~Amanda~
I originally did this post in October of 2014 and since it’s just a great, classic Fall post I am putting it up again today! It was also so fun for me to look back on this wonderful pumpkin picking day with Conor and Molly. Lucky for us, this weekend is supposed to be just as warm and beautiful so we will be carving pumpkins in the sun and roasting these delicious seeds for snack afterwards…
One of the best parts about October is pumpkin picking, I love going to the pumpkin patch and hunting for that perfect pumpkin to carve. This year we went on a very unseasonably warm fall day (it was in the 80s) and brought Molly with us so she got to enjoy some of pumpkin hunting fun too. It was the absolute perfect day, followed by a great afternoon outside carving pumpkins. However, I did not have the patience to carve an intricate design like Conor did, because I was so much more excited to get to my favorite part…roasting the pumpkin seeds!
There is nothing quite like roasted pumpkin seeds in the fall. You may find the task of cleaning and roasting the seeds overwhelming and be tempted to throw them all away after cleaning out your pumpkins, but this is such a big mistake! Yes, it does take a little time to clean the seeds, but it’s not nearly as hard as you might think; you just need a little bit of time and the effort you put into it will surely pay off later when you’re enjoying the amazing pumpkin seeds that YOU made. I think that is much more satisfying that buying them at the store, and it really is a part of the whole pumpkin picking and carving experience.
The are so many options for the seasoning you use for your pumpkin seeds and so many flavor combinations taste amazing. You can go sweet, spicy, salty, savory, or a combination of any of those. This year I decided to go with the sweet and spicy flavor profile. Sugar makes them sweet, cayenne adds some spice, cinnamon brings in some warmth and fall flavor, and a touch of salt enhances all of the flavors. These are so delicious and satisfying and the perfect snack after a perfect day of pumpkin picking, or any day for that matter!
- 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon raw sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Put everything (seeds and pulp) into a very large bowl, rinse under running water, pick out the larger pieces of pulp. Rinse and repeat and remove as much of the stringy pulp as possible.
- Fill the bowl with water, the pieces of pulp will sink and the seeds will float to the top, take them out and drain in a colander. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Toss the pumpkin seeds and all other ingredients together in a bowl.
- Spread out on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
- Roast for about 30 minutes or until crisp and slightly browned to your liking.
- *You can adjust any of the seasonings to your liking; I personally tend to use a little bit more cayenne than listed above because I like more of a kick. Some people may prefer to add more sugar for a sweeter seed.
We carved last night and I saved the seeds but haven’t baked them yet!!! I am so excited to make them sweet and spicy! Sounds amazing!
I want to try these!