Homemade Muesli Oats (Muesli Breakfast Recipe)

I was rummaging through my pantry the other day and noticed that I had way too many half-used bags of dried fruit and nuts, and I knew exactly what I needed to make to use up all those odds and ends. Muesli!

What is Muesli? Well, it’s a simple, wholesome mix of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.

It’s budget-friendly, endlessly customizable, and a great way to use up those pantry odds and ends. I serve it with milk, yogurt, or even a splash of juice for a hearty breakfast that costs next to nothing. “This has been my breakfast for the last 6 months since I found the recipe.

I add cinnamon. You can’t beat this in terms of convenience and taste!”

Recipe Success Tips

• You might be asking yourself, “How is this muesli recipe different from granola??” While they’re similar, there are distinct differences. Muesli is almost like raw granola. You can turn this recipe into granola by adding some sweeteners and binders, like honey or brown sugar and oil, then baking it until it becomes deliciously crunchy.
• The best type of oat for muesli is, in my opinion, old-fashioned rolled oats. These oats are hearty and have a lot of texture, but still soften fairly quickly when soaked. Quick oats are very thin and delicate and will create a much mushier texture. Steel-cut oats are very tough and will need to be soaked for several hours before they soften.
• Just like overnight oats, you can add so many different things to your muesli. You can add any type of dried fruit, nut, or seed to the dry mix (stored at room temperature), or once you begin soaking your muesli, you can add wet or perishable ingredients, like fresh fruit or maple syrup.

How to Make Muesli Step-By-Step Photos

Combine the ingredients: Add your oats, fruit, nuts, spices, and sweetener (optional) to a bowl.

I used 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, ½ cup chopped walnuts, ½ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup sunflower seeds, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and ½ tsp cinnamon. Simply stir the ingredients together, and now it’s ready to use!

Store: You can store this mix in an airtight container at room temperature. It will last just as long as the individual dry ingredients themselves.

To serve, measure ½ cup of the dry muesli mix into a bowl. Pour ½ cup of milk (or more) overtop and let sit for about five minutes (or refrigerate overnight for a softer oat).

Serving Suggestions

There are a few different ways you can enjoy muesli. You can add cold milk, yogurt, or fruit juice, stir it up, and let it soak for a few minutes so the oats are just barely chewy.

Or, if you prefer a softer oat, you can let them soak overnight or for up to about four days. Add some fresh fruit, cinnamon, nut butter, a drizzle of homemade simple syrup, or maple syrup, and you’ve got a totally customizable breakfast! I also love adding fruit jam or applesauce.

You can also treat your muesli like little homemade instant oatmeal packets. Divide the mix into ⅓ or ½ cup servings, place in resealable containers, then every morning, add about a cup of milk and microwave for a minute or two, and you have a hot bowl of oatmeal.

Storage & Meal Prepping

Homemade muesli can last for months when stored correctly. I use a clean, dry, airtight container and keep it in a cool, dark place like my pantry or the back of a cupboard.

Moisture will shorten its shelf life and cause the ingredients to go stale or spoil, so make sure everything is completely dry before storing. This recipe is also great for meal prepping. Portion out individual servings into small containers or jars so breakfast is ready to go all week.

Just add milk, yogurt, or juice when you’re ready to eat!