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You are here: Home / Celebrations & Holidays / Halloween / How to Make Perfect Pumpkin Seeds

How to Make Perfect Pumpkin Seeds

by brandie 57 Comments

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After you’ve carved your jack-o-lantern for Halloween, it’s time to roast perfect pumpkin seeds! Use this pumpkin seed recipe to make this salty and crunchy snack, that’s healthy too!

How to roast perfect pumpkin seeds!

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One of our Halloween traditions has always been to roast the pumpkin seeds that come out of the pumpkins that we carve. For as long as I can remember, we always did this as kids and then I started and continued the tradition with my own kids. In our house, there is no way you carve a pumpkin without also roasting the pumpkin seeds afterward.

How To Make Perfect Pumpkin Seeds

How To Clean Your Pumpkin

The first step to getting perfect pumpkin seeds is cleaning your pumpkin!

  1. Set up a work area: We usually lay down newspaper or an old plastic tablecloth to keep our area clean.
  2. Cut off a lid to your pumpkin: Cut a 2-3″ circle radius around the stem to do this.
  3. Clean out the inside of your pumpkin: This is where you get all the seeds from. You can use a metal spoon or an ice cream scooper to scrape and scoop the insides, but we think a pumpkin scoop works better. Want the very best option? If you have a drill, then the “Pumpkin Gutter” attachment is awesome — makes the job super easy and less messy.
pumpkin-gutter

Have a drill? The Pumpkin Gutter tool makes cleaning out a pumpkin super easy & less messy!

Best Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Seeds

Making your own roasted pumpkin seeds is really easy, but there are three steps that are most important:

#1. Clean your pumpkin seeds well: You really want to wash them well and discard of any and all pumpkin fibers. Over the years, I’ve had a time or two when I didn’t clean the seeds well enough and they really don’t turn out as well. So, grab your colander and clean them…and then clean them again.

#2. Boil pumpkin seeds before roasting: If you are short on time, you could skip this step, but we highly recommend that you boil your pumpkin seeds before roasting them. We have more details below about why.

#3. Keep a watch on them when they are baking: I’m really bad at getting sidetracked, so I set my kitchen timer for 10 minutes. This way, it will alert me and I can go in and move the pumpkin seeds around on the baking sheet. I repeat this every 10 minutes until they are done. I’m very serious about using the timer — there have been times when I didn’t do it and sure enough, I let them burn.

Why Boil Pumpkin Seeds Before Roasting?

There are a couple reasons why we recommend that you boil pumpkin seeds before roasting. Boiling before roasting pumpkin seeds helps to cook the insides of your pumpkin seeds so when you do roast them, you will get perfect crunchy pumpkins seeds. Boiling will ensure that the insides are cooked.

Also, roasted pumpkin seeds are full of nutrients, but they also contain phytic acid, which is naturally found in nuts, whole grains, and seeds. Phytic acid can prevent the absorption of some nutrients, like iron, magnesium, and calcium. By boiling the seeds before roasting, this them removes most of the phytic acid that they contain helping you to get even more nutrition out of them!

How to Make Perfect Pumpkin Seeds for Halloween

How To Eat Pumpkin Seeds

If you are new to roasting pumpkin seeds, you might be wondering just how to eat them. If they are nicely roasted, I like to eat them whole, as does most of my family. If you wish, you can also eat them how you would eat a sunflower seed, by cracking the outer shell open slightly with your teeth, eating the seed on the inside, and discarding the outer shell.


How to Make Perfect Pumpkin Seeds

Here is the full recipe and instructions for roasting perfect pumpkin seeds – ready for you to print!

Like this recipe? We’d love for you to share on Facebook with your family and friends or for you to pin it on Pinterest!

Print

Perfect Pumpkin Seeds

How To Make Perfect Pumpkin Seeds

★★★★★

4.9 from 14 reviews

After you’ve carved your jack-o-lantern for Halloween, it’s time to roast perfect pumpkin seeds! Here’s the recipe for how you can make this salty and crunchy snack.

