Pumpkin Pie In The Air Fryer (Finger Licking Dessert)

Air fryer pumpkin pie is a traditional fall dessert. It is a simple and quick-to-prepare recipe. It’s a blend of wonderful ingredients and flavors.

It has a velvety texture and a perfect mixture of pumpkin spices. It is that dish that screams holiday!

In this blog, you’ll find out the details regarding the ingredients and recipe of this lovely dessert, along with some answers to the FAQs.

Stay with me till the end!

How To Make Pumpkin Pie In The Air Fryer?

Ingredients

Along with an air fryer and a pan, you’ll need the following ingredients to prepare this homemade pumpkin pie:

Pumpkin: You’ll need 15 ounces of pumpkin puree with a consistent texture, which is best for baking. Fresh pumpkin puree would yield better results. However, there are other options, such as sugar pie, Jack O’ Lantern pumpkins, etc.

Canned mixtures are not suitable for baking because of their watery texture. However, Libby’s canned pumpkin is the best to replace pure fresh puree.

Pre-Made Pie Crust is also readily available in grocery stores and works wonders for pumpkin pies.

1 cup of evaporated milk or 1 cup of heavy cream: When buying milk, look for unsweetened evaporated milk. Keep an eye on the expiration date to avoid any health risks.

A heavy cream is also an option. It gives velvety smoothness and incredible pumpkin stuffing. You can use melted butter in place of heavy cream as well.

1/2 cup of granulated white sugar: You can use brown sugar as well.

Pie Pans: Get a pie pan the size of your air fryer’s basket.

Pie Weights: Pie weights allow you to cook the crust or base of the pie without the filling. It also prevents the pie crust from puffing up.

Pumpkin spices: 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder, ground cloves, kosher salt & ground nutmeg for flavor.

Eggs: 2 large eggs to set the pie base.

All-purpose flour or cornstarch: All-purpose flour or cornstarch contributes to the perfect texture by thickening the filling.

What to expect: This recipe yields two pies. It depends upon your air fryer whether to prepare both at once if you have a retractable rack. Or make one pie at a time if you have a small air fryer.

ground nutmeg topped on pumpkin pie
Pumpkin pie is a perfect classic dessert for holidays.

Cooking Instructions

Step 1: Start by preparing the pie crust. Mix flour, sugar, butter, and salt, and then slowly add water to make dough. Roll the dough according to the size of your pie pan. Carefully cover the pie crust with a sheet of aluminum foil. This ensures that the shape remains intact.

Bake the crust without filling the air fryer using pie weight at 300 F for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and pie weights after 5 minutes of cooking. Set the crust aside and proceed to the preparation of the filling.

Step 2: To make the filling, combine the pumpkin puree, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Gradually add evaporated milk and blend everything. Whisk the eggs and add them to the blended mixture. Continue to stir until it has a viscous tendency.

Step 3: Lightly shake the crust keeping the center solid. Bake for 5 minutes; check and repeat if the center is not ready. Continue to air fry for 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer helps to read the temperature between 165-175°F (74-80°C).

Once ready, let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. Then remove the air fryer basket and let the pie cool inside it. Removing the pie immediately would lead to breakage and spillage.

Transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours before serving.

Here’s a video tutorial to help you get the best results!

Air Fryer Pumpkin Pie

Tips:

  • Try to follow the recipe step by step. Skipping a step can cause a crunch crust and unevenly cooked pie.
  • Make sure to use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
  • Verify the canned pumpkin puree. It should be pure pumpkin puree and not a mixture of two different products. It is disguised with other pumpkin pies that are not refined products.
  • Use regular canned milk instead of sweetened condensed milk, which is thicker and sweeter.
  • You can replace milk or heavy cream with cornstarch.
  • There are plenty of ways to add flavor or color to pumpkin pies. Sprinkle powdered sugar or cinnamon on top of the pie before serving it. The traditional way of whipped cream on top is still in trend.
  • Pumpkin pie is delicious when served at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Pumpkin pie topped with cinnamon and cream.
Cinnamon and roasted butternut squash are the best toppings for pumpkin pie.

Nutritional Information

The single serving of this recipe contains almost 355 kcal. The nutrients are further divided into:

NutrientsAmount
Carbohydrates58g
Protein7g
Fat12g
Cholesterol70mg
Fiber3g
Sugar40g
Nutritional information of homemade pumpkin pie

FAQs

Is pumpkin pie healthy?

Pumpkins contain potassium, vitamin C, iron, and carotenoids. These nutrients help improve your mood. It also contains carotenoids in small amounts. These can help lower the risk of several forms of cancer.

Is pumpkin pie the same as sweet potato pie?

In my opinion, they are both quite close in terms of color and texture.

Sweet potato pies are topped with nuts, while whipped cream and cinnamon powder are preferable for pumpkin pies. Pumpkin spices help to differentiate between both. The level of cinnamon provides a unique taste to pumpkin pies.

Both of these pies have a similar flavor and consistency. Pumpkin pie is spicier. In contrast, sweet potato pie with condensed milk has a sweeter taste. However, when spices are added, the sweetness tends to balance out.

Can we air-fry frozen pies?

Yes, you can!

Here are the steps for cooking a frozen pie in the air fryer:

  • First, take your frozen pie out of its plastic wrap.
  • Put your pie on a baking sheet that will fit in your air fryer.
  • Aluminum foils help to create a customized texture for pumpkin pie.
  • Air fry the frozen pie at 260 degrees F for 20 minutes and enjoy.

What can we use instead of pumpkin spices?

You can replace the pumpkin spice with nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.

If you don’t have ginger, nutmeg, or any of the spices mentioned in the recipe, replace it with cinnamon. Cinnamon gives it a good taste that is neither sour nor sweet.

Elevated view of chocolate filled pumpkin pie
Chocolate-flavored pumpkin pie topped with dried fruits.

Can we use both white and brown sugar?

It’s better to go for brown sugar only. It is less processed and made from sugarcane. It’s advisable to use either brown or white sugar completely. You shouldn’t mix the two.

Although the flavor and texture will differ if you use white sugar, it will still be delicious.

Should Pumpkin Pies Be Refrigerated?

Keep homemade pumpkin pies in the refrigerator and they can be stored for 2-4 days.

First, while removing the pumpkin pie from the oven, it should be left at room temperature. Allow it to cool entirely on a wire rack before transferring it to the refrigerator.

Basically, your pumpkin pie can be kept at room temperature for up to two hours. So, take the pie out of the fridge for a few minutes before cutting a slice.

What Exactly Is Blind Baking?

Blind baking is the process of baking an unfilled pie crust. I wouldn’t normally perform a blind bake in the oven, but because the bake time in an air fryer is shorter, I like to do it for a few minutes.

Blind baking is a synonym for pre-baking, and it simply refers to cooking a pie shell or pastry cake without the filling. In some recipes, the crust is completely blind-baked, and in others, the filling is introduced halfway through.

Conclusion

To conclude, I’d like to say that,

  • Air fryer pumpkin pies are a traditional holiday dessert ready within 20 minutes. Although it takes quite a few steps, the results are worth the wait.
  • Pie crust and pumpkin spices are the most significant parts of the recipe. First, you need to prepare the crust, then add the filling. After that, it is air fried for 20 minutes at 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • To avoid splitting and breaking, you should have it after it cools for 5-10 minutes.
  • Cinnamon, nutmeg, and a generous amount of whipped cream can be used for topping.
  • This recipe is a must-try.

Other Articles

Scroll to Top
Skip to content