Candied Pepitas

5 from 3 votes

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Sweet, crunchy, spiced, and straight-up addicting, these are Candied Pepitas! Who knew candying nuts and seeds was so simple?

I do believe that I have created one of my new favorite snacks, Candied Pepitas! I know I’m going a little pepita crazy, but for good reason! Pepitas have become my crack. Therefore, I’m addicted. And by addicted, I mean I had some leftover from my granola. Last year I went crazy over all sorts of pumpkin recipes, but this year, I seem to be on the pepita train. I thought candying my extras was the obvious, most delicious choice.

Candied Pepitas in a jar

But First, What are Pepitas?

Pepitas are essentially pumpkin seeds! More specifically the pepitas I used for this recipe have their white husks removed so they are green in color. But don’t worry, you don’t need to husk each pumpkin seed one by one. You can simply buy them from the bulk section are your local grocery store!

Ingredients for Candied Pepitas

Sugar? Spices? Candy? Come to momma. Here is everything you need to make Candied Pepitas:

  • Egg White and Water – this mixture coats the pepitas and ensures the dry ingredients have something to stick to!
  • Sugar and Light Brown Sugar – I use both to create the perfect candying blend.
  • Salt – salt is essential in this recipe to balance out all the sweet going on.
  • Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger – these are optional but highly recommended, especially for the fall and winter months! Feel free to use pumpkin pie spice instead of all the separate ones. Or, just switch it up and use what you got.

Pepitas covered in egg whites in a bowl

How to Make Candied Pepitas

Believe it or not, candying nuts/seeds is rather quite simple. Stir ingredients with sugars, spices, egg whites, and bake. That’s it. For full details on how to make Candied Pepitas, see the recipe card down below.

  1. Start by frothing an egg white together with a splash of water.
  2. Stir in your pepitas to coat well in the egg mixture.
  3. Now comes the fun part. Add in all the good stuff that is going to make these irresistible. Sugars, spices, etc
  4. Once they’re all good and coated, spread onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and throw it into a 300-degree oven.
  5. Every 10 minutes or so, you’re going to want to toss these so they all cook and candy evenly. This was after 35 minutes. They’re dark and golden and yummy!
  6. Cool, break apart, and store in an airtight container until you’re ready to eat!

Candied Pepitas on a baking sheet

Variations

Now that you have the basic recipe for Candied Pepitas, consider making them your own! Here are a couple of variations that you could try.

  • Sea Salt: after baking, while the pepitas are still warm and sticky, sprinkle on some sea salt for a salty-sweet treat.
  • More Nuts/Seeds: try mixing other nuts or seeds in with your pepitas. Almonds, pecans, and sun flower seeds all sound amazing!
  • Spices: for a little kick, add a dash of cayenne pepper to the spices. 

Top down view of Candied Pepitas in a jar

More Snack Recipes to Try!

Candied Pepitas are delicious as a snack, on top of a salad, or wrap up as a gift!

The printable recipe card is below, enjoy 🙂

Pumpkin Spiced Candied Pepitas
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5 from 3 votes

Candied Pepitas

Sweet, crunchy, spiced, and straight-up addicting, these are Candied Pepitas! Who knew candying nuts and seeds was so simple?
servings 3 cups, roughly
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 egg white
  • splash cold water about 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 1/2 cups raw pepitas
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk egg white and water until frothy.
    mixed egg whites
  • Pour in pepitas and stir until well coated.
    Pepitas coated in egg whites
  • Pour in remaining ingredients and stir until all pepitas are evenly coated and clumps of brown sugar are dissolved.
    Pepitas and seasonings
  • Pour onto prepared baking sheet and spread in one even layer. Bake 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Pepitas will look puffy and frothy each time you pull them out of the oven to stir. This is normal.
    Pepitas on a baking sheet
  • After baking time, stir one final time and cool to room temperature. Break apart into large or small pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Makes a great snack, gift or salad topper.
    Candied Pepitas on a baking sheet

Notes

*

Nutrition

Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1194mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 5mg
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: candied pepitas
5 from 3 votes

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16 Responses
  1. erincinco

    5 stars
    I ordered in last night and got shaved brussels sprouts with candied pepitas over top. It was so delicious that today I found this recipe and made them! So good!!

  2. Blair

    These look so yummy. My 10 year old just said, “Mom, I love recipes like that!” Looks like we’re gonna make a trip to the bulk section at Winco for some pepitas!

  3. Linda @ My Foodgasm Journal

    Looks so delicious and easy to make. Your ste-by-step makes it look so easy to follow. Gonna try this soon.

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