Last weekend was Halloween and I not only got to carve some pumpkins, but I enjoyed making roasted pumpkin seeds, as well. There are many ways to enjoy pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, and these recipes will give you some inspiration in case you find yourself with a surplus that needs to be put to good use.
- Many cookie recipes benefit from the crunch that some nuts can add, but Sagely Sweet‘s Brown Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips & Pumpkin Seeds use pumpkin seeds for a more seasonal option. The roasted pumpkin seeds not only add texture to the cookies, but the nuttiness of the seeds blends very well with the nuttiness of the browned butter in the cookie dough. They’re a nice alternative to the usual chocolate chip cookie recipe for this time of year.
- In Cooking at Sabrina’s, pumpkin seeds make an appearance as a topping for a batch of Pumpkin Waffles with Cajeta Caramel. The waffles are made with pumpkin puree and include classic pumpkin pie spices. Each one is served with a generous drizzle of homemade goat’s milk caramel sauce that is flavored with cinnamon, vanilla bean and bourbon. The roasted pumpkin seeds add a nice crunch and go well with both the caramel and the pumpkin. If you want even more crunch, try incorporating some seeds into your waffle batter before cooking.
- Don’t be fooled by the name of the Simple Granola from Don’t Push Meow because the flavors in this granola are quite unexpected. The granola starts out with plenty of oats, but adds dark brown sugar, grapefruit juice, cinnamon, vanilla, cayenne pepper and olive oil to the mix. These ingredients create a granola with many different layers of flavor that is a nice change of pace from some of those store-bought granolas. The granola includes both pumpkin seeds and pecans, and after it is baked, you can stir in dried cranberries (for color) and a few chocolate chips (just because).
- Food Doodles‘ Pepita Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins are an excellent choice for a fall breakfast. The muffins are made with white whole wheat flour, pumpkin pie spices and pumpkin puree. They’re studded with both chocolate chips and crispy pepitas, both of which add nice accents of color and flavor to each bite of muffin. Serve these as-is, or with a smear of pumpkin butter, alongside a pot of freshly brewed coffee.
- If you haven’t tried them yet, my Sweet & Spicy Candied Pumpkin Seeds are sure to be a hit in your home this holiday season. The recipe starts with shelled, roasted pumpkin seeds, which you can make yourself or buy. The seeds are cooked with sugar on the stovetop until they are coated in deep amber caramel, then spices and salt are added and the mixture is spread out to cool. They’re sweet, savory and incredibly addictive. They also make a fantastic holiday gift for friends and family!