Why You Should Try This Recipe?
You won’t believe how much there is to love about this healthy overnight muesli. Nutritious, fruity, and delicious to boot, this simple breakfast is a great way to use uncooked oats. It is definitely worth adding to your collection of breakfast bowl recipes.
- Only 10 minutes of prep and 3 simple steps are necessary to make this simple vegan breakfast.
- Endlessly customizable, this easy recipe can be made a thousand different ways. Whether you want to make dairy free overnight oats or use a variety of fresh fruit, there’s a version for you!
- This healthy breakfast recipe will keep you full and satisfied all morning, helping you feel full without sacrificing an ounce of flavor—just like my recipes for Apple Cinnamon Oats and Chia Seed Oatmeal!
- Packed with fiber and antioxidants, oats are healthy whole grains that have even been proven to lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar.
What Is Bircher Muesli?
Bircher muesli is what many consider to be the first overnight oats recipe. Developed by 20th-century Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner, this dish was created to support the health of patients with an uber-nutritious mix of filling and natural ingredients.
The original Bircher muesli recipe calls for raw oats and grated apple, mixed with condensed milk, nuts, lemon juice, and honey. Since then, however, people have found hundreds of delicious ways to customize this popular breakfast, from making overnight muesli vegan to incorporating seasonal fruit, aromatic spices, and even homemade sweeteners!
Ingredient Notes
The traditional Swiss bircher muesli recipe consists of rolled oats, grated apple, condensed milk, nuts, lemon, and honey. However, use my simple muesli formula below for endlessly customizable (and always scrumptious!) flavor combinations:
- Oats: You’ll need old-fashioned rolled oats for this recipe. I would not recommend using other types of oats, like quick-cooking oats as it would deliver a mushy end product.
- Seed and nuts: I used chia seeds and sliced almonds in my version. However, hemp seeds, flax seeds, and even leftover almond pulp are other delicious options.
- Milk: You can choose your favorite milk to use in your muesli mixture. I made my Bircher oats with almond milk, though oat milk and cashew milk also work for dairy-free overnight oatmeal. And if you want you can have cow’s milk as well.
- Yogurt (optional): Vegan yogurt—such as almond yogurt—or Greek yogurt both work to give this dish its irresistible tanginess. Plus, you can play around with which flavors you use, like vanilla, peach, and raspberry.
- Fruit: Any fruit will work for your Bircher muesli ingredients, whether it’s mixed in or added on top! I used shredded apple, but you can also use anything from fresh berries to a ripe banana, or even a few tablespoons of my homemade Unsweetened Applesauce.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup, brown sugar, and a drizzle of honey are all options to give your overnight muesli recipe a sweet flavor.
- Optional spices: I used ground cinnamon in my muesli. However, cardamom, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice can also give your oats a robust flavor.
- Other optional toppings: Nut butter—such as peanut butter and almond butter—pack this dish with rich, creamy protein. You can also include fresh herbs, like mint, for color and taste.
How To Make
Effortless and budget-friendly, this soaked muesli recipe is just what you need on busy weekday mornings. In 10 minutes and 3 steps, your hearty breakfast will be ready to eat the next day!
- Combine the ingredients: In a large bowl, mix oats, shredded apples, chia seeds, sliced almonds, almond milk, almond yogurt, cinnamon, and maple syrup.
- Give it a stir: Stir to make sure all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Refrigerate: Once the ingredients are fully combined, cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight.
- Serve: The next morning, equally divide the soaked muesli among four bowls. If desired, top each off with berries, fresh mint leaves, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
How to Store?
- Storage: To store your muesli yogurt breakfast, place the dish in a large airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also store your muesli in mason jars for an easy grab-and-go option.
- Freeze: You can freeze this muesli recipe in an airtight container for upto a month.
FAQs:
Overnight muesli with almond milk is a cinch to make, but these helpful tips make it even easier. Turn your old-fashioned oats into a delicious breakfast every time without the extra guesswork.
Many prefer eating this dish straight from the fridge for a cold muesli breakfast. However, you can also make your morning extra cozy by heating this dish before you serve it.
It’s up to you whether you eat your muesli hot or cold. To heat it, either pour in some hot milk of your choice or microwave the dish for 30 seconds at a time until it reaches your desired temperature. Just remember to stir!
Overnight muesli is good for up to 4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.
I recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats for this recipe. Because instant and quick oats are rolled extra-thin, they often get too mushy. And if you are following a gluten-free diet, be sure to purchase gluten-free certified oats.
Expert Tips:
- Multiply the recipe: If you are serving this to a crowd feel free to multiply it as many times as you want. Or you can do what I do and make a few bacthes on Sunday night and enjoy it throughout the week.
