When you’re carving your Halloween pumpkins, don’t throw away the seeds!

Toasted and salted, pumpkin seeds have a nutty flavor. They’re even better flavored with sweet and savory spices.

Ingredients

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds,
rinsed and dried
6 tablespoons white sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 250o. Spread seeds on a foil-lined baking sheet, sprayed with cooking spray, for easy clean up and non-stick. Toast for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until dry and toasted. Larger seeds may take longer.

2. In a large bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of white sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and sprinkle the remaining sugar over them. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts, about 45 seconds. Pour seeds into the bowl with the spiced sugar and stir until coated. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and mix the seeds again for coating. Allow to cool before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Have more seeds than you know what to do with? Substitute pumpkin seeds for peanuts in your favorite peanut brittle recipe.