Don’t you just love when a complete blunder turns into something incredible?! I had this fantastic idea to make a pumpkin pie spiced pumpkin seed brittle. Sounds great, right?
Just a few minutes into making the brittle, I realized that my measurements were all off – there just wasn’t enough thick caramel-like syrup to form into a classic brittle. I muttered a few choice curse words, scraped the contents of the pan out onto a Silpat, and just left it – thinking that I would have to scrap it once it cooled. Except when I tasted it, it was good! Really good! Like I can’t stop eating it, kind of good!
Just for the sake of my original idea, I went back to square one and tried to make an actual brittle. With a little tweaking of the recipe, it worked. I made a gorgeous brittle. But after a sampling, I actually much preferred the taste and texture of the clusters I had accidentally made. Talk about a happy accident!
I’ve been making this all weekend, it’s great to snack on, to take with you on a hike, or even tame that midday sweets craving. With the holidays coming up, it also makes a perfect snack for your guests!
- 1 cup raw green (hulled) pumpkin seeds*
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Then prep all of the spices measuring and combining the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves in a small bowl.
- Add the pumpkin seeds, sugar, honey, and water to a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Place over medium-high heat and stir constantly until the mixture becomes syrupy and a caramel color, about 6-8 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the butter. Stir until melted and then add the vanilla. While stirring constantly, add the spices, and stir until fully incorporated.
- Transfer the candied pumpkin seeds to the prepared sheet pan and spread out in a thin layer. Allow to cool, break apart into clusters, and enjoy!
i am supposed to be pinning for holiday eats and keeping others’ taste buds in mind, but i keep wandering off the path for my own tummy. taking these bites of love on a hike = great idea! they look beyond yummy.
Haha! I do that ALL the time! I call it productive procrastination. I’m so glad you decided wander off the holiday path to my blog 😉 xoxo
I made these last night to go on top of some pumpkin pots de creme I served at my supper club. Perfect recipe!
That’s great, Kristen! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! And those pumpkin pots de creme sound incredible!
sometimes the recipes that seem like they are going to fail end up making it big, just like this one! i could see myself snacking on these tasty clusters! Pinning for later 🙂
Thank you so much! I just wish all mistakes could end up so tasty 😉
These pumpkin seed clusters are wonderfully unique. Aromatic, sweet, sticky, and crunchy—they must be so addictive!
They are! I just polished off my 3rd batch last night 😉
Awesome snacks! Anyone who is craving a pumpkin for Halloween should use their seeds to make these clusters! Sweet and crunchy little bites are perfect for the holidays.
Thanks, Lokness! You’ll actually want to use pumpkin seeds that have been hulled – I find it’s easier to buy them at a whole foods/health store than try and hull them myself. However, if you’re looking for a recipe to use the pumpkin seeds leftover from carving a pumpkin, I have a great Roasted Pumpkin Seeds recipe 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend! xo
Ooo…. I didn’t know pumpkin seeds have to be hulled first. Good to know. Thanks girl.
There is NOTHING better than a happy accident! I got all giddy for you just reading this post! (I was high five-ing you through the computer screen). And I actually prefer little clusters of yummy nom noms vs. larger bricks of brittle, so these pumpkin seed clusters look absolutely fabulous to me!! I LOVE that you even thought to candy pumpkin seeds- you evil genius you! I could snack on this allllll day long.. and then some! Pinned! Cheers, lovie! XO
You know what? I didn’t think about it prior to my mistake, but I prefer the clusters to slabs of brittle too! Yay to happy accidents!
Love that these turned into clusters and I’ll definitely try them! What a fun happy accident!
Every mistake should end up so well… right?!
This is why I follow you. While everyone else is doing pumpkin desserts, muffins, dips, you knock it out of the park with something so unique but totally doable AND thrifty. Never will I throw out pumpkin seeds again.
So glad you stuffed up and “discovered” this. You rock! Sharing!
Aww…. thanks, Nagi. You always have the sweetest comments. Now don’t you just wish that every mistake ended so well? Ha, if that were the case I’d be a freakin’ genius! 😛
Mmmm… I love it when these types of blunders happen, Kathleen! No doubt kitchen fails can be frustrating.. but then, there’s the beauty of when this happens! Delicious mistake my dear and I love the suggestion of taking them on a hike! Can’t wait to give these a go!
Thanks, Traci 🙂 I’m always looking for little snacks to take on hikes or bike rides, so this happy accident definitely did double duty.
Oh my, I feel like I could pluck a cluster right off the page! Your pictures are stunning. Don’t you just love happy accidents? This looks like a treat I could get used to!
Thanks sweetie! Happy accidents are the best! It’s like finding a 20 dollar bill in your winter jacket 😉
Talk about a very happy accident! Every year we look for different things to do with our pumpkin seeds .. love love love these clusters!! Brilliant!
Thanks so much, Alice! How much fun to plan new ways to use pumpkin seeds with the family! I hope you guys give these a try 🙂
I love pumpkin seeds like anything. And these candied one are driving me crazy, Kathleen. They are so so deeeeeeelicious. I know, so many eeeee’s, but they look really deeeeeeeeeelcious — so tempeting. 🙂
Lol! Love all the ‘eeeee’s’ 😉 You can’t have fall without pumpkin seeds, right?!
I love it, that’s how great recipes come about, by accident! Beautiful photography as well, it’s not easy to photograph random clusters and you did it very well.
Thanks so much, Nicole! I really appreciate it 🙂 I just wish every accident turned out so well 😉
Your mistakes turn out so much better than mine! hahaha! Love me some pumpkin seeds and always have them on hand so I’ll be whipping these clusters up in no time (and for the weekend to munch on while watching football games). Hope you make another recipe mistake soon 🙂
Aw… that’s sweet of you to say, Karrie. But believe me, most of my mistakes are EPIC! Like epically bad!!! I think life just finally threw me a bone on this one 😉
Kathleen, these clusters look so yummy! I wish my kitchen accidents turned out like that! lol I actually just picked up some pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds from TJ’s for a salad I wanted to share on the blog. I’m already addicted to them so I can just imagine me downing these clusters like it’s no one’s business LOL! These are genius and I can’t wait to make them!
Ooo… I can’t wait to see your salad – I just know it’s going to be stunning!
I hope you enjoy these clusters. They might even do well crumbled over a salad… like candied walnuts 😉
Kathleen, I love that you were able to save this into these gorgeous clusters! I don’t eat pumpkin seeds nearly as much as I should–they are so tasty, and I bet they’re even tastier transformed into these!
Thanks, Amy! I hate wasting food, so I was thrilled when my ‘mistake’ turned into something delicious 🙂