Spicy-Sweet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Candle-lit pumpkins flicker from every doorstep, tissue-paper spirits haunt the nearly barren branches of sidewalk trees, talk of costumes and candy flutter through the air… yes, these signs can only mean one thing: All Hallows Eve has finally arrived.

I’ve always loved the mystery and ritual of Halloween, in fact I used to live right next door to Salem, Massachusetts, which is considered by many to be the center of the Halloween universe. At the start of every October, revelers would descend on this sea-side city to soak up a little magic and mystery of their own, and it was hard not to get in on the excitement, carving pumpkins and dreaming up elaborate disguises for the night itself. If you’re carving up a pumpkin of your own, be sure to save those seeds, toasted up in the oven they’re the perfect little snack. Today I’m sharing a spicy-sweet version of this classic pumpkin-carving recipe, check it out below:

Spicy-Sweet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:
Pumpkin seeds from a large pumpkin
2 cups hot water
2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp coconut sugar

While you carve your pumpkin, reserve the seeds in a large bowl. Add the two cups of hot water and 1 tsp of the sea salt to the bowl and allow to soak overnight (this part is optional, but recommended). After the seeds have soaked, preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Strain out the pumpkin seeds from the water and transfer to a clean dish towel and pat dry.

Next, dry off the bowl and mix together the maple syrup, olive oil, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Pour in the pumpkin seeds and stir to coat them with the mixture. Spread evenly on the parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of salt, and bake, stirring often, for about 20 minutes or until golden. Be sure to watch the seeds closely so they don’t burn. Enjoy!Check out more fall favorites from the BLDG 25 blog!

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