Air fryer Granola

This is a healthy and tasty recipe for homemade air fryer granola that is loaded with nutritional powerhouse ingredients.

Made with rolled oats, nuts, seeds and berries, it is just so delicious as a breakfast or a snack.

What I love about homemade granola is how crunchy and healthy it is.

I have shared both oven and air fryer recipes here.

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We all love granola in my home. To tell you the truth I am not much of a cornflake or cereal fan, but granola I love.

Of course, most of the delicious granola that we buy in stores has way too much added sugars for my comfort being a Nutritionist and all.

So, I do what I know best – make my own granola. This recipe is a real keeper, and you will repeat it every week or fortnight, I promise.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

1. Quick and Easy: Air frying makes it so quick. I just needed 20 minutes to have a nice batch of toasty granola. So crunchy too.

The recipe is really so easy. Can be done by just about anyone.

2. Versatile: This is the best part about making your own granola. Customize it to your preference.

I prefer mine with much lower sugar and loaded with whole grains, nuts and seeds.

3. Healthier: Since one reduces excessive sugar and oil while also keeping the ingredients high quality and real, this granola is definitely healthy.

4. Crunchy: Air frying uniformly crunches the ingredients making the granola so nice and tasty.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients used that are then baked or air fried:

1. Rolled Oats: I have used rolled oats. These are the oats that retain all their fibre and good carbohydrates.

Steel cut oats are not suitable here as they don’t cook evenly. And instant oats burn easily.

Rolled oats are nutritionally wonderful and super crunchy when made into granola. I use gluten-free organic rolled oats.

2. Nuts and seeds: You can do a number of variations here. I generally use slivered almonds and cashews. Walnuts are great too. So are pistachios and pecans.

Seeds are another great addition. I love using pepitas or pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, melon seeds and so on depending upon my mood and availability.

3. Dried Fruit: I have added dried raisins, cranberries, dried apricots or dried cherries or a sweet, chewy contrast.

3. Sweetener: Maple syrup is used here. You can use brown sugar too.

4. Spices: Cinnamon is really good in granola.

Since I have made a big batch of pumpkin spice, I love using that as well. Ground ginger is good too.

5. Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil for a bit of a savoury kick. But you can use any vegetable oil or coconut oil as per taste.

If you like, you can use ghee or butter too. But make sure to add half oil and half butter.

6. Salt: A bit of table salt really brings out the flavours. If using sea salt use slightly more.

7. Optionals: If you are a chocolate fan, then go ahead and add dark chocolate chips. They are always welcome.

You can add coconut flakes too if you like them. Even lemon zest or orange zest work well.

How to Serve It

1. You can have it for breakfast by having air fryer granola with milk (almond or dairy) and some fruit. It is filling and delicious.

2. You can also have it as a mid-morning or quick evening snack. Munch it as is.

3. Top up your overnight oats, smoothie bowls or porridge with some tasty granola for a fabulous crunch.

4. Layer yogurt with crunchy granola and fruit to make a delightful yogurt parfait. Have it as breakfast or dessert.

Substitutions

Vegan Alternatives: Use maple syrup as sweetner. Vegetarians can use honey.

Gluten-Free alternatives: Use gluten-free rolled oats.

Natural sweetener: For lower added sugar, add chopped dates in instead of maple syrup.

Instructions

Mix together rolled oats, slivered almonds and cashews, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin spice and salt in a bowl.

Add extra virgin olive oil and maple syrup.

Mix well. In case you want to reduce the added sweetener, you can skip the maple syrup and later add some chopped dates to the granola.

Mix well till everything is well coated. It will be sticky.

Take an oven proof dish and line with parchment paper.

You can use a cake tin or a silicone mould too. Put in the coated granola and pat down with a spoon.

In Oven

Preheat oven at 350 F or 175 C for 10 minutes. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Spread out the granola mix in one layer and press down with a spoon. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or till done.

In Air fryer

Preheat air fryer at 350 F or 175 C for 5 minutes.

Keep the container with parchment paper and spread out granola mix, in the Air fryer.

Air fry for 12-15 minutes till golden brown.

Every 5 minutes move the granola around to ensure even cooking.

Once done, take the granola in cake tin out and leave it on the table till it is completely cooled.

You will see that it sticks together to form granola clusters.

You can break them into smaller clusters or leave them large depending upon what you like.

Add in the dried fruit and optional add ons now.

Your easy healthy air fryer granola is ready to serve.

Store it in an airtight jar and store it for a couple of weeks on the countertop.

Enjoy with milk (plant or dairy) or see the other serving suggestions.

Storage Instructions

You can store prepared granola in air fryer at room temperature for upto 2 weeks in an airtight container.

I generally leave it out on the dining table so that anyone looking for a quick snack could grab it on the go.

You can freeze it as well. But I have personally not tried it so far. My granola never lasts that long. 🙂

Expert Tips

1. Use rolled oats and not the steel cut or instant oats. You can use other flakes like millet or whole grain flakes too.

2. You can store the granola at room temperature in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks.

3. You could vary the nuts, seeds and dry fruit as per your taste and what is available. 

4. You can add chopped dates to your granola after air frying. That way you can avoid adding maple syrup during air frying.

5. For even cooking and crunchiness, keep turning over and stirring the granola during air frying.

6. Also granola can go quickly from golden to burnt so do keep checking every minutes towards the end of air frying time.

7. You can reduce the quantity of oil used. But do use some for a nice golden crunch to the granola.

Here's the recipe card:

📖 Recipe Card

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