Halloween gives us plenty of reasons to play with fire.
You've carved the pumpkins. You've made the jack-o'-lanterns. Now don't throw away the seeds.
With a little oil, salt, smoky seasoning, and a touch of superhot pepper powder, those pumpkin seeds can become one seriously addictive Halloween snack.
They're crunchy, salty, smoky, and just hot enough to make you reach for another one.
And then another. You've been warned!
What You'll Need
2 cups raw pumpkin seeds, cleaned and dried
1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon HellFire Farms superhot pepper powder/or ground whole peppers
For serious heat, increase the pepper powder—but remember that a little superhot goes a very long way.
Optional:
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch of black pepper
- Tiny pinch of cayenne
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar for a sweet-heat version
Let's Make Some Fire
1. Clean the seeds
Separate the seeds from the pumpkin pulp and rinse them well.
Pat them very dry.
This is important. The drier your seeds are before roasting, the better they'll crisp up.
2. Season them
Place the seeds in a bowl and toss with the olive oil or melted butter.
Add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and HellFire Farms pepper powder.
Toss until every seed is lightly coated.
3. Roast
Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Roast at 325°F for about 20–30 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking.
Keep an eye on them toward the end. You want them golden and crunchy, not burnt.
4. Let them cool
This is the hard part.
Let them cool for a few minutes before eating.
The seasoning settles onto the seeds as they cool—and the crunch gets even better.
Want to Make Them Wicked?
Try a sweet-and-spicy version by adding a little brown sugar to the seasoning.
The combination of:
sweet + salty + smoky + superhot
is ridiculously good.
You can also experiment with different HellFire Farms pepper powders. A fruity superhot will give you a completely different experience from a darker, earthier variety.
That's part of the fun.
A Little Halloween Warning
Superhot pepper powder is concentrated.
When you're working with it, avoid touching your eyes or face and wash your hands and utensils thoroughly afterward.
And don't underestimate these little seeds.
They may look innocent sitting in a bowl next to your jack-o'-lantern...
but they're HellFire Farms seeds.
A Little Fall Nutrition
Pumpkins aren't just for carving, and their seeds are more than something to scoop into the trash. Pumpkin seeds are naturally rich in protein, healthy fats, magnesium, zinc, iron, and other nutrients, making them a satisfying little fall snack. And our favorite ingredient—superhot peppers—brings more than just the heat. Peppers contain vitamin C and other beneficial plant compounds, including capsaicin, the compound responsible for their signature fire. Put the two together and you've got a snack that's seasonal, flavorful, and packed with a little nutritional punch—because even Halloween treats can have something good going for them.
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