  • Prep Time: 45
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 85 minutes
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: American
Scale

Ingredients

  • Seeds from 2 large pumpkins
  • ½ teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • Dash of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Scrape out and remove seeds from your two pumpkins. Wash and clean your seeds from your pumpkin, making sure you remove any unwanted pumpkin rinds or deformed seeds. Wash in a colander and once again remove any unwanted items.
  3. Soak the clean seeds in a bowl full of water for 1/2 hour on the kitchen counter or overnight in the refrigerator. Drain the seeds, discarding the water.
  4. Fill a pot with water and a dash of salt (enough water so that it will cover the seeds). Bring the water to a boil. Place seeds into the boiling water and boil gently for about 10 minutes.
  5. Turn off the heat and drain the seeds and place back into your empty bowl. Toss seeds with olive oil. Lay out seeds in a thin layer onto a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. Place in oven and move and turn the seeds over about every 10 minutes, making sure they are not burning. Seeds are done after about 40 minutes or when they become firmer and are no longer soft. You do not want dark spots on your seeds, you want them to be a darker yellow.
  6. Season with additional salt if desired. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Place into a clean mason jar or another food-safe storage container. Enjoy!

Keywords: halloween, halloween recipe, 3 ingredients, fall recipe, jack-o-lantern, pumpkin carving, roasted pumpkin seeds,

Thank you to our contributor, Leah Wood, for this recipe & photos!

Check out these other Halloween recipes!

Spiderweb Sandwich Cookies with Marshmallow Buttercream Filling

Halloween Treats - Spiderweb Sandwich Cookies

Halloween Eyeball Pinwheels Appetizer

Halloween Party Foods: Eyeball Pinwheels Recipe

How to Roast Perfect Pumpkin Seeds!

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Filed Under: Appetizer & Snack Recipes, Autumn, Halloween, New Tagged With: pumpkin

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Comments

  1. Kaila says

    December 2, 2019 at 7:03 am

    I followed basically everything to a T, except I didn’t refrigerate the seeds overnight. Only because I forgot to put them in there.
    While the seeds were roasting, after maybe 15-20 minutes, they started popping! Do you know why that would happen?
    I tried one of them and it definitely wasn’t cooked. I reduced the temp to 300 and am trying that now!
    Really curious!

    Reply
  2. KR says

    November 28, 2019 at 10:56 am

    This is the first time I’ve boiled pumpkin seeds before bakng. It made a difference and roasted up much better. Great taste too! Thanks.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Debbie says

    October 31, 2019 at 4:06 pm

    Yep… definitely a keeper! I did sprinkle a bit more seasoned salt the first 2 times I stirred the seeds while they were still a bit wet. Love how they turned out nice and crisp!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Tiff says

    October 26, 2019 at 3:11 pm

    I made this recipe and needed to bake it quite a bit longer but they turned out fantastic! Love the taste!
    Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. KRISTA SOWLES says

    October 13, 2019 at 5:45 am

    I have been making pumpkin seeds, since I was a little girl, and that was 50 years ago. Although I have made them similarly to this,and this is the better of the recipes as far as cooking the integrity. I use garlic salt and cayenne pepper for flavor though, we like it hot!! all-in-all, a great recipe thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. Lisle says

    September 16, 2019 at 10:04 am

    I like to use about 1 cup of salt when I boil the seeds, making them similar to the salted pumpkin seeds we used to buy when I was a kid. Just checking recipes to remind me of the baking temp and time. Thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Angela says

    January 20, 2019 at 12:15 pm

    I love this recipe! I have used spaghetti squash too and they taste delicious!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Rita says

    November 1, 2018 at 12:23 pm

    Great way to save pumpkin seeds. What a good idea to save !

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  9. Amber Ferguson says

    November 1, 2018 at 7:44 am

    I love pumpkin seeds! I am featuring you today at TFT. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  10. Michele Morin says

    October 27, 2018 at 2:44 am

    YES! The best part of the pumpkin!

    Reply
  11. Life Diet Health says

    October 26, 2018 at 7:57 am

    There’s such a thing as a pumpkin gutter drill attachment? Oh my – that would make it so much easier! 😛 I never even thought about boiling my seeds – intrigued now as to how the taste would change! Thanks for sharing over at Fiesta Friday!

    Reply
    • Holly Campbell says

      October 26, 2019 at 5:07 pm

      Just attach your basic hand mixer attachment to a drill and you are set! So fast and easy!!

