Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
This roasted pumpkin seeds recipe is super simple, yet bursting with flavor, uses only 5 common pantry ingredients, and is baked in the oven! 🤫 The result? A crunchy, buttery, and salty snack that will have your mouth watering and your family begging for more. WARNING: You won’t be able to eat just one!
Whether you’re carving spooky pumpkin faces for Halloween or making your own homemade pumpkin puree, don’t toss those seeds! They are the best part! I literally dream of these roasted pumpkin seeds all year long.
I have the fondest memories of making fresh cooked pumpkin seeds in the oven every year with my mom and siblings after we all carved our Jack-O-Lanterns.
Yes, I know you can “buy” processed pumpkin seeds year-round, but they just aren’t the same! And I’ve tried several recipes over the years. Yet, they often lack the unique punch of flavor that lingers on your tongue and draws you back for more. So I always return to this favorite roasted pumpkin seed recipe that my Mom always made.
If you’ve got kids, this healthy snack recipe is a perfect one to make with them! Half the fun is digging into the squishy, slimy pumpkin guts to separate the seeds. My kids look forward to this every year!
Prepare your Pumpkin Seeds
If you’re carving a pumpkin, start by cutting a circle around the stem to pop off the lid. Then, grab a spoon and scoop out all the slimy guts and seeds—don’t forget to scrape the underside of the lid, too!
If you’re working with a different kind of winter squash (which, yes, you totally can), just slice it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
To clean your pumpkin seeds, throw them into a bowl of water. The Pumpkin seeds will float to the top making it easier to separate the Seeds from the “pulp” of the Pumpkin. Super easy! PRO TIP: You don’t want to use Cold water; as your hands will be in this for a while and you don’t want to freeze them off. Luke warm water is your friend.
Add the seeds to a colander, rinse one more time, and remove any pulp left on the seeds. It’s okay if some flesh remains.
To Dry your Pumpkin Seeds, spread them out on a paper towel or kitchen towel and pat them dry. The more dry your pumpkin seeds are, the better they will roast in the oven. Any excess moisture will create steam in the oven and prolong the cooking time.
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
To season your pumpkin seeds, toss the dried raw pumpkin seeds with melted butter, Worcestershire Sauce, seasoned salt, and sea salt until all the seeds are evenly coated.
Spread the seeds evenly in a single layer on a lined baking sheet, and bake them in the oven at a 250°F for about 50-60 minutes.
Toss the seeds every 15-20 minutes to encourage even browning. When the seeds give a nutty aroma and are crisp and browned around the edges, they are ready!
How to Store Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
After you remove the pumpkin seeds from the oven allow them to fully cool before storing. Transfer the pumpkin seeds into an airtight container or a zip-top bag. Keep them in a cool, dry place, like a pantry or cupboard.
Theoretically, they can last up to 2 weeks in an air-tight container. But I’ve never been able to test that theory, because they are always long gone in everyone’s belly before the third day!
If you are extra ambitious you can freeze them in an airtight container, and they’ll be good for up to 3 months. But you better hide them well from your snack-loving family, if you get my meaning.
👩🏻🍳 Tips from the Chef
Spicy: If you want a spicy snack, add 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to kick up the heat factor.
Like Ranch? If you love that Ranch chip flavor, you can trade out the seasoned salt for 1-2 teaspoons of ranch seasoning mix and you’ll end up with a snack that is bursting with flavor in every bite.
Make it Exciting: If you want to amp it up, you can also try adding a little smoked paprika, chili powder, and/or curry powder.
Easy Clean Up: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent the seeds from sticking to the pan and make clean up easier.
HYDRATE: These tasty buttery pumpkin seeds are incredibly hard to resist. Because of their sodium, they do tend to make you thirsty. So make sure you have a good bottle of water close by as you indulge!
Not Just Pumpkins: You can roast and snack on the seeds from any type of winter squash—butternut, delicata, acorn, kabocha, you name it! Just keep an eye on them while they’re in the oven. The smaller seeds will toast up faster, while the bigger ones might need a little extra time.
More Tasty Snacks
- Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
- Bacon Ranch Cheeseball
- Best homemade French Fries
- Old Fashioned Kettle Corn
- Caramel Apple Popcorn Balls
If you try this Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Busycreatingmemories!
Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe
Get ready for the ultimate crunchy, buttery, and salty snack! 🤤 This easy roasted pumpkin seeds recipe uses just 5 simple pantry ingredients and bakes to perfection in the oven. The result? A dangerously delicious treat that’ll have you and your family grabbing handful after handful. Consider yourself warned—you won’t be able to stop at just one!
