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
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
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1 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma
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Harvest pumpkin seeds by carefully cutting a pumpkin in half and scraping the insides with a fork.
The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma
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Rinse the seeds using a fine-mesh strainer and run warm water over them, picking away any pumpkin guts.
The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma
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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.
The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma
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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.
The Spruce Eats/Christine Ma
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Once coated, add seeds to the air fryer. Fry at 365 F until browned and crisp, about 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
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.
