Everything You Can Do With Pumpkin Seeds After Carving a Jack-O'-Lantern

Halloween is the culmination of all things fall: Ultimately, the holiday is centered around some of our favorite seasonal activities, like creating a jack-o'-lantern to set on the doorstep. You can extend the fun associated with this particular ritual, however, by saving the seeds after you carve your pumpkin. These seeds can be repurposed into a myriad of seasonal recipes, preserved for future planting, and more.

Preserve the Pumpkin Seeds to Plant Later

You can preserve your seeds to grow another pumpkin next Halloween, so long as you clean and dry them for long-term storage. "I usually soak the seed in warm tap water to remove any pulp, then dump them into a colander to drain," says Brie Arthur, a horticulturist and author of The Foodscape Revolution and Gardening with Grains. "Then, I put the seeds on a dish towel and allow them to dry for a day or more." After the seeds are dry, wrap them in a paper towel and place them in a sealable plastic bag or airtight jar.

Sabine H. Schoenberg, host of Sabine's New House on Smart Healthy Green Living, says to store the pumpkin seeds in a cool, well-ventilated place (like the refrigerator) over the winter months, as they are best planted in late April into May for fall harvest in late September, as it takes between 90 to 120 days to grow on average. "By storing seed in the refrigerator, cold stratification is also achieved, which will help lead to higher germination rates," adds Arthur.

Compost Your Pumpkin Seeds

If you don't want to use your pumpkin seeds at all after carving your jack-o'-lantern, don't throw them in the trash—they could be a great addition to a compost pile. To start the pile from scratch, combine green material—such as lawn cuttings and food scraps (think: the pumpkin seeds) and twice as much brown material—dry leaves, newspaper, and hay. The green matter provides the nitrogen and the brown offers carbon.

To make sure the seeds don't germinate in the compost, don't soak them; this will increase germination, says Schoenberg. Instead, boil the seeds to neutralize them and ensure they won't start to grow.

Turn Your Pumpkin Seeds Into Butter

Come autumn, there's nothing quite like a piece of warm bread smeared with fresh pumpkin seed butter (and a piping hot cup of cider to wash it all down). Luckily, you can make the seed butter at home if you save the harvest you cull from your carving session. Start by washing the seeds thoroughly; then, grind them in a food processor until they are smooth. Add oil and salt for taste (try honey and cinnamon for even more flavor).

Roast the Pumpkin Seeds

If you love to snack on roasted pumpkin seeds, especially around Halloween, you can make them fresh after saving the leftovers from your carved pumpkin.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. On a baking sheet, drizzle the pumpkin seeds in olive oil (complete with excess pulp from the pumpkin) and toss them with a handful of spices to bring out their nutty, earthy flavor.
3. Roast the pumpkin seeds in the oven for up to 45 minutes.

Looking for a few delicious roasted pumpkin seed recipes? Consider making some of our favorites below.