Cinnamon and sugar are two of the most versatile ingredients in the home baker’s pantry. They’re perfect for everything from sweet to savory dishes, but why not combine them with one of our favorite legumes? Chickpeas can be boiled, roasted, or in this case air fried, then tossed with cinnamon and sugar for a tasty snack that is sure to delight your taste buds.
These air fried chickpeas are great alternative to salty, greasy chips. Air Frying the chickpeas gives them a crispier texture than frying or microwaving. Plus they have so much more nutritional value! They can be eaten as they are or dipped into your favorite sauce. Cinnamon and sugar chickpeas also make an excellent topping for oatmeal, yogurt parfait, cereal, ice cream sundae, fruit salad, waffles…the list goes on!
Why Air Fry Chickpeas
Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein and fiber, with an average of 44% protein by weight. They also have more potassium than bananas! Air fryers make it easy to make these tasty snacks at home without the guilt or mess that comes from deep frying them in oil. This method of cooking uses very little oil, and the result is crispy chickpeas. Best of all, this recipe takes under 20 minutes to make a tasty snack the family will love.
How to Air Fry Chickpeas
This recipe uses one 15.5 ounce can of chickpeas. You will want to open it, and pour your chickpeas over a colander to drain and then rinse them. Shake out any excess water from them, and pat them dry with a clean towel.
I prefer to dry the chickpeas before air frying them with seasoning. This helps to ensure yours snack is crispy and crunchy with a softer center. Add the chickpeas to your air fryer basket and spread them out.
Set the air fryer to 380 degrees F. and put the timer on 15 minutes. Drying your chickpeas without any oils will help to remove the moisture before adding spray oil, cinnamon, and sugar.
At the 5-minute mark, remove the air fryer basket, and spray the chickpeas with oil. You want to make sure you coat them well. Use a rubber spatula to move them around.
Return the tray/basket to the fryer, and continue cooking for 8 minutes with a quick stir at the 5-minute mark.
At the 13-minute mark, remove the chickpea basket/tray from the air fryer, sprinkle with half the cinnamon and sugar, and cook for an additional 2 minutes (15 in total). Once done, remove chickpeas from the air fryer, and toss chickpeas with the remaining cinnamon and sugar; enjoy warm.
Tips for Air Frying Chickpeas
- Drying chickpeas helps them to have that delicious crispy outer, and softer inside. You will need just 5 minutes to dry them in your air fryer.
- Air fryer models vary in size and performance. We used the Cuisinart TOA-60 Air Fryer which we think is a superb model since it has 7 functions. The tray for baking, frying, etc. is pretty large and can fit your whole can of chickpeas effortlessly.
- When making any flavor of air fried chickpeas ALWAYS make sure to season them at the end of cooking to prevent the seasonings from burning. We seasoned ours with half the cinnamon and sugar at the 13-minute mark.
- Never leave an air fryer unattended. Always use oven mitts when handling your air fryer because the basket or tray gets hot!
How to Bake in the Oven
If you want to roast your chickpeas in the oven follow this crunchy oven-baked chickpeas recipe. Or, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the rinsed, and patted dry chickpeas to the lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove chickpeas from the oven, and coat with oil, then cinnamon and sugar. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. Enjoy warm!
How to Store Air Fried Chickpeas
Store air fried chickpeas in a container with a lid or sealed plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. These will rapidly lose their crispness, but can be re-toasted in the air fryer for 2 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Ways to Serve Air Fried Chickpeas
Yogurt – Use as a topping for non-fat Greek yogurt.
Oatmeal – Add to your oatmeal for a tasty crunch-factor.
Salads – Perfect salad topper for a sweet & savory salad.
Lunchboxes – Kids love these because they are sweet!
Pancake or waffle topper – Add these instead of pecans or walnuts to jazz up your next waffle or pancake meal.
Air Fried Cinnamon and Sugar Chickpeas
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- spray olive oil mister (not cooking spray)
- Medium bowl
- spoon
Ingredients
- 15.5 ounces chickpeas rinsed, drained, and patted dry
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon olive oil mister
Instructions
- Open a can of chickpeas over a colander, rinse, and drain them. Pat them dry with a clean towel to remove excess moisture. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, and set aside.
- Spread chickpeas on the air fryer basket evenly. Set the air fryer to 380°F. and put the timer on 15 minutes. You will be drying your chickpeas for 5 minutes to help remove any excess moisture before adding the oil, and spice.
- At the 5-minute mark, remove the air fryer basket, and spray the chickpeas with oil. You want to make sure you coat them well. Use a rubber spatula to move them around. Return the tray/basket to the fryer, and continue cooking for 8 minutes with a quick stir at the 5-minute mark.
- At the 13-minute mark, remove the chickpea basket/tray from the air fryer, sprinkle with half the cinnamon and sugar, and cook for an additional 2 minutes (15 in total). Once done, remove chickpeas from the air fryer, and toss chickpeas with the remaining cinnamon and sugar; enjoy warm.
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