- Mason Jars to the rescue: For a quick grab&go breakfast divide your muesli in mason jars and be sure to tighten it with the lid.
- Additional protein: For some extra protein, feel free to top it off with a dollap of your favorite nut butter.
- Have nut alergies? Omit almonds and use sunflower seeds instead.
Other Healthy Breakfast Bowl Recipes You Might Like
- Slow-Cooker Steel Cut Oats
- Warm Farro Breakfast Bowl with Cinnamon Apples
- Quinoa Breakfast Porridge
- Overnight Coconut Buckwheat Porridge
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
- Slow Cooker Unsweetened Applesauce
- Steel Cut Oats Recipe Overnight
- Pressure Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal
If you try this recipe or any other recipe on Foolproof Living, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. And if you took some pictures, be sure to share them on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them on my stories.
Overnight Muesli Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Shredded apples from 1 large or 2 small apples
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats gluten-free certified
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2-3 tablespoons sliced almonds or more if you want
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or any other milk of your choice
- 2/3 cup unsweetened almond yogurt or any other yogurt of your choice, like soy, coconut, milk, etc.
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup mixed berries or any other seasonal fruit
- a few fresh mint leaves as garnish optional
Instructions
- Place the shredded apples, oats, chia seeds, sliced almonds, almond milk, almond yogurt, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a bowl. Mix to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to eat, divide the muesli in between 4 bowls, top them off with berries and garnish with a few fresh mint leaves.
Video
Notes
- This recipe would serve 4 people in 1/2 to 2/3 cup portions. If you are serving a crowd, feel free to double the recipe.
- The beauty of this recipe is that it is endlessly customizable. In place of milk and yogurt, you can use any plant-based milk or yogurt you like (or even cows milk and yogurt). Similarly, you can use any nuts and fruits.
- How long does muesli last? As long as it is kept in an airtight container, this healthy overnight muesli will keep fresh for up to 4 days.
- Do you eat overnight oats cold? Many prefer eating this dish straight from the fridge for a cold muesli breakfast. However, you can also make your morning extra cozy by heating this dish before you serve it.
Debbie
I will try recipe tonight!
FYI, in Ingredients List, it says 1 cup ground rolled oats. No they should not be ground!!!
Thanks for sending great recipes!
Aysegul Sanford
You are right Debbie. It was my bad. Thanks for letting me know. I made the correction.
I hope you like it. Please let me know if I can help in any way.
Village Bakery
OMG I LOVE YOU! Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was amazing!
Colleen
Good morning..I was watching your video and your recipe calls for “ground” oats (not even sure what that is), but to me it just looked like regular oatmeal you put in. Could you clarify that for me please? Thanks
Aysegul Sanford
Hello Colleen.. Sure. You are right, the ground oats is what most people use to make oatmeal. I think the biggest difference is that they are not the instant (or cooking cooking) oats. I use Trader Joes’ gluten-free oats, but Quaker Oats is another one that you can use. I am not sure where you live, but as long as you use regular oatmeal oats, you should be fine.
Let me know if you have any other questions. I am always here to help. Cheers!
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen
Yesss I am such a morning bircher muesli person too – heading straight over to the rest of your linked oat recipes for more morning inspiration! And I’m sure 99% of people on social media can relate to your talk in some way or another – it seems near impossible not to feel a little jealous/envious of someone else’s life and work at some point, especially when it is in your face all the time.
Abby @ Heart of a Baker
One of my absolute favorite things is meeting like minded, lovely souls in real life. Reading your post about this just made me feel so much better about having those feeling, I think we all have them! I have to keep reminding myself that my worth isn’t tied to a number, no matter how much it might seem so. I’m always looking for a sweet apple recipe, this is right on the money!
Aysegul Sanford
YAY! It makes me so happy to hear that it resonated with you Abby. I am a huge opponent of laying it out there as it is and that I think more people should do that.
Apples make this recipe shine, but they do in any recipe, no? 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!
betty
Dude, I totally feel ya – and I’m so glad you talked a bout it (wish I could’ve heard it!), because it’s something that I think haunts a great majority of us – due to the nature of social media and the instant feedback, it’s something we can’t help but notice and file away. Also, I’m all for porridge of any kind, but overnight is especially meaningful because it’s SO EASY to make and can be brought anywhere! I used to prep these and bring it to the clinic so that I could eat it for lunch! So versatile.
PS- VERMONT? Where!? come visit!
Aysegul Sanford
Thank you for your kind words Betty. I feel you, believe me…
I, too, love porridge if any kind and this one is one that I keep making over and over again. 🙂
PS: We will be in Manchester VT and can’t wait to meet you in person.
