Homemade Muesli, a mix of toasted oats, nuts, and coconut, is tossed with dried fruits and can be enjoyed as a breakfast or a snack. You can serve Muesli over yogurt, use it as a cereal replacement with milk, or include it in overnight oats.
What Is Muesli?
Muesli is a mixture of rolled oats and nuts with other additions like spices, seeds, cereal grains, wheat germ, dried fruit, and chocolate chips. I discovered Muesli when I moved to Australia with my husband for his job. Initially, I tried it at our hotel’s breakfast and wasn’t a fan, expecting something like granola. But as I added a bit of sweetener, I grew to like it.
Now back in the US, I often make it at home since it’s not easily found in stores. My version includes rolled oats, nuts, and various add-ins like dried fruits. I also add a bit of pure maple syrup for a touch of sweetness, differentiating it from the less sweet, traditional Muesli.
Ingredients In Muesli
- Old-fashioned oats form the base, providing a chewy texture and whole grains.
- Sliced almonds, pecans, and pepitas add crunch and a rich, nutty flavor, along with healthy fats.
- Coconut flakes contribute a subtle sweetness and tropical taste.
- Salt and cinnamon enhance the overall flavor, with the cinnamon adding a warm spice.
- Pure maple syrup sweetens the mix naturally.
- Coconut oil helps in toasting the mixture, adding a slight coconut flavor.
- Vanilla extract adds a sweet, aromatic flavor.
- Dried tart cherries and dried mango (or alternatives) provide a chewy texture and a burst of sweet-tart flavor.
Quick Tip
Customize your Muesli by choosing your preferred fruits and nuts, and substituting dairy milk with plant-based alternatives. Maintaining the general proportions ensures delicious results.
How To Make Muesli
- Prep: Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix Ingredients: Combine old-fashioned oats, sliced almonds, chopped pecans, pepitas, unsweetened coconut flakes, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, pure maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and pure vanilla extract in a large bowl.
- Bake: Spread the mix on the baking sheet and bake until lightly golden, stirring halfway through.
- Cool: After cooling, add coarsely chopped dried tart cherries and dried mango (or other dried fruits).
- Serve: Enjoy over yogurt or with milk, optionally with fresh berries and honey.
FAQs
How Do You Eat Muesli?
I prefer eating Muesli with milk or over yogurt, letting the oats soften. Traditionally, Bircher Muesl is soaked overnight in milk, like overnight oats, which softens the oats and plumps the dried fruits, giving a porridge-like texture. Muesli can be enjoyed hot or cold.
- The main differences between Muesli and granola are in texture and sweetness. Granola is baked longer for a crispy texture, while Muesli is either raw or lightly baked to toast the ingredients without making it crunchy. Muesli is softer and less sweet, often with little to no added sweetener or oil, unlike granola which usually contains more sweetener and oil.
Why Is Muesli Called Muesli?
Muesli, created by Dr. Maximilian Bircher-Benner, a physician who advocated for food as medicine, was a mixture of oats and fruit intended to promote whole food consumption among his patients. It gained popularity in Switzerland as a health food after showing notable health benefits. The commercial version, Birchermüesli, was first manufactured by the Swiss company Somalon, contributing to its widespread popularity. Read more on the history here.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Replace nuts with alternatives like walnuts, pistachios, cashews, Brazil nuts, or macadamia nuts.
- Substitute pepitas with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or pine nuts.
- Swap some rolled oats for wheat germ.
- Use different dried fruits like apricots, raisins, or blueberries.
- Change the spices, using for a seasonal flavor pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice for a seasonal flavor
More Breakfast Recipes
Muesli
Equipment
- large sheet pan, 15 x 21-inch, or 2 smaller pans
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup pepitas see note 1
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries or dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped dried mango or dried apricots
- Milk or yogurt, optional, for serving
- Fresh berries optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large (15x21-inch) sheet pan (or 2 smaller pans) with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a very large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the dried fruit. Toss until well combined.
- Spread the mixture into an even layer on the prepared pan(s). Bake for 12–14 minutes, stirring ingredients after 7 minutes. Everything should be lightly golden and fragrant.
- Remove Muesli and let it cool completely. Coarsely chop the tart cherries and dried mango. Once the Muesli is cooled, stir in the dried fruit.
- Serve Muesli over yogurt or with milk of choice (I love almond milk!). If adding milk, let it stand with the cereal for a few minutes to soften the oats. I also love adding fresh berries and a drizzle of honey.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I know how I will be starting my day tomorrow! This looks hands down delicious; too good to pass up, indeed!
My oldest daughter loves muesli! She just made a batch from your recipe and it’s fantastic!
Oh this was so good, I made a ton and I am keeping it in an air tight container. I served it over Greek yogurt, it was such a delicious addition of texture.
I was curious could I replace the maple syrup with honey?