Save the seeds from your pumpkins this year and make roasted pumpkin seeds for a healthy, crunchy snack. If you’re carving a Jack-O-Lantern, then don’t waste the goodness inside, follow this easy step-by-step guide, and you’ll be rewarded with a special treat!
Whether you’re carving spooky Halloween pumpkin faces or making homemade pumpkin puree from scratch, don’t forget to save those edible seeds inside! I had a fond childhood memory of my elementary school teacher showing our class how to roast pumpkin seeds in a toaster oven after making our Jack-O-Lanterns. This healthy snack recipe is easy to make at home and a fun project to get the kiddos involved.
How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
Don’t throw out the seeds! Make a tasty and healthy snack in a few simple steps to add flavor and irresistible texture to each bite. Pumpkin seeds are composed of two parts; the cream-colored shell and the kernel or pepita which is olive green in color. Both are edible, so you can’t go wrong roasting the whole seed and enjoying the maximum nutritional benefits.
STEP 1: Remove the Seeds
Use a large spoon or ice cream scoop to remove the inside pulp, stringy fibers, and entangled raw seeds from the pumpkin. The seeds from carving pumpkins and pie pumpkins are edible. Depending on the size of your pumpkin, the more or less yield you will have. My pumpkin seed recipe uses a 3-pound pie pumpkin that I used to make homemade pumpkin puree for a delicious pumpkin pie.
STEP 2: Wash and Dry Seeds
Add the seeds to a colander, wash and remove any pulp left on the seeds. It’s okay if some flesh remains. Make sure to dry the seeds as much as possible in between a towel. This process will help to crisp up the seeds during roasting. Any excess moisture will create steam in the oven and prolong the cooking time.
STEP 3: Season the Seeds
Toss the seeds in a bowl with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper. Make sure to separate and spread the seeds evenly on a lightly greased cookie sheet for even roasting.
STEP 4: Roast the Seeds
The seasoned pumpkin seeds get roasted at a moderate heat of 350°F (177ºC) for about 12 to 15 minutes, tossing the seeds every 5 minutes to encourage even browning. When the seeds give a nutty aroma and golden brown color, they are ready!
Benefits of Roasting Pumpkin Seeds
- Ease: Since you’re already taking the time to cut and remove the seeds, why not pre-heat the oven and quickly make a snack!
- Versatility: I’m sure your pantry is already filled with seasonings to create unique and tasty combinations. You can use any seasoning mix, like some chili powder for heat, curry powder or cumin for a more earthy flavor, or even a sweet taste with cinnamon and maple syrup. Feel free to use vegetable oil, butter or coconut oil instead of olive oil.
- Nutrition: Eating the whole pumpkin seed provides fiber and an excellent source of zinc from the shell and the nutrients phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and iron. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, in 1 ounce (28 grams) of pumpkin seeds provides approximately 126 calories, 5.3 grams of protein, 5.5 grams of fat mainly from unsaturated sources, 15 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of total dietary fiber.
If you’re a fan of pumpkin seeds, I’d love to hear your flavor combinations and uses in the comments section below!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- ¾ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika, optional
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177ºC).
- Wash pumpkin seeds in a colander to remove the pulp and fibers. Thoroughly dry with a towel.
- In a small bowl combine pumpkin seeds, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika (if using), and black pepper.
- Lightly grease a sheet pan with olive oil. Evenly spread the seasoned pumpkin seeds on the sheet pan.
- Bake until the seeds are toasted and crunchy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes for even toasting, and check for doneness with each stir by tasting a seed for crunchiness.
- Transfer the roasted pumpkin seeds to a bowl to cool down.
Equipment
Notes
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled depending on how many seeds your pumpkin yields.
- To make separating the pulp from the seeds a bit easier, add them to a medium sized bowl. Fill the bowl with warm water and rub the seeds together in the palm of your hands to remove the stringy flesh. Allow the seeds to float to the top of the bowl, then use a spoon to skim them from the surface. Transfer to a colander to further rinse before drying.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Katie says
Very good. Thank you.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks, Katie!
Eva carroll says
Wow this is my first time doing this recipe for the pumpkin seeds so delicious
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the pumpkin seed recipe!
Rachael says
I have been roasting pumpkin seeds for decades, but I decided to try something new and found your recipe through a Google search. I will never make them another way again. These are hands down the most delicious pumpkin seeds I’ve ever made!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo-hoo! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed my roasted pumpkin seeds recipe!
Danna Stamer says
Hello, I was studying your nutritional information and I’m curious how you found it on the USDA database. When I look, I don’t see pumpkin seeds in the shell. I see pepitas.
I want to believe your data rather than what I see on MyFitnessPal app. I made the seeds and they are delicious and it’s nice to measure up a 28 g serving and enjoy them and stop eating them for the day! It’s fun to roast all the squash, family seeds that we eat I’ll fall. Please let me know how you found that information
Christina Wright says
I love pumpkin seeds
Monique says
Just made these. Used triple the amount of seeds, double the amount of everything else, baked on parchment without adding more oil. They are a bit too salty and garlicky for my taste (and I love salt and garlic). I’d make them again, reducing salt, garlic, paprika to about a third of the recommended amounts. Love the flavor combination though!
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback, Monique! Feel free to modify the seasoning levels to taste. What kind of salt did you use?
Coleen says
I made this recipe and substituted oil for butter and added garlic powder and Jack Daniel’s honey BBQ seasoning. It was delicious!!!
Jessica Gavin says
I love the flavor combo for the pumpkin seeds, Coleen!
JM says
This flavor mix is a new family fave!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo-hoo! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the pumpkin seeds recipe.
Erica says
Recipe is great! I had a LOT of seeds from 6 pumpkins so I made 2 triple recipes and one single. I also only have 1 cookie sheet so I baked 4 batches, and the first one came out good but a little chewier than I personally like my seeds and I think my oven tends to be on the cooler side, so I ended up cooking the 3rd and 4th batch for 20 minutes instead of 15 and they were perfect!
Jessica Gavin says
WOW! That’s a lot of pumpkin seeds! Great to see that your test with extending the roasting time worked to get crispier pumpkin seeds!
Erika says
very nice. will reduce salt next time because it was a little too salty for hubby’s tastes!
Jessica Gavin says
I appreciate your feedback, Erika! You can definitely adjust the salt level as needed.
Heather says
Yum, Jessica, thank you! Your spice combo with the paprika is AMAZING! I roast pumpkin seeds every year, and this recipe is definitely a keeper.
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo hoo! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the roasted pumpkin seeds recipe and you’ll be making them again.
Rex Burger says
Great flavor and perfect doneness at 13:30. Amazing
Jessica Gavin says
So happy that you enjoyed the roasted pumpkin seeds, Rex!
Clayton Lee says
Great recipe – I baked our pumpkin seeds last year and they were delicious. I’m going to try your method this year and especially the spices you suggested. I may even get 2 or more pumpkins. As tradition I always carve our pumpkin(s) on Halloween afternoon, take pictures of it/them as the night goes on, then another set of pictures later in a dark room, and I sometimes do a video in the dark room of 5-10 minutes – of just the jack-o-lantern flickering away in the dark. Happy Halloween and thank you for all the other wonderful recipes you provide – we use many of them and have never been disappointed!
Clayton & Donna Lee
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much for all of your support, Clayton! I love hearing about family traditions, happy halloween!
DS says
Roasted seeds for years but I liked the combo of spices in your recipe. Did on convection bake, got nice and crispy. We all loved them. Will keep this recipe for next time.
Jessica Gavin says
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that you are enjoying my roasted pumpkin seed recipe!
Paula says
I didn’t have garlic powder and added ginger powder instead. It is also very nice!
Jessica Gavin says
I’ll have to try adding ginger to my pumpkin seeds this year!
B says
Just tried your pumpkin seed recipe! So yummy… thanks for sharing!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome!
Val says
This is the best recipe I found for pumpkin seeds so far! Perfect seasoning balance and crispy! A keeper
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for making the roasted pumpkin seeds recipe! I’m so happy that you find it to be the best for taste and texture.
Zachary says
Had seeds leftover from making homemade pumpkin pie and gave this a try with my dad. First time roasting seeds and glad to find this recipe!
Jessica Gavin says
So impressed that you made a homemade pumpkin pie! Glad to hear that you enjoyed the pumpkin seeds recipe.
Shannon Updike says
We had a pretty large pimpkin so we split them into two batches. One with cinnamon and sugar and one with salt and pepper.(3 picky toddlers one of the two options has got to work right? Lol.)
Jessica Gavin says
I love the sweet and savory pumpkin seed options!
jodie T says
I tried this recipe and cooked alot longer to get the brown crunchy taste. They are delish. I added onion powder to mine. Cannot stop eating as they are warm, salty and savory. Plus added Thyme sprigs too.
Jessica Gavin says
Love the your additions to the pumpkin seed recipe!
Becky says
Had a pumpkin, so I decided to try it out, my first time roasting pumpkin seeds, and I just finished roasting them. I love them!! One of my son’s was not so excited to try pumpkin seeds.. but after I was finished, he tried one and really likes them 🙂 I used some olive oil and some homemade taco seasoning I make on a regular basis for our family, definitely a good choice in spices to use. I had to leave mine in the oven a little longer, not a big deal. Thank you for the recipe Jessica.
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome! I love that you used taco seasoning for the pumpkin seeds.
Elizabeth Fehr says
This was a delicious recipe to make after carving my pumpkin in October. It was well seasoned and cooked, and a really moreish snack. Can’t wait to make a sweet version of this next year!
Jessica Gavin says
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed the pumpkin seeds recipe and will be trying different flavors.
Sandi says
Pink Himalayan salt, garlic powder, white pepper and powdered wasabi.
Trust me, amazing.
Jessica Gavin says
Yum!!!!
Cindy says
I doubled it and added 1/2 tsp sweet parka 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast .
Jessica Gavin says
Sounds delicious!
Tori says
I have been roasting pumpkin seeds for years. I dry them out usually over night and then lay them out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with celery salt, garlic powder and lawrys seasoning. Then take about 2 tbsp of butter and dot the sheet with small pieces. Bake at 250° for about 45min stirring when the butter melts.
Yours sounds like a great recipe too.
Jessica Gavin says
I’ll have to give your recipe a try!
Taylor says
Great recipe! These had so much great flavor, what a great way to use our Halloween pumpkin seeds! I couldn’t get mine very dry despite a lot of effort, so I had to roast them twice as long, but I used the guide to go by crispiness and I’m glad I did because they are perfect! Thanks!
Jessica Gavin says
Great job, Taylor!
Laura says
Did all except the paprika (didn’t have any) and turned out so good!!! Cant stop eating them.
Jessica Gavin says
Yay!
Susan J Bogdanowich-Knipp says
Amazing!!!!
The last time I tried to roast pumpkin seeds, it did not turn out well! This was such an easy recipe and the seeds taste so good.
Thanks!
Jessica Gavin says
So happy you enjoyed the pumpkin seed recipe!
East Marie-Josée says
How long can I keep them and storage pls
Jessica Gavin says
2 weeks
Jim says
Every year I search “how to roast pumpkin seeds”. Now I have found the recipe I am printing out and keeping. These seeds are delicious!
Jessica Gavin says
Yay!
Billie-Jean says
Best pumpkin seeds I’ve ever made! Big hit with the fam 😉 thank you! 😋
Jessica Gavin says
Great job!
Robert Scott Brown says
I tried this adding a touch of cinnamon.I ask others in my apt building for their seeds.Pumpkin seeds are great for mens prostrate health on top of being a tasty snack
Jessica Gavin says
I like the addition of the cinnamon!
Jason says
Great recipe made perfect seeds, added chipotle powder to half for a little kick. Cooked a little longer to get them crunchy.
Jessica Gavin says
Love the heat!
Stephanie Murrile says
Thank you for this recipe. Exactly what I was looking for.
Benjamin Scaff says
Thanks for the recipe. It turned out great. I seasoned the seeds with
1tbs paprika
1tsp mustard powder
1tsp salt
1tsp pepper
1tsp chipotle
It may be a little too much chipotle, but I like them hot. Thanks again
Jessica Gavin says
I’ll have to give this a try!
Megan says
Such a good recipe! I did mine with garam masala. They’re sooooo good. Thank you!
E says
I put salt pepper olive oil paprika garlic onion cayenne and brewers yeast!
JENNIFER CEBALLOS says
Growing up, my mom would always soak the pumpkin seeds in very salted water over night, so I did that first, then followed your recipe but also used tajin seasoning. WOW, can’t believe how good these came out. Thanks!
Elaina says
Love it! Thank you ♥️ 🥘
Meghan says
Bummed. Way too salty for us- almost inedible.
Bruce Carmell says
Followed recipe to a T – may have been more pumpkin than called for – hard to measure
Used immersion blender after, so amazingly creamy and delicious. Paprika gave it a tiny kick which we liked. I used honey but would like to experiment with maple syrup as I’m sure that would be good also.
I roasted the pumpkins, wonder if it would be as good with canned?
Sabrina says
great recipe! They were gobbled up in minutes!
Jessica Gavin says
Thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the pumpkin seeds!
Lori says
Quick and simple
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback!
Michael says
Just did mine with chili powder, salt, and olive oil but omg it’s delicious!!!
Jessica Gavin says
I love that you added a kick of heat!
JacquelineF says
I made these as per the recipe but instead of pumpkin seeds I used spaghetti squash seeds and they are super tasty! Thanks!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thrilled to hear that you had success using this method for spaghetti squash!
Jeremy Winnen says
I seasoned mine with Chili powder , Italian seasoning , salt and black pepper , let me tell u right now they are absolutely delightful !
Tammie "D". says
Thank you. I have been looking for this for a while. I guess it only comes out in October each year. I made these Many years for my kids but lost the recipe now I have been looking for the recipe for over a year. Again thank you.
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome, Tammie!
Abby says
Thanks for the great recipe—paprika, genius! As an added help for pulp separation, after the large bits of pulp are removed, a salad spinner works great. It throws the remaining pulp to the sides, leaving clean seeds at the bottom.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for the helpful tip on separating the pulp from the seeds in a salad spinner. I will give it a try!
Mary J Williams says
I roasted pumpkin seeds today. Washed and dried, olive oil- I used Montreal Steak Seasoning. Put some in Mortar and crushed with the Pestle. I didn’t have your amount, maybe 2/3 cup used a tsp of the crushed seasoning. So good. You have to try it!
Jessica Gavin says
I will definitely give your version a try, sounds delicious!
Tamar Walker says
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for this recipe!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome, Tamar!
Brooke Shelby Biggs says
Im a lot feeling pumpkin seed roaster and came here just to see the time and temp recommendations. I’m a Penzy’s spicy seasoning salt fan, but this year I also tried Trader Joe’s Green Goddess spice blend on a batch and WOW. Highly recommend.
Jessica Gavin says
I will definitely try the seasoning recommendations! Let me know how this years seeds turn out.
thatguywhocantcookpumkinseeds says
Unfortunately majority of my seeds were popping off (much like popcorn) so I ended up th a whole lot of fragments, and because I had them on a tray, the majority ended up on the bottom of the oven. 😆
Maybe the temp was too hot for the seeds I had. 🤷♂️
Jessica Gavin says
Perhaps! We’re the seeds small in size? Have you checked your over temp lately to see it it’s running high?
Sonia Marin says
Really well explained recipe, visuals, and nutrition info. I won’t look further for other pumpkin seed recipes. Thank you for your holistic culinary talents.
Jessica Gavin says
You’re so welcome, Sonia!
Debra Sherman says
Use sesame oil with a bit of olive oil.
Jessica Gavin says
That sounds like an excellent way to bump up the umami flavor!
Kerry Walker says
So I tried using everything bagel seasonings, garlic powder, and a little bit of salt. They turned out phenomenal. I will use this recipe from here on out.
Jessica Gavin says
I love that combo, Kerry! Thanks for your feedback and I’m so happy you will be using this pumpkin seed recipe in the future.
AN says
Very Tasty but too much salt for 1.5 cups seeds for me – my toungue is tingling from all the salt! I’d dial back salt and you can always add more later.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback! You can always customize the level of seasonings.
Elon Parker says
I used olive oil and old bay seasoning on my seeds. I know they have some of the same spices that were recommended in this recipe, but it’s convenient and all in one shaker! They were delicious.
Jessica Gavin says
Sounds like a delicious combo!
Mallory Johnson says
I am usually a strict “salt only” on pumpkin seeds person but WOW! We devoured these pumpkin seeds, I am never making plain salted pumpkin seeds again! My 6 and 3 year old sat down and ate these with me. YUM
Jessica Gavin says
Amazing!
Chris says
Great recipe! I used pie pumpkins and Cajun seasoning and some salt. Excellent! Thanks!
Jessica Gavin says
I love the combo!
June Paul says
This was great – I didn’t really measure the ingredients – I had seeds from 2 large pumpkins – and instead of black pepper – I used lemon pepper –
very tasty – thanks for the inspiration to try this!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome, June!
Danielle says
I always buy spice blends with good intentions, but I never use them because if I cook, I like to follow recipes. This is a great use for any spice blends or rubs that you haven’t used to bbq last summer. Welcome, autumn snacks. I’ve tried Korean bbq and Nashville hot wings, as well as Berbere (Ethiopian). I always add a bit of sugar to balance the heat
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, love all of the delicious variations! how much sugar do you usually use?
OP says
using this recipe to try and make the most out of the pumpkins this year. personally dont like pumpkin seeds but others love it. thanks for posting also could you add baking sheet to the list of equipment pls newly moved out adult here didnt have one lol
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback! Congrats on the next adventure!
Ross says
I tossed them in melted coconut oil butter flavored Ghee, sea salt, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice.
Jessica Gavin says
Sounds like a delicious combination!
Sydney Phillips says
I never had pumpkin seeds before but decided to make them a few days ago with the leftover Jack-o’-Lantern seeds.
They were pretty good! I didn’t use paprika as I didn’t know if I’d like it or not, but they’re still delicious!
Jessica Gavin says
I’m glad that you gave this recipe a try!
Elisha Benson says
3 kids, 3 pumpkins, lots of seeds. Used pink salt, jalapeno powder and smoked paprika with the evoo. Wow! Delicious and everyone loved them!!
Jessica Gavin says
I love this spicy pumpkin seed version!
Cynthia says
Fabulous recipe! And I’ve been roasting pumpkin seeds since I was a kid. Now I know…
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you!
Jackie says
Is it ok if the pumpkin seeds are soaked in salty water overnight (or two) before making these? That is typically what we have done (not sure why). I am trying your recipe and mine are in the oven right now. I dried them until they were tacky then seasoned and put in oven. Any tips for seeds that have been soaked in water? (otherwise you have to make them right away – yes?) Thanks!
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can roast salted seeds. I bet they have great seasoning! Once you remove the seeds from the pumpkin you can roast it immediately or refrigerate it for a few days before. If they are soaked, I would try the surface moisture as you did so it doesn’t steam instead of dry and crisp. How did your seeds turn out?
Sarah says
I’ve made this recipe for multiple years and they turn out perfect every time. Thanks so much for the tips too!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re so welcome, Sarah! Thanks for coming back!
Jordan Muffworthy says
Jessica,
Let me tell you I love roasted pumpkin seeds!
I do them with a 1 to 1 to 1 mix of garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. It will blow your mind!
Warmest regards,
Jordan
Jessica Gavin says
I can’t wait to try your seasoning mix for the pumpkin seeds!
Lisa says
Until tonight, I have never roasted pumpkin seeds that anyone wanted to eat. Often I have just tossed them out with the pumpkin insides. So glad I took another chance and found your recipe. Easy and delicious. I didn’t even get them very dry, but they are crunchy and tasty. Thank you.
Jessica Gavin says
You’re awesome, Lisa! Now you are the pumpkin seeds pro!
Linda says
These are the pumpkin seeds I have been looking for! Perfectly crunchy and seasoned to perfection. Thank you!!
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! You’re welcome!
Annie Nguyen says
This is my first time roasting pumpkin seeds and it turned out amazing! They taste delicious and it was super easy! Added some Korean red pepper powder for a bit of a kick and it paired really well with the recipe.
Jessica Gavin says
I loved the addition of the spicy pepper!
Marcus says
I’m curious why all the pumpkin seed recipes I see say to rinse/clean and dry them. I have never done that. The inside of the pumpkin is also edible. Is it just to make sure you don’t have burnt pumpkin bits on the seeds?
Lori says
I’m not sure if it would burn, but my guess is that it might be more likely to do so. You want them dry so the oil & whatever seasonings you use will stick to them.
Personally, our family has tried several combinations and our favorite is to toss with avocado oil & Tajin seasoning. Mmmmmmmmmmm!
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, the pulp and flesh are edible, so if you have had success roasting the seeds straight from the pumpkin, that’s great! I like to clean them to get the best browning on the surface and crispy texture.
Julie says
I finally found the best pumpkin seed recipe. Followed the directions as written and what came out was the most crunchy, savory, and yummy seeds I’ve ever made. This is my new go to recipe! Thank you!!
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! Thank you for your feedback, Julie! Happy roasting 🙂
Marianne Lazarus says
I microwaved the seeds and pulp for about 10 minutes, then put the whole mess in a strainer and the pulp that was now mushy passed through easily, leaving the seeds clean after a little rinse. The cooked seeds then baked (in the oven at 325) to crispness in about 20 minutes.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for sharing your pumpkin seed cleaning tips, Marianne! I know others will find it very helpful.
Jen says
followed exactly – turned out amazing. best ever. thank you!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome, Jen!
Donnie Caudill says
I just use salt. The first time I had pumpkin seeds was in grade school and the teacher brought some freshly roasted seeds as a treat for her class I’ve been roasting them ever since
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for sharing that memory! I remember my teacher making them in a tiny toaster oven for us too.
CL says
Perfect seasoning although this year I did not put oil it was better dry roasted
Jessica Gavin says
I’ll have to try dry roasting the seeds, sounds delicious!
Ess Stewart says
Delish! I too cooked these on second from top rack and I added onion powder and used smoked paprika instead of regular to the ingredients you listed and I used grapeseed oil due to its heat tolerance. Every time I opened oven to stir, I added 2 mins on time to adjust for loss of heat and timing. Best pumpkin seeds EVER!!! Thank you for the right pathway and useful tips from posters!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for sharing your pumpkin seed experience, Ess!
Makayla Dillard says
Very good recipe! I had to roast them for 15 and they were perfect! Perfect for fall and a nice healthy snack!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, Makayla!
Kajus says
amazing
Lock says
I had to cook them way longer than 15 minutes to achieve good results?
CaraPar says
Me too. About 40 minutes but were delicious.
Amber Mcallister says
Used the seeds from two very large pumpkins after my kids carved them. Used a few tablespoons of oil plus 2 teaspoons of pepper and pink Himalayan sea salt. On the second to top rack. Found the perfect roasting time at 20 minutes and then stirred every 3 minutes until 26 minutes had passed. They all turned out evenly toasted and perfect and delicious!
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for sharing your pumpkin seed roasting tips, Amber!
Lucas says
I did salt and vinegar seasoning…yum!
Lahela says
What were the measurements you used to make that flavor???
Jessica Gavin says
I love the salty and tangy combo!
Paradox Design Werx says
Best roasted pumpkin seed recipe! 🎃
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you!
Fuffy says
Omg, looooove this recipe!! Any other seasonings you’d recommend?
