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Roasted pumpkin seeds are one of fall’s greatest snacks. Here’s how to roast pumpkin seeds in six different flavors.
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By:Cassie JohnstonUpdated:
featured review
I made the pizza, sweet and spicy, and the cinnamon brown sugar flavors, and man did these pumpkin seeds turn out good! I couldn’t get enough! Will definitely make these again!
– MELISSA –
Roasted pumpkin seeds are tasty, healthy, crunchy, salty, and really easy to make! In my family, we find that freshly-roasted pumpkin seeds are the perfect snack for the whole family to enjoy while curled up watching a spooky movie post-pumpkin carving. It is one of our favorite Halloween traditions!
In this post:
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Visual Step-By-Step
- Pumpkin Seed Seasonings
- Pro-Tips
- Video
- Printable Recipe
- FAQs
- More Halloween Recipes
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Roasting pumpkin seeds is one of my favorite Halloween traditions!
Making a fun, healthy, special family snack of roasted pumpkin seeds after carving jack-o’-lanterns is one of my favorite annual traditions in our house.
We love this recipe and use it every October! Here’s why you’ll love this recipe, too:
- It’s easy and fun. Roasting pumpkin seeds is so easy that your kids can do it (with a little grown-up help). It’s a fun Halloween tradition for any family!
- Flavor for dayyyysss. I’ve got six different seasoning options for you to try, so you’ll have a flavor profile that satisfies each of the little monsters in your home.
- It’s kitchen-tested and family-approved. I’ve personally made this exact roasted pumpkin seed recipe for years. They turn out addictively crunchy and delicious every time!
Step-by-Step how to roast pumpkin seeds
1
Collect the pumpkin seeds
Scoop all your pumpkin seeds out from the pumpkin. I like to lay them out on a clean kitchen towel or newspaper. Pick any large chunks of pumpkin “guts” out and compost (or do like we do, and feed it to your chickens).
2
Clean the pumpkin seeds
Fill up a big bowl with warm water and dunk in the seeds. Use your hand to swirl them around a bit to loosen any pumpkin guts remaining. Then, let the seeds rest for about five minutes or so. In those five minutes, magic happens! The seeds all float, and the remaining pumpkin guts sink.
3
Dry the pumpkin seeds
Fish out the seeds using your hands, a slotted spoon, or a sieve, and then put them onto a dish towel and pat dry.
Protip: Do not skip drying your seeds!
Drying off the excess moisture from the clean seeds is key to making sure you have crispy roasted pumpkin seeds.
4
Toss the seeds with oil and seasonings
Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet or two (depending on how many seeds you have) with parchment paper.
Toss the towel-dried pumpkin seeds with olive oil or avocado oil—you’ll need about one teaspoon of oil for every 1/2 cup of seeds. Toss with your seasoning of choice.
5
Spread on the prepared baking sheet(s)
Spread the seeds into a single, even layer on the prepared baking sheet. You want a little space between and around the seeds so that they come out crispy instead of chewy. If they don’t all fit, line another baking sheet with parchment paper and use that one too!
6
Roast your pumpkin seeds
Roast the preheated oven, stirring the seeds every 10 minutes or so. Your final roasting time will depend heavily on a number of factors, so we recommend to start checking at the 30 minute mark for doneness. Your seeds could take as much as 60+ minutes to finish.
Protip: Keep stirring!
Make sure you stir your pumpkin seeds regularly so that they don’t burn!
7
Allow to cool and enjoy
Pumpkin seeds are ready when they are golden brown and mostly to entirely crispy. The seeds might be chewy right when they come out of the oven, but will crisp up nicely after cooling.
