How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds (12+ Flavors) (2024)

Roasting pumpkin seeds is a fall tradition and a great way to enjoy family pumpkin carving time even more. Roasted pumpkin seeds in shells are a delicious healthy snack, and they’re easy to make at home.

Years ago, I made my living selling baked goods at farmers markets and craft fairs, and I was always looking for new recipes that would put a smile on people’s faces. October is all about pumpkin, and everyone wants pumpkin rolls, muffins, cakes, and cookies…so I decided to try to stand out by working with fresh pumpkin.

As an afterthought, I cleaned and roasted the pumpkin seeds as I’d always done with my grandmother when I was younger, and I packed them into cute bags for one corner of my vendor table.

Within minutes, my table was swamped by excited customers, recounting their own memories of roasting pumpkin seeds with their parents and grandparents. Everyone was smiling ear to ear, and every single pack of roast pumpkin seeds was gone within minutes.

For the rest of the market, people stoped by asking, “Are you the pumpkin seed lady? Can you bring more next week?”

Honey Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I learned quickly that while anyone can make a pumpkin muffin, there’s something special about the memories roasting pumpkin seeds evokes in us, and it truly is a beaufitul tradition worth passing down from generation to generation.

Now, more than a decade later, I have my own children at home, and we’re slowly crafting our own memories and traditions. When I learned the local elementary school was going to be carving pumpkins, I asked the kindergarten teacher to save the seeds for me so I could roast them for the class.

She happily agreed and told the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade classes about it too…

When I went to pick them up, I hauled the seeds out of the school like pumpkin seed Santa, wrapped by the cafeteria in food-safe bags and then tossed into giant sacks, each weighing 30 pounds or more.

Well, alrighty then…it’s time to get to work!

With gallons of pumpkin seeds to work with, I decided to develop new roasted pumpkin seed recipes, testing and perfecting each one. In the end, I had more than a dozen successful roasted pumpkin seed recipes to share (as well as the seeds, ready to deliver back to the school just in time for Halloween).

Believe it or not, with the special trick I learned making roast pumpkin seeds for sale at market, cleaning more than two gallons of seeds took me less than an hour!

Now it’s time I shared those secrets with you, so that a whole new generation can appreciate this delightful fall tradition!

Basics of Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

I’m going to cover everything you could possibly want to know about roasting pumpkin seeds at home, but I know many of you are just looking for a quick answer.

Here are the basics of how to roast pumpkin seeds:

Take the seeds out of the pumpkin, removing strings and other pumpkin pieces
Clean and wash the seeds, rinsing away all pumpkin debris
Pat the seeds dry on a towel
Toss 1 cup of seeds with 2 tsp oil and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of fine salt
Roast the pumpkin seeds at 350 degrees F for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes to ensure even roasting.
Pumpkin seeds are done when they’re evenly toasted and golden brown in color

That process will get you absolutely amazing roasted pumpkin seeds every time.

There are, however, many tricks of the trade here, especially when it comes to cleaning the pumpkin seeds without frustration (or mess).

And, there’s obviously more than one way to season a pumpkin seed.

Lastly, most people don’t have any trouble digesting pumpkin seeds, and benefit from the added fiber they contain. That said, some people do have issues, and there are ticks you can use to make them more digestible, too.

Basic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with Salt and Oil

How to Clean Pumpkin Seeds

When you’re just working with the seeds from a single pumpkin, cleaning the seeds by hand is pretty straightforward. You can use a scoop to scrape out the inside of the pumpkin, and then carefully pick the seeds out of the string.

There’s a new trick going around social media where you take a hand mixer and stick it into the pumpkin, using the beaters to scrape the pumpkin clean and remove the seeds from the strings. It does work amazingly well, provided you have a pumpkin that’s perfectly shaped so that the beaters can get in there and scrape the inside….but pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes.

I find, it actually works much better to scrape the pumpkin by hand with a big spoon, and then place the seeds and strings in a stand mixer. After about 15 to 20 seconds of stirring on low, the seeds will separate from the string and work their way to the top of the bowl.

Simply turn off the mixer and scoop out the cleaned seeds. A final rinse is all they need, and they’re string-free.

When you’re working with the seeds of 40+ pumpkins, as I am, this is an absolute lifesaver!

I was able to pour in the seeds from 2-3 pumpkins at a time, quickly mix, and then scoop off the mostly cleaned separated seeds.

The cafeteria was kind enough to loan me commercial kitchen bins for this giant project, but really any kitchen boal would work for a reasonable amount of seeds.

