Pumpkin Spiced Roasted Pepitas
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Published Sep 29, 2014, Updated Nov 24, 2021
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Homemade pumpkin spice pepitas sweetened with maple syrup and a little sea salt for the ultimate sweet and savory treat.
The idea for this recipe came to me while grocery shopping last week. I was at Trader Joe’s and saw a bag of pumpkin-spiced pumpkin seeds. They looked really good, but after checking out the label I knew I could easily make them myself so I grabbed a bag of raw pepitas and went to work when I got home. I say “work” but honestly this recipe is super simple and not much work at all.
If you like pumpkin pie spiced things, you’ll love these. They’re perfect for when a craving hits for something sweet, salty and crunchy!
Pepita FAQ
Pepitas, the Spanish word for pumpkin seed (pepita de calabaza) directly translates to “little seed of squash” and that’s exactly what they are! But what are pepitas? Are they the same as pumpkin seeds? I’m answering the most common pepitas questions below!
Pepitas are pumpkin seeds that come from specific hull-less pumpkin varieties. They do not need to be shelled as they are grown shell-free in oilseed or Styrian pumpkins.
Pepitas are a tasty snack, chock full of healthy fats, protein and nutrients like iron, zinc, manganese, phosphorous and magnesium.
All pepitas are pumpkin seeds, but not all pumpkin seeds are pepitas. A pumpkin seed from any variety other than oilseed or Styrian pumpkins have seeds in a husk. These seeds are less tender and slightly more fibrous.
Be careful swapping pumpkin seeds for pepitas in certain recipes as in some cases it is best to use pepitas!
Yes! Pepitas are a super healthy snack and great added to salads, smoothies and yogurt. A one-ounce serving of pepitas consists of 4 grams of carbs, 15 grams of fat and 9 grams of protein for a total of 170 calories. Plus all of the nutrients mentioned above!
Here’s What You Need
5 ingredients, 15 minutes and you have yourself a tasty little sweet and savory treat to munch on.
- pepitas – look for raw pepitas! In this recipe you can definitely substitute pumpkin seeds with the hull if that’s all you can find, the nutrition information will just be slightly different.
- maple syrup – the perfect natural sweetener and will help all of the delicious spices stick to the pepitas.
- pumpkin pie spice – you can make your own pumpkin pie spice or use store bought.
- olive oil – to help the spices stick to the pepitas. You can also use avocado or melted coconut oil
- sea salt – brings all the flavors together!
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Pepitas
Preheat Oven – Making these pumpkin spice pepitas is super simple! To start, preheat your oven to 350ºF.
Toss – Then, in a large bowl, toss together your pepitas (or pumpkin seeds!) with the olive oil, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt.
Bake – Spread the seeds evenly in one layer onto a baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes and then toss the seeds. Return to the oven and bake until the seeds are crisp, another 5-6 minutes.
Serve – Remove from the oven, let the seeds cool and enjoy!
Storing Seeds
Once cool, store in an airtight container on the counter or pantry for 1-2 weeks.
Serving Suggestions
I’ve been eating them by the handful, adding them into yogurt, combining them with other nuts and seeds for a homemade trail mix and using them as a topping for salads. They’re sooo good on salads!
Recipe Variations
For this batch I didn’t use seeds from an actual pumpkin. I used pepitas, hulled pumpkin seeds. You could certainly use this recipe with unhulled shells but we haven’t carved a pumpkin yet so I didn’t have any on hand.
More Recipes with Pepitas to Try
Pumpkin Spice Pepitas
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw pepitas pumpkin seeds
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon olive avocado or melted coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a large bowl, toss pumpkin seeds with coconut oil, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt.
- Spread pumpkin seeds evenly, in one layer onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the seeds are crisp, stirring every few minutes.
- Remove from the oven, let the seeds cool and enjoy.
- Once cool, store in an airtight container on the counter or pantry for 1-2 weeks.
Notes
- I used store-bought pumpkin pie spice but if you don’t have any or can’t find it you can easily make your own.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love roasting pepitas but have never done it with coconut oil and maple syrup – thanks for the inspiration!
Oops! Ingredient list calls for maple syrup, yet it was left out in the instructions. I just added it in with other ingredients. Almost as good as Traders! ?
Oh no! Will fix that little typo asap. Thanks for letting me know and I’m glad you like them. 🙂
How should these be stored and how long will they last?! 😊
I recommend storing them in an airtight container in the pantry at room temp. They should last a least a week!
These turned out great, but I added more maple syrup and pumpkin spice, and I used a smoky salt that I also bought from Trader Joe’s. The pepitas I used were larger so I added five minutes to the cook time.