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Transform your pumpkin seeds into crispy, flavorful snacks with our Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds recipe. Discover a new Autumn favorite today!
Featured with this recipe
You like quick and easy snacks that embody fall, right? Pumpkin seeds with a twist, these crunchy little yummies are made in the air fryer, which makes the process go faster, helping you to make batches of your favorite fall snack to save for lunch boxes, road trips, and more! With just a few ingredients, you can air fry yourself a delicious and protein filled snack. Keep these in mind while you are carving pumpkins this Halloween. Scoop out the pumpkin flesh and save the fresh pumpkin seeds. Add a little butter and spice, throw in the air fryer basket, give it a shake, and BOO! I mean yum!
Ingredients in Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
- Pumpkin Seeds- save your pumpkin seeds while carving pumpkins. Give them a rise in the colander to remove the pulp, pat with a kitchen towel and they are ready to go!
- Melted Butter- salted butter adds flavor, choose your favorite.
- Cinnamon Sugar- make your own by literally mixing cinnamon and sugar. More cinnamon will create a spicer blend.
More Flavor Combinations
No need to stop the flavor train at cinnamon sugar. The combinations for different flavors are endless, but here are a few ideas to toss with your pumpkin seeds.
- Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds: Use the sweet and spicy flavors in our Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds recipe for a new flavor variation.
- Spicy Garlic Parmesan: For a savory twist, combine your pumpkin seeds with grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper before air frying. You’ll end up with a tasty and slightly spicy snack with a hint of garlic.
- Honey Roasted: Toss the pumpkin seeds in honey and a sprinkle of brown sugar before air frying for a sweet and slightly caramelized treat.
- Savory Ranch: Season your seeds with ranch seasoning for a savory, tangy flavor. It’s like enjoying your favorite ranch dressing but in a crunchy seed form. Kids will especially love this one.
- Chili Lime: Season the seeds with chili powder or tabasco sauce and a squeeze of fresh lime juice for a zesty and spicy kick.
- Everything Bagel: Coat the seeds with an “everything bagel” seasoning blend for a savory, garlicky, and oniony flavor.
- BBQ Twist: Mix the seeds with your favorite barbecue seasoning for a smoky and tangy snack that’s perfect for game day.
- Zesty Taco: Season the seeds with taco seasoning for a fiesta of flavors that’s great for snacking or topping taco salads.
- Herb-Infused: Try a mixture of dried herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano with a drizzle of olive oil for a fragrant and earthy taste.
- Buffalo-Style: Spice up your seeds with buffalo sauce and a bit of melted butter for a tangy, spicy, and buttery kick.
- Maple Pumpkin Spice: Embrace the fall flavors with this combo! Coat your pumpkin seeds in a mix of maple syrup, a dash of pumpkin spice, and a pinch of salt. The result is an autumn-inspired treat that’s perfect for cozy evenings by the fire.
Boiling or Soaking Pumpkin Seeds
Common practice is to boil or soak pumpkin seeds before roasting and eating them. Although it is safe to eat pumpkin seeds raw, boiling or soaking them softens the seeds, making them easier to eat. It also removes the phytic acid from the pumpkin seeds, which is a substance found in plant seeds that reduces the absorption of nutrients. Pumpkin seeds are nutrient rich in things like magnesium, fiber, calcium, iron, zinc, sodium, potassium, and antioxidants. These are things you want to absorb. It’s easy, all you have to do is boil for 10 minutes, or soak overnight for 8-12 hours.
Recipe Tip
After boiling the pumpkin seeds, make sure to pat completely dry. This will help the flavorings stick to the seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions about Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Although they don’t have to be dry as a bone, the more dry your pumpkin seeds are, the crispier they will get in the cooking process.
Something you can try is spreading your pumpkin seeds on a large baking sheet and placing them in the sun for a little bit. This could dry them faster than just sitting in your kitchen.
Rinse the seeds to remove excess pumpkin and pulp and place in an airtight container in the fridge. They can stay there for 2 to 3 days.
Read Next: Easy Pumpkin Desserts
More Air Fryer Snacks
How to Make Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon salted butter melted
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Place seeds in a large bowl of water and "swish" with your hands to release seeds from fibers. The seeds should float to the top. Remove seeds from the bowl using a spoon or your hand. Rinse pumpkin seeds, removing any remaining fiberous strands.
- Add water and salt to a pot. Bring to a boil and add the seeds. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain well and place on a plate covered with a paper towel. Pat completely dry.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
- Place the seeds in a bowl and add melted butter and cinnamon sugar. Stir well.
- Place flavored seeds in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer.
- Cook at 350 for 10 minutes, shaking the basket half way through.
- Let cool and serve.
Notes
- Instead of boiling the seeds, you can also soak them in the same amount of water and salt overnight. Soak them in a large bowl on the counter at room temperature.
- Add roasted pumpkin seeds to salads, trail mix, or granola.
- For even more flavor, check out our Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds recipe.
Can’t wait to try these seeds, thanks