What is Muesli? How to Make Muesli at Home
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What is muesli? Learn how to make muesli at home and get different muesli recipes, including almond-cherry muesli and preparing muesli hot or cold.
by Rita Heikenfeld
In the 90s, when we were raising our children, granola was the cereal of choice. Parents in our group would swap recipes and tips.
But then, enter the millennium. Muesli started popping up on grocery store shelves tucked in between boxes and cellophane bags of granola. I was intrigued. What made this whole grain cereal different from granola, and why was it so costly?
What is Muesli?
Muesli is a traditional, healthy European breakfast cereal with whole grains, seeds, nuts, and fruit.
Invented by nutritional pioneer and Swiss physician Dr. Bircher-Benner around 1900 to help treat his sick patients, this energy-giving cereal contained oats, raw apples, nuts, condensed milk, and lemon juice. Dr. Bircher-Benner believed that consuming a nutritious diet of whole foods would help the healing process, and he was way ahead of his time.
Fast-forward to the present: Today, awareness of plant-based nutrition is at an all-time high, and muesli fits right in.
Muesli Recipes That Are Good for You
Why is muesli even more healthful than some granolas? Here’s the deal:
Both contain whole grains as the base. Wheat, oats, barley, quinoa, triticale (a wheat and rye hybrid), and rye are good options. Granola and muesli contain optional dried fruit, nuts, and seeds choices.
Granola usually contains oil and sweetener in some form, like sugar or honey. Conversely, muesli doesn’t contain oil and relies on the dried fruit’s natural “sugars” for sweetness or a plant-based sweetener, such as stevia.
Muesli is mixed in a bowl and stored in the pantry. Granola is baked in the oven and cooled before storing in the pantry.
The recipes I’m sharing are full of good things for gut, heart, and immune system health. Plus, muesli contains essential fiber, vitamins, and minerals without added sugars.
Master Formula for Muesli
Use this recipe as a flexible base. Adjust the amount of each ingredient to your taste and feel free to add dried fruits or nuts.
Grains provide fiber and prebiotics, nuts and seeds augment the flavor and add crunch and protein, and dried fruit lends some sweetness without being overbearing. Spices give a warming tone to the muesli.
Ingredients:
- Whole grains: 3-1/2 to 4 cups as the base
- Nuts: 1 to 1-1/4 cups
- Dried fruit: Up to 1 cup dried fruit. Read labels, as some dried fruits, like cranberries and dates, may contain added sugars. Take that into account when making muesli. (Fresh fruit can be added right before serving)
- Seeds: A good 1/4 cup
- Spices: 1 to 2 teaspoons aromatic spices, like cinnamon, apple pie, or pumpkin pie spice
- Natural sweetener: Granulated or powdered stevia (a plant-based sweetener, much sweeter than sugar) can be added to taste if you like
Instructions:
Easy peasy. Just stir everything together and store it in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 3 months.
There are a myriad of ways to eat muesli. Check out my suggestions using the above formula as a guide.
Almond Cherry Muesli
Ingredients:
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1-1/4 cups sliced almonds, toasted if you like
- 1/4 cup whole flax seed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup dried cherries, chopped a bit
Instructions:
Mix everything and store, covered, in the pantry for up to 3 months.
Yield: About 7 cups
Multi-Grain Muesli
Mix and match several grains. Depending on the grains used, this can be gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- 2-1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1-1/4 cups barley flakes
- 1-1/4 cups wheat flakes
- 1 cup or more chopped dried apple or other dried fruit
- 1/2 cup oat bran
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- Up to 1 cup chopped nuts
Instructions:
In large bowl, mix everything together. Store in airtight container in pantry up to 3 months.
Yield: About 8 cups
Oat, Apricot, and Peach Muesli
Adding sesame seeds to the mix gives this muesli a different flavor. If you’re not fond of sesame seeds, use more sunflower seeds.
Remember that any dried fruit works well here. We love the mild flavors of apricots and peaches.
Ingredients:
- 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1-1/2 cups total dried chopped apricots and peaches
- 1/2 cup each: sesame seeds and sunflower seeds
- 1 cup nuts, toasted if you like, then chopped — we like hazelnuts
Instructions:
In large bowl, mix everything together. Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 3 months.
Yield: About 8 cups
Make It Hot or Cold
Hot
Stovetop: Bring 1 cup water or milk to a boil, add a good 1/2 cup muesli, and simmer about 10 minutes.
Cover and let sit a couple of minutes before serving.
Microwave: Stir 1/2 cup muesli and 1 cup milk together in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high about 5 minutes, stirring it a couple of times.
Cold
Stir together 1/2 cup muesli with 1/2 cup milk or juice. Cover and let sit 8 to 10 minutes.
Cold Overnight: Called Swiss-style, this is so nice to wake up to in the morning since the overnight refrigerated process produces creamier muesli. Yogurt supplies a boost of probiotics.
Stir together 1/2 cup muesli and 1 cup your choice of yogurt. Or stir together equal amounts of muesli and milk.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Thoughtful Gifts from the Kitchen
A jar of muesli capped and tied with a ribbon and instructions is a welcome gift for family and friends. Recipients can start a busy day fortified with a bowl of hot or cold muesli.
Muesli is an especially nice, totable gift for those campers or road-trippers on your list. Pack the jar along with a container of dry milk in a holiday basket lined with a towel. (The towel is a useful gift as well.)
Rita Heikenfeld comes from a family of wise women in tune with nature. She’s a certified modern herbalist, culinary educator, author, and national media personality. Most important, she’s a wife, mom, and grandma. Rita lives on a little patch of heaven overlooking the East Fork River in Clermont County, Ohio. She’s a former adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati, where she developed a comprehensive herbal course. AboutEating.com column: rita@ommunitypress.com
Originally published in the March/April 2024 issue of Countryside and Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.
