How to Make Bircher Muesli (The Original Overnight Oats)
Bircher muesli (aka Swiss muesli) combines healthy, wholesome ingredients like rolled oats, apples, raisins, nuts, and yogurt - for a simple, nutritional no-cook apple overnight oats breakfast. Plus, you can prepare this Swiss oatmeal gluten-free, dairy-free, or 100% vegan!
Wash the apple well. You can leave the skin on or remove it – but I like to leave it on.If you have waxed apples, you can remove the wax by soaking the apple in hot water for 10 seconds and give it a slight scrub. Then rinse with running tap water. Alternatively, use apple cider vinegar and a paper towel/cloth to rub away the wax, then rinse.
Use a box grater (on the widest setting), julienne vegetable "peeler", or mandolin (with julienne blades) to slice thin strips of apple.The grater will end up with more mushy results. Whereas the mandoline/julienne peeler is more toothsome and less mushy, which works well with the soft oats. I enjoy them either way, though.
Add the oats, milk, and yogurt to the container of your choice (jar, mug, or bowl). Next, add the grated apple, cinnamon, and raisins and mix well.If you want to add sweetener, add that now, too, and mix.
Set aside the Bircher muesli mix and allow it to soak for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is best.
Before serving the muesli, top it with some hazelnuts, apple slices, berries, and a little honey or maple – then enjoy!
How to Store Swiss Muesli
Store: Overnight muesli makes for an excellent meal-prep breakfast. In fact, once prepared, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days (covered) before enjoying.You may need to add an extra splash of milk or spoonful of yogurt after a day or two, though, as the oats will have soaked it up.Freeze: While you can freeze overnight oats for up to 3 months, I usually make them fresh for the best texture. When freezing, I recommend doing so in individual portions and leaving the toppings off until after thawed (overnight in the fridge).Heat: Bircher muesli is typically eaten cold (that's why it's soaked overnight – so the oats can soften without the use of heat). However, if you’d prefer to eat it warm – you can pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Notes
Choosing the apples: I like to swap out the apples I use based on what liquid I'm using for the Bircher muesli. For example, when using sweet juice, I'll often use a tart green apple. Whereas with yogurt/milk, I'll go for a sweeter green or red variety.
The minimum soaking time: I wouldn't recommend soaking the apple overnight oats for less than 30 minutes, and, even then, it will still have quite a bite. I prefer to soak it overnight for a softened, slightly more "oatmeal" texture, but some slight extra texture. HOWEVER, if you're using "quick oats," then 30-60 minutes works well.
Can I use frozen berries? If you want to add or top the Swiss muesli with berries, you can use fresh or frozen. Frozen berries will naturally thaw overnight and, during that time, will release some of their juices – making for a little "sauce" on top come the morning.
For a nut-free version: feel free to use seeds instead (like sunflower, pumpkin, or chia). Or omit entirely.
Adjust the consistency: if you prefer a slightly "runnier"/softer Swiss muesli, then add a little extra milk and make sure to soak it overnight. For more a toothsome chew, use less milk and/or leave to soak for less time.
Optional Add-Ins
Chia seeds: or flaxseed can be mixed into the Bircher muesli for extra texture and protein.
Seed/Nut butter: adding a tablespoon or so of nut/seed butter helps make for richer Swiss oatmeal while also adding flavor. Use the butter of your choice: almond, cashew, sunflower seed, etc.
Flavorings: a little natural vanilla extract, rosewater, or orange blossom water could be added to infuse the overnight muesli with extra flavor.
Other fruits: add extra fruits based on what’s in season (or in your freezer). Berries, banana, mango, nectarines, plums, peach, figs, etc.
Other grains: you can make similar dishes with other grains like quinoa (or quinoa flakes), couscous, buckwheat, etc. However, the grains will need to be pre-cooked. Other ingredients can also be added, like puffed rice, wheat germ, etc.
Coconut: to add texture and healthy fats, you could mix in some shredded coconut or top with coconut flakes (raw works, but I recommend lightly toasted for the best flavor and a little crunch).
Candied ginger: the combination of apple and ginger tastes delicious. Plus, ginger packs in a ton of health benefits. So feel free to finely chop some candied ginger to mix into the apple overnight oats.
Superfood powders: boost the nutrient value of the Swiss muesli with a small amount of superfood powder like maca powder, beet powder, baobab powder, acai, cacao powder, wheatgrass powder, moringa, or even a little protein powder.
Other toppings: hemp seeds, protein seed mix, cacao nibs (or mini chocolate chips).
Lemon juice: lemon juice is a common addition to traditional Swiss muesli recipes, but I must admit I’ve never tried it. You can either add the lemon when soaking or add a splash of lemon juice just before serving.