Jessica Gavin says
You can go sweet with cinnamon and sugar like a churro! Others add some hot spices. Or you can add some vinegar to make it tangy. Check the comments section too, there are so many great seasoning suggestions!
JillAnn Marsh says
I used your recipe, decided my pumpkin seeds into 3 batches and seasoned each differently. One batch got ranch and olive oil, one batch get Buffalo seasoning, and the 3rd got salt and vinegar. The 3rd was the biggest hit. Thank you for showing me how me and my family ger the most out of our pumpkins. I do hate wasting.
Jessica Gavin says
I love that you made a variety of flavors!
Dean Muller says
For the grown ups!! Brown sugar, bacon dripping and some whiskey. These sound odd but taste absolutely incredible!
Sue says
This was delicious!! Thanks for the idea! I used bacon grease and the seasonings on a 2nd batch and both were great!
Jessica Gavin says
Oh wow, I do have some bacon grease I need to use up!
Jessica Gavin says
Oh my goodness, I have to try this combo! I have all of the ingredients 🙂
Michael Fisher says
Love seeing all the flavor combos here! If you have it on hand, everything bagel seasoning (available in most spice aisles these days!) is a great flavor with pumpkin seeds and turned out very well when roasted!
Jessica Gavin says
I will have to try that!
Andrew says
Great original recipe… I also enjoy making cinnamon honey pumpkin seeds. Do you have any other recipes for pumpkin seeds?
Jessica Gavin says
That sounds delicious! I don’t have any other recipes published, but there are other great flavor combination suggestions in the comments by other cooks.
Bridget Scribner says
Yummy yummy yummy
Monica says
A friend gave my husband a bottle of popcorn”ketchup” flavoring so I tried a batch of seeds with that… It was NOT good hahaha! But did a second (bigger) batch with the garlic powder and salt and it was really good!
Mike says
Excellent recipe! Just finished making these…..perfect
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Mike!
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks, Mike!
Cfrank says
I use coconut oil, pink salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg! 🤗
Jessica Gavin says
That seasoning combo sounds delicious with the roasted pumpkin seeds!
Jessica Gavin says
Sounds delicious!
Wyman says
The seeds turned out great, and didn’t take long to prepare at all. I will definitely use this recipe again.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Wyman!
Mike says
Amazing! My late mother used to roast pumpkin seeds for me and my brother when we were young. I don’t have many memories of her but this is one. I’ve since grown up and haven’t tried to make these myself ever. I followed the very simple recipe. The instructions were not overloaded and easy to understand. I will be going to get a few more pumpkins before Halloween and make some more! Thank you very much.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for sharing your special memory with me, Mike! I’m so glad you finally roasted the pumpkin seeds and will make more soon.
Nick says
I like to soak mine in a lemon and or lime juice over night and the let them dry for a day. The season the with salt a bit of pepper, ginger and a hint of cayenne ( this depends on who’s eating them as to how much to add). Garlic is good with this as well. I like to put them in salad for that crunch or eat the by themselves.
Heidi says
First time making pumpkin seeds and I LOVE the flavor! I only used about a half teaspoon of paprika though. Will definitely be saving this recipe.
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the proasted pumpkin seeds recipe.
Trudy says
Thanks for this recipe! I used dill weed instead of paprika and they were so good!
Jessica Gavin says
Ohhh, dill sounds amazing with the pumpkin seeds!
Madeline Wooddell says
oh my gosh! They are SO good! I didn’t see the measurements at the bottom so I just kinda winged it and they turned out amazing! I am only 10 yrs old and I can do this by myself. SO GOOD! I’ll say it once and i’ll say it a million times again!
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so proud of you, Madeline! I can’t wait to hear when you make the pumpkin seeds again.
Lynn says
Do not try to lay them on a paper towel. They stuck to the paper and had to start over with soaking
jonah sharp says
great recipe there actually just cooking now and instead of paprika i put tajhin and instead of garlic powder i put garlic salt but overall great recipe
Jessica Gavin says
I love that you added tajhin to the pumpkin seeds, what a delicious swap!
Cat says
I roasted some last night but this morning they seem like they could have used longer. Can you put them back in the oven the next day?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can toast the pumpkin seeds a little longer in the oven.
Hollie Pennington says
Delish!!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, Hollie!
Juanita says
This is favorite in our house. I have some roasting now, along with some winter squash seeds from butternut and acorn squash from dinner the last couple of days. I just cleaned and dried them put them in the refrigerator because I knew the grands would be carving today.
Jessica Gavin says
I love that you roasted different kinds of squash seeds!
Roy says
Kids did their carvings today. We decided to do Applewood and garlic honey smoked seeds. So delicious!!!! My youngest loves them. Thanks.
Monica San Felice says
Fantastic
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you!
Livie Cranford says
Love this recipe! I made pumpkin puree from scratch to make a Pumpkin Pie this past weekend and I used two Pie Pumpkins to make it. I took the seeds the first time around and roasted them in Sunflower oil, Garlic Salt, Sea Salt, and Black Pepper first; it was good but salty. The the 2nd round I did just like this recipe, only I used Sunflower oil instead of Olive Oil again and it was amazing; even my daughter like the 2nd round.
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo hoo! I loved that you tweaked the seasoning for the roasted pumpkin seeds to your liking. I can’t wait to hear how your pumpkin pie turns out!
Suzanne Kempel says
They were great! I think they could use some more salt, I added some once I tried them. Bessie’s that there amazing! ❤️
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback, Suzanne! Definitely adjust the salt level as needed.
The.Food.Hills. says
We absolutely love this recipe! So easy and they turned out so tasty! We would definitely recommend
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you! So happy that you enjoyed the roasted pumpkin seeds.
Hollie Zepke-Price says
We made these today! So very good and easy. Will make this recipe again, I think we added a little more Paprika than the recipe. Thank you!
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! The recipe is definitely a keep for the next time you carve pumpkins.
reagan says
This is really good!!!! I carved some pumpkins earlier today and I took out all the seeds and made this recipe and my house smells so good!!! Thanks so much for this it’s soooooooooo good!!!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Awesome! So happy to hear that you enjoyed the roasted pumpkin seed recipe.
Tracy says
Awesome tips—my picky kid looooved these!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo-hoo! I’m so glad that your kiddo loved the roasted pumpkin seeds.
Sarah Catrow says
Perfect! Thank you so much!
Michelle Morris says
I’ve always just used butter and salt and my seeds never turn out how I hope they will. THIS RECIPE IS IT!!! This is how a seasoned pumpkin seed should taste! I’m so proud of the batch I just created! Additionally, I’ve always thought you had to cook them on really low heat for a long time! Nope… Mine were done in no time flat today! Again thanks to your recipe. I did follow the advice of another comment and added Cayenne because my teenage boys want EVERYTHING spicy! And I always leave a little pulp… Just a bit…. DELICIOUS!!!!! THANK YOU!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo-hoo! Great job making the pumpkin seeds! Love the extra kick of heat.
Avrielle says
We went to a pumpkin patch today for my birthday and my boyfriend told me he used to eat the seeds as a kid. I had no idea you could actually eat the seeds from the pumpkins you carve!! I used the recipe and found that adding a tiny bit of cayenne pepper gave them a really nice kick! Thank you so much for the recipe!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Happy birthday! Yes, a little bit of spiciness adds a nice kick of heat to the pumpkin seeds. I hope you make some again next year!
Emily says
This was a great recipe with excellent tips. We like salt and pepper, garlic and Parmesan or cinnamon and sugar as well!
Jessica Gavin says
I love the sweet and savory pumpkin seeds options!
Rosaria says
Made these after carving my son’s pumpkin and they were amazing!!!! Definitely making these forever!
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! What a fun activity with your son and a tasty treat to follow!
Christina says
Trying out this recipe with my 5 year old has been a lot of fun! Tasty too! Thank you!
Jessica Gavin says
That makes me so happy to hear! Did you make a jack-o-lantern? If so, what design did you do?
Mandy says
I personally am not a fan of pumpkin seeds. I make pumpkin pie from fresh pumpkins every year the pie pumpkins always yield alot , my husband loves roasted pumpkin seeds and I tried out your recipe this year and it is his new favorite.
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! I’m so happy that your husband enjoyed my pumpkin seeds recipe.
mindi vankampen says
I’ve baked pumpkin seeds for years. I usually buy 10 pumpkins just for the seeds! My favorite is butter, salt and Worcestershire sauce. I may just have to try yours this year though. Thank you
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, you are the ultimate pumpkin seed connoisseur! I love that you add Worcestershire sauce. That should like it would give it a ton of savory flavor! Let me know if you try my recipe, I would love to hear!
Arren says
My favorite snack they always turn out delicious and my children love them
Jessica Gavin says
My family loves pumpkin seeds too! Do you switch up the seasonings?
Jane says
Best recipe for pumpkin seeds
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, Jane!
Donald Floyd says
I never wash my seeds before roasting. I found that the slimy orange pumpkin juice leaves them with a better flavor. It does take a bit longer to roast.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for the insight, Donald! I will definitely give your method a try.
anikko says
I %100 agree with this. don’t rinse your seeds.
East says
This is a great recipe but no way these are done that quick. It took me at least 45min (yes, they were dry). Thanks!
Jim Miller says
Only used Adobo Coriander and Annatto seasoning tossed with olive oil this time! Yummy once again. Thank you Jessica!
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, Jim. That combination sounds incredible!
freddy joe says
Very nice, Will try it.
Jessica Gavin says
Let me know what you think!
Stevo says
I try different seasonings. Johnny’s, smoked alder wood sea salt, TJ’s South African Smoke seasoning are some I’ve tried but my favorite? Ghost pepper salt.
Julia says
Wow- where do you get ghost pepper salt? I think I need that in my life!
Troy says
I use ranch flavored popcorn seasoning and red hot sauce for Buffalo Ranch flavored seeds. Perfection
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, what a winning combination. I must try this!
Richard J Pedretti-Allen says
I make “Cacio e Pepe” seeds!
Jessica Gavin says
That sounds delicious!
Joshua says
This was grate really simple and tasty way better then just tossing the seeds and the Paprika really brings it together
Chad B says
So good I even let my ex-wife try them! Seriously, life changing experience! I’ll be making these every year!
Moni says
I mixed cinnamon, chile powder, cayenne pepper and a little salt ?
Cole says
Curry powder and coconut sugar!
Jessica Gavin says
That sounds incredible!
Anna Leah says
Love the tip to make sure the seeds are dry before roasting. They came out perfectly and I am munching on them shell and all—the seasoning is addicting!
Randy says
I start with a little butter and a lot of Worcestershire sauce. Then I season with Lowery’s season salt and pepper. If you like heat, add chili powder to taste.
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, butter and Worcestershire sauce sounds like the seeds are coated with a ton of flavor!
Rachel Dickerson says
Making memories with my daughter and teaching her how 2 bake ….she used tonys no salt and loved them ….I love making new traditions
Jessica Gavin says
I love that you’re making wonderful fall traditions with your daughter, Rachel!
Brittney says
Do you have to wash them?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, I wash and then dry the pumpkin seeds before seasoning and roasting.
Paul says
Great recipe and instructions. I roasted the seeds for about 25minutes.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback, Paul!
Rachel says
We made them tonight too and they where Great ?, Thank you!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome, Rachel!
MyBumpkin says
Way too salty. I say half the salt and would be much better, but thats just me
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback! You can definitely adjust the seasoning level to your liking.
Kasandra Spehar says
I like to use different peppers and brown sugar!!
Candy pepper pumpseeds.
Jessica Gavin says
Oh wow, candied pumpkin seeds sound amazing!
Cas Eavey says
This is my second year using this recipe, I use smoked paprika instead and I always add cayenne to half of them for a tiny bit of spice. Only thing is it usually takes much longer for me to cook them but it’s still worth the wait
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for making the roasted pumpkin seeds recipe again, Cas! I love the smoky and spicy blend you add!
Felicia says
My family uses a seasoning here in NYS called “Bucks Seasoning” and its so yummy… This recipe is spot on and great….
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! I’ll have to look up what’s in Bucks Seaosning!
Terry says
Easiest recipe for pumpkin seeds. They turned out great! Love the flavor.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for the feedback, Terry!
Doris Bender says
Just carved a pumpkin with my 4 year old grandson and then made roasted pumpkin seeds. He loves them!
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so happy that your grandson loves the roasted pumpkin seeds!
Cindy says
Love our seeds with black truffle salt!
Jessica Gavin says
Oh, truffle salt sounds divine with the roasted pumpkin seeds!
Michele S Roth says
Add dry ranch dressing mix.
Jessica Gavin says
That’s a great idea for the pumpkin seeds, Michele!
Korah says
This is one of the best recipes I have used to make pumpkin seeds I totally recommend this
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Korah!
Sarah Peterson says
Added a little bit of Louisiana Crawfish Boil and some Slap Your Momma seasoning to make it cajun. *chefs kiss*
Jessica Gavin says
Oh, these spicy cajun-inspired pumpkin seeds sound amazing!
Korah says
Yaaaaa mon
Meri says
We used French fry seasoning for ours and it was ready good
Jessica Gavin says
What a wonderful way to use your french fry seasoning for the pumpkin seeds!
John says
This is an awesome flavor, I’ve done this a couple of times and I just really enjoy the seeds. To think I used to just toss them in the garbage before! Crazy, way to go!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, John! So glad that you’re enjoying the seeds now too!
Matthew Calhoun says
Soak in liquid smoke, toss in garlic salt and smokehouse maple. Great savory flavor!!
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, that smoky ingredient combo for the pumpkin seeds sounds delicious!
Braelyn says
It was delicious and easy to make it was crunchy too. I got the seeds from my pumpkin from pumpkin carving. You should definitely try this recipe.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, Braelyn!
Edo Forsythe says
Coconut oil with cinnamon sugar were an awesome combo!! The house smelled amazing while they were roasting! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Jessica Gavin says
I’ll have to try to sweet roasted pumpkin seeds!
Jay says
I did a sweet version of the roasted pumpkin seeds! What I did was mix
2/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup of light brown sugar
2/3 ground cinnamon
3/4 allspice
to 1 cup of washed and dried pumpkin seeds. Of course, you can add more or less to your liking, but I roasted these and they were pretty good if I do say so myself haha!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for sharing you’re sweet roasted pumpkin seed recipe, Jay! I’m sure others will love it too!
Anne Caminiti says
Great!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you!
Mitzi Chervenka says
I let mine sit a couple of days after washing. Do l do something else are is it too late
Jessica Gavin says
If the seeds were refrigerated, it’s safe to still roast them.
Tina Roberts says
I made them with everything but the bagel seasoning, garlic, Tony Catcher, and salt soooo good!!!
Nick says
Ranch seasoning and chili powder. Uber delicious, family loves them!
Karen says
Yummy, just tried it. I used to roast them at a lower temperature. I think it was more drying than roasting. Love the taste. They went quickly. Thank you.
Katherine Smart says
Tastes great! Perfect seasoning! Great flavour! However, the cool time was not nearly long enough! Cooked for 30mins and got the perfect doneness!
Cindy says
For 2 cups of seeds, I used 1 tablespoon each of melted butter and olive oil.
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 tablespoon brown sugar
-1 tablespoon Worcestershire
-a few dashes of hot sauce
(I used Frank’s Red Hot)
-roasted in Air Fryer at 350° for about 20 minutes, shake up half way through a must.
-add more Frank’s to your liking before final roast.
-don’t roast more than one layer at a time. Enjoy!
Jessica Gavin says
I love this sweet, savory, and salty pumpkin seed seasoning! Thanks for sharing how to make in an air fryer.
Jessica says
These were wonderful! Next time I might use 1/4 tsp of salt or none at all since I found them to be a bit salty.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback, Jessica! Yes, you can always reduce the amount of salt to your taste.
