It has become a bit of a tradition for my brother to throw a pumpkin carving party on or near Halloween. And at said party, I have become the pumpkin seed provider. After all of the pumpkins have been scraped clean of their guts and the seeds have been picked clean I get to work. 

I do a savory recipe and a sweet recipe. My favorite is the sweet recipe, my sweet tooth won't let me pass them by. It is a bit of a process to make them, but the end result of sweet and spicy caramelized goodness is well worth the effort. 

Ingredients:

1 medium pumpkin

5 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 1/2 Tablespoons peanut oil.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut pumpkin open from the bottom, removing seeds with a long-handled spoon. Separate flesh from seeds. Pumpkin should yield 1 cup seeds. Spread seeds on parchment in an even layer. Bake until dry, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let cool.

In a medium bowl combine 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until sugar melts and pumpkin seeds begin to caramelize, about 45 to 60 seconds. Transfer to bowl with spices, and stir well to coat. Let cool. These may be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Enjoy!