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Raw Pumpkin Seeds
- 3 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Melted Butter
- 2 Teaspoons Seasoned Salt
- Pinch or two Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven to 250 Degrees F.
- Place cleaned Pumpkin Seeds in a medium mixing bowl; and add Worcestershire Sauce, melted Butter, and Seasoned Salt.
- Stir until all seeds are well coated.
- Spread evenly on a large lined Cookie sheet and lightly sprinkle with Sea Salt.
- Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, stirring the seeds every 15-20 minutes for even roasting.
- When finished Seeds should be Golden and crisp to the touch, but not so much so that they are hard.
- Let cool slightly and then enjoy!
Notes
*Seeing as you never know exactly how many seeds you will get with a pumpkin, this can be adjusted as needed based on the amount of seeds you have. Just keep the ingredients proportional to the recipe as written.
Storing: Allow the roasted seeds to cool, then store them in an air-tight container. They will last this way at room temperature for a couple of weeks and in the freezer for a few months.
Pumpkin Seeds can be prepared up to a day before roasting them. Clean them, pat them dry, and allow them to dry in the fridge overnight. Roast them the next day at your convenience.
For extra crispy perfect seeds: Soak seeds in salt water for a day then lay out the seeds in a single layer and let them dry out at room temperature for another day before roasting them.
👩🏻🍳 Tips from the Chef
Spicy: If you want a spicy snack, add 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper to kick up the heat factor.
Like Ranch? If you love that Ranch chip flavor, you can trade out the seasoned salt for 1-2 teaspoons of ranch seasoning mix and you’ll end up with a snack that is bursting with flavor in every bite.
Make it Exciting: If you want to amp it up, you can also try adding a little smoked paprika, chili powder, and/or curry powder.
Not Just Pumpkins: You can roast and snack on the seeds from any type of winter squash—butternut, delicata, acorn, kabocha, you name it! Just keep an eye on them while they’re in the oven. The smaller seeds will toast up faster, while the bigger ones might need a little extra time.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1/4 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 181Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 40mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 6gSugar: 0gProtein: 6g
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although Busy Creating Memories attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
This pumpkin seeds recipe was originally published November 3, 2011. I’ve updated it for your convenience with new photos, instructions, and better tips! Happy Cooking!
💭 FAQs
We use a combination of real butter and Worcestershire sauce that packs a lot of flavor into 2 simple ingredients. Plus, the convenience of seasoning salt. It reduces the number of steps and ingredients, yet leaves a lingering buttery salty flavor that brings you back again and again.
If you love spicy snacks, you can easily spice this one up! Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or chili powder into the mix before you season the pumpkin seeds. That will add a little kick of heat to your snack.
If you don’t have any seasoned salt on hand, you can replace it with
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Pinch of sugar (optional)
This blend will give you a similar savory flavor with just the right balance of spices! Feel free to tweak it to match your taste.
These sounds wonderful, a great treat and tutorial too. Big Hugs ♥
Thanks for stopping By Katherine! Yes, I absolutely LOVE this recipe. sadly we just finished off our huge batch of them and now have no more pumpkins in our area to make more. /cry. But they are definitely a highlight of Halloween!
I've heard of using Worcestershire sauce before but have never tried it. It sounds yummy though!
I’ve never tried making pumpkin seeds before but this sounds awesome!
My 5yo and I just made these tonight. SO DELICIOUS! She loves Halloween for costumes, carving pumpkins and pumpkin seeds. I agree with these pumpkin seeds. We made 6 cups, and I’m not sure they are going to last til the morning! Thanks for the recipe. Yum, yum. Btw, I found you on Pinterest.
Oh you just brightened my day! I am so glad you enjoyed our recipe! It has been my favorite since I was a little girl. And yes, Pumpkin seeds are big highlight of October for me as well. I just love it.
These are in the oven now and making my house smell delicious! I won’t lie. I ate one the last time I stirred them. I’m not sure I’ll be sharing with the kiddos. Or the hubs.
Hi, I’m wondering how I would store these until Christmas. I’m making them now but want to have some for my children when they come home for the holidays. Thanks!
hmm, I’m not sure. Ours never lasted longer than 2 days before they were gone. lol
You could try putting then in an airtight bag and storing them in the fridge in a crisp drawer (make sure they don’t get pushed to the back and frozen). I hope that works.
I don’t know if American oven temperatures differ from the UK, but one to two hours in an extremely hot oven seemed odd to me and after only 10 minutes my seeds were burnt beyond use and the smoke alarms were going. Surely the seeds only need a few minutes in that hot oven? I was very disappointed as the washing and drying of the seeds was quite time consuming.is it a typo in your recipe?