      Reply
  12. Catherine Baez Sholl says

    October 23, 2018 at 11:18 pm

    These look so delicious, perfect snack! Definitely pinned for later. Found it at the Fall into Fall party.

    Reply
  13. Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says

    October 23, 2018 at 7:38 am

    I love pumpkin seeds – Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party – can’t wait to see what you’ll bring next week. Have a fabulous week ahead.

    Reply
  14. Lisa // Cucicucicoo: Eco Sewing & Crafting says

    October 22, 2018 at 3:19 am

    Mmmm! I love pumpkin seeds so much! These look wonderful! 🙂 Lisa

    Reply
  15. Amy says

    October 20, 2018 at 9:45 pm

    I’ve thought many times that I would bake pumpkin seeds but I have never actually done it. Thank you for sharing this recipe on Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make. Pinned.

    Reply
  16. David says

    October 15, 2018 at 7:09 pm

    Thank you for sharing! I planned on baking pumpkin seeds next week and was searching for a little while for one that looked easy!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Vivian says

      November 22, 2018 at 9:17 am

      I found your recipe and plan to use it soon. Walmart marked their pumpkins down to a dollar apiece after Halloween so I bought some for the seeds. The pumpkins will go out for the deer and other animals. Your recipe sounds great, I’m looking forward to trying it.

      Reply
  17. Skyler says

    October 15, 2018 at 7:07 pm

    I LOVE this recipe! My favorite after fall pumpkin carving 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  18. MaryJo says

    October 7, 2018 at 6:04 pm

    We carved pumpkins yesterday, and I made the seeds today. I painstakingly followed these instructions, and thought to myself, I’m not sure if I’ll do all this next time. Seems like a lot of work. WRONG. These are the most amazing pumpkin seeds I have ever had in my life. Just the other week I bought a bag from the store, and I never want store bought ones again. Worth every single step. Except next time, I want to do more seeds! They’ll be gone before I know it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  19. Lisa says

    December 6, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    I totally disagree with the cleaning part. I take away the larger pieces, but the sticky film on the seeds from the pulp helps the seasonings stick (you can try all kinds of mixes) WITHOUT having to use any oil, and adds to the taste.

    Reply
  20. Kim says

    November 7, 2017 at 8:30 am

    My husband LOVES this recipe. Thanks!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  21. Varv says

    November 2, 2017 at 9:17 am

    Followed prep and cooking instructions. Changed seasoning to chipotle, garlic salt and coriander. Best roasted pumpkin seeds I ever had. I never heard of boiling them first but it made them perfect. Thank you so much

    Reply
  22. Eric says

    November 1, 2017 at 6:20 pm

    Boiling them is absolutely not necessary—the insides cook plenty during the long roasting process.

    Reply
  23. Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says

    October 17, 2017 at 4:07 pm

    My dad made THE best pumpkin seeds. I don’t know how he did it – I’ve never been able to reproduce them. These look pretty darned close! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party! Hope you were able to check out some of the other awesome recipes there too!

    Reply
  24. Alisa says

    September 7, 2017 at 10:40 am

    I bet Amoura would love them. I will have to try it with her this year.

    Reply
  25. Julia says

    November 3, 2016 at 8:56 am

    I tried making these today, and after 10 minutes in the oven there were dark spots all over the seeds. What did I do wrong? I’ve checked the temperature on the oven and it seems to be right.

    ★★★★

    Reply
  26. Dawn says

    October 30, 2016 at 3:18 pm

    This is my first time trying this recipe tonight, so I hope they turn out good ???? I only have canola oil would that be okay if I didn’t use olive oil ??

    Reply
    • brandie says

      November 1, 2016 at 6:27 am

      I haven’t tried it with canola oil, but I think it would work fine. 🙂

      Reply
  27. Jennifer Bly says

    October 17, 2016 at 12:23 pm

    We love pumpkin seeds! I just roasted a whole bunch last week!

    Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).

    Wishing you a lovely week.
    xoxo

    Reply
  28. Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says

    October 10, 2016 at 7:28 am

    Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up!!

    Reply
  29. Christine says

    October 9, 2016 at 1:54 pm

    Great snack recipe! Stopping by from Share the Wealth.

