Pumpkin seed butter is very easy to make! It’s a great way to use pumpkin seeds, it’s healthy, it’s filling, and it can be used in many different ways. 15 minutes to roast the seeds and 5 minutes of processing, this is all the time it takes to make this delicious pumpkin seed butter!
I love pumpkins! But not only for their delicious flesh that can be turned into moist pumpkin bread, or a thick and creamy pumpkin soup, but for their seeds as well!
Usually, when I process a pumpkin (and either can the pumpkin or freeze pumpkin puree) I clean the seeds and roast them with cumin and garlic powder, it’s a delicious snack that we all enjoy every year. Another great use for the seeds (if you have time to shell them (or just get shelled ones from the store) is this pumpkin seed butter!
Pumpkin Seed Butter Recipe…
Not only is this pumpkin seed butter creamy, filling, and delicious, it’s also very healthy. Pumpkin seeds are rich in magnesium, high in antioxidants, and help support a healthy digestive system, and that’s just a few of the benefits! In fact, I have a whole post on the health benefits of pumpkin seeds so if you are curious head over to read it. Bottom line, pumpkin seeds are pretty amazing, and turning them into delicious pumpkin seed butter is very easy.
Ingredients…
- Pumpkin seeds – raw, shelled pumpkin seeds from the store are best. If you’re wondering if you can use the fresh pumpkin seeds from your pumpkins the answer is you probably can, however, you’d have to shell them. It’s a lot of work, but if you are up to it, go ahead. If you’re using fresh seeds, you might need to roast them a bit longer.
- Sea salt – we’ll use just 1/4th of a teaspoon or so.
- Almond oil – this is what I used here but feel free to use other nut or seed oil like sunflower oil or coconut oil.
- Honey – is completely optional. I usually leave it out since I can drizzle a little bit over my pumpkin seed butter when I spread it on toast, however, if you want to make a batch of butter that is sweet, you can add the honey at processing time.
Kitchen Tools…
How to make Pumpkin Seed Butter Step by Step…
Step one – roast the pumpkin seeds. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread the seeds in one layer on the baking sheet, and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Step two – add seeds to the food processor. Add the pumpkin seeds, salt, and one tablespoon of the almond oil to the bowl of the food processor.
1 minute 3 minutes 5 minutes Ready!
Step three – process the seeds. Close the food processor and process for one minute. Open the processor and scrape the sides and bottom. Close it back again and process for an additional two minutes. Then, open the processor again, scrape sides and bottom, add an additional tablespoon of oil, close the processor, and process for two more minutes.
A total time of five minutes of processing was enough for me to achieve the texture that I wanted but feel free to process a little longer for extra creaminess or add another tablespoon of oil if you want your butter thinner.
Pumpkin Seed Butter Uses…
- In a sandwich – replace the peanut butter with pumpkin seed butter and make a PSB and jelly sandwich!
- On toast – toast a slice of good homemade artisan bread, spread with pumpkin seed butter and drizzle with honey for added sweetness (or not). Goodness! It’s so good and a perfect addition to your morning coffee.
- In shakes and smoothies – add a tablespoon of pumpkin butter to any protein shake, green shake or smoothie, or even a milkshake. It will turn your drink into a filling and healthier meal.
- As a filling – check out these delicious looking chocolate cups filled with pumpkin seed butter. They seem very simple to make. There are probably other similar ways to use this pumpkin seed butter.
How to Store Pumpkin Seed Butter…
You can leave your homemade pumpkin seed butter at room temperature for a few days in a plastic container or in a jar, however, I think that it’s better to store it in the fridge. It will last for weeks in cold storage.
Frequently Asked Questions…
Yes! Feel free to add any of the fall seasonings like cinnamon or nutmeg. If you want to make it sweeter, feel free to add a little bit of honey when processing the seeds.
Yes. You can add hemp hearts, or sunflower seeds, or flax seeds. You can also add nuts if you’d like.
You can. I wouldn’t process more than 4 cups of pumpkin seeds at a time though…
Toasting the pumpkin seeds just brings all their delicious flavor out. You can skip the toasting but the butter won’t taste the same.
If you are stuck after the holidays with a whole lot of pumpkins and you are wondering if you can use their seeds to make pumpkin seed butter the answer is yes, you can… However, you are going to have to shell all the seeds before. It’s a whole lotta work!
It’s fun to have different nut and seed spreads in the pantry or the fridge and this pumpkin seed butter definitely has its place on the shelf. I usually spread it on toast and drizzle some honey over it. It’s a simple, healthy, and filling breakfast or snack. I sure hope that you’ll give it a try!
More Recipes to Try…
- Pumpkin Cheesecake With Ginger Crust
- 47 Fresh Savory Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin and Beetroot Salad
- Pumpkin and Feta Salad
Pumpkin Seed Butter
Really easy to make and very healthy pumpkin seed butter.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- 2 tablespoons of almond oil (divided)
- 1-2 tablespoons of honey (optional. See notes)
Instructions
- Step one - preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the pumpkin seeds in one layer on the baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Step two - add the roasted pumpkin seeds, salt, and one tablespoon of almond oil to the bowl of the food processor.
- Step three - process for one minute. Open the food processor, scrape the sides and bottom, close the processor, and process for an additional two minutes. Open the food processor, scrape the sides and bottom, add an additional tablespoon of almond oil, close the processor, and process for two more minutes or until the butter is as smooth as you'd like it to be (for me, total processing time was 5 minutes).
- Use a spoon to remove the butter from the food processor and transfer it into a jar. Store in the fridge.
Notes
Honey - is completely optional. I usually leave it out since I can drizzle a little bit over my pumpkin seed butter when I spread it on toast, however, if you want to make a batch of butter that is sweet, you can add the honey at processing time.
Frequently Asked Questions...
- Can I season this pumpkin seed butter?
Yes! Feel free to add any of the fall seasonings like cinnamon or nutmeg. If you want to make it sweeter, feel free to add a little bit of honey when processing the seeds. - Can I add other seeds?
Yes. You can add hemp hearts, or sunflower seeds, or flax seeds. You can also add nuts if you’d like. - Can I double this recipe?
You can. I wouldn’t process more than 4 cups of pumpkin seeds at a time though… - Do I have to toast the pumpkin seeds?
Toasting the pumpkin seeds just brings all their delicious flavor out. You can skip the toasting but the butter won’t taste the same. - Can I use fresh pumpkin seeds?
If you are stuck after the holidays with a whole lot of pumpkins and you are wondering if you can use their seeds to make pumpkin seed butter the answer is yes, you can… However, you are going to have to shell all the seeds before. It’s a whole lotta work!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 tablespoonAmount Per Serving: Calories: 59Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 35mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
Hi! I’m Lady Lee. I help homesteaders simplify their homesteading journey while still producing a ton of food! I am a single mother of four, I was born in Israel and raised in an agricultural commune called a Kibbutz. Now I homestead in central NC.
Hello Lady Lee and a very Happy New Year to you and the kids!
Thank you! Happy new year to you too!