Spiced Maple Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Get this delicious recipe for Pumpkin Seed Brittle. Just like Peanut Brittle but made with pumpkin seeds AND maple syrup.

Move over peanut brittle, fall is here! This pumpkin seed brittle is a great way to make the most of your pumpkin obsession. We upped the fall profile of this crunchy candy with some pumpkin pie spices and maple syrup.

What Kind Of Pumpkin Seeds To Use?

You have two options for the pumpkin seeds in this brittle: Pepitas or homemade roasted seeds. Learn more about the difference between pepitas and the more familiar pumpkin seeds that we get when carving a pumpkin here.

Pepitas are the easiest to use here, and make the most sense to me. They’re are sold at most grocery stores, so they’re really convenient. They’re basically a pumpkin seed that has been hulled and is ready to eat. They are sold both salted and unsalted, either of which can be used here. Just buy some and put them into the recipe.

The other type of pumpkin seed that you can use is your own roasted seeds. When you carve a pumpkin, you’ll get the seeds out as usual, wash them, and then roast them like this until done. Then you would use those seeds in the brittle.

The reason I recommend the pepitas is that they’re more convenient, but also, I really love snacking on roasted pumpkin seeds. You don’t get very many of them out of a pumpkin, so it would be sad to see them all go into a recipe and not just be eaten as that cherished snack. I’d rather roast and salt them, and eat them, then buy some pepitas and put them into the below recipe to keep the pumpkin seeds spirit going for longer, but with minimal effort.

Using Maple Syrup in Brittle

Maple syrup prevents graininess, just like the corn syrup you’ll find it many brittle recipes. But the maple adds a depth of flavor you won’t get from Karo. Baking soda gives the brittle a bubbly crunch that is the cornerstone of many great brittle recipes.

We opted to stir most of the seeds into the brittle, but reserved some to sprinkle on top for color. Otherwise, you’ll just end up with an ugly (but delicious!) brown mass.

Spiced Maple Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Contributor: Maria Siriano

Get this delicious recipe for Pumpkin Seed Brittle. Just like Peanut Brittle but made with pumpkin seeds AND maple syrup.

• Author: Maria Siriano
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cooling Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
• Yield: 20 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

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• 1 tsp. canola oil
• 1 and ¼ cups pepitas or roasted pumpkin seeds
• ⅛ tsp. cloves
• ⅛ tsp. ginger
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup water
• 2 Tbsp. dairy or non-dairy butter
• pinch kosher salt
• ¾ tsp. baking soda

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Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds, stir to coat with oil, and gently toast for 2 minutes. You don’t want to fully toast the seeds yet, so they shouldn’t brown. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle in spices, and toss to coat. Set aside.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
3. In a large saucepan with a candy thermometer set up, combine sugar, maple syrup, and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the sugar begins to boil, stop stirring. Cook until the sugar reaches 300⁰F, using a wet pastry brush to wipe down any crystallized sugar from the sides of the pan as needed. When the sugar reaches 300⁰F, add butter, salt, and 1 cup of the spiced pumpkin seeds (reserve the last ¼ cup of seeds for topping).
4. Continue to cook until the mixture reaches 310⁰F. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. This will cause the mixture to bubble up a bit.
5. Working quickly, pour the syrup onto the greased parchment and spread evenly with a greased, heatproof spatula. Sprinkle with remaining pumpkin seeds while the syrup is still hot, so they stick to the top. Allow to cool for at least 2 hours before breaking into pieces and serving.