Roasted Pumpkin Seeds With Cinnamon Sugar
Updated Aug 20, 2023
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This roasted pumpkin seeds recipe is an easy way to use the leftover seeds from your holiday pumpkins. Clean and toss your pumpkin seeds with cinnamon sugar or your favorite seasonings, then roast them in the oven until they’re buttery and crispy. They make a delicious fall party snack and salad topping!
Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
You’ve carved the pumpkin. You’ve turned the flesh into pumpkin purée, baked a batch of pumpkin protein muffins, and made pumpkin soup from the leftovers. All that’s left is the pulp and seeds, so now what? My answer has always been roasted pumpkin seeds. Roasting pumpkin seeds is an easy way to turn them into a tasty homemade snack, with 5 ingredients or less.
My husband eats plain pumpkin seeds by the handful and would always spit out the shells. Tossing the seeds with our family’s favorite fall flavors, then roasting them to crunchy, toasted, nutty perfection means he now devours them whole. No more shells!
These easy roasted pumpkin seeds are really more of a method than a recipe. Make your pumpkin seeds sweet with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, salted, or get creative with herbs and spices. They’re great on their own, for adding crunch to salads, or as a topping for pancakes and baked goods, like pumpkin baked oatmeal. Happy fall snacking!
What You’ll Need
You really only need pumpkin seeds, plus any ingredients you’d like to flavor them with. Here’s what I use in this roasted pumpkin seeds recipe. See the recipe card for the exact amounts.
- Pumpkin Seeds – You’ll find raw pumpkin seeds in most grocery stores, or you can use the leftover pumpkin seeds from fresh pumpkins. If you’re working with fresh pumpkin seeds, scoop them from the pumpkin and remove as much pulp as possible. See below.
- Butter – Melted. Olive oil works nicely here, too.
- Spices – This can be as simple as sea salt, or you can follow my recipe for cinnamon sugar pumpkin seeds, with cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar.
Cleaning Pumpkin Seeds
Before roasting the pumpkin seeds, clean off the pulp and soak them. I find it helpful to pick out the larger chunks, then place the seeds in a colander under lukewarm water. Swish the seeds around to rinse off any small pieces, then drain and dry them well.
If needed, you can soak the pumpkin seeds to make them easier to digest. Dissolve one tablespoon of salt in 4 cups of water. Cover the pumpkin seeds in the salt solution and let them soak for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Once your pumpkin seeds are cleaned and soaked, follow the steps below to roast them in the oven.
- Dry the seeds. While the oven preheats to 350ºF, thoroughly dry your pumpkin seeds using paper towels. Afterward, spread the seeds in an even layer on an ungreased baking pan. I line mine with parchment paper to make cleanup easier.
- Add your seasoning. Next, melt the butter. Drizzle it over the pumpkin seeds to coat. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice, and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the buttered pumpkin seeds. If needed, stir them around to ensure they’re evenly coated, then return them to a single layer.
- Roast. Slide the baking sheet into the oven. Roast the pumpkin seeds for 18 minutes at 350ºF, or until lightly browned and crisp. Once you’ve removed them from the oven, let the pumpkin seeds rest and cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Flavor Variations
I like the sweetness of cinnamon sugar, but you can also drizzle olive oil over the seeds and season with salt and pepper. Or, kick it up a notch with curry powder, garlic powder, and dried herbs. These are some quick flavors you can try:
- Parmesan and garlic: Toss seeds in melted butter, garlic powder, and grated Parmesan cheese before roasting.
- Spicy chili: Coat the seeds in a mix of chili powder, cayenne pepper, and a touch of lime zest.
- Rosemary and sea salt: Drizzle seeds with olive oil, finely chopped fresh rosemary, and coarse sea salt.
- Maple brown sugar: Blend seeds with a touch of maple syrup and a sprinkle of brown sugar.
- Cocoa and sea salt: Toss seeds in unsweetened cocoa powder with a hint of sea salt and a drizzle of melted dark chocolate after roasting.
- Vanilla and almond: Coat seeds in a mixture of melted butter, a dash of vanilla extract, and a sprinkle of almond essence.
Tips for Roasting Pumpkin Seeds
- Why soak pumpkin seeds? As mentioned, soaking the seeds in a salt brine can make them easier to digest. It also improves the flavor, similar to brining a Thanksgiving turkey. This extra step is optional, but I like to do it when I have time.
- Dry the seeds thoroughly. Before roasting, ensure the pumpkin seeds are completely dry. This helps them roast evenly into a nice, crispy texture. Use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to pat them dry.
- Stir occasionally. Stir the pumpkin seeds once or twice during roasting so they brown on all sides.
- Cooling. Allow the seeds to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes after roasting. They continue to crisp up as they cool.
- Pumpkin shells are edible. The outer shell of the pumpkin seed is edible. Roasting makes them crispier and adds to the overall texture, so there’s no need to remove them before eating.
Serving Suggestions
Eaten as-is by the handful or in more seasonal recipes, these roasted pumpkin seeds are versatile! Here are some ideas:
- In baking: Press pumpkin seeds into the top of pumpkin cream cheese muffins or chocolate pumpkin bread.
- As a topping: Sprinkle crunchy roasted pumpkin seeds on top of pancakes, waffles, ice cream, and apple crisp.
- Salads: I love adding roasted pumpkin seeds to my fall orzo salad, farro salad, or apple salad.
- Snack boards: Add these cinnamon sugar pumpkin seeds to a holiday charcuterie board with cured meats, cheeses, grapes, and spiced nuts. Homemade spiked apple cider makes a great fall happy hour tipple!
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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin seeds with shells
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread pumpkin seeds on an ungreased 15×10 baking sheet.
- Toss with butter. Pour melted butter over the pumpkin seeds and toss to combine.
- Season. In a small mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg; sprinkle over the seeds and stir until combined.
- Roast. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy, stirring once halfway through roasting.
- Cool. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Serve.
Notes
- Pumpkin Seeds: Either purchase raw pumpkin seeds from your grocery store or use the seeds from fresh pumpkins.
- Cleaning: Rinse the seeds in a colander to remove the pumpkin pulp.
- Soaking: Optionally, soak in salted water for 8 hours to enhance flavor and digestibility.
- Dry Well: Ensure seeds are completely dry before roasting for even cooking.
- Even Spreading: Arrange the seeds in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Stir: Stir seeds once or twice during roasting for even browning.
- Post-Roast Seasoning: Consider adding fine herbs or seasonings after roasting, too.
- Cool: Let seeds cool on the sheet to crisp up.
- Store: Keep in an airtight container for freshness.
- Flavor Play: Experiment with both sweet and savory seasonings.
- Edible Shells: The roasted shells are edible.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Store Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Store airtight. Store completely cooled pumpkin seeds in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for 8 to 10 days. They can also be refrigerated for up to a month.
- Freeze. You can freeze roasted pumpkin seeds for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely before storing and freezing. They may lose some of their crunch upon thawing, but they’ll still be tasty.
