Air-Fryer Granola: A Quick, Easy, And Healthy Breakfast Option

Making granola in an air fryer is a quick and easy alternative to oven-baked granola. It takes less than 30 minutes, and only requires a few simple ingredients like rolled oats, coconut oil, honey or maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and nuts. The air fryer's hot air circulation ensures an evenly toasted granola mixture, resulting in a crisp and golden finish without the need for constant stirring.

Customising your granola

Nuts:

You can use any type of nut you like. Some popular options include almonds, pecans, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, and almond slivers. You can also use mixed nuts for a variety of flavours and textures.

Dried Fruits:

Adding dried fruit to your granola is a great way to add natural sweetness and chewiness. Try using raisins, blueberries, apples, pineapples, cranberries, mango, or sultanas. You can also use a mixed dried fruit blend for a variety of flavours and colours.

Sweeteners:

To sweeten your granola, you can use honey, maple syrup, rice malt syrup, or brown sugar. Honey and maple syrup are excellent natural sweeteners that will make your granola chunky and help it stick together. You can also use brown sugar or coconut sugar for a sweeter granola.

Other Add-Ins:

In addition to nuts and dried fruit, you can add shredded coconut, nut butter, chocolate chips, M&Ms, chia seeds, or white chocolate chips. You can also get creative and add your own unique mix-ins, such as pumpkin pie spice or protein powder.

When customising your granola, it's important to remember that some ingredients may burn or affect the cooking time. For example, it's recommended to add dried fruit after cooking, and to keep an eye on the granola while it's cooking to prevent burning.

Storing your granola

Containers and Bags

Granola should be stored in an airtight container or bag at room temperature. Glass jars, plastic jars, and ziplock bags are all suitable options. If using a ziplock bag, ensure you remove as much air as possible. Vacuum sealing is another excellent option to maintain freshness. Stand-up pouches with multiple layers of plastic (and sometimes aluminium) are also a good choice as they are strong, flexible, and provide an effective barrier against moisture, dust, and insects.

Storage Location

Keep your granola in a dark, dry cupboard, away from heat sources. The pantry is ideal, but avoid the refrigerator as the moisture can make the granola soggy and, in extreme cases, mouldy. The freezer is a good option if you want to store your granola for longer or live in a hot and humid environment.

Storage Duration

Granola stored in an airtight container at room temperature should last for about 2-3 weeks. However, some sources suggest it can last for up to 6 months, depending on the ingredients used, your climate, and the granola-making method. If you notice your granola becoming stale, you can extend its life by freezing it.

Adding Dried Fruit

If you plan to store your granola for an extended period, it is best to keep the dried fruit separately and add it as needed. This will prevent the granola from becoming soggy.

Freezing Granola

When freezing granola, always let it cool to room temperature before placing it in the freezer to avoid condensation. Label your container or bag with the date, and aim to consume the granola within 3 months for the best quality, although it can last up to 6-8 months.

Reviving Soggy Granola

If your granola becomes soggy, don't worry! Spread it on a baking tray and dry it in the oven at 400 degrees for up to 5 minutes. This will help to crisp it up again. Alternatively, you can use the microwave or a frying pan to heat it up quickly.

Final Tips

Always store your granola in a cool, dark place as heat and light can cause the nuts to go rancid over time. Additionally, ensure your nuts are fresh before adding them to your granola, as old nuts may already be on their way to becoming rancid.

Serving suggestions

Air fryer granola is a versatile dish that can be served in many ways. Here are some serving suggestions:

Yogurt Bowl

Fill a bowl with your favourite yogurt and top it with a generous serving of granola. You can add fresh fruits such as berries, sliced bananas, apples, pomegranate seeds, and a drizzle of peanut butter, maple syrup, or honey for a tasty and nutritious breakfast.

Fruit Compote

Granola goes well with Greek yogurt or Kefir and a fruity compote, such as ginger peach-blackberry compote.

Trail Mix

Combine air-fried granola with a few chocolate chips for an indulgent homemade trail mix.

Parfait

Use this granola as a delicious topping for parfaits.

Ice Cream

You can also sprinkle some granola on top of your ice cream for a sweet and crunchy treat.

Smoothie Bowls

Add some crunch to your smoothie bowls by sprinkling granola on top.

Milk

Serve your granola with ice-cold milk and fresh fruit for a classic breakfast option.

Pancakes, Muffins, and Chia Pudding

Use air fryer granola as a topping for pancakes, muffins, or chia pudding.

Oven-baked granola

Ingredients:

• Oats: Use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best results. You can use regular or gluten-free certified oats.
• Nuts: Any type of nut can be used, such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, or cashews.
• Cinnamon: For flavouring the granola.
• Salt: For a sweet and salty combination.
• Sweetener: Honey or maple syrup will naturally sweeten the granola and help it stick together.
• Oil: Coconut oil, or a substitute such as grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, olive oil, melted butter, or vegan butter, will crispen up the granola and add healthy fats.
• Vanilla Extract: For flavour.
• Dried Fruit (optional): Any dried fruit can be added, such as raisins, blueberries, apples, pineapples, cranberries, mango, or coconut.

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 300-350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sweetener, cinnamon, and salt.
• Add the oats and nuts to the bowl and stir to coat well.
• Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Use a spatula to press the granola into the pan if it is clumpy.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring halfway through. The granola is ready when it is golden-brown and will still feel wet coming out of the oven but will dry as it cools.
• Remove from the oven and add the dried fruit, if using. Stir to combine and press down on the granola before it cools to help it stick together.
• Allow the granola to cool completely before serving or storing.

Storage:

Store your homemade granola in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep for 2-4 weeks or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Air fryer parchment paper

Air fryer granola is a quick and easy breakfast or snack option. It is also a great option for warmer months as you don't have to turn on the oven.

To make air fryer granola, you will need to line your air fryer basket with parchment paper. This is important as the granola will fall through the grate and burn if you skip this step. Here are some tips for using parchment paper in an air fryer:

• Ensure that you are using food-grade parchment paper. Do not accidentally swap it with any other paper product, such as wax paper.
• Check the maximum temperature restriction of the parchment paper. It will be printed on the box. Do not exceed this temperature in your air fryer.
• Cut the parchment paper to the size of the bottom of your air fryer basket. It is best to cut it a bit smaller to allow for better air circulation.
• Perforating and trimming the paper can further assist in air circulation and allow any grease to drain away from the food.
• If you are preheating your air fryer, do not add the parchment paper until afterward, when it can be weighed down by food. Otherwise, it may fly about inside the basket and come into contact with the heating element.
• If you are tempted to use parchment paper daily, consider a silicone liner for air fryers instead. They are reusable and dishwasher-safe.

• Remove the wire rack that sits inside the air fryer basket and center it on a large sheet of parchment paper. Trace around the edges using a pencil, then cut it out with scissors.
• Fold the sheet into a triangle shape. Using a hole punch, punch holes through the triangle piece.
• Unfold and use. Preheat your air fryer with the wire rack and basket in place, then set your perforated parchment paper inside the basket. Place food on top immediately and return the basket to the air fryer to cook.

Remember to always read your air fryer's manual before adding anything other than food to it.

Frequently asked questions