Those Green Pumpkin Seeds in Your Pantry Can Become a Creamy Spread

Peanut and almond butter aren't the only spreads that can start with a handful of seeds or nuts. Raw green pumpkin seeds can go through the same transformation, turning into a thick spread for toast, oatmeal, pancakes, and smoothies.

The recipe from Nutrition in the Kitch uses five ingredients: 3 cups of raw pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, salt, pure maple syrup, and avocado or olive oil. The seeds need more time in the food processor than peanuts, but the process takes them from whole seeds to crumbs, then a sticky mixture, and at last a smooth green butter.

Roast the Pumpkin Seeds Before They Go Into the Food Processor

Raw pumpkin seeds get tossed with 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of salt, then spread across a parchment-lined baking pan. They roast at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, just until toasted.

Cooling matters before the next step. Once the seeds reach room temperature, they go into a food processor for about 10 minutes. The mixture won't resemble a spread at first. It passes through a dry, crumb-like stage before the oils in the seeds start binding everything together.

Stopping the processor from time to time also gives you a chance to scrape down the sides and push the seeds back toward the blade.

Maple Syrup and Oil Turn the Ground Seeds Into a Spread

After about 10 minutes of processing, ¼ cup of pure maple syrup goes in. Another five minutes in the food processor changes the texture again. The ground seeds can clump into a large ball during this stage, so the mixture needs to be scraped down as it moves around the bowl.

One tablespoon of avocado oil comes next. Olive oil can take its place if that's what you have. After about two more minutes of processing, the mixture reaches the smooth consistency expected from a seed or nut butter.

The finished spread keeps the green color of the pumpkin seeds, while cinnamon and maple syrup move the flavor away from plain roasted seeds.

Use Pumpkin Seed Butter Anywhere You'd Reach for Peanut Butter

Pumpkin seed butter doesn't require a separate set of recipes. A spoonful can go into oatmeal or overnight oats, while a thinner layer works across toast, English muffins, or pancakes.

It can also go into smoothie blends or pancake batter. Cookies are another option, using pumpkin seed butter in the role peanut butter would fill in a standard peanut butter cookie recipe.

The recipe produces about 1 cup. Nutrition in the Kitch recommends keeping the finished butter in the refrigerator for up to two months, rather than leaving it in the pantry for more than two weeks.