Amanda says
I didn’t have regular paprika, so I used smoked paprika and it was amazing! I followed the recipe, and then when I was done baking the seeds – mixed them with some kettle corn – the combination of savory and sweet was perfect. Thanks for the delicious, easy recipe!
Jessica Gavin says
Oh my goodness, you are a genious! Savory pumpkin sweets with sweet popcorn, match made in heaven!
Nick R says
I made then with butter salt and brown sugar. They turned out great!
Jessica Gavin says
Butter and brown sugar for the pumpkin seeds sound incredible, Nick!
donovan says
there really good my family loved them but i also made my own with cinnamon and sugar and when finish i put more cinnamon and sugar on top and i cooked them for about the same time yours was and they both turned out good
Jessica Gavin says
I love that you made sweet roasted pumpkin seeds as well! I’ll have to give that a try.
Jordan says
Love roasting pumpkin seeds! I love using sazón seasoning on them ? it’s my fav
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, the sazon seasoning with coriander, cumin, achiote, garlic powder, oregano sounds incredible! I will have to give it a try.
Bethany George says
Is it ok to use lorann flavoring oils on pumpkin seeds? I have so many different flavors I want to play with but wanted to make sure I could.
Jessica Gavin says
I think you could use a small amount of the flavored oils with another neutral-tasting oil to help crisp up the seeds. Let me know what flavors you make!
Kevin McConnell says
Just made these for my daughter and the way her eyes lit up as soon as she tasted then told me all I needed to know. Home run!
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so happy to hear that your daughter enjoyed the pumpkin seeds, Kevin!
lizzie rees says
I use everything bagel from aldi’s for my pumpkin seeds! It’s great!
Jessica Gavin says
I absolutely love the idea of using everything bagel seasoning! I am going to try that this year. Thank you for sharing!
Brock Maher says
I filled the sink with the seeds & strings, then used the faucet sprayer to blast them apart (worked great!). Still drying the seeds before roasting (always skipped this part). We had BIG pumpkins, so I used my sawzall power tool to cut them in half (yeah, typical guy)… I’ll update after roasting.
charrington says
good basic recipe. i added chili pepper powder and honey. baked for 20 and left in the oven, off for five. tossed a bit more salt and powdered sugar.spicy and sweet.
Jessica Gavin says
Great tips! I can’t wait to try it, I like that you turned the oven off at the end to gently finish cooking the seeds.
Jerry says
Do you eat the whole seed or shell them first?
Jessica Gavin says
I eat the whole seed, no need to remove the shell.
Enoc Reyes says
I harvested two pumpkins from my garden just a few days ago. My wife saved the seeds thinking I could use them for next season. I wondered if I could roast them. So your website popped up when I searched for a recipe. So glad it did. I didn’t have paprika though, but they came out AMAZING! Thanks.
Lina says
Just roasted the pumpkin seeds today; after roasting the sugar pumpkins for our pumpkin pie! The roasted pumpkin seeds recipe was soooo easy! Thank you for sharing your recipe! I tossed them with some grapeseed oil and my son’s homemade spice rub; they’re delicious! I will definitely make these again! YUM!
Jessica Gavin says
Amazing! Kudos for roasting the sugar pumpkins to make the pumpkin pie from scratch. You rock!
Dawn says
They turned out perfectly! I haven’t made pumpkin seeds in a few years this recipe was great the only thing I changed is I didn’t have garlic powder in my cabinet so I used garlic salt, and omitted the salt. And it turned out perfect!!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo-hoo! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the seeds and found a yummy substitution for the garlic powder.
Bruh says
I am currently roasting my first cinnamon sugar seeds
Jessica Gavin says
Let me know how it tastes! Would love the hear how the cinnamon and sugar pumpkin seeds turn out.
Rebecca says
My kids and I love it its the 2nd year we a making them yummy
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo hoo! It’s such a great snack for the family.
Mia says
I used Everything but the bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s on mine! So good!
Jessica Gavin says
I have that in my pantry, I need to try the pumpkin seeds with everything bagel seasoning!
Brad says
They say cinnamon is good too
Jessica Gavin says
Sounds like a great add!
Yvonne says
Thank you for the tips! We made 3 batches with all of our pumpkin seeds…one with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and Frank’s red hot seasoning. Another with garlic oil, salt, and pepper. And the last with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a BBQ dry rub. Sooo flavorful and delicious. Just wanted to share to give some ideas of what to use from the spice rack!
Jessica Gavin says
I love all of the different varieties!
Janie says
My kids (23 and 12) LOVED this recipe! I’m putting a second batch in the oven now. This will be a post pumpkin carving tradition going forward. Thank you for sharing!
Jessica Gavin says
That’s amazing Janie! What a fun snack to make with the kiddos after carving.
Carla Ondrasik says
I have never roasted pumpkin seeds and decided to do it this year! What have I been waiting for??? I made your recipe exactly like you have here and they came out PERFECT!!! Thank you for sharing!
Avery says
I used the instant ranch packets to season mine and they were AMAZING, I’m going to do them every year!!!!
Jessica Gavin says
How easy and tasty!
Walt Hill says
I love pumpkin seeds! They are so good and healthy and easy. I always put cinnamon on mine.
Jessica Gavin says
Cinnamon sounds amazing with the pumpkin seeds!
William Harry says
Tripled the amount of seeds, but only doubled the other ingredients. Still delicious. My grandson can’t get enough; neither can I. Thanks.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback on scaling up the recipe. Happy to hear that the family is enjoying the roasted seeds!
Gerald says
Sounds creatively tasty ha. Quick question, can these seeds be roasted without the shells as well?
Teena Aujla says
Sadly mine were burned. I seasoned them with chilli lime pepper, garlic powder, pepper, salt and paprika, but when I put them in the oven, I put them on a pizza stone, and I think that that doubled the heat. I wish I hadn’t but oh well. get another pumpkin I guess. they were burnt but probably would have been great if I had done it properly. 🙁
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, the pizza stone retains heat really well so it probably heated the sheet pan too quickly. I hope you try again next year, the flavors sounded amazing!
Micky Lear says
My friend soaked her seeds in pickle juice for a day or two before roasting. They were amaZing.
Jule A. Galemba says
Yum, that sounds good! Soaking them now. Thank you.
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, pickled pumpkin seeds take the flavor to a whole next level!
Cliff says
I planted Tomatos in a raised garden I built. For fill I used 4 years worth of compost. Unfortunately in that lovely dirt was 120 sugar pumkin seed that all sprouted around my tomatos. Being from a faily of NJ farmers, I had to leave 6 plants to see what they were. So, by August i had 22 sugar pumpkins trellised and growing along my shadowbox fencing. was a nice backdrop to my tomato plants and the bees loved the blossoms. This was the first year we ever roasted pumpkin seeds, they are in the own as i type. Thanks for this recipe. Happy Fall everyone!
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, you’re amazing for growing your own tomatoes and pumpkins! I’m sure you are making some amazing recipes. Enjoy the pumpkin seeds, happy fall!
Ashley H. says
Delicious and crunchy! I used a bit of chili powder, salt, garlic pepper, and garlic salt to season mine and they are nice and flavorful (I have no clue the exact measurements, I kinda just eyeballed it)
Isabel K says
I totally agree with Judy. My mom has never tasted a pumpkin seed before and this was a excellent recipe. I wouldn’t have been able to use them if it wasn’t for the metric unit. I will totally recommend this recipe!!
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so glad that your family got to enjoy the pumpkin seeds Isabel!
Elizabeth K says
SO GOOD!!!!
Barbie says
Really enjoyed the pumpkin seeds this year…adding various seasonings was
Made them taste fantastic.
Jessica Gavin says
Great job Barbie!
Judy Caywood says
Hi Jessica,
I’m definitely going to use your recipe for my pumpkin seeds in the future. I wanted to mention how great it is that you have given people the ability to see the ingredients in either US Customary or Metric. I sent this to my friends in Canada right away with a note so they would know that is available to them. Will have to forward to a friend in the UK as well. You are always on the cutting edge.
xo Judy
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, Judy! I like to always include the US and metric measurements. I find that it’s best for getting more consistent results between cooks, and it helps our friends in other parts of the world! Happy cooking!
