Tis’ the Season for Pumpkin Seeds

October. The month for Halloween and pumpkins.

Pumpkins are a very versatile fruit. Not only can you use the insides, but you can eat the entire thing (except for the stem)! We enjoy roasting the seeds. YUM!

Can pumpkin seeds be eaten raw?

While they can be eaten raw, we believe they have a better texture and flavor when seasoned and baked in the oven.

How we roast pumpkin seeds

First, scoop the seeds out of the belly of one large pumpkin.

We suggest you clean the seeds thoroughly. Rinse and dry the seeds you gathered, which should be about 1 cup of seeds.

Then place them in a colander or on a towel to dry.

Once the seeds are dry, it can take a few hours, melt one stick of butter in the microwave, and add 1 TBSP of our Craig’s All-Purpose Seasoning to it.

If you desire a little healthier version of this snack, you can choose to use olive oil instead of butter. Just whisk the APS and olive oil together, no microwave needed.

Put the dried pumpkin seeds in a medium bowl and coat them with the melted butter mixture. Toss the seeds to make sure they are well-coated with seasonings. You can sprinkle a little more APS over the seeds if there isn’t enough on them for your liking.

Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the seeds onto the cookie sheet (for the oven) or in an air-fryer basket evenly. If roasting in the oven, place on the top rack.

Cook at 360°F in the oven or air-fryer for 10-15 minutes.

If they aren’t quite brown enough for you, let them bake a little longer.

Halfway through the baking, stir up the seeds for even roasting. Don’t worry if some of the seeds pop. That’s a good sign.

Be sure to let them cool completely before eating!

Our recipe hint: if you don’t like garlic (which is in our APS) you can substitute Craig’s Three Pepper Seasoning. It will add an extra peppery flavor to the seeds. 

Can I store pumpkin seeds?

Toasted pumpkin seeds are a great seasonal treat, and well worth waiting for. With butter and salt, the seeds are super good, but here at Texas Pepper Jelly, we think our recipe is even better.

Craig’s All-Purpose Seasoning combination of the black pepper, garlic, and salt on the seeds, really kicks up the nuttiness of the pumpkin seeds.

Even if you only use your pumpkins for decoration, don’t throw out the seeds. Treat your family and friends to a fabulous simple holiday snack.

You can make these in advance of a holiday event or football game night. Just be sure to store them in an airtight container in a cool dry place. They can be stored for 2-3 months.

Is it ok to eat pumpkin seeds every day?

These baked pumpkin seeds are so addicting! So we were curious if it was ok for us to consume them daily.

We aren’t physicians, but we did do a little research for ourselves and found that yes pumpkin seeds can be eaten daily. That’s very good news for all of us.

If you liked this easy recipe, you’ll probably enjoy our spicy ice cubes, too.