Pumpkin Seed Calculator

One pound of pumpkin yields roughly half a cup of cleaned seeds before roasting — a rough home-kitchen average that varies with variety and how aggressively you scrape the cavity. Multiply your pumpkin weight by that ratio to plan bowls and sheet pans.

Sheet pan counts assume about two cups of spread seeds per standard half-sheet for even browning. Roast time adds a base 25 minutes plus five minutes per extra pan — stagger pans in the oven if you only have one rack.

Example: a 12 lb carving pumpkin produces about 6 cups of seeds — three sheet pans and roughly 40 minutes total roast guidance at moderate heat (actual doneness still depends on your oven and seed size).

Rinse pulp off seeds in a colander; dry thoroughly on towels or a low oven before oiling — wet seeds steam and stay chewy instead of crisp. Oil, salt, and spice after drying; garlic powder and smoked paprika are common Halloween-night snacks.

Roast around 300–325°F (150–160°C) until lightly browned, stirring once. Hulled pepitas brown faster than in-shell seeds; pull them earlier. Giants may yield more seed volume than pie types even when the flesh is less tasty for puree — scrape both if you want a big snack tray.

One half-sheet pan holds roughly two cups of spread seeds; overcrowding steams instead of crisps, so the calculator's pan count is a capacity guide, not permission to pile deeper. Stagger pans on different racks or roast in waves if you only have one oven shelf.

Allergen note: pumpkin seeds are tree-nut alternatives for many schools, but check district policies before sending roasted seeds to classroom parties. Label homemade bags if sharing with guests who have seed or spice allergies.

Limits: does not subtract seeds discarded with pulp or account for hull vs hulled varieties — weigh scraped seeds for precision baking or calorie tracking.