Name: Air Fryer Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (3 Flavors — The Crunchy 20-Minute Halloween Snack)
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings (1/4 cup each)
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (280 g) raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and patted very dry; 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil or avocado oil; 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided; Smoky paprika: 1 tsp smoked paprika + 1/2 tsp garlic powder + 1/4 tsp ground cumin; Cinnamon sugar: 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar + 1 tsp ground cinnamon; Ranch: 1 tsp dried dill + 1/2 tsp garlic powder + 1/2 tsp onion powder

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By Tasty Loom | Ready in 20 minutes | Makes 8 servings

Don’t throw away the best part of pumpkin carving. Those slimy seeds turn into the crunchiest, most addictive Halloween snack in just 20 minutes — and the air fryer does it better than the oven ever could: crisper shells, deeper toast, zero babysitting. This recipe gives you three flavors from one batch: smoky paprika, cinnamon sugar, and ranch. Sweet, savory, or tangy — the bowl empties either way. One pumpkin’s worth of seeds, a spoonful of oil, and the party snack makes itself.

What You Need

2 cups (280 g) raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and patted very dry
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil or avocado oil
1 tsp fine sea salt, divided
Smoky paprika: 1 tsp smoked paprika + 1/2 tsp garlic powder + 1/4 tsp ground cumin
Cinnamon sugar: 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar + 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Ranch: 1 tsp dried dill + 1/2 tsp garlic powder + 1/2 tsp onion powder

How To Make It

Clean and dry the seeds. Scoop the seeds from your pumpkins, rinse in a colander, and pick out the pulp and strings. Spread on a clean kitchen towel and pat VERY dry — dry seeds roast crisp; damp seeds steam. Let them air-dry 10 minutes if you have time.
Season. Toss the dry seeds with the oil and 1/2 tsp of the salt. Divide into 3 bowls and toss each with its flavor mix (smoky paprika / cinnamon sugar / ranch).
Air fry. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Spread the seeds in a single layer in the basket (work in batches — crowding kills the crunch). Cook 10–12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway, until golden and crisp.
Cool and store. Spread on a sheet pan and cool 5 minutes — the seeds crisp up more as they cool. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt while warm. Store airtight up to 1 week.

Tips & Variations

Bone-dry = crunchy: The #1 reason pumpkin seeds go chewy is moisture. Pat them dry, then let them air-dry on a towel while the air fryer preheats.
Don’t skip the shake: Seeds in the center of the basket need a shake halfway or they toast unevenly — set a timer for 6 minutes.
Sweet-salty twist: Toss the cinnamon-sugar batch with a pinch of cayenne for a sweet-heat version adults love.
Oven backup: No air fryer? Roast at 325°F (165°C) for 20–25 minutes on a parchment-lined sheet, stirring twice. (These pair perfectly with a spooky spread like Spider Deviled Eggs.)
Seed math: 2 medium carving pumpkins yield roughly 2 cups of seeds — plan one batch per pumpkin and gift the extras in little bags.

Estimated nutrition per serving (1/4 cup / 30 g): ~170 cal | protein 9g | carbs 4g | fat 14g.