Air Fryer Granola is quick and easy to make, taking just 15 minutes. This paleo granola is high in protein and loaded with nuts, seeds, coconut, and a hint of maple syrup for the perfect snack.
Are you tired of buying expensive granola at the grocery store packed with unhealthy ingredients?
Traditional granola recipes are slow-cooked in the oven and can take up to 45 minutes to make. Who has time for that?
My air fryer granola recipe cooks up in just 15 minutes and is the perfect topping for my Air Fryer Apples, Strawberry Smoothie Bowls, Chocolate Covered Pineapple, and Oatmeal with Eggs.
This granola is healthy and refined sugar-free! We use 100% maple syrup and coconut oil to achieve those granola clusters.
So this is one to add to your weekly meal prep so you have an easy, healthy, delicious breakfast all week.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This Low-Carb granola is made without oats and loaded with protein-packed nuts like almonds, macadamia nuts, and pecans.
- This toasted granola recipe is made in the air fryer and takes only 15 minutes, that's half the time the oven takes.
- Top your Strawberry Blackberry Smoothie with this crunchy granola recipe.
Key Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the Air Fryer Granola Ingredients. Scroll to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Nuts - I used a combination of pecans, almonds, and macadamia nuts. For your everyday granola use whatever leftover nuts you have in your pantry.
- Coconut- I used coconut flakes because I like the texture, and you can see them in your granola mixture. I placed them in the food processor with the nuts, but you can leave them whole.
- Pumpkin seeds - High in protein and are a delicious addition to an oat-free granola.
- Chia seeds - A great source of fiber and healthy fats.
- Coconut oil - Adds flavor that pairs perfectly with toasted nuts and helps create a crunchy granola.
- Maple syrup - Maple syrup and granola go together like peanut butter and jelly! It also works as a binder to achieve those clusters.
- Vanilla - For flavor!
- Cinnamon - For seasoning
Kitchen Tools
Here is a list of all the kitchen tools I used in this recipe.
- Air Fryer
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups and Spoons
Air Fryer Granola Variations
Homemade granola is versatile, allowing me to get creative with a variety of mix-ins. It's also a perfect way to clear out your pantry and use up any dried fruits and nuts you have on hand.
- Oats - Use 1 -2 cups of old-fashioned oats for a more traditional approach.
- Nut Butter - Mix 1-2 tablespoons of almond or peanut butter into your granola mixture before air frying.
- Chocolate - Mix in ⅓ cup of cocoa powder with the mixture and air fry for 15-20 minutes. When the granola is completely cooled down, add in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate chunks.
- Dried Fruit - After the granola has cooled down, add ½ cup of dried fruit. I like dried blueberries, mango, figs, raisins, and cranberries.
Substitutions
This low-carb granola is so easy to sub out ingredients to make it your own!
- Nuts: You can make a nut-free granola by replacing it with oats. Make sure to use old-fashioned oats. Instant or quick-cooking oats will not work.
- Maple Syrup: Swap out maple syrup for honey.
- Spices: For the Fall, use warming spices like pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice.
- Coconut Oil: Oil makes the granola crunchy. My favorites are coconut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Follow these easy-to-follow instructions for the best 15-minute granola you'll ever have! If you have any questions, drop them in the comment section below.
Step 1. Pulse the nuts and coconut flakes in a food processor until the texture has small and medium-sized pieces of nuts.
Step 2. Transfer nuts to a large bowl and add cinnamon, salt, pepita seeds, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla.
Step 3. Place half of the mixture in a parchment-lined air fryer basket and flatten with your fingertips.
Step 4. Cook granola at 330°F/165°C for 15 minutes or until the granola is crispy but not burned.
Chef Tips
Follow these tips for chunky air fryer granola!
- Pulse nuts until desired texture. In this recipe, I am going for a small chop. If you chop the nuts too fine, you will have nut powder which is not what we want. Press the pulse button for a 10-15 second burst until you reach the right texture.
- Don't skip the maple syrup. Not only does this sweetener add delicious flavor it's the glue that holds everything together for those perfect granola clusters.
- Do you like chunky granola? Me too! Use parchment paper so the maple syrup doesn't stick to the air fryer. Press down and flatten the granola mixture before baking.
- Use the right temperature. If the air fryer is too hot, the nuts will burn before the baking is complete. I find that 330°F/165°C for 15-20 minutes is the sweet spot.
- Let the granola cool completely. After the granola leaves the oven it will be soft. Once cooled down, you will have those yummy crunchy, chunky, clusters.
- Meal prep it. I always like to have an airtight container of air fryer granola to sprinkle on yogurt and berries.
- Use parchment paper. Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
FAQ's
Yes, that's how we made this recipe! The air fryer is great because it takes only 15 minutes to cook in the air fryer. That's a whole lot better than 45 minutes in the oven.
Your granola is not crunchy because you didn't allow it to cool long enough. All air fryers are different, so you may need to increase your cooking time for a crunchy result.
I recommend cooking granola for 15-20 minutes in the air fryer. All air fryer models are different, and cooking times may vary. If your granola is not crunchy, pop it back in the air fryer and cook for another 5 minutes.
Yes! Sub in old-fashioned oats in place of the nuts and use seeds like chia, sunflower, hemp hearts, and pepita seeds.
Yes, this granola recipe is gluten-free. Traditional granola recipes include oats which are naturally gluten-free but are processed alongside gluten-containing grains and may be cross-contaminated.
Related Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @thefrizzledleek on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Granola
Equipment
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans unsalted
- 1 cup almonds unsalted
- ½ cup macadamia nuts unsalted
- ½ cup coconut flakes unsweetened
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds unsalted
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Pulse the nuts and coconut flakes in a food processor until the texture has small and medium-sized pieces of nuts.
- Transfer nuts to a large bowl and add cinnamon, salt, pepita seeds, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla.
- Place half of the mixture in a parchment-lined air fryer basket and flatten with your fingertips.
- Cook granola at 330°F/165°C for 15 minutes or until the granola is crispy but not burned.
- Store cooled granola in an airtight container and leave at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Cinda says
This is an awesome recipe! It is delicious!