There are many pumpkin recipes – pies, soups, cakes, and more. But with pumpkin seeds, we mostly think of them as only a roasted and crunchy snack. However, there’s more you can do with them!
This post contains a classic roasted pumpkin seed recipe. Besides that, I’ve included some unique dishes you wouldn’t think of making with pumpkin seeds. These include cookies, hummus, and even butter!
So if you have many pumpkin seeds at home, get them out and ready. Be excited to eat pumpkin seeds because that’s what you’re doing when you get through all these recipes.
1. Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds by Cookie and Kate
Of course, we’re starting with a favorite. This is an easy recipe if you love roasted pumpkin seeds or don’t want to waste them. You can roast pumpkin seeds on your own with just an oven.
The best for roasting are fresh pumpkin seeds – as in new from the jack-o-lantern you were carving. But before roasting pumpkin seeds, you must remove and clean them.
Once you have clean pumpkin seeds, toss them in some ingredients, such as olive oil, honey, refined salt, maple syrup, and more. Then bake on a prepared baking sheet and season for more flavor.
2. Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Toasting pumpkin seeds is a lot like roasting them. There are cleaning pumpkin seeds before roasting, and the same happens with toasting seeds. You’ll also bake them in an oven.
However, while some recipes require you to boil pumpkin seeds before roasting them, this recipe does not. Moreover, you’re also given three ways to flavor and season your crunchy snack.
One way is to toss your toasted pumpkin seeds in lemon zest, cayenne pepper, and chopped olives. You can also use curry powder, brown sugar, and salt. The final option is garlic and minced chives.
3. Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
For some, the best roasted pumpkin seeds are those that set your mouth on fire. This is an excellent snack for those who like their crispy pumpkin seeds healthy and spicy.
You’ll need raw pumpkin seeds, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, smoked paprika, cayenne powder, and garlic powder. If you prefer, swap the smoked paprika for chili powder and kosher salt for sea salt. Add more cayenne if you want spicier pumpkin seeds.
Mix everything in a bowl, then spread pumpkin seeds on a sheet. Roasting or baking pumpkin seeds takes 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm!
4. Pumpkin and Sunflower Seed Bread
Besides roasting, toasting, and boiling pumpkin seeds, you can make bread with them! They make the best bread textures and flavors with sunflower seeds and whole wheat flour.
To make this homemade bread, you’ll need water, yeast, oil, honey, salt, all-purpose and wheat flour, raw sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. Besides those, you’ll need egg white, water, and more seeds for toppings.
Toast your fresh bread and eat with butter and honey for breakfast. You can also use it for lunch sandwiches. If you prefer bread as a side, serve it with pasta and soups.
5. Pumpkin Seed Cookies
Do chocolate and pumpkin seeds make a good combination? A bite of this tasty pumpkin seed cookie from BBC Good Food will tell you they do!
We don’t usually add pumpkin seeds to our cookies, but it might be time to do that. They incorporate unique flavors and textures, especially when we’re used to chocolate chip-studded treats.
To make these cookies, you’ll need butter, brown sugar, caster sugar, egg, vanilla, flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, dark chocolate, salt, and toast pumpkin seeds. You can use store-bought, but there’s the option for homemade toasted seeds using the recipe above.
6. Pumpkin Seed Popcorn Snack Mix
Many of us love popcorn and pumpkin seeds. But have many of us thought of bringing those together for the ultimate movie snack? Well, someone certainly has because here’s a recipe.
This snack mix calls for popped popcorn, pumpkin seeds, butter, brown sugar, light corn syrup, chili powder, salt, and ground spices (cumin, cinnamon, red pepper, or cayenne). Ensure the popcorn and seeds are not salted.
You’ll have an irresistible sweet and spicy snack with such a blend of ingredients. If you’re planning a sleepover, you can prepare this snack mix in advance and store it in an airtight container.
7. Chocolate-Dipped Pumpkin Seed Brittle with Sea Salt
Brittle candies are classic sweet treats, but they’re often made with nuts. This recipe from Country Living features sweet, salty, chocolate, and pumpkin seed flavors instead.
To make this chocolate-dipped pumpkin seed brittle, you’ll need sugar, water, fine and large-flake sea salt, raw green pumpkin seeds, and bittersweet chocolate chips. Equipment required is a candy thermometer, stove, and double-boiler (or microwave).
You’ll make the pumpkin seed brittle with sea salt first. Then, melt the chocolate and dip the brittle pieces. Sprinkle the chocolate-coated area with more pumpkin seeds and sea salt for added flavor and crunch.
8. Pumpkin Seed Hummus
The original, Middle Eastern hummus has chickpeas, tahini, oil, and simple flavorings, like lemon juice. Adding pumpkin seeds gives you a novel dip that’s just as creamy and delicious.
To make this hummus, you’ll need chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, water, sea salt, and pepper. You can use garbanzo beans instead of chickpeas. Use a food processor blender to mash and combine everything.
Once your hummus has reached the right consistency, transfer it to a bowl. Serve as an appetizer or dip for your favorite chips, vegetables, and other foods.
9. Candied Pumpkin Seeds
Like the chocolate-dipped brittle recipe, this recipe also transforms simple pumpkin seeds into sweet caramel flavors. However, a brittle has seeds trapped in a hardened candy sheet.
Instead of sheets, this candied pumpkin seeds recipe encases each candy in sweet caramel. Thus, you can eat them individually, just like you’d usually do with roasted pumpkin seeds. They make a great snack, especially for fall, with their sweet cinnamon flavors.
You’ll need raw pumpkin seeds (in shell), brown sugar, unsalted butter, cinnamon, and salt to make these candies. Mix everything, bake, and store your baked seeds in a container.
10. Pumpkin Seed Butter
Nut butter is just gaining traction. They’re a way to enjoy butter healthily, without the fats and high cholesterol. But some people are allergic to nuts.
Even with nut allergies, you can still make healthy butter with this pumpkin seed butter recipe. Like others, it’s rich in nutrients. Moreover, it’s got a unique, bright green color that makes it stand out.
You’ll need pumpkin seeds, sea salt, and a neutral-flavored oil, like vegetable oil. Toast the seeds before placing them in a food processor. Get them to a paste consistency, then add salt and oil if you want it runny.
10 Unique Pumpkin Seed Recipes
Make the best out of your pumpkin seeds with these recipes
Ingredients
Perfect Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin and Sunflower Seed Bread
Pumpkin Seed Cookies
Pumpkin Seed Popcorn Snack Mix
Chocolate-Dipped Pumpkin Seed Brittle with Sea Salt
Pumpkin Seed Hummus
Candied Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin Seed Butter
Directions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a pumpkin seed in 30 minutes or less!