily. Honey works as a swap, and coconut sugar can stand in for brown sugar.
• Pumpkin pie spice. A good pumpkin pie spice blend saves you from measuring five jars. If you don't have one, use mostly cinnamon with a pinch each of ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Garam masala. This warm Indian spice blend is the base of the Indian spiced seeds, along with ground ginger, garlic powder, and turmeric. Rani garam masala is salt-free, so you control the seasoning. Curry powder is the easiest substitute.
• Oil. A little oil helps the dry spices cling to the seeds and gives them a crisp, toasty finish. Olive oil, avocado oil, or melted butter all work.
• White vinegar and dried dill. Together they make a salt-and-vinegar-chip style seed with a dill pickle twist. Apple cider vinegar is a milder swap, and dried dill is better here than fresh, which tends to burn in the oven.

Helpful Tips

Separate the seeds in a bowl of water. Drop the pulp and seeds into a big bowl of cold water and squish it through your fingers. The seeds float to the top and the stringy pulp sinks, so you can skim them off in a fraction of the time it takes to pick them clean by hand.

Dry them really well. Wet seeds steam instead of roast. After rinsing, spread them on a clean kitchen towel, pat them dry, and let them air-dry for at least 30 minutes (or overnight, if you carved late). Drier seeds mean crunchier results.

Low and slow is the secret. Roasting at 275°F takes a bit longer than a hot oven, but it dries the seeds all the way through without scorching the spices or the sugar. Stir every 15 minutes so they brown evenly.

Keep the flavors separate. If you're making all three, toss each batch in its own bowl, then roast them on separate baking sheets or in clearly separated sections of one lined sheet. Keep an eye on the maple batch, since the sugar makes it darken faster than the savory ones.

Let them cool on the pan. The seeds keep crisping as they cool, so don't judge doneness straight out of the oven. The maple seeds will clump together as the coating sets; just break them apart once they're cool.

Variations

• Cinnamon sugar. Toss the seeds with melted butter, a tablespoon of sugar, and a teaspoon of cinnamon for a snickerdoodle-style treat.
• Spicy chili lime. Use oil, chili powder, a pinch of cayenne, and salt, then toss with fresh lime zest right after roasting.
• Everything bagel. Coat with oil and a generous spoonful of everything bagel seasoning, then skip any extra salt.
• Parmesan garlic. Toss with oil, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, then add finely grated parmesan during the last 10 minutes of roasting.
• Ranch. Stir a tablespoon of homemade ranch seasoning mix (or store-bought) into the oil for a flavor kids love.

Serving Ideas

These are made for snacking by the handful, but they also make a crunchy topping. Sprinkle the savory Indian spiced or dill and vinegar seeds over a bowl of Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup or Creamy Carrot Soup with Warming Spices, or scatter them over a fall salad or grain bowl in place of croutons.

The maple pumpkin spice seeds are great on oatmeal, yogurt, or vanilla ice cream, and they add a pretty, crunchy finish to pumpkin bars, muffins, and cheesecakes. For a Halloween party or game-day spread, set out all three flavors in small bowls next to Pumpkin Hummus and a batch of Garlic Basil Roasted Chickpeas. Small jars of roasted seeds also make a sweet homemade gift for teachers and neighbors.

Storing & Freezing

Once the seeds are completely cool, store them in an airtight container or jar at room temperature for up to 1 week. Moisture is the enemy of crunch, so make sure they're fully cooled before sealing the container. If they soften, re-crisp them on a baking sheet at 300°F for 5 to 10 minutes.

To freeze, pack the cooled seeds in a freezer bag with as much air pressed out as possible and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature, then refresh them in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes to bring back the crunch. You can also freeze raw, cleaned seeds and roast them later; there's no need to thaw first, just dry them well before seasoning.

More Pumpkin Recipes

If you loved this recipe, here are a few more pumpkin treats you might enjoy:

• Easy Pumpkin Bars
• No-Bake Pumpkin Lasagna - an easy pumpkin dessert!
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
• Best Pumpkin Recipes for Fall

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