Crispy, crunchy, and the perfect blend of sweet and salty! This homemade granola recipe made in the air fryer is sure to be a winner at your house. Customize with your favorite ingredients to add new flavor twists and never grow bored with this staple recipe.
Why should you make homemade granola?
Granola livens up any yogurt parfait or snack and even makes the perfect breakfast cereal. But store-bought granola is often expensive or has lots of added sugar. Learn to make this healthy granola recipe at home for much cheaper!
I’ve tried making homemade granola a few different ways. I most commonly see other people making granola in the oven, but mine always seemed to take way longer than the recipe stated to get done and when I would think it was finally done cooking, it still turned out chewy and tough. Although it tasted good, I was getting frustrated that my homemade granola was never turning out like I wanted it to.
Insert the air fryer! My sister told me about making granola in the air fryer, and I haven’t turned back since trying it. This no-fuss solution makes delicious and crunchy homemade granola every time. Even better, it cuts the cooking time way down. You can have this air fryer granola whipped up and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.
Even when I didn’t have my homemade granola recipe nailed down yet, I still didn’t want to buy store-bought granola. Conventional granola has some questionable ingredients and some even have up to 12 grams of added sugar. To find a granola at the store or online with clean ingredients, you’d have to pay a lot more. But oats are so cheap. That’s why it makes so much more sense to just make a batch of healthy, homemade granola that is much easier on the wallet. You can use whatever ingredients you have on hand to customize your granola the way you like it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Customizable: Love chia seeds? Add them in! Allergic to nuts? No problem, leave them out. You can truly use this granola recipe as a base and then tailor it to be whatever you’d like it to be!
Less expensive than store-bought options: Oats are so cheap. Take advantage and make your own less expensive granola at home.
Healthy: Making granola at home allows you to know exactly what ingredients are going into your food. You can cut down on added sugar this way.
Fast cooking time: Making granola in the air fryer allows you to bake this recipe in half the time it would take in the oven.
Ingredients
Oats-I use regular rolled oats that I like to buy in bulk.
Brown sugar-Adds just the right amount of sweetness. I like to make homemade brown sugar using this simple recipe.
Cinnamon-Ground cinnamon adds flavor. You can also omit this ingredient if desired.
Salt-Provides the perfect balance of sweet and salty. I use fine sea salt, but kosher salt also works.
Coconut oil-Helps the oats crisp and bind together. You could substitute with avocado oil or any other oil that doesn’t have a strong flavor.
Maple syrup-Adds additional sweetness. You can also substitute with honey 1:1.
Optional Add-ins-Chia seeds, mini chocolate chips, raisins, pecans, walnuts
How to Make Air Fryer Granola
Step 1: Preheat air fryer to 300 degrees.
Step 2: Mix oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
Step 3: Add melted coconut oil and maple syrup to oat mixture.
Step 4: Stir until oats are covered in liquid.
Step 5: Line air fryer basket or tray with parchment paper and spread oats out evenly.
Step 6: Bake, stirring every 5 minutes for even cooking
Step 7: Allow to cool and enjoy!
Tips:
- Using some sweet and some salty add-ins makes the perfect combination but experiment to see what you like best.
- Enjoy homemade granola as a topping or pour milk over it and eat it just like any breakfast cereal. I love to top with fresh fruit like strawberries or blueberries when eating it this way.
- Air fryers differ so keep an eye on your granola and adjust cooking time as needed to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Double the recipe and cook in 2 batches to have plenty on hand. It’ll be devoured quickly.
- I included a few optional add-ins above, but the possibilities are endless.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Oats are a great source of fiber and making your granola at home allows you to know exactly what ingredients are included. This can help you avoid unnecessary added sugar and preservatives.
If you love your granola to have big clumps, you can avoid stirring while cooking and allow to cool completely before breaking apart into pieces. Just be careful not to burn your granola if you don’t stir it as the outside edges will cook more quickly than the middle. In addition, you can gently press the granola mixture into the air fryer tray with a spoon prior to baking.
If your granola isn’t turning out crunchy, simply bake longer until the desired texture is reached. Be sure to stir every 5 minutes for even baking. The air fryer makes it so much easier to achieve that crunch we’re all looking for.
Allow to cool completely before storing and then place in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place. I like the way granola looks when stored in a half gallon or quart sized mason jar.
Air Fryer Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Optional Add-ins
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 300 degrees for 2-3 minutes.
- Mix oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add melted coconut oil and maple syrup to oat mixture and stir until oats are covered in liquid.
- Line air fryer basket or tray with parchment paper and spread oats out evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes for even cooking.
- Once granola is done, allow to cool and enjoy.
For Optional Add-ins:
- Seeds and nuts can be added to granola when there is 5 minutes of cooking time remaining.
- Raisins and chocolate chips can be added once granola is cooled.
Notes
- Don’t forget to add the parchment paper to the air fryer tray after preheating. This will ensure the oats don’t fall through. You may have to cut your parchment paper to fit.
- Air fryers differ so keep an eye on your granola and adjust cooking time as needed to make sure it doesn’t burn.Â
- Experiment with add-ins to see what you like best.
- Estimated calories do not include the optional add-ins for this recipe.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Leave a comment below!
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