Don't Throw Out Those Pumpkin Seeds! Make This Four-Ingredient Snack Instead

Have you carved your jack-o'-lantern yet? If not, you're probably exercising the right amount of patience and won't have to worry about replacing the pumpkin carcass on your porch right before Halloween. So, hats off to you for having the timing down.

But even if you are carving an additional pumpkin before the trick-or-treaters arrive, there's still a bright side: This time, you'll know to set those pumpkin guts aside so you can make pumpkin spice pumpkin seeds.

Cooking the innards of your carved pumpkin isn't exactly a novel idea. That being said, there are a few shortcut ingredients and appliances out there that can streamline and speed up the process of making pumpkin seeds from your jack-o'-lantern's insides.

Once you've obtained and cleaned off your pumpkin seeds, you'll only need three more ingredients to turn them into a crunchy, spiced snack.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp. neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola
• 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Sugar, if desired

Directions

• Combine pumpkin seeds, oil, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar (if desired) in a small mixing bowl, coating the seeds evenly.
• Spread mixture into an air fryer basket and cook at 350 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove basket halfway through to shake the seeds.

If you don't have an air fryer, you can use your oven's convection setting. And don't feel like you have to stick to pumpkin pie spice — there are plenty of other seasonings and sauces that work well with pumpkin seeds, or you can just enjoy their natural flavor with a slight sprinkling of salt.

Related:

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• Is Pumpkin a Fruit or Vegetable?
• 20 Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipes for Delicious Fall Mornings