Air Fryer Granola is a quick, crunchy and wholesome breakfast or snack option that’s ready in no time! Made with wholefood ingredients like oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a touch of natural sweetness, this homemade granola is packed with flavour and nourishing ingredients. It’s perfectly golden and crisp, thanks to the air fryer, and makes a great topping for yoghurt, smoothie bowls, or just as a snack on its own. Plus, it’s easy to customise with your favourite mix-ins!
Why this is the best air fryer granola!
✅ It’s tried and tested! Honestly, I’ve recipe-tested this granola so many times over the years in an oven, and 5+ times using the air fryer method before I posted it. It’s solid!
✅ It doesn’t take short cuts! In my recipe, there’s an extra step to add seeds and coconut after partially cooking the oats and nuts. Some recipes might dump and cook all ingredients together, at the risk of overcooking or burning some. This granola is perfectly cooked, every time!
✅ It’s customisable! Swap out different types of nuts, seeds and dried fruits, or use your favourite sweetener. Check out the ingredients list with substitutions below!
Why make granola in the air fryer?
The air fryer is an amazing tool for making granola. It speeds up the cooking process and ensures an even, crispy texture without needing to monitor and regularly stir a baking tray. Oven-baked granola can take up to 45 minutes to bake, but this air fryer granola is done in under 15 minutes! It’s way more convenient, and a great option for busy mornings. It’s so easy to small batch in the air fryer, which means fresh granola whenever you want.
I actually developed this recipe out of necessity when my oven broke. The replacement was going to take a few weeks, and so the homemade granola recipe I’ve made for years needed to be converted to an air fryer method. And I have to say, I much prefer it!
Ingredients in Air Fryer Granola
This simple air fryer granola recipe uses pantry staples:
Rolled Oats – Use old fashioned rolled oats (regular or gluten-free certified oats) for the base of the granola. Don’t substitute – quick oats or steel-cut oats won’t work.
Raw Nuts – Choose your favourite natural nuts, such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, or pecans, for crunch and good fats.
Coconut – Adds texture and flavour. I use shredded coconut but flaked coconut works too.
Seeds – I use seeds like pumpkin, sunflower or sesame seeds. Choose your favourites!
Dried Fruit – Dried fruit adds natural sweetness to the granola. I use goji berries, but choose your favourite dried fruits. Cranberries, raisins, or chopped apricots are good options.
Honey – A natural sweetener that helps bind the granola together. You can substitute with maple syrup for vegan granola.
Coconut Oil – Helps achieve that irresistible golden crispiness. You can a substitute with avocado oil, vegetable oil or grapeseed oil.
Vanilla Bean Paste – For a touch of extra flavour.
Cinnamon – Adds a warm, subtly spiced flavour.
Salt – Just a pinch, to enhance the natural sweetness and nuttiness of the ingredients.
How to Make Air Fryer Granola
Simply mix the oats, nuts, cinnamon, salt, melted coconut oil, honey, and vanilla bean paste together in a bowl until well coated.
Line your air fryer basket with a piece of baking paper/parchment paper. Spread the granola in a single layer in the lined basket. Air fry at 150°C (300°F) for 7 minutes. Stir through the seeds and coconut flakes, and air fry for another 7 minutes, gently stirring halfway through to ensure even cooking. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning!
Once golden and crispy, transfer the granola to a bowl or tray and stir through the dried fruit while the granola’s still warm. Let it then cool completely before storing.
You’ll find the recipe card below, with ingredient amounts and detailed steps for cooking.
Serving
Homemade granola is really versatile! Try these yummy serving ideas:
With yoghurt and fruit – Layer with Greek yoghurt and fresh berries for a wholesome and satisfying breakfast.
As a smoothie bowl topping – Sprinkle over a smoothie bowl for added crunch.
With milk – Enjoy it as a cereal with your choice of milk.
On its own – Pack it as a snack for busy days.
Is this granola suitable for kids?
This granola is suitable for children over 12 months of age.
For older children, this granola is a great option compared to store-bought which may be high in refined sugars and preservatives. You can customise it just for them, choosing their favourite ingredients.
For toddlers, just be mindful of the size of your ingredients and the potential choking hazard if they’re too big. You might like to pulverise it a little once cooked to make sure that the nuts, seeds and dried fruit pieces are small enough for your child.
This granola isn’t suitable for babies under 12 months. Try this finely ground nut and seed mix for babies instead.
Storing
Let the granola cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It stays fresh at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, keep it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Looking for more quick, wholesome breakfasts? Try this Berry Oatmeal Smoothie – a satisfying blend of oats, berries, banana, and yoghurt!
If you make this Air Fryer Granola, please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing how my recipes work for you and your family! Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest too for more breakfast recipes for kids.
Happy cooking,
Chloe x
Air Fryer Granola
Category: BreakfastTap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats (Note 1)
- 1/3 cup raw nuts roughly chopped (e.g. almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbs honey (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbs coconut oil melted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 tbs coconut flaked or shredded
- 2 tbs seeds e.g. pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup dried fruit e.g. goji berries, cranberries, raisins, chopped apricots
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix together 1 cup rolled oats, 1/3 cup raw nuts, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tbs honey, 1 1/2 tbs coconut oil and 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste until well combined.
- Line your air fryer basket with baking paper/parchment paper. Then pour in the granola mixture and spread evenly.
- Air fry at 150°C/300°F for seven minutes.
- Stir in 2 tbs coconut and 2 tbs seeds. Air fry for another seven minutes. Check halfway through to ensure the granola is not burning, and give it a gentle stir.
- Remove the basket from the air fryer and carefully tip the granola into a clean tray. Stir through 1/4 cup dried fruit and then allow the granola to cool completely before storing.
2 Responses
This recipe is a family favourite! Super easy to make and customisable, plus it’s way tastier than overly-sweet store-bought granola. We love it!
This preservative free granola is so easy to make and with natural ingredients makes a super snack if I don’t have time to eat breakfast.