Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Chickpeas

TL;DR: Crispy Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Chickpeas made with minimal oil in under 30 minutes, then packed into snack boxes with cheddar, jerky, and almonds. Keep reading for how to store this meal prep, can I freeze this, and the best way to reheat to keep every bite crunchy.

When carb and sugar cravings hit, I reach for this salty-sweet, protein-packed snack box. The air-fried chickpeas bake up crisp with a light cinnamon-coconut sugar coating, then I round things out with cheese cubes, jerky, and raw almonds. It's a tasty, gluten-free make-ahead option that lands about 20g protein per serving and actually satisfies.

Summarize this Recipe or Get Macros

Recipe Snapshot

• Yield: 4 snack boxes
• Dietary: Gluten-free
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Cook: 17-20 minutes (air fryer)
• Total: ~25 minutes

Ingredients:

For Chickpeas  

• 2 cups chickpeas, drained 
• Spray oil  
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar 
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon  

For Serving  

• 2 oz. cheddar cheese, cubed 
• ¼ cup raw almonds 
• 3 oz. jerky, sliced into bite sized pieces  

Step-by-Step: Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Chickpeas

1. Preheat & Dry
   Heat air fryer to 380ºF. Pat chickpeas very dry with towels for maximum crisp.
2. First Fry
   Add chickpeas to the basket in a single layer. Air fry 5 minutes.
3. Oil & Finish Frying
   Shake basket, lightly spray with oil, and air fry 10 minutes more, shaking every 5 minutes for even cooking.
4. Season
   Mix coconut sugar + cinnamon. Sprinkle half over the hot chickpeas; air fry 2 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the remaining seasoning to coat.
5. Build Snack Boxes
   Divide chickpeas among 4 dual-compartment containers. In the second compartment, add cheese cubes, jerky, and almonds.

How to Store This Meal Prep

• Fridge: Store boxes up to 1 week. Chickpeas may soften-see "Best Way to Reheat" for crisp-back tips.
• Room temp (same day only): For a same-day snack on the go, keep the chickpeas separate from cold items to retain crunch.

Can I Freeze This?

• Yes: Freeze seasoned, fully cooled chickpeas in an airtight bag for up to 1 month. (Freeze cheese/jerky/almonds separately or add fresh after thawing.)
• Thaw: Bring chickpeas to room temp, then re-crisp using the air fryer instructions below.

Best Way to Reheat (Crisp-Back!)

• Air fryer: 350ºF for 2-3 minutes until crisp.
• Oven/toaster oven: 375ºF, 4-6 minutes on a sheet pan.
• Microwave (not ideal): Skip if possible; it softens the chickpeas.

Long-tail help: how to store this meal prep, can I freeze this, and the best way to reheat are all above so you can keep your chickpeas crunchy all week.

Tips for Extra-Crispy Chickpeas

• Dry, dry, dry: Moisture is the enemy of crunch-pat the chickpeas very dry.
• Don't crowd: Cook in a single layer; work in batches if needed.
• Oil matters: A non-aerosol pump spray protects nonstick baskets; avoid aerosol cans that can damage coatings.
• More crunch: Add a tiny extra spritz of oil halfway through.

FAQs

Nutrition (Per Snack Box)

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.7g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 11.1g | Fiber: 5.3g

More Air Fryer Snack Recipes

• Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
• Air-Fried Apple Chips
• Air Fryer Crispy Zucchini Chips
• Air Fryer Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts
• Air Fryer Ranch Carrot Fries

Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Chickpeas

These crispy air-fried cinnamon-sugar chickpeas are made with minimal oil and ready to eat in under 30 minutes. Once cooked they are paired with cheese, jerky and raw almonds to create a salty-sweet snack box curbs that satisfies!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes minutes

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chickpeas, gluten free, snack

Servings: 4 snack boxes

Calories: 283kcal

Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

For Chickpeas

• 2 cups chickpeas drained
• Spray oil
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

For Serving

• 2 oz. cheddar cheese cubed
• ¼ cup raw almonds
• 3 oz. jerky sliced into bite sized pieces

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• Heat air fryer to 380ºF and add drained chickpeas to basket. Set timer for 15 minutes. Close air fryer and fry chickpeas for 5 minutes (this will dry the chickpeas). Shake basket and spray chickpeas with cooking spray. Continue to fry for 10 minutes longer, shaking basket every 5 minutes for even cooking.
• Stir together cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle half over chickpeas. Air fry for 2 minutes longer. While chickpeas are still hot, transfer to a bowl and stir in remaining seasoning to coat.
• Divide chickpeas between 4 light blue MPOF snack container compartments. Add cheese, jerky and almonds to the other 4 compartments.

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.7g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 11.1g | Fiber: 5.3g

Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!