The poor pumpkin: It’s a shining star of October and November, but come December 1st… well, pumpkins take a backseat to all the other holiday goodies. While I love to bake cookies and make other holiday treats, by the time mid-December rolls around I’m really not looking for yet another sweet treat. If you want to make something with your kids or just for yourself that’s a more savory option, give pumpkins some love this December with this recipe for Roasted Gingerbread Pumpkin Seeds.
Melted butter makes the base of your seed coating.
While some people think green pumpkin seeds are the inside of a typical pumpkin seed, green pumpkin seeds called pepitas grow inside certain varieties of pumpkins. Pepitas can be found raw in the bulk food section of many grocery stores.
This recipe is easy for kids to make and the cinnamon smell from baking these is better than any holiday candle you can purchase.
Like most seeds, pumpkin seeds are high in minerals such as magnesium and zinc. They’re also a good source of fiber.
Always fun sharing a new recipe!
You can make this recipe using regular pumpkin seeds if you still have some pumpkins left over from the last two months. Pumpkins can last up 8 to 12 weeks. You’d want to dry the pumpkin seeds though before using this recipe and go with the smaller pumpkin seeds as the larger ones can be more woody.
Check out the fun we had on Good Day PA talking about pepitas!
https://www.abc27.com/good-day-pa/kid-eats-roasted-gingerbread-pumpkin-seeds-recipe/
Roasted Gingerbread Pumpkin Seeds
These holiday spices should still be easy to find from Thanksgiving!
1.5 Cups Green Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)
2 Tablespoons Butter
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8th teaspoon powdered ginger
1/8th teaspoon salt
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of nutmeg
For after baking: 2 Tablespoons sugar
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a medium size bowl melt the butter. Mix in cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves and nutmeg. (Don’t add the sugar.) Add pumpkin seeds to bowl and toss well to coat.
Enjoy the warm aroma of gingerbread pumpkin seeds roasting!
Spread seeds evenly on a baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Set your timer and stir the seeds every 10 minutes.
Once toasted, transfer the seeds to a medium sized bowl while still hot. Add the sugar to the seeds and toss well to coat. Pour the seeds back on the baking sheet to cool. Store seeds in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
