For easier cleanup, I suggest putting something under your pumpkin as you clean it out. Either a large sheet pan or cover the table in a disposable table cloth that you can just roll up and throw away after.Start by cutting around the stem of the pumpkin and set it aside.Use a pumpkin scraper or metal spoon to gather and scrape the seeds from the sides of the pumpkin, until it's completely clean. Collect all the pumpkin seeds in a bowl.
HOW TO GET THE STRINGS OFF OFF THE PUMPKIN SEEDS
When you first scoop all the pumpkin seeds out of the pumpkin, a lot of the pumpkin seeds are going to have stringy pumpkin insides stuck to them. There is a super-easy way to separate the seeds from the pumpkin strings.Just rinse the seeds under cool water and the seeds will separate from the pumpkin strings. You can also fill your bowl of pumpkin seeds and pumpkin strings with cool water and use your hand to stir them in the water and the seeds will separate and float to the top.
HOW TO PREPARE PUMPKIN SEEDS TO BAKE THEM
Before your pumpkin seeds are ready to bake, you'll need to make sure they're completely clean. After I've separated the seeds from the pumpkin strings, I like to rinse them one more time in a colander. Make sure to look through them and remove any bad seeds and any remaining pumpkin strings.After they are well cleaned, lay them out on a paper towel and pat them dry with another paper towel. Then spread them out on a baking sheet and allow them to dry overnight. You want all the moisture gone before you cook them.
HOW TO ROAST PUMPKIN SEEDS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat the bottom of a sheet pan with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil or avocado.Regardless of how they are flavored (see flavor options below) or how many seeds are being roasted, you'll want to cook them in a single layer at 350 degrees for approx 15-20 minutes. You'll want to keep an eye on them, because depending on the size of the pumpkin seeds they may cooker faster or slower. They're done when they are lightly brown on the top. Also, keep in mind that everybody likes their seeds cooked differently. I like mine with a TINY bit of chew left. But, some people prefer them crunchy. It will not ruin the seeds if you open and check them a few times!
HOW TO SEASON PUMPKIN SEEDS
TRADITIONAL PUMPKIN SEED SEASONINGCoat 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds with 1-2 tablespoons of melted butter. Layout the pumpkin seeds on a sheet pan in a single layer and salt to the top of the pumpkin seeds prior to cooking.RANCH PUMPKIN SEED SEASONINGCoat 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds with 1-2 tablespoons of oil (olive oil or avocado oil), 2 teaspoons of dry Ranch seasoning. ITALIAN PUMPKIN SEED SEASONINGCoat 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds with 1-2 tablespoons of oil (olive oil or avocado oil), 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder.SWEET PUMPKIN SEED SEASONINGCoat 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds with 1-2 tablespoons of corn syrup, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. SPICY PUMPKIN SEED SEASONINGCoat 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds with 1-2 tablespoons of oil (olive oil or avocado oil) and 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper and 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder.