Part of the fun of carving pumpkins is saving the seeds and turning them into delicious munchies. Roasting pumpkin seeds is super easy to do, and you can have fun by coming up with your own flavors and tastes.

After carving this weekend, I used the seeds collected from two pumpkins to make this yummy, seasonal snack. If you want to do the same, first separate the seeds from the rest of the guts of the pumpkin as best as you can. You can put them in a colander and rinse with water to help get rid of the stringy pulp. Next, pat the seeds dry with a towel, or let them sit overnight. Then, put them all in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and shake the bowl so that they get completely covered. You can be creative with the seasonings and spices that they get coated in – I did a sweet and spicy mixture, cinnamon sugar, and an Italian combo. Just combine the spices into separate bowls for each flavor, drop in the oil-coated seeds, and shake until they're covered in the mixture. When you're ready, roast them in the oven at 300° for about 20-30 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. The seeds will get crispier the longer they sit and cool after taking them out of the oven. Below are the ingredients I used to make each kind, but it's fun to experiment with whatever you like.

Cinnamon Sugar:

  • Brown sugar
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon

Sweet and Spicy:

  • Brown sugar
  • Chili powder (or cayenne)
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • Cajun seasoning

Italian:

  • Basil
  • Oregano
  • Salt
  • Garlic powder
  • Black pepper
  • Parmesan cheese

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