Just because I’m in pumpkin seed boot camp developing recipes for you doesn’t mean you have to go crazy. Roasting the seeds from one or two pumpkins works the same way, and it’s a lot more sane…

Separated Pumpkin Seeds

A quick rinse in a colander and the last of the pumpkin washes off the seeds and sticks down to the inside of the colander, allowing you to pull off completely clean pumpkin seeds without much fuss.

Now, what to so with all that pumpkin string?

It’s great for the compost, but if you happen to have backyard chickens, they love it too!

How Many Seeds Are in a Pumpkin

An average-sized Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin contains roughly 1 1/2 to 2 cups of seeds (once cleaned). That said, every pumpkin is different, and some contain lots of seeds, while others seem to be mostly string…you really never know until you get inside.

I’ve scaled these recipes for roasted pumpkin seeds to 1 cup of cleaned seeds, and you can adjust up or down based on how many seeds you have.

Be sure you don’t crowd the seeds on the roasting tray, as they need good air flow on all sides to roast properly. A half-sheet pan can hold about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of pumpkin seeds, or the seeds from a large-ish jack-o-lantern pumpkin.

Pepitas v. Pumpkin Seeds in Shell

It’s worth mentioning that roasted pumpkin seeds in the shell are not pepitas and that the “pepitas” that you buy in the store are actually from specially bred shell-free pumpkin varieties.

Pie Pita Hulless Pumpkin is one such variety from High Mowing Organic Seeds, and it was developed to give tasty pie pumpkin flesh and pumpkin seeds without the shell (also known as pepitas).

That said, the vast majority of homegrown and pumpkin patch pumpkins are going to have seeds with shells, which are edible and delicious, too. That’s what I’m talking about, and if you’re roasting hulless pepitas, they cook much faster, only requiring a brief dry toast in a hot pan on the stovetop.

Pie Pita Hulless Pumpkin from High Mowing Organic Seeds

Preparing Pumpkin Seeds for Roasting

Generally, all you really need to do to prepare pumpkin seeds for roasting is clean them and pat them dry.

Some sources will tell you that you have to allow the seeds to dry out overnight, but that’s not strictly necessary. When roasted right after a quick pat with a towel, they cook just as well. Be aware, that pumpkin seeds dried overnight cook about 5 to 8 minutes faster than fresh damp pumpkin seeds.

Other sources will tell you that you have to boil the pumpkin seeds in salted water for 20 minutes before roasting. The basic process they state is to boil 2 cups of seeds in a quart of water, with 1 Tablespoon of salt. Cook times vary between 10 and 20 minutes.

The rationale here is that boiling the pumpkin seeds in salt water allows salt to penetrate all the way through the seeds, giving you an even salty flavor (rather than just salt on the outside). Some sources also say this makes the seeds more digestible, so that might be a bonus for people with a sensitive digestive system.

Personally, I do not pre-boil my pumpkin seeds, as I’ve tried it, and it doesn’t really make all that much of a difference. It does add a lot of work (and steam) to my kitchen, which I’d just as soon avoid.

But you do you, and you can pre-boil your pumpkin seeds if you like. The roasting time works out to be about the same either way, as pre-boiled seeds are partially cooked, but they’re also full of water that has to cook off in the oven.

Boil them or not, as you please, but know that roasting time will be the same either way.

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Once you have cleaned the pumpkin seeds and patted them dry, the process is pretty straightforward.

Toss the seeds with a bit of oil, salt, and seasoning of your choice, and then spread them out on a baking tray to roast.

You can keep it simple or get really exotic with your spice mix; the choice is yours.

Pumpkin seeds tossed in oil and my pizza seasoning spice mix (recipe below)

Temperature for Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

The best temperature for roasting pumpkin seeds is 350 degrees F for savory recipes, but about 325 degrees for recipes with added sugar so the seeds don’t burn.

At higher temperatures, like 425 F, the seeds do roast faster, but you’re at much higher risk of the seeds around the edges burning.

At very low temperatures, like 300 F, the seeds don’t get crisp and just slowly dry out into something that’s leathery instead of crunchy.

I have found, however, that 350 F is a bit hot for roasted pumpkin seed recipes with added sugar, as the sugars start to carmelize and burn too quickly. I drop the temp to 325 when the recipe has sugar (or maple, or honey) in the mix.

Here are the approximate cook times for pumpkin seeds at different temperatures:

300 Degrees F – 30 to 50 minutes
350 Degrees F – 25 to 35 minutes
425 Degrees F – 15 to 20 minutes

How Long to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

On average, it takes about 25 to 35 minutes to roast pumpkin seeds at 350 degrees F. That said, the total time can vary considerably!

