Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups cold milk, dairy or non-dairy
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 medium apple, coarsely grated
- 1/3 cup raisins or chopped dried apricots
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds or ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, plus more to serve
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup fresh berries
- 1 banana, sliced
Do This
- 1. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, yogurt, honey, cinnamon, and salt.
- 2. Stir in the oats, grated apple, dried fruit, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and walnuts or hazelnuts.
- 3. Cover and refrigerate at 40°F or colder for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the creamiest texture.
- 4. Before serving, stir well and loosen with 2 to 6 tablespoons extra milk if needed.
- 5. Spoon into 4 bowls and top with berries, banana slices, and a small drizzle of honey.
- 6. Serve cold, with extra yogurt or milk on the side if you like a softer bowl.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cool, creamy, and refreshing: The oats soften in milk and yogurt until tender, making a breakfast that feels light but still satisfying.
- European-style simplicity: This is inspired by classic Swiss-style muesli, with grated apple, oats, nuts, seeds, and fruit in every bite.
- Make-ahead friendly: Mix it the night before and breakfast is ready when you wake up.
- Easy to customize: Use any milk, yogurt, fruit, nuts, or seeds you have on hand.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 medium crisp apple, 1 cup fresh berries, 1 banana
- Dairy: 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 cup plain yogurt, plus optional extra yogurt for serving
- Pantry: Old-fashioned rolled oats, raisins or dried apricots, sliced almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds or ground flaxseed, honey or maple syrup, ground cinnamon, fine sea salt
Full Ingredients
Muesli Base
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant oats
- 1 1/2 cups cold milk, dairy or non-dairy, plus 2 to 6 tablespoons more for loosening before serving
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, low-fat yogurt, or unsweetened non-dairy yogurt
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, plus extra for serving if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 medium crisp apple, such as Honeycrisp, Gala, Braeburn, or Pink Lady, coarsely grated, about 1 cup
Nuts, Seeds, and Dried Fruit
- 1/3 cup raisins, golden raisins, or chopped dried apricots
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
- 3 tablespoons raw or roasted pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds or ground flaxseed
Fresh Toppings
- 1 cup fresh berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries
- 1 banana, sliced just before serving
- 1/2 cup additional plain yogurt, optional, for topping
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, optional, for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons extra sliced almonds or pumpkin seeds, optional, for crunch
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the creamy soaking liquid
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups cold milk, 1 cup plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. Whisk until the mixture looks smooth and the sweetener is evenly dissolved. The milk and yogurt should be refrigerator-cold, about 40°F, because this muesli is meant to soak and serve chilled.
Step 2: Add the oats, apple, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
Stir in 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, the grated apple, 1/3 cup dried fruit, 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts, 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, and 2 tablespoons chia seeds or ground flaxseed. Mix thoroughly, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl so every oat is coated in the milk-yogurt mixture. The mixture will look a little loose at first, but the oats and seeds will absorb liquid as they rest.
Step 3: Chill until the oats soften
Cover the bowl tightly with a lid, plate, or reusable wrap. Refrigerate at 40°F or colder for at least 2 hours. For the softest, creamiest European-style texture, refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours overnight. During this time, the oats become tender, the dried fruit plumps, the grated apple blends into the base, and the chia or flax helps create a lightly creamy consistency without cooking.
Step 4: Stir and adjust the texture
When ready to serve, remove the muesli from the refrigerator and stir it well. If it is thicker than you like, add extra cold milk 1 tablespoon at a time, using 2 to 6 tablespoons total, until the muesli is creamy and spoonable. If you prefer a thicker bowl, stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons additional yogurt instead. Taste and add another small drizzle of honey or maple syrup if you want it sweeter.
Step 5: Prepare the fresh fruit toppings
Wash and dry 1 cup fresh berries. If using strawberries, hull and slice them. Slice 1 banana just before serving so it stays pale and fresh-looking. Keep the toppings cool until you assemble the bowls; the contrast of chilled creamy oats with juicy fresh fruit is part of what makes this breakfast so refreshing.
Step 6: Assemble the muesli bowls
Spoon the chilled muesli evenly into 4 breakfast bowls, about 1 heaping cup per serving. Top each bowl with berries, banana slices, and a spoonful of extra yogurt if desired. Finish with a light drizzle of honey or maple syrup and a sprinkle of extra sliced almonds or pumpkin seeds for crunch.
Step 7: Serve cold
Serve the muesli immediately while cold, ideally at 40°F to 45°F. Offer extra milk at the table for anyone who likes a looser, more cereal-like texture. This bowl is meant to be cool, wholesome, gently sweet, and satisfying without feeling heavy.
Pro Tips
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats: They soften beautifully while keeping a pleasant chew. Instant oats can become pasty, and steel-cut oats will stay too firm unless prepared differently.
- Grate the apple directly into the bowl: This captures the juice and helps sweeten the muesli naturally.
- Toast nuts only if you want extra flavor: For a deeper nutty taste, toast almonds and walnuts or hazelnuts on a baking sheet at 350°F for 7 to 9 minutes, then cool completely before adding. For the simplest no-cook version, use them as is.
- Adjust sweetness after soaking: Dried fruit releases sweetness as it plumps, so the muesli may taste sweeter after resting.
- Keep it cold: Because this recipe contains milk and yogurt, refrigerate it at 40°F or colder and do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Variations
- Classic Swiss Bircher-style muesli: Use 2 grated apples instead of 1, replace the honey with 2 tablespoons apple juice, and finish each bowl with a spoonful of yogurt and chopped hazelnuts.
- Berry almond muesli: Skip the banana, use 2 cups mixed berries, choose sliced almonds as the main nut, and add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to the soaking liquid.
- Dairy-free muesli: Use unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk, and replace the yogurt with unsweetened coconut yogurt or almond yogurt. Maple syrup works especially well as the sweetener.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store muesli in an airtight container in the refrigerator at 40°F or colder for up to 4 days. For the freshest texture, add delicate toppings such as banana slices, berries, extra nuts, and a final drizzle of honey just before serving. If the muesli thickens as it sits, stir in 1 to 3 tablespoons cold milk per serving to loosen it. To meal prep individual portions, divide the soaked muesli into 4 jars after mixing, cover, refrigerate, and top with fresh fruit in the morning.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 4 servings made with whole milk yogurt, 2% milk, honey, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, apple, berries, and banana: 430 calories, 16 g protein, 60 g carbohydrates, 16 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 10 g fiber, 23 g sugars, and 190 mg sodium. Nutrition will vary depending on the milk, yogurt, nuts, seeds, and fruit used.
