How to Make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds and 4 Recipes

Everything you need to know about how to make roasted pumpkin seeds for the best fall snack, with 4 different flavors and recipes for your roasted pumpkin seeds.

*This post was written by Mr. TIDBITS!

Fall isn’t usually my favorite time of year since it is overshadowed by the threat of winter, my least favorite season.  There is one thing that I do look forward to though and that is roasted pumpkin seeds! 

This is the all time favorite snack in our house and they are consumed almost as fast as I can make them.  They are healthy and when made right, have a perfect amount of crunch and variety of seasonings to make them great for any time of the day. 

Below I have helpful tips to make the perfect roasted pumpkin seeds as well as some great recipes to try.  

Soaking the seeds

Why soak the pumpkin seeds first? 

• Seeds from squash are slightly acidic and can cause stomach bloating and discomfort to some select individuals.
• They also have a fairly tough outer layer that can make eating them more a bother rather than a joy.
• Soaking them eliminates both these issues and it will make the seeds easier to separate from the slimy innards.

I always take all of the seeds out of the pumpkin or squash and put them in a bowl with water and ½ teaspoon of salt per two cups of water.  I let them soak overnight.  Do not skip this step! 

This will make a noticeable change in the quality and flavor in the end.  Once they are done soaking, the seeds will come away from the innards more easily and decrease the amount of time spent cleaning the seeds. 

If you are in a hurry or just can’t wait to try some seeds you can boil the seeds for 5 minutes in the same water to salt mixture and you will get the same result.  I like to let them sit overnight but that is only personal preference. The two methods will have the same overall result.  

Clean the seeds

After soaking the seeds you will need to clean them.  Most of the seeds will naturally float to the top of the water and can be skimmed off the top. 

Make sure to avoid any pieces of the pumpkin innards that may still be stuck to these seeds.  The ones at the bottom of the bowl of water will still be stuck to pieces of the innards. Grab ahold of the seeds and gently squeeze them and they will pop away from the innards quite easily. 

It will only take a few minutes to separate everything and you will be good to go on to the next step. 

Dry the seeds

Now that the seeds are clean you will need to dry them before adding any seasoning and moving on to the next step. 

If you do not dry them the seeds will not have a crunchy consistency and you will regret it.  This can be accomplished in a few different ways.

DRYING METHOD #1

I like to put them on a cookie tray in roughly a single layer and put them in an oven heated to 250 degrees.  Cook them for about an hour or until they are mostly dry stirring every 15 minutes.  They should be dry to the touch and not slimy on the outside. 

DRYING METHOD #2

You can also put them between two towels and pat them dry but they tend to be somewhat sticky.

For me this method has always been more of a pain than anything else.  If you do the towel method use lint free towels and never use paper towels as they will stick to the seeds and turn into a giant mess.    

Season the seeds

This is the fun part!  You can add any combination of seasoning to the roasted pumpkin seeds that appeals to you.  I have several recipes below that are definite winners in our home, but the sky’s the limit to what combination of spices you can use. 

Some quick tips for seasoning the pumpkin seeds –

What oil to use for roasted pumpkin seeds? 

I like to use melted butter to adhere the seasoning to the seeds since I love the flavor but you can use any oil you have to accomplish the same thing.  Olive oil and coconut oil would be the next best oils.

How much seasoning to use?

This will depend greatly on your personal preference but I always like to remember the adage that less is more.  Don’t over do it on the spices, you don’t need much to make a flavorful snack. 

If you do add too much then luckily the seeds will tell you since only a small amount will adhere to the seeds anyways.  I always know if I added too much because there will be a bunch of seasoning left in the bottom of the bowl or bag after seasoning the seeds.

How to season the seeds?

I like to use a large bowl to stir the seasoning, oil and seeds together.  A large ziplock bag works well too and the kids enjoy shaking them around to coat the seeds. 

Roast the seeds

Now that the seeds are dry, clean and seasoned they are ready to be roasted.  Place the seeds on a cookie sheet about one layer thick and put in a preheated oven at 350° for approximately 30 minutes.

You will need to stir the seeds every ten minutes and the total time can vary greatly depending on how dry the seeds are and how big. 

You will know when they are done because they will turn golden brown and feel light and dry.  Do not overcook because they burn easily.  Allow to cool all the way and then dig in.  They will be crunchy and full of flavor and goodness.  

Store the roasted pumpkin seeds

If by some miracle you have some leftover seeds then you can easily store them in an airtight container in the pantry for about a week and in the fridge for up to 2 months. 

There you have it!

The complete guide to roasting pumpkin seeds.  I have perfected this method over several years of trial and error and hope you enjoy this delicious snack as much as our family has. 

Below are four tried and true recipes that my family absolutely loves.  Thanks for visiting!

4 Recipes for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Created by TIDBITS & COMPANY

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Try any or all of these varieties of seasoning blends for a delicious batch of roasted pumpkin seeds!

Ingredients

CINNAMON MAPLE ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

• 1 cup clean soaked and dried pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash of sea salt

ITALIAN PIZZA ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

• 1 cup clean soaked and dried pumpkin seeds
• 1 teaspoon melted butter olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

BASIC SALT AND PEPPER ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

• 1 cup clean soaked and dried pumpkin seeds
• 1 teaspoon melted butter olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

PUMPKIN PIE ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

• 1 cup clean soaked and dried pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon of melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
• dash of sea salt

Instructions

• Once your pumpkin seeds are soaked, cleaned and dried per our blog posts recommendations, you are ready to season your seeds.
• For any of these recipes, combine the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls, not including your seeds just yet.
• In a large bowl or ziplock bag, add all the ingredients together – including the seeds.
• Stir or mix together until your seeds are coated to your liking.
• Place the seeds on a cookie sheet about one layer thick and put in a preheated oven at 350° for approximately 30 minutes.  You will need to stir the seeds every ten minutes and the total time can vary greatly depending on how dry the seeds are and how big.  You will know when they are done because they will turn golden brown and feel light and dry.  Do not overcook because they burn easily.  Allow to cool all the way and then dig in.  They will be crunchy and full of flavor and goodness. 

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LOOKING FOR MORE PUMPKIN RECIPES?

• Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
• Healthy Pumpkin Smoothie
• Whole Wheat Pumpkin Crepes
• Healthy Pumpkin Dip