The time it takes to roast pumpkin seeds varies from as little as 10 minutes, all the way up to 40 minutes, and depends on a few factors.

Temperature – The best temperature for roasting pumpkin seeds is 350 F, but some people choose higher or lower temperatures. At lower temperatures, seeds roast much more slowly, and at higher temps, they cook faster.
Seed Size – Smaller seeds from small pumpkins, or other winter squash like butternut, roast much faster and tend to have less moisture.
Dry or Wet Seeds – If you haven’t patted your seeds dry on a towel, it’ll likely take an extra 3 to 5 minutes to roast them properly.
Pre-Cooking – Pre-boiling the seeds to make them more evenly salty or increase digestibility doesn’t reduce cook time. It actually increases cook time as it adds moisture to the seeds. Add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the roasting time if you’ve pre-soaked or parboiled your pumpkin seeds.
Recipe & Seasoning Mix – Seasoning mixes that include wet ingredients like soy sauce, and maple syrup will take a bit longer to roast. Butter also roasts a bit slower than oils like olive or coconut. If you’ve added any type of sugar, roasting time may decrease because you’ll want to take them out before the sugar burns.
Personal taste – Lastly, some people just like a lighter or darker roast. If you like your seeds more toasted, give them a bit more time. If you like light seeds, be careful that you don’t take them out too early as they need to be dried out and crispy so they’ll keep. For “light roast” seeds, opt for cooking at 300 F for at least 30 minutes, so they don’t get as toasted but still have time to fully cook.

For my recipes, I’d suggest using 350 F for 25 to 35 minutes for savory recipes containing oil, salt, and seasonings. For sweet recipes with added sugar, I roast pumpkin seeds at 325 for about 35 to 45 minutes. Be sure to stir the pumpkin seeds every 5 to 10 minutes for even roasting.

Pumpkin Seed Recipes

I’ve included more than a dozen tested recipes for roasted pumpkin seeds in the shell, which is more than enough to please just about everyone in the family.

The basic recipe includes just oil and salt, but you can use any oil you’d like. Olive oil, avocado oil, melted coconut oil and melted butter are great choices. Butter works particuarly well with sweet recipes, and I’ve even tried toasted sesame oil in recipes with asian style seasoning. They all work wonderfully.

In terms of seasoning, just about any dry seasoning works, but don’t overdo it. Seasonings like cinnamon can get bitter when roasted, so you’ll want just a sprinkle.

Other good seasoning choices include vanilla, nutmeg, curry, tamari, garlic, paprika or hot chili powder.

In sweet recipes, you can add sugar, brown sugar, honey or maple. I’ve tried apple cider syrup and agave, and they don’t work as well, leaving off flavors on the finished seeds.

Basic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

The basic recipe for plain roasted pumpkin seeds is as follows:

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp olive oil or melted butter
¼ to ½ tsp salt

Melted butter tends to give a more neutral flavor, but any oil can be used in this recipe. Roast at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown.

Basic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds with salt and olive oil

Sweet Recipes

For sweet pumpkin seed recipes, you generally use the same amount of oil and seeds, but add about 1 Tablespoon of sweetener per cup of seeds.

When working with liquid sweeteners like maple or honey, it’s helpful also to add 1 tsp of granular sugar (white or brown), which helps the maple or honey carmelize on the outside of the seeds and gives a nice sweet coat. That’s optional, but the results were much better with just a bit of regular sugar too.

Sweet recipes often add cinnamon and other pumpkin spice-type elements, which is delicious, but go easy on the cinnamon. Cinnamon tends to get bitter in roasted pumpkin seed recipes. Opt for nutmeg, allspice, ginger or mace in higher proportions, and keep the cinnamon to 1/8 to 1/4 tsp per cup of seeds.

All of these sweet pumpkin seed recipes are cooked at 325 F for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Maple Cinnamon Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
1 tsp. Brown sugar (optional, but recommended)
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt

Roast at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Honey Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. honey (liquid and runny)
1 tsp. Granular sugar (optional, but recommended)
¼ tsp salt

Roast at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Honey Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
½ tsp. Pumpkin pie spice
¼ tsp salt

Roast at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Brown Sugar Vanilla Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp. salt

Roast at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Brown Sugar Vanilla Pumpkin Seeds

Savory Recipes

When using savory seasonings, olive oil tends to work best, and garlic is amazing!

