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pumpkin seed brittle

Maple Pumpkin Seed Brittle with Cinnamon and Cayenne

Five-ingredient skillet brittle with toasted pepitas, maple syrup, butter, cinnamon and cayenne. No thermometer needed.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 190
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups raw pepitas hulled pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt

Method
 

  1. Line a sheet pan with parchment and set it next to the stove.
  2. Toast the pepitas in a dry 10-inch skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until they pop and smell nutty.
  3. Add the maple syrup, butter, cinnamon and cayenne. Stir constantly as it bubbles hard, 4 to 5 minutes, until the syrup is thick, dark amber and clings to the seeds in a glossy sheet.
  4. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Immediately scrape the mixture onto the parchment and spread it thin with a spatula.
  5. Sprinkle with flaky salt and let it cool completely, 30 minutes, then break into shards.