Sweet And Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
Every fall, home cooks roast pumpkins aplenty, and every year, the pumpkin seeds themselves end up in the trash, scraped out and discarded alongside the pulp. But what you're actually passing on is a healthy snack just waiting for you to prep, flavor, and make to exactly your liking. If you've ever wondered how to make your own roasted pumpkin seeds, then our sweet and spicy roasted pumpkin seeds recipe is just what you need to get started.
Making DIY roasted pumpkin seeds can seem intimidating, but it's actually easier than you think. The process is longer than you'd typically wait for a snack, as you do have to boil, dry, and bake the seeds, but most of the work is hands-off. Once you get the hang of the process, it'll be an easy one to do over and over again, trying out different flavorings and seasonings as desired.
When it came to choosing the flavor profile for my roasted pumpkin seeds in this recipe, I went with a Gen Z-inspired "swicy" approach, AKA a combination of sweet and spicy. And as a recipe developer and blogger with a penchant for heat and international influences, I knew that such a sweet heat flavor profile would pack a punch in an otherwise very neutral snack. Sweet and spicy happens to be my favorite, go-to flavor combination for all sorts of foods, but of course, you're welcome to test things out and add your own spin.
Gather the ingredients for sweet and spicy roasted pumpkin seeds
To make these roasted pumpkin seeds, you'll need a medium pumpkin, kosher salt, unsalted butter, maple syrup, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, and flaky sea salt.
Step 1: Slice the pumpkin to expose flesh and seeds
Cut the top off of the pumpkin, ensuring that you'll have adequate access to to scoop the seeds from both halves. Alternatively, if the pumpkin is too large, just cut it in half instead.
Step 2: Scoop out the seeds and pulp
Scoop out the seeds and pulp with a large spoon, transferring everything to a bowl.
Step 3: Separate the seeds from the pulp
Submerge the seeds and pulp in a bowl of water. Skim the floating seeds off the top to separate them from the pulp and strings. Use your hands to help separate the seeds from the pulp.
Step 4: Rinse the seeds and discard the pulp
Rinse the seeds thoroughly in a colander. Discard the pulp.
Step 5: Boil a pot of salted water
Bring 4 cups water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to a boil in a saucepan.
Step 6: Boil the seeds
Transfer the seeds to the saucepan and boil for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Dry the seeds
Drain the seeds well and spread them in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Let them air dry for at least 1 hour, or leave uncovered overnight for the driest, crispiest result.
Step 8: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 300 F.
Step 9: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 10: Season the seeds
Toss about 2 cups of dried seeds with the melted butter, maple syrup, smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, and remaining 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
Step 11: Roast the seeds
Spread the seeds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp.
Step 12: Finish the roasted pumpkin seeds with flaky salt before cooling and serving
Remove from the oven and sprinkle immediately with flaky sea salt. Let the seeds cool completely on the baking sheet to crisp up even more before serving.
Pairs well with sweet and spicy roasted pumpkin seeds
Sweet and Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
With this recipe, you can make the most of your Jack-O-Lantern by transforming the seeds into a sweet and spicy roasted, crunchy, fall-approved snack.
Ingredients
- 1 medium pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, to finish
Directions
- Cut the top off of the pumpkin, ensuring that you’ll have adequate access to to scoop the seeds from both halves. Alternatively, if the pumpkin is too large, just cut it in half instead.
- Scoop out the seeds and pulp with a large spoon, transferring everything to a bowl.
- Submerge the seeds and pulp in a bowl of water. Skim the floating seeds off the top to separate them from the pulp and strings. Use your hands to help separate the seeds from the pulp.
- Rinse the seeds thoroughly in a colander. Discard the pulp.
- Bring 4 cups water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to a boil in a saucepan.
- Transfer the seeds to the saucepan and boil for 10 minutes.
- Drain the seeds well and spread them in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Let them air dry for at least 1 hour, or leave uncovered overnight for the driest, crispiest result.
- Preheat the oven to 300 F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss about 2 cups of dried seeds with the melted butter, maple syrup, smoked paprika, cayenne, cumin, and remaining 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
- Spread the seeds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring every 8 minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle immediately with flaky sea salt. Let the seeds cool completely on the baking sheet to crisp up even more before serving.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 42 |
| Total Fat | 3.0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.8 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 7.6 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 4.1 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 3.3 g |
| Sodium | 39.0 mg |
| Protein | 0.2 g |
Are there any shortcuts I can take when drying the seeds?
As tempting as it may seem to skip stages and shorten the process of roasting pumpkin seeds, there really is a method to this madness. One of the most crucial steps is fully drying the seeds, as any moisture on the surface of the seeds will turn into steam in the oven. This means that instead of crunchy seeds, you'll end up with soft and chewy morsels, which are a lot less fun to snack on. It may also shorten their shelf life, which normally is about two weeks at room temperature.
All that said, there are some ways to speed up the drying process just a bit. If you're short on time, pat the seeds as dry as possible with paper towels immediately after draining. Press the towels down firmly, and blot several times rather than just doing one pass. A kitchen towel would work even better, and likely dry them more completely. You could also spread the seeds on a baking sheet and put them in a 200 F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to speed up the drying process after the boiling step.
For the best and crunchiest results, the overnight air-drying method is your best bet. The dryer your seeds go into the oven, the crunchier they'll end up and the easier all the spices will stick. I recommend breaking this recipe into two parts, getting the seeds boiled and laid out on paper towels during the evening, then you can return to them the next day to complete the process.
What are other ways to season roasted pumpkin seeds?
While you can't really deviate from the steps of the pumpkin seed roasting process, you definitely can let your inner chef let loose when it comes to flavoring the seeds. One of my favorite tricks is to use a spicy maple syrup to lean even further into that swicy profile. You can also add a few dashes of fish sauce and a teaspoon of gochujang paste to the mix, to really amp up the umami and lean into a funkier sweet and spicy flavor profile.
Soy sauce is another great way to season the seeds from the inside rather than just the hull. Let the seeds soak in the sauce for about 10 minutes for the best results. Za'atar is another spice I love adding for complexity, or go for a mix of cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and chile flakes for a more warm and savory approach.
To lean even further into a sweet profile, toss the seeds with brown sugar, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne, which results in a taste closer to a candied nut. If adding brown sugar, though, hold off until the last 10 minutes of roasting to prevent it from burning.