How to Soak & Bake Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin carving is a popular Halloween tradition. Make use of the "waste" from inside the pumpkin by soaking and baking the pumpkin seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a healthy snack high in magnesium and zinc, good at lowering cholesterol and a helpful tool for preventing cancer, depression and kidney stones.

Things You'll Need

• Pumpkin(s)
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Bowl of water
• Baking sheet
• Colander
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. white sugar
• 1 tbsp. white sugar

Instructions

Salty Pumpkin Seeds

1. Rinse pumpkin seeds immediately after scooping from pumpkin.

2. Remove all excess pulp.

3. Place seeds in bowl and fill with water until top layer of seeds are floating. Add salt and let dissolve.

4. Allow pumpkin seeds to soak until they darken. Once darkened they are ready for roasting.

5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Strain seeds in colander and remove all excess water.

7. Coat baking sheet with olive oil.

8. Spread seeds in single layer on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

9. Bake seeds for about 25 minutes, stirring them halfway through the baking time.

10. Let cool and serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Sweet Pumpkin Seeds

1. Rinse and soak pumpkin seeds as instructed in steps one through four above.

2. Roast pumpkin seeds at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes.

3. Follow seasoning directions per one cup of pumpkin seeds. Adjust ingredients for larger serving size.

4. Saute 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. white sugar on medium low heat until sugar caramelizes. (Ingredients for one cup of pumpkin seeds; adjust for larger servings).

5. Pour caramelized sugar mixture over roasted pumpkin seeds.

6. Toss seeds in mixture of 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. chili powder, and 1 tsp. sugar to coat.

7. Let cool and serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Tips & Warnings

• Different varieties of pumpkins will yield varying amounts of seeds.

• Some seeds have husks and others do not. It's okay to eat them either way.

• Try soaking seeds for longer and compare results. Some recipes recommend soaking overnight. Experiment with different spices for different results.

References

• World's Healthiest Foods---Pumpkin Seeds
• All Recipes---Pumpkin Seeds
• Disney Family---Roast Pumpkin Seeds