Making homemade granola has never been easier using an air fryer. This tasty breakfast, snack or dessert treat is simple to make and ready in no time.
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I have been making some variation of a homemade granola recipe for years. I really like that I can use my handy air fryer to make granola now. It takes just 15 minutes which is half the time it takes using a conventional oven. I’m also using less oil but still getting a nice crisp granola snack to enjoy. By using parchment paper in the air fryer, clean-up is a breeze.
Air fryer granola is so fun to have on hand for when you might have a sweet craving. It is naturally sweetened with honey. You can also customize it for whatever ingredients you might like to add in. I love throwing in some pumpkin seeds and sprinkling in some cinnamon when I am making it this time of the year.
Homemade granola can be a healthy option to enjoy at breakfast, as a snack and even to top a dessert in the evening. Lately, I have been topping my coconut flour pancakes with the granola. The soft and fluffy pancakes taste wonderful with that little bit of crunch. I also make sure to keep some in a Ziplock bag in my purse when I need a little sweet pick me up in the afternoons.
If you enjoy making snacks using the air fryer to cut down on time, try these pasta chips or these candied almonds. They are perfect when you get an afternoon craving.
Ingredients
- Oats: For best results, use old fashioned rolled oats. They will crisp up nicely.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts and almond slivers are used but feel free to use any type of nut you want.
- Dried cranberries: Adds a bit of extra sweetness, chewy texture and fruity flavoring to the mix.
- Sunflower seeds: Great for added crunch along with being a good source of fiber.
- Olive oil: To help crispen up this air fryer granola recipe.
- Honey: A natural sweetener that will help the granola stick together in the air fryer.
- Salt: Just a pinch is needed.
- Coconut chips: An optional ingredient but gives hints of coconut throughout the granola.
Scroll down to the recipe card for quantities used.
Instructions
Let’s preheat the air fryer to 300°F. To make this delicious homemade granola recipe, we will need two bowls to mix our dry and wet ingredients in.
In a medium bowl with rolled oats, add walnuts and sprinkle with salt.
Mix well.
In a small bowl, combine honey and olive oil. Pour honey mixture over oats and mix until well-combined.
Line Air Fryer tray with parchment paper. Gently spread oats mixture onto the tray and slowly insert tray into the middle cooking chamber.
Air Fry for 10 to 15 minutes and stir every 3 to 4 minutes to cook oats evenly. In the last 5 minutes, add almond slivers and seeds. Watch the granola closely as it turns crisp and golden brown.
Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow to cool for several minutes. Break the granola and add in the dried fruits and coconut chips once the granola has completely cooled.
Mix to combine.
Enjoy or store for later.
Hint: Stir the granola frequently while cooking to prevent burning and ensure even toasting. The sugars and nuts can go from perfectly golden to burnt very quickly. Also, remember that granola continues to crisp up as it cools, so it's better to take it out when it looks slightly underdone than to risk overcooking.
Variations
Air fryer granola is such a customizable recipe. Here are a few suggestions:
- Add spices. The warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and even pumpkin add such a cozy touch to this simple snack.
- Add dried fruit. This air fryer granola already has dried cranberries but you could also add in a number of other types of dried fruit such as apples, blueberries, strawberries, raisins, pineapple, mango and orange slices for extra fruity flavor.
- Add chocolate. Who doesn’t love a little chocolate in granola? Chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or cocoa nibs will for sure elevate this granola.
- Change up the nuts. Use macadamia, pecans, cashews, peanuts, or pistachios to add variety or mix and match. You might also like to try these candied almonds.
- Change up the sweetener. Maple syrup and agave are great liquid alternatives to honey.
- Change up the seeds. Pumpkin, chia and sesame seeds are all great types of seeds used in granola.
- Make in the oven. If you don’t have an air fryer, granola can be made in the oven. Preheat your oven to 300°F. Line baking trays with parchment paper and spread out evenly the granola mixture. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir the granola around then bake for another 15 minutes until crispy. Let cool before enjoying.
Tips
Top tip: Line air fryer with parchment paper or a coffee paper filter. This will allow easy clean up and prevents the granola from falling through and burning.
- Preheat the air fryer. This recipe uses an Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer oven. The granola will be ready to go and cook up evenly with the oven already warmed.
- Use old fashioned rolled oats. They have the best texture and crisp up nicely in the air fryer. Do not use instant oats as they can become mushy.
- Don’t skip the honey. This helps hold the granola together and allows it to be chunky and crisp up.
- For sweeter granola, add 1 tablespoon more of honey.
- Press granola down in an even layer before cooking. This creates a more compact granola so it will not be loose.
- Watch the air fryer. The granola can burn in a matter of minutes so watch closely. Stir every 3 to 5 minutes to prevent burning.
- Work in batches. Depending on your air fryer size, you may want to work in smaller batches to prevent overcrowding and burning.
- Check for doneness. Check the air fryer for your desired level of crispness. This is usually between 10-15 minutes. You can manually hit the “cancel” option to turn the air fryer off.
Serving suggestions
This homemade granola recipe is so versatile and can be enjoyed many different ways. It can be enjoyed for breakfast, an afternoon snack and as a topping to a variety of dishes.
For breakfast, this can be enjoyed as a bowl of homemade cereal by just adding milk. It can also be a great topping for smoothie bowls or yogurt parfaits. The added crunch often contrasts the smoother texture of these dishes perfectly.
Granola tastes wonderful with dessert. Try putting some on top of a bowl of vanilla ice cream. The creaminess of the ice cream along with the crunch tastes delightful. It also goes well with this coconut panna cotta adding another depth of sweet flavor to the dessert.
For healthier snack options, try adding some air fryer granola to some cottage cheese. This would make a great higher protein snack. You can also top this red, white and blue fruit salad or this marshmallow salad with it for a little more natural sweetness and crunch.
Storage
Let cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a 1 week.
You can also freeze granola for up to 3 months by storing it in a freezer safe bag.
FAQs
Old fashioned rolled oats are the best because they lend to the perfect crisp texture that granola is known for. Instant oats can become mushy and therefore would not be recommended.
Be mindful of the time that the granola is in the air fryer. Stir every 3 to 5 minutes to prevent burning. Watch the granola closely because it can crisp and burn fast.
Yes! Homemade granola allows you to control the levels of sugar, oil, and additives in the recipe. Many store-bought granolas have a lot of added sugars.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Granola
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅛ cup chopped walnuts
- ⅛ cup almond slivers
- ⅛ cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
- 1 tablespoon coconut chips optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat Air Fryer at 300°F (149°C). Set at 15 minutes.
- In a medium bowl with rolled oats, add walnuts and sprinkle with salt, then mix well.
- In a small bowl, combine honey and olive oil.
- Pour honey mixture over oats and mix until well-combined.
- Line Air Fryer tray with parchment paper.
- Gently spread oats mixture onto the tray and slowly insert tray into the middle cooking chamber, near the rotisserie catch.
- Air Fry for 10 to 15 minutes and stir every 3 to 4 minutes to cook oats evenly. In the last 5 minutes, add almond slivers and seeds. Watch the granola closely as it turns crisp and golden brown.
- Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Allow to cool for several minutes. Break the granola and add in the dried fruits and coconut chips once the granola has completely cooled.
- Enjoy as is or serve with some fresh fruits and yogurt.
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