Savory Maple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Halloween has passed and the pumpkins have been carved but what on earth should you do with all those pumpkin seeds?! Save a handful for the garden and I am sure you will still have enough to make some delicious snacks. Roasted pumpkin seeds are the perfect light snack while you are at your desk, in your children’s lunch, or while watching your favorite fall classic.
The classic method of soaking the cleaned seeds in boiling salt water for 10 or so minutes then tossing in an oil and salt mixture before roasting is a great and simple way to get these yummy snacks made. Today though, we are going to try a sweet & savory combo that I can guarantee will make it hard for you to put them down.
WHAT YOU NEED
Seeds from one medium pumpkin
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cracked pepper
Drizzle of olive oil
When you are carving your pumpkins with family, friends, and/or pets, there are a few steps you can take to make prepping the seeds a little easier for your future self. Instead of placing all the insides of the pumpkin into one large bowl, I recommend grabbing another bowl just for the seeds. It is important to note that some of the pulp will still be attached to the seeds when you put them in the bowl and that is okay. Separating at this stage saves you time from having to pick through all the pulp after you’ve carved your masterpiece.
When you are ready, take your bowl of seeds and rinse under cold water, this is going to get rid of the slime and you will notice that your water is going to be orange, rinse them until it runs clear. The rinse will also help to separate any strings that are still attached.
THE SECRET TO SALTING
The best way to have the salt penetrate the shell of the pumpkin seed is to boil in salt water. Now granted, you could just sprinkle salt onto the seeds, but this only salts the shell. Depending on how salty you want to make them, two factors will come into play; how much you salt the water, and how long you boil for. I recommend a decent pinch of salt into 2 cups of water. (My hands are big so it’s around a tablespoon of salt) Boil the seeds for about 10 minutes.
SWEET & SAVORY GOODNESS
Making the mix that will coat the pumpkin seeds is super easy and only requires maple syrup, a dash of oil, and cracked black pepper. In a bowl, mix these up until well combined. Once your seeds are done boiling, drain them and add to the mixture. Using you whisk, stir until all seeds are evenly coated.
On your prepared baking sheet (Just add parchment paper and mist with a non-stick spray), pour your seeds out and make sure to spread them out into an even single layer and so they have room to breathe. If you over crowd the pan, it is going to take longer to get the seeds to dry out in the oven. Before putting into the oven, I like to take the cracked black pepper and sprinkle just a little additional onto the tops of the seeds.
Pop them into your oven at 350° for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Keep your eyes on the roasting because we want to remove the seeds once they are lightly browned. Let them cool down completely and then enjoy!
Savory Maple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
Seeds from one medium pumpkin
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cracked pepper
Drizzle of olive oil
Directions
Separate seeds and pulp into two bowls when carving your pumpkin.
Take your seed bowl and begin to rinse. Repeat until water runs clear. With the water running pull away any pulp that’s stuck on the seeds. Transfer the seeds to the boiling salt water.
In a small pot, add 2 cups of water and salt. (Add additional salt if you wish.) Place on stove on medium-high and bring to a boil. Boil in salt water for 10 minutes. After, drain the water.
While your seeds are boiling, mix the oil, cracked black pepper, and maple syrup until well combined. Mix in drained pumpkin seeds until all seeds are evenly covered.
Place seeds onto a prepared baking sheet. (A baking sheet with parchment paper and a mist of non-stick oil) Spread the seeds into an even single layer. Place in oven and bake, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
Let cool and enjoy! Seeds will be best kept in an airtight container at room temperature for about 1 week.
