Birchermüesli Recipe

This Birchermüesli recipe will bring the typical Swiss dish into your kitchen. Eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just as snack. The recipe is super simple and will soon be a staple! Birchermüesli is not only popular in Switzerland but is on many breakfast buffets around the world. In this post I will show you how to make Birchermüesli at home.

Jump to:

• ❤️Why you will love this recipe
• What Is The Origin Of The Birchermüesli?
• 📝 The Ingredients
• 👩🏻‍🍳How to make Birchermüesli
• 🥄Storage
• 🥄Make it ahead
• 💭Frequently asked questions
• More Recipes you might like
• 📖 Recipe
• Never miss a recipe!

❤️Why you will love this recipe

This classic Swiss dish is a perfect meal option for those looking for a healthy and satisfying meal.

• Wholesome Ingredients: Made with oats, fresh fruit, nuts, and yogurt, this recipe is packed with nutrients that will keep you feeling full and energized throughout the day.
• Versatility: This recipe is incredibly versatile and can be customized to your liking with your favorite fruits and toppings.
• Quick and Easy: With minimal prep time required, you can easily make a batch of Birchermüesli in advance and have a quick breakfast option ready to go for the week.
• Great for Meal Prep: This recipe is perfect for meal prepping, allowing you to make a large batch at once and enjoy it for several days.

What Is The Origin Of The Birchermüesli?

The Birchermüesli is well known all over the world and is waiting for you on many breakfast buffets. However, many don't know its origin. Around the 1900 the doctor Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner created this dish in Zürich for his patients. He believed that cooked and processed food is unhealthy for you and created this dish full of fresh ingredients as a healthy diet. Especially fruits did not get eaten raw back then. With the Birchermüesli he wanted to change that behavior. Back then the dish only included apples, oats, hazel nuts, water, lemon juice and sweetened condensed milk. It was a bowl full of protein.

With time the Birchermüesli turned into a really popular dish in Switzerland that gets eaten at any time of the day and made its way out into the whole world. You can find it all over the world now as a healthy fast food.

Now you can bring this delicious Swiss dish into your home!

You now know what a Birchermüesli is. You might ask yourself tough "what do you put into a Birchermüesli?". There are many different Birchermüesli recipes. Every family has their own way of making their Birchermüesli. I actually never really liked it. However, since I started making it myself I found a way I really like it. So, this recipe is my way of making a Birchermüesli. I keep it simple and completely made from scratch.

📝 The Ingredients

This dish is packed with proteins, vitamins and fiber! A huge health bomb that keeps you full and energizes for hours! The perfect kick starter to your day!

• Oats: They make up the biggest part of this dish and are packed with healthy fibers to keep you fed for hours.
• Raisins: If you don't like raisins you can omit them or replace them by any other dried fruits.
• Buttermilk: Buttermilk is a great resource of protein and minerals. If you don't have buttermilk you can replace it with milk, plant-based milk or even water. It just won't taste the exact same way and will be less thick. However, you can also make your own sour milk substitute (check out how below).
• Plain Yogurt: This helps mixing everything together. It is high in protein, calcium and vitamins.
• Apples: I prefer using sweet ones. If you want the typical authentic Birchermüesli then try to find a Bircher grater (add link) to grate the apples. The apples give you a ton of vitamins.
• Banana: We cut the Banana into round slices
• Mixed Berries: Lets get some more vitamins into this bowl! You can choose whatever berries you want. I really like raspberries and blueberries. You can also use frozen fruits and just let them thaw if berries are not in season
• Honey: The honey adds a nice sweetness to the dish.
• Nuts: Add healthy fats and some crunch with the nuts of your choice. The original recipe used hazelnuts. I like to roast them in a pan and then chop them and use them as a crunchy topping.

How to make homemade buttermilk substitute

Making your own buttermilk is super simple. All you need is milk and an acid, either fresh lemon juice or vinegar.

Pour 1,5dl milk into a cup or bowl. Add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or vinegar and whisk it all together. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes

👩🏻‍🍳How to make Birchermüesli

First you have to make the base:

Add the dry ingredients, oats and raisins, into a bowl. Then pour the liquids, buttermilk and yogurt, over the dry ingredients and mix well.

Next you have to add all the fruits:

To get an authentic Birchermüesli you will need a Bircher grater. This is a special grater literally made to grate your apples for a Birchermüesli. The apple will turn out very thin, nearly paste like that way. You will barely even know there is apple in the mixture anymore as it incorparates welll weith everything else.

Here is an example of how a Bircher grater looks: Egro Bircherraffel - Galaxus

Next slice a banana and add it to the bowl.

Then add 250g of any kind of berries you like. It is best if you use fresh ones. However, if there are no berries in season you can simply use frozen ones and just thaw them beforehand.

Lastly you can finetune the dish:

Add some honey to get that sweetness into your Birchermüesli and then mix everything gently.

If you want you can add some nuts for some crunch. This is an additional step, I personally don't like nuts in mine. The original recipe used hazelnuts. Though, you can use any kind of nut. I recommend you toast them and then chop them into small pieces to then sprinkle on top of your bowl.

You can eat it right away. However, just like wine aging with time, letting it sit for a while will make it better.

🥄Storage

If you have any leftover Birchermüesli, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. When you're ready to enjoy it, simply give it a quick stir and add any additional toppings or fruit as desired. If you're planning on meal prepping this recipe for the week, store individual portions in separate containers to make it easy to grab and go in the morning.

🥄Make it ahead

The Birchermüesli recipe can easily get prepared in advance and can be stored in the fridge for a few days. It actually tastes even better when you let it sit for some time.

You can make a large batch of Birchermüesli and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just give it a good stir before serving and add a splash of milk or yogurt to loosen it up if needed.

💭Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I use instant oats instead of rolled oats?

A: Instant oats are more processed than rolled oats and will result in a different texture. Rolled oats are recommended for this recipe because they provide a chewier and heartier texture. If you must use instant oats, reduce the amount of milk to prevent the mixture from becoming too watery.

Q: Can I use non-dairy milk instead of regular milk?

A: Yes, you can use any type of milk you prefer, including non-dairy milk such as almond milk or soy milk.

Q: Can I use frozen fruit instead of fresh fruit?

A: While fresh fruit is recommended for this recipe, you can use frozen fruit if that's what you have on hand. Just be sure to thaw and drain the fruit before adding it to the mixture.

Q: Can I omit the nuts?

A: Yes, you can omit the nuts or substitute them with other types of nuts or seeds, such as chia seeds or pumpkin seeds.

Q: Can I add more honey or sugar to make it sweeter?

A: Yes, you can adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding more honey or sugar. Keep in mind that the sweetness will also depend on the ripeness of the fruits you use.

Q: Can I add spices to this recipe?

A: Yes, you can experiment with different spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or cardamom to add more flavor to the mixture.

Q: Can I use flavored yogurt instead of plain yogurt?

A: Flavored yogurt can be used, but keep in mind that it may add extra sugar to the recipe. Plain yogurt is recommended to keep the recipe healthy and customizable.

Q: Can I use a food processor to mix the ingredients?

A: While you can use a food processor to mix the ingredients, it's recommended to mix them by hand to avoid overmixing and creating a mushy texture.

Q: Can I add more liquid if the mixture is too thick?

A: Yes, you can add more milk or yogurt to the mixture if it's too thick. Start with a small amount and gradually add more until the desired consistency is reached.

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