Want to learn how to bake pumpkin seeds? You came to the right place! Roasted pumpkin seeds make a healthy snack. Roasting pumpkin seeds is one of the most popular ways to prepare pumpkin seeds and it is so easy! Learn how to make this simple pumpkin seed snack with a nutty flavor that kids love with this easy step by step recipe.

Bake Pumpkin Seeds- Easy Roasted Pumpkin seed recipe for kids - Kids Activities Blog - jar with pumpkin seeds falling out
Let’s make roasted pumpkin seeds today!

Bake Pumpkin Seeds

You may be asking why you would want to bake pumpkin seeds. The main answer is… because they’re an easy, delicious, and super healthy snack. I remember my mom baking pumpkin pumpkin seeds every year. And even when we had classroom Halloween parties at school, there was always someone who brought baked pumpkin seeds.

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds is Easy

This is a super simple recipe for pumpkin seeds is something we do every fall after visiting the pumpkin patch, picking out our pumpkins and carving our jack-o-lanterns.  Kids of all ages will enjoy learning how to make roasted pumpkin seeds.

Bake Pumpkin Seeds- roasted pumpkin seeds: A super simple and tasty recipe - kids love it!
Let’s roast the pumpkin seeds!

Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

These tasty roasted pumpkin seeds are vegan and are one of my favorite toppings for salads or fall soups.

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Ingredients Needed For Baked Pumpkin Seeds

Directions for Making Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Step 1

To fully remove the sticky and stringy pumpkin pulp from the seeds, rinse them thoroughly. I find a colander works best and then pat them dry on a paper towel.

Step 2

Spray your baking sheet with olive oil, spray the seeds with olive oil and toss or sprinkle with sea salt.

Step 3

Place them in the oven at 200 degrees on a cookie sheet.  Bake for about 5 minuets, stir them so they don’t stick to the pan.   Roast for another 5 minutes or so until the seeds are golden.

Tip: Use parchment paper on the baking pan to decrease the mess and sticking.

Pumpkin Seed Recipe Variations We Love

  • If you want a “sweet and salty” pumpkin seeds, sprinkle a very light dusting of brown sugar and cinnamon.
  • For a more unexpected flavor for pumpkin seeds use spices like curry powder, chili powder, pepper, smoked paprika, cumin on them.
  • Substitute butter for the olive oil and toss with parmesan cheese after the pumpkin seeds are baked.

Other Pumpkin Seed Flavors You May Want To Try

Want to try other fun flavors of baked pumpkin seeds? Then try flavors like:

  • Garlic Parmesan
  • Ranch
  • Taco Lime
  • Pumpkin Pie (spice)
  • Parmesan Rosemary
  • Buffalo Ranch
  • Smokey BBQ
  • Salted Caramel
  • Honey Roasted

Picking a Pumpkin

Our favorite place to choose pumpkins is at the pumpkin patch, but the farmer’s market and even the grocery store work too. We try and pick a pumpkin that is both pretty and manageable in size.  

Our favorite type of pumpkin for the best pumpkin seeds is a pie pumpkin.

Bake Pumpkin Seeds- pumpkin seed exploration - child's hand shown sorting pumpkin seeds out of the pumpkin guts
Separating the pumpkin seed from the pumpkin flesh.

Removing the Pumpkin Seeds

If you are carving a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, you know the first step is to cut off the top and scoop out the pulp and seeds. The easiest way to do this is with pumpkin carving tools where the scoop has serrated edges allowing it to shave the inside of the pumpkin flesh, but a large metal spoon will work too.

The absolute highlight of the afternoon was watching the kids separate the seeds from the gooey pulp. They *loved* the squishy textures!

Separate the pumpkin seeds from the stringy pulp. We are ready to make roasted pumpkin seeds!

Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe

Pumpkin seed recipe

The easiest way to make roasted pumpkin seeds at home from your jack o lantern carving pumpkin!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • Pumpkin Seeds
  • Olive Oil
  • Sea Salt

Instructions

  1. Wash your seeds to remove the remaining pulp.  Pat them dry.
  2. Spray your pan with olive oil, spray the seeds with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
  3. It is so easy my 4 year old makes it by herself!  
  4. Place them in the oven at 200 degrees.   Cook for about 5 minuets, stir them so they don’t stick to the pan.   Roast for another 5 ish minuets, till the seeds are golden.

Notes

If you want a “sweet and salty” version, sprinkle a very light dusting of brown sugar on them.

Enjoy!

Bake Pumpkin Seeds-pumpkin preschool learning activity with child and magnifying glass

Pumpkin Seed Kitchen Science Activity

To add an educational element to our snack preparation, we looked at the seeds with magnifying glasses, it was fun to find the “embryo” in the seeds.

We broke open the shell to a couple of seeds and saw the inside of the seed where a baby pumpkin plant was just beginning to think about growing.

Bake Pumpkin Seeds-Text: pumpkin play and learn- open pumpkin on wood background

We talked about how the pulp was the plant “food” and as the pumpkin rots, the pulp of the pumpkin helps give the seed nourishment as it germinates and grows.

More Pumpkin Food Ideas from Kids Activities Blog

How did your roasted pumpkin seeds turn out?



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4 Comments

  1. We love this article, it is so fun and helpful! Would you mind if we shared it on our social platforms? We are ‘The Learning Journey International’.
    Thank you, Holly!

  2. Thanks for sharing this recipe! I made pumpkin seeds a couple years back, but I think I may have burnt them… Do you have any suggestions about what to do with the rest of the pumpkin? Pies, bread, muffins? Something easy for kids, but also yummy and healthy!

  3. This is great. I always have loads of seeds, but didn’t know how to make dried pumpkin seeds, I thought maybe they have to go through some process. Would I be able to do this with Butternut seeds? I have loads of Butternut growing in the Summer. Thanks for sharing your fantastic ideas. Lawrie at Firefly Farm, http://fireflyfarmadventures.blogspot.com/