Susan says
Thanks for the recipe! I used the spiced in your recipe and added a Lemon Dilly spice I had too! I used grapeseed oil instead of olive oil. Happy Hallowe’en!
Jessica Gavin says
I love the addition of lemon dill spice, I can’t wait to try it with my next batch. Happy Halloween!
Jonathan Greenberg says
Seasons Greetings Jessica,
Been roasting pumpkin seeds for 30 years, but tried your recipe this year (2020). Compared to how bad this year has turned out for most people, your seasoning turned out to be a highlight for us and we thoroughly enjoyed these “spiced up” roasted pumpkin seeds! Thank you, Jonathan
If you would like to use my comment, you may do so. JG
Marie says
Hello on this Hallow’s Eve!
In all my years of carving pumpkins with the kids, we had never tried The seeds until this year!
We used your recipe and added an extra touch!
We mixed seeds with melted butter seasoned with salt and chili lemon seasoning!
They were so good…Thank you, for your recipe! Will be roasting our pumpkins seeds from now on!
Lupe says
Did you use her spices in recipe first AND then add additional chili lemon seasoning or instead of? Thank you!
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so glad that you finally get to enjoy the pumpkin seeds, and add a tasty twist. Happy Halloween!
Jessica Gavin says
Hey JG! I’m so glad that you had a good time carving pumpkins and got to enjoy a snack too. Wishing you all the best, happy Halloween!
Sally B. says
These are so delicious! Even my picky 3 year old can’t get enough!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo-hoo! A great healthy snack for the whole family.
Elizabeth K says
Jessica Gavin
This special one of a kind treat was really good me and my brother made our own and changed the recipes a little i won of course so I wanted to thank you.
Jessica Gavin says
Great job Elizabeth! What seasonings did you add to the pumpkin seeds?
Evelynn Guzman says
Hello! How long do you usually leave the seeds to dry out for?
Jessica Gavin says
I dry them as much as possible in the towel. They can be dried again in a dry towel, but I don’t let it sit out for long. You can also place them in a sheet pan and dry them more in the refrigerator if desired, about 15 to 30 minutes.
Janine Hagerman says
I followed the recipe for the paprika, salt garlic, and pepper. I accidentally used a smoked paprika container. This added a delicious smokey twist.
Jessica Gavin says
I love smoked paprika, glad to hear it was a nice surprise flavor!
Sheila m Johnson says
What am I doing wrong I wash and dried throughly baked first bite crack she’ll crunch but when you started eat them you can’t hulls chewy have spit out I dry them really well baked till golden brown
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Sheila- how large are your seeds? If needed, you can continue to dry them in a low heat oven after the initial baking at 200ºF. to try to gently dry them out more so they are crispy in the center.
James says
Fabulous recipe – just what I needed to use all of those seeds up from all the pumpkins we’ve carved!
Thank you for the inspiration!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, James! What kind of pumpkin design did you carve?
Finley says
Hi I m trying to make those yummy pumpkin seeds
Jessica Finney says
I made a batch with butter, cinnamon and sugar. They were so good!
Jean C. says
That sounds really good!! Next batch of roasted seeds I’ll try your version! Can you share the measurements of each ?? Thank you in advance ?
Lilly says
Hi i was wondering if they have to be fully dried before moving on to the next step?
Jessica Gavin says
I dry the seeds as much as possible between the towels. This helps them crisp up faster. If they are a little damp on the surface you may need a longer roasting time. Just keep a close eye on the texture change.
Cathy says
Thank you. I totally forgot this yr.?
Jack says
I decided to experiment with what i had around the house and so gar favourite has to be tossing the seads in a mix of crushed salt, Chinese 5 spice and sesame seeds oil
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, the Chinese five spice and sesame oil sounds amazing, I’ll have to give that a try with the pumpkin seeds.
Annie says
Couldn’t decide on seasoning so I did 4 small batches…
1.white cheddar powder
2.lemon pepper
3.paprika garlic
4.tajin
Used spray garlic rapeseed oil and cooked them separately
Delicious thanks for the recipe
Jessica Gavin says
I love all of the variations for the pumpkin seed recipe!
Elizabeth Roa says
I was thinking of putting them in a food dehydrator first to make sure they are nice and dry to insure crispiness … your thoughts on that?
Jessica Gavin says
I think you could dry them in the dehydrator, but I haven’t found any issues with it being crispy just using the oven. Let me know how it goes!
Madeline leishman says
Is there a way to make them last longer? Like longer shelf life? Like 6 months max?
Jessica Gavin says
Dry the pumpkin seeds as much as possible until they are crispy, then I would store them in an airtight jar like glass. I would feel ok stored this way for about 1 month, and perhaps if you want it longer then freeze a batch once completely cooled. Take them out to let them defrost at room temperature until you are ready to enjoy it.
Jake says
I replaced paprika with smoked paprika and it was amazing!
Jessica Gavin says
I love smoked paprika!
Stella Hermiller says
Mine are baking right now! Can’t wait to try them!
Amaya says
super yummy
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you!
Bob says
I love putting salt and pepper – that’s just the kind of guy I am!
Jessica Gavin says
I love keeping the seasonings simple too!
Allie says
This recipe so exceeded my expectations! The seeds are delicious when prepared like this and it’s so easy to do. Thank you Jessica!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback! It’s nice to be able to create a tasty snack after carving pumpkins. Enjoy!
Danny Perez says
They were amazing me and my grandma ate them and they were fantastic you should definitely try them
Leia says
Just made these and they turned out fantastic. I left out the pepper. Thank you for a quick and delicious recipe
Judy says
I forgot about my seeds till the morning I washed them the new got before though. They were sort of slimy are they still good to bake?
Jessica Gavin says
Make sure to dry them well to take off some of the sticky coating. Do they smell okay?
Calvin Lau says
What a great seasonal reminder what with neighborhood trick-or-treating in the Los Angeles area pretty much shutting down (large groups and social distancing). Here is my CAD formula: C + A = D (being Creative and Adventuresome equals Delicious!
Susan Ratcliff says
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve roasted seeds many times but needed the recipe as a reminder. I also used cinnamon and brown sugar for one of the batches. I may get crazy and experiment with other seasonings as well. We carved nine pumpkins this year so I have plenty to work with. Thanks again!
Jessica Gavin says
I love the cinnamon and sugar addition!
Belinda says
We carved a pumpkin today and used your recipe tonight to roast the pumpkin seeds. I followed your recipe and they came out perfect. This was the first time I tried this and it was a success. Thank you !
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so thrilled to hear that you had success with the roasted pumpkin seeds recipe Belinda!
Judy says
Made this recipe and it was really great 🙂 used salt pepper and some chipotle seasoning. Delicious! My five year old loved!
Jessica Gavin says
I love the addition of the chipotle, happy to see your son likes spicy too!
Devon Stringfellow says
Thank you SO MUCH Jessica for making this recipe! Every single year I try and say THIS is going to be the year that our seeds are going to be successful.. However, every single year they have been a fail, not edible and were thrown away.. Until this year! My daughter did not want to help clean them last night with my son and I, who I was actually making them for bc he looks forward to each attempt, bc she said she doesn’t like them so didn’t want to help. They just came out of the oven and couldn’t stop eating them. I told her I will always make this recipe and for now on she’s on pumpkin seed cleaning duty 😁.
Thank you for the very first SUCCESSFUL pumpkin seed making!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo-hoo! I’m so happy to hear that you found that this roasted pumpkin seed recipe was a success!
Elaine White says
Thanks Jessica my first success at roasting pumpkin seeds, I’ll never compost them again! Some of the variations in the comments sound good, I’ll be trying some of those as well☺. I used home grown small sugar pumpkins, so many seeds!
Marcie says
I used sea salt and roasted garlic and rosemary infused olive oil.
