Birchermüesli (Swiss Bircher Muesli)
In short: Rolled oats soaked in milk with grated apple, lemon, yogurt, nuts and honey, a cold Swiss breakfast that is creamy, fresh and slightly tart. It takes about 13 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 3 min
- Resting
- 8 h
- Total
- 13 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 345 kcal
Birchermüesli is a Swiss breakfast of soaked oats, grated apple, yogurt and nuts, eaten cold from a bowl. It was developed in Zurich in the early 1900s as a health food and later spread around the world as muesli. The oats soften overnight and the apple is grated at the last moment, so the texture stays creamy but fresh. Add berries or stone fruit as the seasons change.
Instructions
- Stir the oats, milk and lemon juice together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, shaking the pan, until fragrant. Let them cool.
- Just before serving, coarsely grate the apples with their skins on, discarding the cores. Stir them into the oats at once with the yogurt and honey.
- Loosen with a splash of milk if the mixture is too thick, then taste and add more honey if you like.
- Spoon into bowls and top with the toasted nuts and berries.
Tips
- Use oat milk, plant-based yogurt and maple syrup for a vegan version. If you are short on time, a 30-minute soak gives a chewier but still good result.
- Grate the apple at the last minute, because it browns quickly and loses its crunch. Stir it in right away so the lemon-spiked oats coat the shreds.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between Bircher muesli and overnight oats?
Bircher muesli is the Swiss forerunner, built on grated apple, lemon juice, nuts and yogurt or cream. Overnight oats follow the same soaking idea but usually have more varied add-ins.
How long does Birchermüesli keep?
The soaked oats keep for 3 days in the fridge without the apple. Once the apple and yogurt are mixed in, eat it within 24 hours.
Can I use quick oats?
Use rolled oats. Quick oats turn mushy, and steel-cut oats stay hard unless soaked for far longer.
How long does it take to make Birchermüesli (Swiss Bircher Muesli)?
About 13 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 3 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Birchermüesli (Swiss Bircher Muesli)?
About 345 kcal per serving, with 10 g of protein, 50 g of carbohydrates and 12 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 345 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fiber | 7 g |
| Sugar | 28 g |
| Sodium | 50 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
