Crispy, savory, and with just the right hint of sweetness, this Air Fryer Cornflakes Chivda is an ideal tea-time snack.
If you want a crunchy, flavorful snack that feels indulgent but is lighter than deep-fried versions, try Air Fryer Cornflakes Chivda. This version combines crisp cornflakes and makhana (fox nuts) with nuts, roasted dal, sev and boondi for texture, and a simple spice mix for balanced flavor. Everything is finished with a quick tadka (tempering) of curry leaves and chilies for aroma and heat — and it’s all assembled with minimal oil in the air fryer.
This chivda is perfect with evening chai, great for movie nights, and handy for work breaks. It stays crisp when stored properly, making it an easy make-ahead snack for guests or to pack for on-the-go munching.
Jump to section: Air Fryer cornflakes chivda
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cornflakes Chivda Ingredients Overview
- Want To Use Your Air Fryer More?
- Richa’s Top Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy, satisfying texture: The cornflakes and makhana provide a light, delicate crunch that mimics the mouthfeel of traditional fried chivda without excess oil.
- Quick and fuss-free: Most of the work is handled by the air fryer — the recipe comes together in about 30 minutes.
- Highly customizable: Swap or add ingredients like potato crisps, roasted chickpeas, almonds, or more dried fruit to suit your taste.
Cornflakes Chivda Ingredients Overview
This chivda uses simple pantry ingredients combined thoughtfully for texture and balanced flavor:
- Cornflakes & makhana: The crunchy base — cornflakes give a light snap while makhana adds a toasty bite.
- Nuts & dried fruit: Cashews, peanuts, roasted gram dal and raisins bring richness, bite and a touch of sweetness.
- Sev & boondi: Ready-made sev and boondi add traditional chivda crunch and body.
- Chivda spice mix: A blend of saunf powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, red chilli powder, black salt, sugar and a pinch of salt for balance.
- Tadka (tempering): Curry leaves and chopped red and green chilies sizzled in oil finish the mix with fragrant aromatics.
Want To Use Your Air Fryer More?
The air fryer can do more than fries — it’s handy for toasting, roasting and quickly crisping snacks. Try this recipe to get comfortable using the air fryer for a variety of small-batch snacks and sides.
Richa’s Top Tips
- Air fry in batches: Don’t overcrowd the basket. A single loose layer crisps evenly.
- Customize your mix: Add or reduce ingredients based on what you have — more nuts for richness, more raisins for sweetness, or extra sev for crunch.
- Cool completely before storing: Let the chivda cool fully before transferring it to an airtight container to preserve crispness.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can swap cornflakes with puffed rice or thin poha (flattened rice) for a similar light crunch. Adjust air-fry time slightly if needed to avoid burning.
Add potato crisps, makhana (fox nuts), almonds, cashews, roasted chickpeas or even small crunchy lentils. Adjust the spice mix to keep the balance of sweet, salty and spicy.
Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature. Properly stored, it will remain crisp for up to two weeks.
Across India, chivda varies by region: in Maharashtra thin poha is common, while in Gujarat sev and fried lentils often appear. Spice blends differ too — some cooks add mustard seeds or asafoetida for a distinct flavor. This cornflakes version is simply one crisp and convenient take on the classic.
Air Fryer Cornflakes Chivda is an easy, crunchy snack you can pull together quickly. Pair it with chai, serve it to guests, or pack it for snacks on the go. With most of the work done by the air fryer, you get great crunch and flavor with minimal oil.
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Cornflakes Chivda | Trail Mix
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
For chivda
- 2 cups cornflakes
- 1 cup makhana (fox nuts)
- 1 tablespoon cashews, split
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- ½ cup peanuts
- ¼ cup roasted gram dal
- ¾ cup sev
- ¾ cup boondi
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil (for brushing)
Chivda spice mix
- 1½ teaspoons saunf powder
- 1½ teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon black salt
- 2½ teaspoons powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For tadka
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
- 5 sprigs of curry leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C and lightly brush the basket with oil or line it with parchment paper.
- Make the chivda spice mix: combine saunf powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, red chilli powder, black salt, powdered sugar and salt in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Add cornflakes, makhana, cashews and raisins to the air fryer basket. Drizzle a few drops of oil over them and air fry at 190°C for 2–3 minutes until they are just crisp. Transfer to a large tray.
- Line the air fryer basket with fresh parchment, add peanuts and roasted gram dal and air fry at 190°C for 2–3 minutes until toasted. Transfer to the tray with the other ingredients.
- Keeping the parchment in place, add sev and boondi to the basket and air fry at 190°C for about 2 minutes. Transfer to the tray.
- Prepare the tadka: heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pan or kadai. Add chopped red and green chillies and curry leaves and stir-fry for about 1 minute until the leaves crisp. Add all the air-fried ingredients to the pan and gently toss to combine.
- Sprinkle about 5 teaspoons of the prepared spice mix over the mixture, adding it gradually (about 1 teaspoon at a time) and tossing after each addition so the flavors coat evenly. Remove from heat.
- Allow the chivda to cool completely, then store in an airtight container to keep it crisp.
Notes
- Chivda will stay good for up to 2 weeks when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Ensure it is fully cooled before sealing.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 612 kcal; Carbohydrates: 74 g; Protein: 22 g; Fat: 33 g; Fiber: 26 g. (Approximate values.)
This article was researched and written by Harita Odedra.