Jessica Gavin says
Wow that sounds lovely!
Zumi Vance says
This is a great base recipe, they turned out delicious,
Thanks for all the variations,
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for your feedback Zumi 🙂
Kay says
After washing the pumpkin seeds, I put them in a food dehydrator at 125 degrees for about 2 hours before adding the other ingredients and baking them. Turned out crispy and tasted great!
Jessica Gavin says
Wow that sounds amazing! I’ll have to try that Kay 🙂
Marco Contreras says
I found this recipe quick fast after looking to do something with the seeds from our pumpkin. Very tasty I shall say ?. My kids loved it and perfect shell crisp. My sister in law never had pumpkin seeds with the shell, but this roast made it a good experience for her. Awesome recipe!!
Anna Leah says
Last year I forgot about my seeds and was bummed they got moldy when I remembered to get to them.
This year, our two pumpkins had seeds about the same size and your post inspired me to get baking pronto!
I rinsed and rinsed but the easiest method was floating handfuls in a warm bowl of water and scooped all the floating seeds up and drained them. Your tip to towel dry them was a good reminder and my seeds toasted more quickly than I thought. 30 minutes was plenty toasty for ones on the sheet pan and I ate them shell and all! I had some in a casserole dish and they were less browned but easy to crack and eat.
I only used oil and kosher salt and with 3 cups worth, I can share with my dad.
Thanks for this
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback Anna! That’s a great a great tip to wash them in a bowl of warm water, I’ll have to try that. So happy to hear that you got to share some with your family 🙂
Christine says
I made mine with olive oil, lawreys garlic salt, fresh ground black pepper, little bit of cumin and slap ya momma. They’re amazing!
Jessica Gavin says
Oh wow, I’m going to have to give that combo a try!
Christine says
This recipe is a nice mix with the Olive oil, garlic powder and paprika. My daughter wants me to roast pumpkin seeds every year but its always hard to crack and eat the seed inside the shell….what’s the best way to eat them?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Christine- Enjoy them whole (no need to peel!). Otherwise, crack the seeds with your fingers at the narrowest part of the seed and then peel it back.
Tessa says
Salt, pepper, and olive oil for the kids, taco seasoning, cayenne, and chili salt for the grownups 😉
And a sweet batch with maple syrup, cinnamon and a dash of salt.
Jessica Gavin says
Oh I must try these tasty variations Tessa!
Sherry says
I loved the taste of these but they were a bit “woody” I roasted them til golden brown but maybe not long enough ! Or too long ! The seeds were fresh , dried in a towel after washing them.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Sherry! What was the texture of pumpkin seeds? Did they seem crisp enough? Paprika has an earthy flavor, so you think that is the woody taste you perceived?
Liz says
Curry powder, cinnamon, and coconut aminos!!
Jessica Gavin says
Oh my gosh that sounds amazing!
Nathan says
I ended up with little over 3 cups raw seeds. My fault maybe because I nearly quadupled the seasoning. The result was a little too salty for me, but I was able to dust them off and they turned out great!! We squeeze a little bit of lime over a small plate of them and it really goes well ?
Thank you!!
Jessica Gavin says
I love the addition of the lime Nathan! Thank you for your feedback.
Kenzi says
Do you boil the seeds first?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Kenzi- No need to boil the seeds.
CeCe says
This recipe turned out so good and it was very easy. Thank you for sharing!!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome! Thank you for making the recipe Cece 🙂
Rebecca Berry says
If I left my seeds out on the. Ounter doe the weekend, will they still be okay to roast? Thanks!
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Rebecca- Were the seeds cleaned and dried when left out? If they still are pulpy, I would not use it and get some new seeds. Thanks!
Forever Learning says
After carving the seeds, I forgot I left them in an air tight Tupperware for a week, not in the fridge. I cleaned them up pretty good even tho the smell was rather vile. 4 cups worth of seeds. I let them dry over night, 2 nights actually. After the 1st night, they still smelled kinda funky and still damp. Today they smell fine and are dry. Anyhow, is it worth still roasting to eat or am I putting my health in jeopardy?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi There! Although it sounds like a labor of love, if the sounds smelled sort of rotten or moldy, I would err on the side of caution and throw them out. Lot’s of great deals on pumpkins right now at the store!
Patti says
And yes, I have roasted spaghetti squash, acorn squash and butternut squash seeds as well, using this recipe. :o)
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, you are a pro! Nothing goes to waste 🙂
Patti says
I rinse my seeds then let them soak overnight in 1/4 cup of melted butter and 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce. I do NOT dry them overnight. Then I spread them on a cookie sheet and bake them on 325 for about 30 minutes until a medium brown, “stirring” them often. Delicious!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, that sounds savory and delicious!
Patty Born says
Making these now with my 11 year old. He loves to bake.
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! I can’t wait to hear what you think about the recipe 🙂
Pamela Bell says
I love pumpkin seeds!!
Cooking them as I type this…
Ever tried other squash seeds?
Jessica Gavin says
Yay! I can’t wait to hear what you think Pamela. Yes, you can also do spaghetti squash seeds 🙂
Salome kessy says
Hi,thank you for the recipe was very very delicious.Is it okey to pack them for sale I want to pack for the business ?♀️
Amanda Barnard says
I do a mix of Tony Chacheres and brown sugar and cinnamon. Yummm.
Jessica Gavin says
Oh, I’m loving the sweet and savory combination Amanda, yum!
Vernon Ullrey says
Avocado oil, pepper,and strawberry seasoning was my variation and they are delicious thank you. Haven’t done pumpkin seeds in 40 years your recipe popped and my family say’s they are delicious ?
Jessica Gavin says
Thank sounds amazing Vernon! I’ve never heard of strawberry seasoning, what does it taste like? So fun to roast pumpkin seeds 🙂
Jeremy Verrillo says
Great simple recipe! Definitely the hardest part was separating the flesh and seeds. Ended up soaking the seeds in the sink. The seeds float and the flesh sinks/ suspends. Only had to skim the top of the water then, but I had to let the seeds dry over night. That actually seemed to work for the better as it provided another opportunity for a family afternoon activity for the weekend (having carved the jack-o-lanterns the previous afternoon). Mine seemed to be done after twenty minutes, but kept them in until closer to thirty. They have a slightly burnt taste, but it was a lot of fun! Thanks for posting.
Jessica Gavin says
I appreciate the tips, Jeremy! Do you think the slightly burnt taste from the cooking time or seasonings?
Martina says
We just made your recipe. Awesome! So at 20 minutes they were perfect for those who like the seed but not the shell. At 30, throw the whole seed in and eat it all! Both were perfect! Thanks!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much for your feedback on cook time and temperature Martina!
Natalie Anderson says
I just made these and they are delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
David Blair says
I’ve found that cooking up the job lot-flesh and seeds brings the seeds easily to the top of the pan with a bit less faffing about separating everything and sure looking forward to trying your recipe, though will be using Cornish Sea Salt.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for the tip David!
Michelle Aragon says
Every fall I struggle with how to do this. As usual your recipe was perfect. Thanks so much Jessica!
Jessica Gavin says
You are so welcome Michelle!
Masooma says
Gloria and I were just talking about roasting seeds last week after we carve our pumpkins, but we were thinking it would be too much work lol! But now after reading your post, I might give it a try! Thanks for sharing!! Hope you’re doing well 🙂
Jessica Gavin says
Perfect timing Masooma! Yes, add any spices you like and enjoy the snack 🙂 I bet the boys would love to help you! We are doing great, miss you all!
Elena De' La Rosa says
What can we use besides kosher salt?
Jessica Gavin says
Do you have sea salt? Garlic salt would work as well. If you use table salt I would add half as much.
Sheila Blair says
Here I am 3 years later 🙂 Thank you for the tip to towel dry the seeds before baking. I usually get steamed seeds and have never understood how people like homemade pumpkin seeds. Now I do!
Jessica Gavin says
Thrilled to hear that the drying tip helps to give you crunchier pumpkin seeds!