Name: Smoked Bacon Pumpkin Seeds
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds; 4 slices bacon (chopped); 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tsp barbecue rub; pinch kosher salt

Adding bacon makes everything better, especially these smoked bacon pumpkin seeds. They're sweet, crunchy and salty – the perfect snack combo.

4.88 from 8 votes

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By Christie Vanover | Published October 21, 2018 | Last Updated March 1, 2023

white bowl of smoked bacon pumpkin seeds on blue wooden table

One of my favorite things about Halloween is pumpkin seeds. We always carved 3-5 pumpkins when I was growing up, so we had oodles and oodles of seeds to toast.

Back then, I used to toast them in the oven with a pinch of salt.

But this girl is all grown up!

I ditched the oven years ago for grills and smokers, and I gained a full-on appreciation of bacon as another food group.

By combining my love of smoking and bacon, this new Halloween treat was born, and now I enjoy them year round, especially on camping trips.

pumpkin seeds on sheet pan near carved pumpkin

For this recipe, please use the raw pumpkin seeds you scrape out of the fresh pumpkin.

Don’t pick up the seeds at Trader Joes. One, that’s cheating, and two, those are already roasted.

Also, skip the seeds called pepitas. These are the small seeds inside the white shells, and again – already roasted.

bowl of cleaned pumpkin seeds near pumpkin

You’ve got to get your hands dirty and scoop them out. Then, rinse them under cold water to remove the extra pulp. I usually use a colander, so they don’t slip down the drain.

clear bowl full of pumpkin seeds, raw bacon and spices

Add your ingredients

The diced strips of bacon will add liquid gold (AKA bacon grease) and salt. The bacon will also amp up the smokey flavor.

The sugar will help the seeds caramelize while adding a touch of sweetness.

And the rub will add a little kick. You can choose a spicier rub, if you like heat, or a sweeter rub.

raw pumpkin seeds and bacon on foil covered sheet pan

Spread everything out onto a foil-lined baking sheet and smoke at 375F degrees for 15 minutes.

You don’t have to use the foil, but it makes cleanup way easier.

After 15 minutes, give them a stir, and continue smoking for 5-10 more minutes.

Keep an eye on them. You want the bacon crispy, but not burnt.

Remove them from the smoker, sprinkle with a little salt while they’re still hot.

Let the smoked bacon pumpkin seeds cool, and enjoy.

This recipe is really adaptable. For every 1/4 cup of seeds, use 1 strip of bacon, 1 tsp of brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of barbecue rub.

If you have extra raw seeds after carving pumpkins, you can also clean them and freeze them to make bacon pumpkin seeds a few weeks later. Just fully thaw them before smoking.

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