A simple, wholesome and healthy bircher muesli recipe made with apple, honey and cinnamon and then chilled overnight. Top with your favourite fruits, nuts and seeds for a delicious breakfast or a snack on the go.
In our family we absolutely LOVE bircher muesli!
It's a healthy recipe that I can prep the night before, ready for busy mornings, lunch box snacks or a nutritious mid-afternoon energy boost!
Bircher Muesli vs Overnight Oats
The terms bircher muesli and overnight oats are used interchangeably. They are both used to refer to oats that are soaked overnight and make a delicious breakfast.
My bircher muesli recipe is a variation on the original Swiss recipe for that was developed by Swiss physician Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner. The original recipe was a two step process whereby the oats were soaked overnight and then mixed with sweetened milk, lemon juice, grated apple and nuts.
My bircher muesli recipe is a quick and easy one step process whereby all of the ingredients are added to a container or bowl, mixed together and then chilled overnight. SO easy!
Why You're Going To Love Bircher Muesli
- Make Ahead - this recipe is so convenient as it can be prepped the night before ready to eat in the morning! It lasts for 3 days so you can prep a large batch and keep it in a container in the fridge.
- Healthy and Wholesome Ingredients - including apple, oats, yoghurt and honey.
- Variations - mix it up by changing up the toppings on your bircher muesli (see variation ideas below).
- Energy Boost - my bircher muesli recipe makes a fantastic natural energy booster (perfect for a filling breakfast with that will keep you going til lunchtime).
- Grab and Go - don't have time for breakfast? You still have time for overnight oats! Simply grab it from the fridge, pop it in an individual container and jump in the car on the way to work.
- Great For Lunchboxes - I love packing bircher muesli in little containers in my sons lunchbox. It's a delicious, healthy and filling snack that he can quickly eat during break time.
What You Need
My bircher muesli recipe is budget friendly and made from just a few basic ingredients:
Note: please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
- rolled oats - also known as old fashioned oats. You can substitute rolled oats for quick oats if you prefer (quick oats will be ready after just a few hours of chilling, whereas rolled oats need to be chilled overnight)
- apple - you can use any kind of apple (red, green or golden). There is no need to peel the skin off the apple.
- honey
- ground cinnamon
- milk - whole milk or full fat milk
- apple juice - sweetened or unsweetened
- lemon juice
- yoghurt - plain or natural yoghurt
Make Ahead Bircher Muesli Recipe
One bowl... mix... chill! It doesn't get any easier than that!
Note: please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
Step 1 - Mix The Ingredients
Place all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl (or container) and mix together.
Step 2 - Chill
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place into the fridge to chill overnight. The mixture will turn from liquid to a thick texture as it chills.
Alternatively you can chill the muesli in individual containers or glass lidded jars to make a simple to ‘grab and go’ breakfast or snack.
Variations
There are SO many variations you can make to my bircher muesli recipe. Here's a few of the most popular substitutions:
- Use a fruit flavoured yoghurt instead of plain
- Add grated carrot to your oats before chilling
- Add raisins or sultanas before chilling (they plump up beautifully overnight)
- Serve with flax, sunflower seeds, pepitas, chopped almonds, chia seeds or cashews
- Serve with fresh berries or sliced banana
- Add extra flavourings such as cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla sugar, maple syrup or honey
Recipe Tips & FAQ
Yes! Simply use gluten-free rolled oats.
Absolutely! Quick oats require less chilling time than rolled oats - they will need around 4 hours as compared to rolled oats which need to be chilled overnight.
Yes - it is a wholesome breakfast made from high fibre oats, high calcium yoghurt and milk and naturally sweetened grated apple.
You can serve my bircher muesli either hot or cold. My preference is cold - straight from the fridge and then topped with nuts and fruits.
If you prefer your bircher muesli to be hot, simply warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds or until just heated through.
This recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Bircher Muesli Recipe
Ingredients
- 150 g (2 cups) rolled oats old fashioned oats or quick oats
- 1 apple grated
- 2 tbs honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 420 ml (1 ¾ cups milk whole milk or full fat milk
- 60 ml (¼ cup) apple juice sweetened or unsweetened
- 3 tbs lemon juice
- 375 g (1 ½ cups) plain or natural yoghurt
- Toppings: berries, banana, nuts, dried fruit, coconut, berry coulis
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients (except for the toppings) into a large bowl. Mix together well.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place into the fridge overnight.
- Remove from the fridge and stir well.
- Divide between bowls and add toppings.
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