Valentina @Hortus
No surprise your talk was a success, I’m sure all of us can relate to those feelings 🙂 it’s wonderful that you chose to address such an important topic that we all probably find challenging to take out in public. I would have loved to hear it! Is there no podcast / recording?And the creaminess of these oats just make me salivate! <3
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Valentina.. I think it is available on a website called beyondtheeats.com/food-photography-summit
I think those feelings are universal. As creatives, we all go through them one way or another. When those feelings arise, I try to remind myself to stay on my own lane and write my own story. Sometimes it is so easy.. Sometimes very hard. Such as life, no?
Sending much love to beautiful Venice <3
Emily
I have so much admiration for you being willing to share from the heart so honestly. I need to hear your talk! (How do I do that? I’ll check more on the website. Looks so neat!) And what a beautiful friendship it sounds like you started. Your apple muesli looks like it’s straight out of a bed and breakfast. 🙂
Aysegul Sanford
I know, right.. We all struggle with the same issue, but nobody talks about it. It was such a relief to be open about it. 🙂
Thank you my friend <3
amanda paa
gosh, i wish i could have heard that talk, as it definitely affects us all in this space, at some point i think. love everything that came out of it though in terms of the discussions you’ve been and having, and then meeting one of the people in real life! nothing like turning something beautiful with other creatives.
Aysegul Sanford
I love social media for this reason. It connects people in such a fun way. 🙂
Thank you so much for stopping by Amanda. 🙂
thalia
omg!!! i adore these photos! and for sure making some overnight oats, i love waking up to breakfast already done! Xx
Aysegul Sanford
You and me both.. 🙂 Thank you Thalia. I hope you’ll try this simple recipe before summer ends in Australia. Cheers!
Alana
First off, this apple muesli is beautiful… however, VERMONT!!!? What!! That is awesome sis!!
Aysegul Sanford
Well, thank you my friend. 🙂 Yes, can you believe it? We are moving to Vermont!!! Dwight accepted a job in South Vermont back in (end of) December. He already started working. I am still in Atlanta doing all the moving related stuff.
You see, now you need to come back to eat cheese with me again.. How about that?!! 🙂
Willow | Will Cook For Friends
I saw this video on Instagram earlier and loved it! I didn’t see it with the sound, though — that made it extra fun. I’ve never tried grating apples into my oatmeal, but I’m going to have to try it now. What a great way to get the apple flavor all throughout, instead of just the odd chunk here and there.
It’s so cool that you and Lauren were able to collaborate! I wish I had other bloggers nearby to work and chat with. And I can absolutely relate to what you said about how social media can feel like it has such a big impact on your value. I struggle with that off and on. It’s so easy to think of our lives online in terms of numbers and statistics, but when I start falling into that dark hole, I remind myself that each of those numbers is a person. saying “I have a hundred likes on facebook” might sound depressing if you compare yourself to others who have more, but saying “there are a hundred people who are currently enjoying what I do.” — wow. That changes everything. If there were a hundred people in my housing clapping for me, or telling me they like my work, I’d be overwhelmed. I know it isn’t that simple when it comes to working with brands or advertisers, but on a personal level I find that mindset really helpful. It makes me love what I do so much more, and helps me not got sucked into the black-hole of comparing myself to others online. 🙂
Aysegul Sanford
Thank you so much for your kind words Willow. It makes me so happy to get such comments as – I am sure you know – a lot of work goes into creating a 1-minute video, a blog post with photos, recipe, and writing. Still, I am not sure if anything would compare to some of us, who are posting 31 (!!!!!) recipes in 31 days in a row! 🙂
The comparing myself to others seems like a challenge for everyone, who creates something out of nowhere. Like you said, it is a dark hole, but every time it happens to me I remind myself to stay in my own lane and continue to do my best. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn’t, but I still try. And no matter what I continue to create. Good or bad, it is my work. I know this is all easier said than done, but I have been in that “dark hole” too many times in the past and I do my bestest to not go in there again.
Like you said, it is so nice to have a photographer friend. I got really lucky with Laura.
We are in the middle of moving from Atlanta to Vermont, but in the future, if you ever visit Vermont I’d love to play photography with you too. :))
Cheers!
Sophie | The Green Life
I’m so sad I missed this photography summit! I was signed up but ended up being away. I’m sure your talk was really inspiring. How great that you’ve met Lauren through this experience. I love when online conversations transform into real-life friendships. And this video is so fun! What a lovely collaboration! <3
Aysegul Sanford
Thank you Sophie. Oh that summit was truly great. A lot of great information was shared. 🙂
I,too, love when online conversations turn into friendships and I got really lucky with her. I hope we can meet someday too. 🙂
Cheers!