Pumpkin Pie Seeds

1 cup raw cleaned pumpkin seeds (preferably from a sugar pumpkin)

4 cups water

4 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste

Place pumpkin seeds, water, and salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium; boil seeds for 10 minutes. Drain seeds but do not rinse. Pat seeds dry with paper towels and spread out onto a work surface or a baking sheet for 30 minutes to dry.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Melt butter in a large microwave-safe bowl until melted, about 1 minute. Toss seeds in the melted butter and mix in 1 tablespoon sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom; toss again to coat seeds thoroughly with spices. Spread seeds out onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake in the preheated oven until toasted and crunchy, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir several times during baking. Sprinkle toasted seeds with 1 tablespoon sugar or as desired; cool before serving.