Toasting Oats In An Air Fryer: A Healthy Breakfast Hack

Yes, you can toast oats in an air fryer! It's a quick and easy way to make granola without any additives or excess sugar. The process is simple: mix your ingredients of choice (oats, cinnamon, honey, coconut oil, etc.) in a bowl, spread the mixture onto a parchment paper-lined air fryer basket, and cook for around 10-15 minutes at 300-350°F, stirring occasionally. You'll be left with a crispy, chunky, and perfectly sweet breakfast or snack.

Air fryer granola recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of rolled oats (old-fashioned or gluten-free certified)
• 1/3 cup of nuts of choice (almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, etc.)
• 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds (optional)
• 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds (optional)
• 1/4 cup of shredded coconut (optional)
• 1/2-1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4-1 teaspoon of ground cardamom (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or another mild vegetable oil (e.g. grapeseed, sunflower, avocado, olive)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/4-1/3 cup of sweetener (honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, coconut sugar, etc.)

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and stir well to combine.
• Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper. (This is important to prevent the granola from falling through the grate and burning.)
• Pour the granola mixture into the lined basket and press down using a spatula to create an even layer.
• Air fry at 325-345°F for 8-15 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Check at the 5-minute mark to ensure the granola is not burning. The granola will continue to "darken" as it cools.
• Remove the basket from the air fryer and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before trying to remove the granola. Then, grab the edges of the parchment paper, remove the granola, and lay it out to cool completely.
• Once cooled, the granola can be served or stored in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Tips:

• For extra flavour, try adding in some dried fruit, chocolate chips, or nut butter.
• If you want to make the recipe gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free rolled oats.
• To make the recipe vegan, swap honey for maple syrup or another alternative sweetener.
• To make the recipe nut-free, simply omit the nuts.

Air fryer granola cooking time and temperature

Air fryer granola is a quick, easy, and healthy breakfast or snack option. It is also a versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many ways, such as sprinkled over yogurt or ice cream, in a smoothie bowl, or straight from the jar as a snack.

Ingredients

The main ingredients for air fryer granola are rolled oats, cinnamon, and a sweetener such as maple syrup or honey. Other common ingredients include nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

Cooking Time and Temperature

The cooking time and temperature for air fryer granola can vary depending on the specific air fryer and the ingredients used. However, here are some general guidelines:

• Preheat your air fryer to 345°F (or 170°C) for about 4 minutes.
• Cook the granola for 8-10 minutes at 345°F (or 170°C-180°C).
• Stir the granola halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking.
• Check the granola frequently to prevent burning, as the cooking time can vary and oats brown quickly.
• The granola is done when it is golden brown and will become crispier as it cools.

Tips

• Line the air fryer basket with parchment paper or aluminium foil for easy removal and to prevent sticking.
• Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
• You can customise your granola by adding different ingredients, such as nuts, seeds, or dried fruit.
• For clumpier granola, press the mixture down into the air fryer basket during cooking.

Air fryer granola is a convenient and tasty alternative to oven-baked granola, allowing you to enjoy fresh, crispy, and healthy granola in a fraction of the time and without heating up your entire house!

Air fryer granola preparation

Air fryer granola is a quick and easy breakfast or snack option. It is also a versatile recipe that can be adapted to your taste preferences and dietary requirements. Here is a step-by-step guide to preparing air fryer granola:

Ingredients:

• Oats: Use old-fashioned rolled oats, traditional rolled oats, or gluten-free certified oats. Avoid using quick oats or steel-cut oats as they don't work well in this recipe.
• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, cashews, or any other nuts of your choice.
• Sweetener: Honey, maple syrup, rice malt syrup, or brown rice syrup.
• Oil: Coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, or melted butter.
• Spices: Cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla extract, or pumpkin pie spice.
• Optional Add-ins: Shredded coconut, chocolate chips, dried fruit, nut butter, or seeds (chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds).

Instructions:

• Preheat your air fryer: Remove the crisper plate or rack from the air fryer basket. Press the “Preheat” button and set the temperature to 345°F (or 170°C) for 4 minutes.
• Prepare the granola mixture: In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the oats, nuts, sweetener, oil, and spices until well combined. You can also add in any optional add-ins at this stage.
• Line the air fryer basket: Lay a sheet of parchment paper in the basket of your air fryer. This step is crucial, as the granola will fall through the grate and burn without it.
• Pour the mixture into the air fryer: Spread the granola mixture evenly in the basket, pressing it down to create a dense layer for chunkier granola.
• Air fry the granola: Set the temperature to 330°F-350°F (or 180°C) and cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes to ensure even cooking. The granola is done when it turns golden brown.
• Cool the granola: Remove the basket from the air fryer and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Then, using the edges of the parchment paper, carefully lift the granola out of the basket and place it on a countertop to cool completely.
• Store the granola: Transfer the cooled granola to an airtight glass jar or container. It will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze the granola for up to 3 months.

Tips and Variations:

• Customise your granola: Air fryer granola is highly customisable. You can add shredded coconut, chocolate chips, dried fruit, or nut butter to create different flavours.
• Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free certified rolled oats to make the recipe gluten-free.
• Make it vegan: Substitute honey with maple syrup or another vegan sweetener.
• Make it nut-free: Simply omit the nuts from the recipe. You can add chocolate chips or dried fruit after air frying and cooling the granola.
• Play with spices: Try using pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon to make pumpkin spice granola.
• Storage: Air fryer granola can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.

Air fryer granola customisations

Air fryer granola is a highly customisable recipe. Here are some ideas for how you can adapt it to your taste:

Spices

Try adding spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or pumpkin spice for a cozy touch.

Dried Fruit

In addition to the dried cranberries in the basic recipe, you could also add other dried fruits such as apples, blueberries, strawberries, raisins, pineapple, mango or orange slices. Just remember to add dried fruit after the granola has cooled to avoid burning.

Chocolate

Who doesn't love chocolate in their granola? Try adding chocolate chips or cocoa nibs to your cooled granola.

Nuts

As well as the almonds and walnuts in the basic recipe, you could also use pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts, pistachios, hazelnuts or peanuts. Or, for extra flavour, try peanut butter or almond butter.

Sweetener

While the basic recipe uses honey as a natural sweetener, you could also try maple syrup, rice malt syrup, agave or even date syrup.

Air fryer granola storage

Air fryer granola is best stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It will stay fresh for up to two weeks.

If you want to keep it for longer, you can store it in a sealable freezer bag and freeze it for up to three months.

Frequently asked questions