maple candied pumpkin seeds

These maple candied pumpkin seeds are the easiest, quickest fall and holiday treat ever. They would make the perfect snack for Thanksgiving Day, your friendsgiving and holiday parties, or a great gift for hostesses and coworkers.

I made a batch of these to use as a garnish on fall desserts, but Will and I ate all of them before I could make the desserts the seeds were supposed to adorn. My original plan was just to post these as part of a larger dessert, but they were so good on their own that I didn’t want them to get lost in the big picture and have the holidays go by without giving others a chance to try them. So, these special maple caramelized pumpkin seeds get their own post. They deserve it.

It is almost embarrassing how easy this treat is, which is another reason I hesitated to show it as it’s own post, but easy is ideal during this busy time of the year. With only 5 ingredients, the caramelized seeds take 30 minutes tops to make. I get my pepitas from Trader Joe’s, but if pepitas are too difficult to find, or you just prefer other nuts and seeds, use what you like instead. I think this recipe would be great with pecans mixed in as well, or in place of the pepitas. This treat is perfect for snacking on as you prepare food for your big meal, or graze the cheese board throughout the day. A jar filled with maple caramelized pumpkin seeds or nuts and wrapped in a pretty tea towel makes a beautiful and tasty hostess gift for any holiday gathering, or lovely party favors for your own party.

The maple syrup and cinnamon encapsulate the warm, sweet, spiced flavors of fall, and the toasted pumpkin seeds covered in hardened syrup provide a delicious crunchy texture. You can top your pies and cakes with them, as I originally planned to do, but they would also be an amazing addition to warm baked Brie. Now all I want to do is dip a cracker into ooey gooey Brie with crunchy sweet maple candied pumpkin seeds. Yummmmm.

These are so fast and so easy that nothing should hold you back from making them asap!

Maple Candied Pumpkin Seeds
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
generous pinch of sea salt or kosher salt
2 cups pepitas (or other nuts – pecans would work well)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small saucepan placed over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Stir regularly as you bring the mixture to a simmer. After it begins to simmer let it cook for another 3 minutes, continuing to stir frequently.

Add the pepitas or other nuts and stir to coat the seeds/nuts in the maple syrup mixture. Cook for about 3 more minutes, again stirring regularly.

Pour the seeds and maple syrup mixture onto your prepared baking sheet and use a spatula to spread them flat into one layer. Bake for 6-10 minutes, watching the seeds closely so they don’t burn. The seeds will become toasted and puffy when they are done.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the seed/syrup mixture cool completely removing from the pan. This only takes about 30 minutes. The candied seeds will harden as it cools so you can break up the seeds into clumps. Store your maple candied pumpkin seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Adapted from Martha Stewart