Roasted Pumpkin Seed Seasoning Ideas
Ranch Pumpkin Seeds
It takes a little bit of a lot of different spices to get the classic ranch flavor! For each 1/2 cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dill
- 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Pizza Pumpkin Seeds
The Parmesan cheese in these gets such an awesome, nutty flavor during roasting. For each 1/2 cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Dill Pickle Pumpkin Seeds
These dill pickle pumpkin seeds are like a crispy version of your favorite pickle. For each 1/2 cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dill
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Salt and Pepper Pumpkin Seeds
These pumpkin seeds prove how spicy black pepper can be! For a nose-tickling kick, add the full amount; for just a little bit of black pepper flavor, add less. For each 1/2 cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8–1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds
Crunchy and sweet, these are my favorite pumpkin seeds of the lot! The brown sugar in these has a tendency to burn in the oven, so keep a close eye on them. For each 1/2 cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
You can’t beat the interesting combo of sweetness with just a touch of kick! These aren’t super spicy, but the heat does build after a handful (or two). For each 1/2 cup of raw pumpkin seeds, you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon black peppe
Protip: Not just for pumpkin seeds!
Not only are these seasoning mixes great on pumpkin seeds, but they’re also delicious sprinkled on popcorn! Each spice mix makes enough to season a half cup of pumpkin seeds, so depending on the size of your pumpkin (and any other uses you might want for the seasoning mix), you might want to scale up any mix you make.
WATCH Me Make roasted pumpkin seeds
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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds protips
- Roast at a low temperature: You’re looking to dry out your pumpkin seeds, not burn them. A low temperature of 300°F is the way to go when baking pumpkin seeds.
- Cook time may vary: The amount of time it’ll take to roast your seeds will depend on the size of seeds, amount in the oven, humidity, and how damp the seeds were to begin with. We recommend starting to check your seeds at the 30 minute mark, but know they could take as much as 60 minutes to finish.
- Remove the pumpkin guts: You might be tempted to try roasting pumpkin seeds without cleaning them, but that’ll give you chewy pumpkin seeds. Remove as much of the pumpkin strings and flesh as possible before roasting.
- Parchment paper is going to give you the best roast: I love using reusable kitchen items wherever possible, but this is a job for parchment paper instead of your silicone baking mat. I’ve tested it both ways, and the parchment seems to wick away moisture from the pumpkin seeds better than the silicone.
- Roasted pumpkin seeds crisp up as they cool: Don’t freak if your pumpkin seeds are chewy out of the oven! They’ll crisp up as they cool.
- Keep a close eye on your oven: If your oven has hot spots or if you’ve never roasted pumpkin seeds before, make sure to keep a close eye as they roast to prevent burning. Rotate the pan if you see some seeds getting darker, and make sure to stir 2-3 times during the baking time.
Yield: 1/2 cup
Flavored Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipes
Roasted pumpkin seeds are a crunchy and healthy snack you have to make! We have both sweet and savory pumpkin seed recipes to satisfy your tastebuds.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup clean and towel-dried pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil
For the Ranch Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dill
- 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For the Pizza Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Dill Pickle Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dill
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For the Salt and Pepper Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8–1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
For the Sweet and Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Clean the pumpkin seeds by removing them from the pumpkin, and then picking any large chunks out.
- Fill a medium-size mixing bowl with warm water. Add in the pumpkin seeds, and then swirl around with your hand or a spoon to dislodge any of the pumpkin "gunk." Let rest for five minutes. The pumpkin seeds will float to the top, and the pumpkin guts will sink to the bottom.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the clean pumpkin seeds to a kitchen towel and pat dry.
- In a small bowl, mix together your seasoning mixture of choice, if using.
- Toss the clean and towel-dried pumpkin seeds with the olive oil. Then, add in the seasoning mixture, if using, or just salt to taste, tossing to make sure each pumpkin seed is well-coated.
- Spread pumpkin seeds onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure they are in one even layer. If you need to move to a second baking sheet, do so.
- Roast in preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until the pumpkin seeds are golden brown. Your final roasting time will depend on a number of factors (amount of seeds, size of seeds, humidity, dampness of seeds). Start checking the seeds for doneness at the 30 minute mark, but know it might take as much as 60+ minutes for the seeds to be golden brown and crisp.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely (pumpkin seeds will crisp up more as they cool).
Notes
To make pumpkin seeds easier to digest:
- Soak pumpkin seeds: Soak the clean pumpkin seeds in a quart of filtered water mixed with 1 tablespoon of salt at room temperature for at least eight hours or overnight. Remove from the water, towel dry, and then roast as directed—you may need to add 5-10 minutes worth of cooking time to get properly crunchy pumpkin seeds.
- Boil pumpkin seeds: Speed up the process by instead boiling pumpkin seeds in salted filtered water. Bring a saucepan of filtered water (1 tablespoon salt per quart of water) to a rolling boil, then add the cleaned pumpkin seeds and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the water, towel dry, and then roast as directed—you may need to add 5-10 minutes worth of cooking time to get properly crunchy pumpkin seeds.
Store cooled roasted pumpkin seeds in an airtight container (I useStasher bagsorcanning jars) in the pantry for up to three months. No need to refrigerate roasted pumpkin seeds.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
2 tablespoons
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 269Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1256mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 12g
Nutrtion info for roasted pumpkin seeds with only oil and salt; using a seasoning mix will alter these numbers. At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.
Frequently Asked Questions about Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Roasted pumpkin seeds are usually still pretty chewy when they are hot out of the oven. Let them cool completely and then try again. If they are still chewy, pop them back in the 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes to finish crisping them up.
I like to store cooled roasted pumpkin seeds in an airtight container (I use Stasher bags or canning jars) in the pantry for up to three months. No need to refrigerate roasted pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin seeds can be tricky for some folks to digest. If you find that pumpkin seeds give you tummy trouble, you can alleviate this problem by either soaking or boiling your pumpkin seeds before roasting:
- Soak pumpkin seeds: Soak the clean pumpkin seeds in a quart of filtered water mixed with 1 tablespoon of salt for at least eight hours or overnight at room temperature. Remove from the water, towel dry, and then roast as directed—you may need to add 5-10 minutes worth of cooking time to get properly crunchy pumpkin seeds.
- Boil pumpkin seeds: Speed up the process by instead boiling pumpkin seeds in salted filtered water. Bring a saucepan of filtered water (1 tablespoon salt per quart of water) to a rolling boil, and then add the cleaned pumpkin seeds and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the water, towel dry, and then roast as directed—you may need to add 5-10 minutes worth of cooking time to get properly crunchy pumpkin seeds.Dried or fresh minced herbs—Sage, rosemary, parsley, or thyme all work well here. You’ll want 2 teaspoons of dried herbs total, or 2 tablespoons of fresh minced herbs.
Nope! You can use any kind of pumpkin—the best pumpkin for pumpkin seeds is the pumpkin you have on hand! Unlike when we made our own pumpkin puree, you are free to use seeds from a giant pumpkin you used to carve a jack o’ lantern. You can also use seeds from a pie pumpkin. The only thing to keep in mind: typically, the bigger and heavier the pumpkin, the more seeds it has. And since roasted pumpkin seeds are SUPER delicious, I always recommend roasting more rather than less.
Some folks out there claim that you need to dry pumpkin seeds overnight before roasting. I’ve tried it both ways—dried overnight and just towel drying—and the difference in baking time was only a handful of minutes. Definitely not worth the overnight wait in my mind! Ever since, I’ve been fine with baking pumpkin seeds right after towel drying.
This is a question I had before the first time I ate a roasted pumpkin seed! Is it like a sunflower seed and you’re supposed to peel it and eat the inside? Or do you eat the whole seed at once? The answer is: both or either! Many people eat the whole pumpkin seed—shell and all—especially when it’s roasted with flavoring like we do down below. You can also crack the shell and just eat the pepita—the green inner pumpkin seed without the shell.
Looking for some more fun halloween recipes?
- Our Halloween sugar cookie recipe is so beloved that people come back and use it year after year for spooky treats!
- You wont believe how easy it is to make caramel apples from scratch!
- Looking for the easiest trick-or-treating dinner? Our Halloween charcuterie board is perfect for nibbling on while getting costumes on!
Cassie Johnston
Cassie is a holistic nutritionist, cookbook author, and all-around food lover. She grew up cooking dinner with her parents every evening, and her passion for home cooking has been strong ever since. Cassie is the author of two published cookbooks (Cooking with Greek Yogurt and Chia, Quinoa, Kale, Oh My!) and dozens of recipes published in major magazines and newspapers. Cassie has been sharing her award-winning recipes on Wholefully since 2010. She loves dark chocolate, homegrown tomatoes, motorsports, and anything that sparkles. She lives in Indiana with her family on a small homestead.
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