Bircher muesli is a Swiss breakfast recipe that is sometimes called the original overnight oats. It's gluten-free, with easy vegan and dairy-free swaps!
When I was traveling through Switzerland, bircher muesli was something that was on every hotel breakfast buffet. So what is bircher muesli? It's a mix of oats, yogurt, milk, sometimes apple juice, usually grated apple, and other fruits and nuts. The oats hydrate in the yogurt and milk overnight in the refrigerator and the next morning, voilà: breakfast is ready!
The beauty of this simple breakfast recipe is that you can customize it to your taste and the ingredients you have on hand (much like this homemade granola recipe), so the variations of flavors are virtually endless! It's filling but not heavy, and high in protein and fiber.
If you like this breakfast idea, you'll love this Yogurt Parfait with Granola.
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Bircher muesli ingredients
- Rolled oats: Make sure you get old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats or steel cut. Rolled oats are just right for absorbing the liquid without getting mushy or soggy.
- Grated apple: Use a sweet apple like gala, pink lady, or honey crisp. The fresh apple adds natural sweetness, and you don't even have to peel them, I think the peel adds color and makes it look pretty, it's also healthy to leave the peel on.
- Lemon juice: The lemon juice lifts the flavor and keeps the grated apple from browning.
- Yogurt: I prefer plain "regular" yogurt for making this bircher muesli recipe. I have used Greek yogurt, but it gets pretty thick so you may want to dilute it in the morning with more milk to loosen it up.
- Milk: I use whole milk, but low-fat or skim would work just fine.
- Dried fruit: Use whatever dried fruit you have on hand, raisins, dried cherries, dried apricots, dried cranberries, dried figs, even shaved coconut!
- Nuts and seeds: Bircher muesli loves any kind of nuts, try pecans, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts if you want to be super European! Try pumpkin seeds, chia seeds or sunflower seeds for added texture and protein.
- Fresh fruit or berries: In the morning when you're ready to eat, top your bircher muesli with whatever fruit is in season, whether it's mixed berries, apples, pears, I even had some with mango on it in Switzerland!
- Optional sweeteners: If you want to sweeten it up, you can add maple syrup, honey or agave syrup when you're ready to eat.
- Optional spices: Try adding cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg!
How to make bircher muesli
Step 1: Grate the apple
Grate the apple on the large holes of a box grater, add to a large bowl and pour the lemon juice on top.
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Step 2: Combine oats, milk, yogurt, dried fruit and chill overnight
Add the oats, milk, yogurt, and dried fruit to the apples and stir to combine. If you are adding cinnamon or other spices, do that now. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container overnight.
Step 3: Add nuts and fresh fruit to serve
When ready to serve, stir the bircher muesli mixture first, then portion into bowls. Top with fresh berries, nuts, and more dried fruit, add honey or other sweeteners if desired.
Expert tips
- You may need to add more milk before serving: Depending on the thickness of the yogurt you use, the bircher muesli may be a bit thicker than you'd like in the morning. Just add more milk until you get to the texture you like best.
- You can use any flavor yogurt: I like plain yogurt, but you can use sweetened yogurt of any flavor or color, I certainly saw bircher muesli made with pink strawberry and purple blueberry yogurt when I was in Switzerland!
- Two ways to make non-dairy or vegan bircher muesli: Swap out the yogurt and milk for apple juice in a 1:1 ratio—using apple juice by itself is the original bircher muesli recipe. Or just replace the milk and yogurt with plant-based options like almond milk, then add the mix-ins and toppings that you like.
- Change the toppings with the seasons: Swap out the fresh fruit to change with the seasons. Enjoy fresh berries or stone fruit in the summer, try pears, fresh cranberries, or citrus in the winter.
Storage
- Store bircher muesli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- It can be pre-portioned into individual servings so all you have to do in the morning is add toppings and go! (I had some in one of the hotels in Switzerland that was served it in little mason jars, so cute!)
More international breakfast recipes
- Shakshuka with Feta has an irresistible tomato sauce full of peppers and onions.
- Asparagus Quiche makes a beautiful breakfast for special occasions or any time!
- Lemon Ricotta Pancakes are light and fluffy, with crispy edges.
Bircher muesli
- The original overnight oats, bircher muesli is an easy make-ahead breakfast recipe.
- Endless options for toppings and mix-ins, you may never make it the same way twice!
- It's gluten-free, with easy swaps for vegan and non-dairy options.
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Recipe
Bircher Muesli Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats NOT instant
- ½ cup yogurt plain or any flavor
- ½ cup milk
- 1 small, sweet apple such as gala, pink lady, honeycrisp
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup dried fruit raisins, cherries, apricots, cranberries, etc.
- chopped nuts any kind, for serving
- cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom optional
Optional toppings and sweeteners
- seeds pumpkin, sunflower, chia, etc.
- fresh fruit berries or whatever is in season
- honey, maple syrup, or agave
Instructions
- Grate the apple on the large holes of a box grater, (no need to peel it) add to a large bowl and pour the lemon juice on top.
- Add the oats, milk, yogurt, and dried fruit to the apples and stir to combine. If you are adding cinnamon or other spices, do that now. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container overnight.
- When ready to serve, stir the bircher muesli mixture first (see note), then portion into bowls. Top with fresh berries, nuts, and more dried fruit, add honey or other sweeteners if desired.
Notes
- You may need to add more milk before serving: Depending on the thickness of the yogurt you use, the bircher muesli may be a bit thicker than you'd like in the morning. Just add more milk until you get to the texture you like best.
- You can use any flavor yogurt: I like plain yogurt, but you can use sweetened yogurt of any flavor or color, I certainly saw bircher muesli made with pink strawberry and purple blueberry yogurt when I was in Switzerland!
- Two ways to make non-dairy or vegan bircher muesli: Swap out the yogurt and milk for apple juice in a 1:1 ratio—using apple juice by itself is the original bircher muesli recipe. Or just replace the milk and yogurt with plant-based options, then add the mix-ins and toppings that you like.
- Change the toppings with the seasons: Swap out the fresh fruit to change with the seasons. Enjoy fresh berries or stone fruit in the summer, try pears, fresh cranberries, or citrus in the winter.
- Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days: You can store it in one big container, or try individual portions so it's ready to grab and go in the mornings.
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