Pumpkin Seed Brittle
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An easy pumpkin seed brittle recipe spiced with ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper. This pepita brittle is easy to make, and perfect for sharing the flavors of autumn! It’s particularly great for gifting, since it will keep well at room temperature for at least two weeks.
I first made a version of this pumpkin seed brittle candy a few years ago. As it turned out, it was a huge hit with just about everyone I know. It features the perfect blend of crunchy, sweet, and salty, with just a hint of heat thanks to the addition of ground cinnamon and ground cayenne pepper. Many years and a trip to pastry school later, and it’s still one of the treats my friends and co-workers talk about the most!
Key Ingredients
- Invert Sugar – I typically test my candy recipes with Golden Barrel corn syrup, but if you can’t find Golden Barrel (or are in a part of the world where corn syrup is not easy to find) replace it with another invert sugar instead.
- Butter – Opt for unsalted butter, or halve the fine sea salt if using salted butter.
- Baking Soda – Baking soda (bicarb of soda) gives the brittle a light, crunchy texture, similar to sponge toffee.
- Ground Spices – I used a blend of ground cinnamon and ground cayenne pepper. You can also experiment with other flavors, like mixed spice, ground ginger, or pumpkin spice.
- Pumpkin Seeds – I’ve tested this recipe with both raw and roasted seeds. To keep things simple, I usually use roasted pepitas. However, you can start with raw pumpkin seeds instead. To use raw seeds, add them to the sugar syrup and cook the mixture for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently (you’ll hear the seeds start to crack and pop as they cook) before proceeding to the baking soda step. Unsalted pumpkin seeds work best. If using salted pumpkin seeds, I recommend eliminating the additional teaspoon of salt from the recipe, or the resulting brittle will be too salty.
Spiced Pumpkin Seed Brittle
- Total TimeAbout 30 minutes, plus cooling time
- YieldAbout 650 grams (23 ounces) 1x
A sweet and crunchy pumpkin seed brittle recipe spiced with ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
Ingredients
250 grams granulated sugar (1 1/4 cups)
160 grams light corn syrup or liquid glucose (1/2 cup)
80 milliliters water (1/3 cup)
90 grams unsalted butter (6 tablespoons; 3 ounces)
250 grams roasted unsalted pepitas (1 3/4 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne
Instructions
Line a half sheet rimmed baking tray with a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, stir together granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water. With a pastry brush, brush down sides of pan with water.
Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until syrup turns light golden brown and resembles honey, about 12-15 minutes.
Stir in the butter and allow it to melt.
With a heat proof spoon, stir in the pepitas until fully incorporated.
Stir in the baking soda, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, and ground cayenne pepper. Mixture will bubble and splatter.
Pour out onto prepared tray. Allow to cool completely at room temperature, about 1 hour.
With your hands, break the slab into pieces.
Store pumpkin seed brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
*You can also make this recipe using raw pumpkin seeds. When I make it this way, I add the raw seeds and then cook the mixture for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. You’ll hear the seeds start to crack and pop as they cook.
Use a wooden or heat-safe spoon for this recipe. The sugar mixture will be very hot, and can easily melt a plastic spoon or spatula.
If desired, you can sprinkle the slab with flaky sea salt or coarse sea salt for an extra salty-sweet contrast. Add the salt immediately after pouring the hot brittle out onto your silicone baking mat. The brittle will begin to cool and set very quickly, at which point the salt will no longer adhere. Or for an extra-fancy treat, dip brittle in tempered chocolate, as I’ve done with these candied grapefruit peels.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Candy and Confectionery
- Method: Stovetop
Important Tools
- Heat-Proof Spoon – Use a wooden (or other heat-safe) spoon for this recipe! This is very important. The first time I made pumpkin seed brittle I made the mistake of using a rubber novelty spatula, and had to discard entire batch because bits of the plastic spatula melted into the candy mixture.
- Silicone Mat – You’ll need a silicone baking mat to pour the hot sugar syrup. Do not use wax paper; the brittle will adhere to the paper as it cools, and you’ll find it impossible to peel the two apart!
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
Pumpkin seed brittle will keep well at room temperature for up to two weeks. If you live in a warm or humid environment, you might find that the candy starts to become sticky, or that the pieces stick together. To avoid this, choose a cool, dark place for storage. Do not refrigerate pumpkin seed brittle.
Other Candy Recipes You Might Enjoy
Peanut Clusters with Chocolate and Sea Salt
Pumpkin Spice Caramels
Lemon Drops
Root Beer Candy
Apple Cider Caramels
And if do you make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
