Air Fryer Pumpkin Pinwheels

These pumpkin pinwheels are easy to make in the air fryer and are full of fall flavors. Top them with a delicious glaze for a little more sweetness. These air fryer pumpkin pinwheels get so flaky and cook up so quickly!

Recently I was wondering what to do with all the cans of pumpkin puree I just bought. Then I remembered I had puff pastry that I should use, and I love my air fryer soooo this air fryer pumpkin pinwheel recipe was born.

It took several attempts at getting it just right, but now this recipe is flaky pumpkin perfection. Perfect for any fall gathering and easy to make.

Key ingredients:

• Puff pastry
• Pumpkin puree
• Pumpkin pie spice - either homemade or store-bought
• Brown sugar
• Salt

How to thaw puff pastry:

You usually thaw puff pastry according to package directions. There is one key thing to remember though -- you don't want to thaw it too much, otherwise the puff pastry won't cook properly and won't be easy to handle.

For this recipe specifically when making pumpkin pinwheels, you still want it to be pretty cold. So I tend to keep testing, and roll it out when it is flexible enough to do so, usually between 20-30 minutes after it's been at room temperature.

If it gets too warm, pop it back in the freezer for a bit to cool off again.

Cooking tips:

• Don't let the puff pastry thaw too much and get too warm, or it won't puff up nicely and your insides of the pumpkin pinwheels will not be cooked through.
• Don't spread the pumpkin mixture on too thick, or it will squeeze out the sides when rolling and cutting.

How to make:

To make the air fryer pumpkin pinwheels, take your puff pastry sheet out of the freezer to thaw. See note above about thawing. Only thaw until the puff pastry is easy to unroll and smooth out, do not let the puff pastry get too warm.

While puff pastry is thawing, add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to a bowl.

Stir to combine and create this beautiful-looking fall mixture.

Spread a thin layer of the pumpkin mixture onto the puff pastry. You may have leftover pumpkin puree.

At this point, preheat the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.

Carefully roll up the puff pastry. You don't want to roll it up too tightly, as this will affect the puff and also the pumpkin will squeeze out. Then, cut it into pieces. I prefer to use a very sharp knife (or serrated knife) when slicing. You can also use unflavored dental floss!

Take each piece and place it into the air fryer basket, leaving room between each so it has room to expand.

Cook for 10-12 minutes, checking for doneness. If the inside puff pastry is still not cooked, place back into the air fryer for extra time.

Serve as is, or make a quick glaze with powdered sugar, milk, and either vanilla or maple extract, and drizzle over the pumpkin pinwheels once cool.

How to make sure puff pastry is cooked in the middle:

There are a few tricks to making sure your puff pastry is cooked in the middle of the pinwheel. The first time I made these, I failed miserably and had to throw out the batch. But no fear, after some trial and error on my part, here are the tips to make sure the pastry in the inside of the pinwheel is cooked!

• First, make sure your pastry is cold. Follow the tips on only thawing the puff pastry until you can roll it. If you thaw it too much, make sure to pop the pinwheels in the freezer for a bit after rolling before cooking to make sure the puff pastry is cold again.
• Don't put too much puree on. A thin layer of the pumpkin mixture is ideal, otherwise the moisture will keep the inside from cooking properly.
• Don't roll up the pinwheels too tightly, otherwise they won't have the room to expand and cook properly.
• If you can, push up the center of the pinwheel just slightly before cooking, so it's a tiny bit elevated. This will help the center to cook properly.

Like this recipe? Check out these:

• Pumpkin spice nice cream
• Pumpkin pie pop tarts
• Chess bars
• Roasted butternut squash soup
• Cinnamon banana smoothie
• Air fryer peanut butter crescent rolls