Harry Potter Pumpkin Pasties

These flaky, golden pasties are filled with warmly spiced pumpkin and topped with a crackly sugar crust and a lightning bolt scar. Ready in just 35 minutes in the air fryer (or you can bake them in the oven), they’re a cozy, magical treat for Halloween parties and fall movie marathons.

I have a whole collection of Harry Potter-inspired recipes with foods that are specifically mentioned in the books and movies. But it took me at least 6 attempts while I was testing this recipe to get these pumpkin pasties just right!

Pumpkin pasties first rolled by on the Hogwarts Express snack trolley in Book 1, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, right alongside the Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. They’re a sweet spin on the Cornish pasty, the hand-held savory pastry that miners once tucked into their lunch pails, except this dessert version is made with spiced pumpkin in place of beef and potato.

This handheld treat magically makes your kitchen smell like a cozy corner of Hogwarts, as if the house elves have just pulled out a piping hot tray. The filling is just pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and a warm blend of ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, all tucked inside a flaky pie crust. It tastes like a slice of pumpkin pie you can hold in one hand, with a crackly sugar top and a lightning bolt scar to make it feel properly magical. They are even better than the ones we had when we visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando.

For more recipes straight out of the wizarding world, conjure up my Butterbeer, Pumpkin Juice, Harry Potter Birthday Cake, Cornish Pasties, and Sticky Toffee Pudding!

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

• Pumpkin Puree: Needs to be plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Fresh roasted pumpkin works too, just mash it and drain it well so the filling doesn’t turn soggy.
• Double Pie Crust: Wraps the filling in flaky, golden pastry. Keep the dough chilled until you’re ready to roll, because cold dough cuts into neat rounds so much more easily.
• Brown Sugar: Sweetens the filling with a deep, caramel-like richness. Light or dark both work, and granulated sugar will do in a pinch, though you’ll lose a little of that caramel flavor.
• Ground Cinnamon: Brings that cozy, classic pumpkin pie warmth to every bite. If you’d rather use pumpkin pie spice as an easy shortcut, swap in 2 to 3 teaspoons total for the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, and adjust to your taste.
• Ground Ginger: Adds a gentle, peppery warmth that keeps the sweetness from tasting flat.
• Ground Nutmeg: Lends a sweet, nutty depth that rounds out the spice blend.
• Ground Cloves: Gives deep, aromatic warmth, and a little goes a long way.
• Egg: Gives the crust a glossy, golden shine when you beat it and brush it over the tops. Milk or heavy cream works as a quick swap, though the shine will be softer.
• Turbinado Sugar: Adds a sparkly, crackly crunch on top. Granulated sugar works in a pinch, though the crunch will be a little finer.

How to Make Harry Potter Pumpkin Pasties

1. Preheat air fryer. Heat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C) while you get everything else ready. Oven directions are in the notes on the printable recipe card below.
2. Mix filling. Stir the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together in a mixing bowl until it’s one smooth, spiced pumpkin mixture.
3. Cut dough. Roll out your pie dough and use a circular cutter to stamp out as many rounds as you can.

4. Add filling. Spoon a small amount of pumpkin filling onto one half of each round, leaving a little space around the edges so it stays put.

5. Seal pasties. Fold each round over the filling into a half-moon and press the edges closed with a fork.

6. Carve scars. Use a knife to carve a lightning bolt onto the top of each pasty, because no Harry Potter treat is complete without one.
7. Brush with egg. Beat the egg in a small bowl, then brush it over the tops for a golden, glossy finish.
8. Sprinkle sugar. Scatter turbinado sugar over the egg wash for a sweet, crackly crunch.

9. Air fry. Arrange the pasties in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they aren’t touching, and cook at 350°F (180°C) for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

10. Cool slightly. Let the pasties cool for a few minutes before serving, since that pumpkin filling will be hot.
11. Oven option. To bake instead, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and place the pasties on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with turbinado sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let them cool slightly before serving.

Recipe FAQ’s

Tips for Success

• Taste the filling before you spoon it onto the dough. It’s easy to stir in a pinch more spice now, but once the pasties are sealed there’s no fixing it.
• Roll your dough to an even thickness so every pasty cooks at the same pace, instead of some coming out pale while others get too dark.
• Re-roll your scraps to cut a few extra rounds, but go easy on the handling. Dough that’s worked too much turns tough instead of flaky.
• Sprinkle on the turbinado sugar right after you brush on the egg wash, while it’s still wet. That way it sticks to the crust instead of getting blown around by the air fryer fan.
• Start peeking at the 12-minute mark, because every air fryer runs a little hotter or cooler than the next. You’re looking for a deep golden brown, so go by color rather than the clock.
• Give them a few minutes to cool before you take a bite. If you go straight in, that pumpkin filling will be molten hot and burn your tongue.

Substitutions and Variations

• Swap the pumpkin puree for a cooked apple filling or your favorite berry jam or preserves, and you’ve got a fruity pasty that works just as well in the air fryer.
• Stir in a handful of chocolate chips for a pumpkin and chocolate combo that tastes a bit like a bakery treat.
• Fold in some butterscotch chips for a little nod to butterbeer.
• Beat a few tablespoons of softened cream cheese into the filling for a tangy, cheesecake-style twist.
• Add a spoonful of maple syrup to the filling if you’d like a cozy maple flavor running through the pumpkin.
• Mix in some chopped pecans or walnuts to give each bite a little crunch.
• Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the egg wash in place of the turbinado sugar.
• Drizzle the cooled pasties with a quick glaze made from powdered sugar and a splash of milk.

More Pumpkin Treats You’ll Love

• Pumpkin Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
• Pumpkin French Toast with Whipped Pumpkin Butter
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
• Baked Pumpkin Donuts
• Pumpkin Bundt Cake