All of my savory recipes cook at 350 degrees F, with the exception of the honey tamari and the pizza spice recipes. The tamari needs a lower temperature so it can cook into the seeds without burning, and the parmesan powder in the pizza spice recipe can scorch at higher temps. Go with 325 for those two, as noted.

These recipes for savory roasted pumpkin seeds were the best we tried:

Garlic Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. Olive oil
½ tsp. Garlic powder
¼ tsp salt

Roast at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Garlic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ranch Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. Olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp buttermilk powder (optional, but nice)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dill

Roast at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Garlic Pepper Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. Olive oil
½ tsp. Garlic powder
¼ tsp. Paprika
¼ tsp. Black pepper
¼ tsp salt

Roast at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Curry Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. Curry powder
¼ tsp salt

Roast at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Curry Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Smoked Paprika

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. Smoked paprika
¼ tsp salt

Roast at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Tamari Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. Tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tsp. honey

Roast at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Tamari Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Cheddar Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. olive oil or melted butter
1 Tbsp. dried cheddar cheese powder (i.e. popcorn cheese)

Roast at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Cheddar Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pizza Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. Olive oil
1 Tbsp. dried parmesan powder (like kraft)
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp garlic powder

Roast at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Spicy Recipes

If you’re going to have sweet, you might as well have spicy options too!

The amount of heat here is totally up to you, and you can add as much heat as you like based on your tastes. Thai chili oil in place of olive oil really packs a punch, and is a good option if you want things really spicy.

The sweet and spicy recipe cooks a bit lower at 325 F, but the rest cook at 350 F as noted.

Basic Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. Olive oil
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic
¼ to ½ tsp cayenne powder
¼ tsp salt

Roast at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. Olive oil
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar or brown sugar
¼ to ½ tsp cayenne powder
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt

Roast at 325 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Red or Green Chili Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. Red or Green Chili Powder
¼ tsp salt

Roast at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.

Red Chili Spicy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Storing Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

When you roast pumpkin seeds, they puff up ever so slightly, so a cup of raw pumpkin seeds in shell will give you a heaping cup of roasted pumpkin seeds. Plan accordingly for storage containers.

Roasted pumpkin seeds will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about a month. After that, they can start to taste stale.

If you need to store them for longer than a month, they’ll keep for about three months in the refrigerator or six months in the freezer.

I seriously doubt they’ll make it through the month; these things are good!

Yield: Makes 1 heaping cup of Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Roasted pumpkin seeds are a delicious old-fashioned fall treat, and they're the perfect way to create autumn memories with your family.

Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp olive oil or melted butter
¼ to ½ tsp salt

Instructions

Cut into the top of a pumpkin and use a large spoon or scraper to remove the seeds and strings. Reserve the pumpkin for Jack-O-Lantern carving or baking.
Remove the seeds from the strings and discard the strings. Stirring the seed/string mass using a stand mixer for 20-30 seconds on low is a quick way to separate the seeds, but it can also be done by hand.
Wash the seeds and pat dry.
Measure the total amount of seeds, and adjust the recipe accordingly. An average pumpkin will contain 1 to 2 cups of seeds once cleaned, but may have a lot more or less depending on size and variety. This recipe is scaled to 1 cup.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Toss the seeds in oil and salt and spread out in a single layer on a baking tray. Do not overcrowd the baking tray, and ensure that there's space between the seeds.
Roast the pumpkin seeds for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes to ensure even browning. Cook times vary, but they're done when they're golden brown and crisp.
Remove the seeds from the oven and allow them to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Roasted pumpkin seeds will keep at room temperature if kept in an air-tight container for about a month, but past that they may begin to go stale. For a longer shelf life, store them tightly sealed in the refrigerator for up to 3 months, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

See notes for other seasonings and 12+ additional recipes. Keep in mind that recipes including cheese powder or sugars need to be cooked at a slightly lower temp (325 F) to prevent scorching. Those recipes are noted below.

Notes

I've included over a dozen recipes for roasted pumpkin seeds, including sweet, savory and spicy. When the recipe includes sugar or any kind, or cheese powder, they're cooked at a lower temperature for a longer time so that they don't burn.

In general, savory recipes without cheese or sugar are cooked at 350 F for 25 to 35 minutes, and sweet or cheesy recipes are cooked at 325 for 35 to 45 minutes.

Be sure to turn them every 5 to 10 minutes so they cook evenly, and watch them carefully. Every variety of pumpkin has seeds that will cook slightly differently, so you'll need to stay on top of these to make sure they don't burn.

My personal favorites are the savory garlic as well as the sweet brown sugar and vanilla. The curry pumpkin seeds are amazing too.