How to Bake Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Carving pumpkins with your kids, or making pumpkin pie for the Holidays? Don't throw away those seeds! Pumpkin seeds are an excellent snack and a great source of protein as well as fiber. Pumpkin seeds can be toasted and salted or you can add flavor with sweet and savory spices.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cookie sheet
• cooking spray, olive oil or butter
• any kind of salt or spices you'd like to add flavor; garlic powder,cinnamon,onion salt, etc.
• pumpkin seeds

1. Rinse the pumpkin seeds thoroughly. Use your fingers to remove all of the pulp from the seed. Drain pumpkin seeds and discard the pulp. Spread out onto a cookie sheet and allow them to dry overnight.

2. When the seeds are dried out, preheat the over to 250 degrees F. Line the cookie sheet with non-stick foil.

3. Prepare whatever seasoning in a bowl with melted butter or olive oil. As far as how much seasoning to add, add more or less depending on how spicy/salty/sweet you'd like your pumpkins seeds to be. Add the seeds to the seasoning and stir or toss the seeds in the mixture to ensure they are completely coated with seasoning and butter. Once that is done, spread the seeds out onto the cookie sheet.

4. Bake about 1 hour. Check the seeds every 15-20 mins and take a spoon and move them around on the sheet to ensure they are cooked evenly throughout. You will want them to be golden brown.

5. Allow the seeds to cool completely after they are taken out of the oven. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months or refridgerated for up to a year. Enjoy!!!

Tips & Warnings

• Flavored PAM can be used as opposed to butter.
• Adding a salt/sugar mix gives them a nice salty, sweet taste.
• Use caution when removing from the oven and allow them to cool for a good amount of time prior to eating them, they can be very hot.
• Remember to stir the seeds every 15-20 mins so they do not cook unevenly.

[ucheihejirika]

on 11/15/2009 Sounds delicious. Thanks for the tips

[ucheihejirika]

on 11/15/2009 Sounds delicious. Thanks for the tips

[ucheihejirika]

on 11/15/2009 Sounds delicious. Thanks for the tips

[tessieann]

on 10/12/2009 Fun autumn treat!