Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

By
Morgan Baker
Morgan Walker
Morgan Baker
Morgan is a recipe developer and photographer. She is also a gardener and exceptional hugger.
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Updated on 10/14/22
Tested by
Tracy Wilk
Photo of Tracy Wilk
Tested by Tracy Wilk
Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
air fryer pumpkin seeds

The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6
Yield: 1 cup

Crispy and crunchy pumpkin seeds make for a great snack, salad topper, or mix-in to cakes and cookies. These are made simple by utilizing the ease of the air fryer and only take 15 minutes. Skip the savory option and go sweet by adding cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and brown sugar for a sweet snack.

It’s important to wash your seeds when harvesting them from the pumpkin, this will help remove any yucky innards, so all you’re left with is the clean seeds that make the perfect canvas for flavor.

For a fun fall idea, make a big pot of chili and create a toppings bar with cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, crunchy fried onions, and any other fun toppings you desire. Set up an outdoor movie and enjoy the fall weather. When you're finished with the chili, utilize the sweet pumpkin seeds you made to top a pumpkin cheesecake for you and your guests. 

"I love roasting pumpkin seeds and tossing them with cinnamon sugar—but this variation is a salty treat! Using the air fryer makes them extra crispy, plus cleanup is a breeze. This would be a delicious salad or pasta topping." —Tracy Wilk

pumpkin seeds
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make air fryer pumpkin seeds

    The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma

  2. Harvest pumpkin seeds by carefully cutting a pumpkin in half and scraping the insides with a fork.

    scooping seeds out of a pumpkin

    The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma

  3. Rinse the seeds using a fine-mesh strainer and run warm water over them, picking away any pumpkin guts.

    pumpkin seeds in a strainer

    The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma

  4. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 quart of water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the pumpkin seeds and boil for 5 minutes, then drain.

    pumpkin seeds boiling in a saucepan

    The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma

  5. In a medium bowl, add the pumpkin seeds with melted butter, salt, and garlic powder and toss to combine and fully coat the pumpkin seeds.

    pumpkin seeds in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma

  6. Once coated, add seeds to the air fryer. Fry at 365 F until browned and crisp, about 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.

    air fryer pumpkin seeds in a wire basket

    The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma

How to Scrape Out Pumpkin Seeds

One tip for scraping the seeds from the pumpkin is to cut off the stem top of the pumpkin to create a flat surface, then place the pumpkin flat-side down. Sharpen your knife before splitting the pumpkin. Hold the pumpkin firmly before beginning to cut and push down one side, followed by the other until you cut all the way through the pumpkin. Once split, you can use a fork or spoon to scrape the seeds. Use scissors to cut away the pumpkin guts if any strings are still attached to the pumpkin.


With the remaining pumpkin, you could roast it whole until fork tender, then scoop into a food processor and puree until smooth. Save the puree for making pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin bread, or any other fall treat your heart desires. A fun, savory idea is to save the pumpkin puree to make pumpkin gnocchi and serve in a brown butter sage sauce.

Recipe Variation

Instead of salt and garlic powder, add cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and brown sugar to make these pumpkin seeds a sweet snack.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
82 Calories
6g Fat
6g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 82
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 355mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 7mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 102mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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