    Reply
  30. Katie says

    September 26, 2016 at 10:37 am

    Thanks for the recipe!! I share your link in my latest blog post, 50 Things to do this Fall – Thank you 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  31. Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden says

    October 27, 2015 at 2:45 am

    I need to try this…great snack for dieting. thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty

    Reply
  32. Karren Haller says

    October 25, 2015 at 3:26 am

    My son would love these
    Thanks for sharing on the #OMHGFF hope to see you next week!
    Pinned to share!!
    Hope you have a great week!

    Reply
  33. Kristine Hart says

    October 22, 2015 at 6:37 pm

    I haven’t had pumpkin seeds in so long. Thanks for the refresher on how to cook them! Your’s look delish!
    Kristine 🙂

    Reply
  34. Sonja @ SustainMyCraftHabit says

    October 21, 2015 at 3:40 am

    Your pics are amazing! They’re making me want to roast some seeds tonight!

    Reply
  35. Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says

    October 19, 2015 at 11:32 am

    One of my best memories of fall is carving the pumpkin with my mom and then roasting pumpkin seeds with my dad. I could snack on these all day! In fact, these days I buy pumpkins for the seeds alone 😉

    Reply
  36. creativejewishmom/sara says

    October 18, 2015 at 12:29 pm

    Thanks so much for sharing on craft schooling Sunday, looks great!

    Reply
  37. Tesla says

    October 18, 2015 at 6:30 am

    I love roasted pumpkin seeds but I have never made them on my own before. I tried this tonight after I carved my pumpkin. I was so excited. I followed all the directions to the T, so I think my oven may cook hotter than the temp it’s set on because when my second 10 minute timer went off and I went to stir them around a bit they were burnt. I will definitely try this method again though and check them around the 12-15 minute mark.

    ★★★★

    Reply
  38. Karen says

    November 17, 2014 at 7:06 am

    Have you ever had the seeds pop like popcorn in the oven? I was only 15 minutes into baking them and had to turn the oven off because they were popping all over the place! What did I do wrong?

    Reply
    • brandie says

      November 17, 2014 at 5:39 pm

      Hi Karen,
      I bet you did do anything wrong. The seeds may pop a bit, and that’s totally normal, but I’ve never had trouble with them popping off the pan. It could be a couple different things — your oven might cook a bit hotter than it’s actually saying (an oven temperature gauge is helpful for determining if this might be the case). Or it could just be the seeds themselves, as I hear that large seeds can pop more. In either case, if you give them another try in the future, I would recommend turning down your heat a bit if you start to hear them popping too much. Hope that helps.

      Reply
      • christine says

        November 3, 2018 at 7:44 pm

        I had the same problem and i believe i will next time let them dry out first. there is absolutely no way my oven is hotter than it says. Others have suggested the fact they are not completely dried out overnight before cooking is the issue…

        Reply
  39. Michael says

    October 31, 2014 at 9:49 am

    Made these today and LOVE them. We’ve never boiled ours first and this was the missing step we didn’t know we were missing. The only thing I’ll change next time is to add the seasoning to the seeds while still in the bowl instead of waiting until they are on the pan. Thanks!

    Reply
    • brandie says

      November 17, 2014 at 5:41 pm

      Great, Michael! Glad you liked it and thank you for the tip with the seasoning. I will have to try that method next time.

      Reply
  40. Carrie Groneman says

    October 29, 2014 at 10:16 am

    Hey Brandie, Just last night my nephew who lives near LV texted for a recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds and I told him to google it. I’m giving him your recipe asap – and me too! Thank you for linking up at Wonderful Wed. Blog Hop and hope you can bring another great idea next week. Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow

    Reply
    • brandie says

      November 17, 2014 at 5:41 pm

      Great, Carrie! Thanks for sharing it and for the hosting Wonderful Wednesday blog hop.

      Reply
  41. Danielle Smith says

    October 16, 2014 at 12:33 pm

    What temp do you set the oven to? This always seems to be a problem for me when I try roasting pumpkin seeds.

    Reply
    • brandie says

      October 22, 2014 at 6:50 pm

      Hi Danielle,
      The oven temp on these is 350 degrees F.

      Reply
  42. Rachelle says

    October 30, 2013 at 1:01 am

    I want to try out your recipe. I wasn’t aware that they can also be eaten whole.

    Reply

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