Easy Air Fryer Granola

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Lightly sweet and perfectly toasted, this air fryer granola is a perfect base recipe to have under your belt.

Homemade granola is easy to make and you won’t need to pay the high prices you’ll see at the store. This super easy air fryer granola recipe makes a healthy breakfast, made of lightly toasted oats with hints of spices, vanilla, and maple syrup. There’s texture and taste with different seeds. Granola is a really easy recipe to adapt and make your own with your favorite additions.

Baking granola in the air fryer is super easy and you can regularly check that the granola is baking evenly.

The base + variations

The main ingredients of this simple granola are rolled oats and cinnamon, tossed in maple syrup and coconut oil mix. Once you have that base granola mixture, you can add in all the other additions you like! Find the full recipe at the bottom of this post. This recipe also contains –

• Unsweetened coconut – either desiccated coconut, unsweetened coconut flakes, or shredded coconut. Toasting the coconut gives it a lovely favor.
• Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) – These add pops of color to the granola and bring healthy fats and lots of vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, manganese, phosphorous, and magnesium.
• Sunflower seeds – These help to bring texture and more vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, magnesium, and protein.
• Chia seeds – They are a great source of fiber and powerful antioxidants such as quercetin.
• Vanilla paste – A delicious flavor enhancer. You can also use vanilla extract.
• Salt

Substitutions

• The coconut oil in the mixture can be swapped for butter or mild vegetable oil like light olive oil.
• Maple syrup can be substituted with honey, brown sugar, coconut sugar, or another sweetener of your choice.
• The oats – For this recipe you can use rolled oats, old-fashioned oats, or quick oats. Quick oats will give a slightly more floury taste than rolled oats. If you like your granola more clumpy, avoid using quick oats as these don’t stick together as well.

More additions

For extra flavor, or flavor variations try these additions:

• Flax seeds.– They are high in omega-3 and other nutrients.
• Nuts – Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts can add great crunch and flavor
• Dried fruit – Add any fruit after the granola has been toasted. Try dried apples or strawberries, raisins, sultanas, cranberries, or apricots to name a few.
• Chocolate chips – Only add these after the granola has completely cooled.
• Pumpkin spice – This recipe uses cinnamon, but adding a pumpkin spice mix brings a wider range of flavor.
• Peanut butter or almond butter – Adding nut butter into the mixture will create crunchy clusters. Add the nut butter to the oil and maple syrup mixture and melt them together.

Method

In a large mixing bowl add the oats, coconut, cinnamon, and seeds. Toss them together.

In a microwave-proof bowl or on the stove, melt together the coconut oil, salt, and maple syrup until combined. Drizzle this mixture over the granola mix and use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir it all together. Ensure all the dry ingredients are coated.

Lay a sheet of parchment paper in the basket of your air fryer. Tip in the granola mixture and spread it out into an even layer. Place the air fryer basket into the air fryer.

Air fry at 300°F/150°C for around 25 minutes, removing the basket and stirring every 5 minutes to ensure it’s toasting evenly. Keep toasting the granola until it is lightly golden brown. The cooking time will depend on your air fryer.

Once toasted, tip it onto a tray and let the granola cool down to room temperature to ensure it stays crispy.

Store the granola in a glass jar or other airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Freezing

Granola freezes well too. Store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Serving

Serve with milk or your favorite yogurt, or sprinkled on top of chia puddings and smoothie bowls.