Roasted Pumpkin Seeds: a make-tonight method

A bowl of roasted pumpkin seeds surrounded by pumpkins and gourds.

These roasted pumpkin seeds are coated in butter and seasonings, then baked until golden brown. They are a reliable natural snack option and a great way to use up the insides of those Halloween jack-o-lanterns!

When the fall season rolls around, I make a variety of pumpkin dishes including pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and pumpkin cheesecake. I always keep the seeds when I’m cooking with pumpkin to make a big batch of roasted pumpkin seeds to enjoy later on.

What’s the finest part of carving a pumpkin? Saving the insides to make roasted pumpkin seeds! These edible seeds couldn’t be any easier to make, and they are always a hit with both kids and adults alike.

These pumpkin seeds are reliable fall snacks along with apple fries, pumpkin dip and apple nachos.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Ingredients

When you are ready to make this roasted pumpkin seeds recipe you will need clean, raw, whole pumpkin seeds, melted butter, salt, black pepper and garlic powder. See the recipe card below for amounts and details.

Pumpkin Seeds: You can get pumpkin seeds by purchasing a pumpkin and removing the seeds. When you select a pumpkin, tap on the pumpkin. Choose a pumpkin that has a hollow sound and you will get plenty of seeds!
Garlic Powder: You can find garlic powder in the spice aisle of your local grocery store.

Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin flesh in a bowl.

How Do You Make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds?

To make these baked pumpkin seeds first coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and set your oven to 300 degrees F. Place dry, clean pumpkin seeds in a bowl and coat them with the butter and seasonings. Spread the seeds on a sheet pan and roast them until they are golden brown, stir them occasionally. Take them out of the oven and once they cool to room temperature, then you have a crunchy snack!

Tips For The Reliable Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Make sure to clean your fresh pumpkin seeds in a bowl of water and rinse off the stringy fibers.
Dry the seeds by placing them on clean paper towels and waiting a few hours or overnight.
Make sure to stir the pumpkin seeds occasionally while they bake. I typically stir them with a spoon 2-3 times during the 45 minute baking time. You can stir them more often if you notice any seeds getting too dark.
If you don’t want to use butter, you can use 2 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil.
The baked seeds can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
You can enjoy these roasted pumpkin seeds as a snack, sprinkle them over a Thanksgiving salad or pumpkin soup or use them in baked goods. You could even add them to kitchen-made Chex mix for more snacking fun.
If you use a sugar pie pumpkin, you can cut up the pumpkin flesh to make a kitchen-made pumpkin puree!

Quick Tip

Watch the color of the seeds as they roast. You want them to be golden brown so they are crunchy and tasty.

Seeds coated in seasonings and spread on a sheet pan.

Recipe FAQs

Do you have to clean pumpkin seeds before roasting?

If you scoop your seeds out of a pumpkin, you will need to clean those pumpkin seeds. Clean them by placing the pumpkin guts and seeds in a large bowl of cold water. Use your hands to remove any flesh or fibers attached to the seeds. Drain the water into a colander to separate the seeds from the water. Rinse off the seeds. You can also boil the seeds for 10 minutes to loosen and separate the squash fibers from the seeds.

How long do you dry pumpkin seeds before roasting?

Dry your pumpkin seeds on paper towels for several hours or overnight. If you need to dry the seeds more quickly, you can spread them out in a single layer on a rack over a sheet pan, then bake the seeds at 250 degrees F until they’re dry. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes.

How do you eat pumpkin seeds?

You can eat your roasted pumpkin seeds with the shells on, or the shells removed. If you choose to remove the shells, you’ll have to use your fingers to pry open each shell to remove the seed inside. Otherwise, you can simply pop the seeds in your mouth, shell and all. I prefer to eat my seeds with the shells on, as all of the seasonings are on the outer shell.

Follow Me

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Variations

This is a basic recipe for baked pumpkin seeds, but you can customize it to your tastes by adding a variety of seasonings and spices to the mix!

Taco: Use 1 tablespoon of savory taco seasoning instead of the seasonings listed in the recipe.
Ranch: Toss the seeds in 2 teaspoons of ranch seasoning, reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
Chili Lime: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili lime seasoning (such as Tajin) or use a little chili powder and lime juice.
Bacon: Add 1/3 cup finely diced bacon to the sheet pan when roasting the seeds. Cook until the seeds are browned and bacon is crunchy.
Spices: For a little color and flavor, feel free to add 1/2 teaspoon of paprika or curry powder into your seasoning mix. You could also add a little cayenne pepper for spicier seeds.
Seasonings: Feel free to add extra flavor by mixing teaspoon of some of my go-to seasoning blends in your butter like Cajun seasoning, Jamaican jerk seasoning, chili seasoning, creole seasoning and Italian seasoning.
Sweet: Make a sweet version of these seeds by adding two teaspoons of maple syrup or brown sugar to your butter. If you use a sweetener, keep an eye on the seeds as they cook so they don’t get too dark. If they start to get to dark, turn down the heat.

These kitchen-made pumpkin seeds are way better than what you’d buy at the store, and take just minutes to put together. They are reliable for topping soups and salads or enjoying as a snack. You’ll find yourself making them on repeat during the fall months!

More Fall Favorites You’ll Enjoy

Light and fluffy pumpkin french toast sticks coated in cinnamon sugar. They're super fun to eat and they taste like a churro!

Pumpkin Churro French Toast Sticks

35 mins

Pumpkin Pancakes

30 mins

Pumpkin Bars

40 mins

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

27 mins

Pumpkin isn't just for dessert! These chicken enchiladas are made with a velvety pumpkin sauce that's totally savory and an unexpected way to elevate enchiladas into a dish fit for company. #ChooseSmart Ad

Pumpkin Enchiladas

45 mins

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Video

Love This Recipe?

Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen A bowl of roasted pumpkin seeds surrounded by pumpkins and gourds.

These roasted pumpkin seeds are coated in butter and seasonings, then baked until golden brown. The reliable healthier snack option, and a great way to use up the insides of those Halloween jack-o-lanterns! Time Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time50 minutes

Course Snack
Cuisine American
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin seeds raw, whole seeds
2 tablespoons butter melted
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray.
Place the pumpkin seeds, butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl; toss to coat evenly.
Spread the seeds in a single layer on the pan. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until seeds are golden brown.
Cool and serve, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Notes

Make sure to stir the pumpkin seeds occasionally while they bake. I typically stir them 2-3 times during the 45 minute baking time. You can stir them more often if you notice any seeds getting too dark.
When you select a pumpkin, tap on the pumpkin. Choose a pumpkin that has a hollow sound and you will get plenty of seeds!
Watch the color of the seeds as they roast. You want them to be golden brown so they are crunchy and tasty.