This Bircher muesli recipe has become a staple in our house during the warmer months. It’s light, creamy, and refreshing — just what you want when porridge feels too heavy.

It was actually Rob who got me started making it. Years ago, he came back from a business trip and asked me to recreate something he’d been served on the plane. That doesn’t happen often — let’s just say airline meals aren’t usually a source of inspiration. But in this case, he’d been served a chilled oat and fruit mixture that turned out to be Bircher muesli. I had a go at making it, and it’s been in rotation ever since.

It’s one of those recipes I keep coming back to — and keep tweaking. This is actually the third version I’ve shared, because I’m always playing around with ingredients. My current version includes kefir for a bit of a gut health boost, apple juice for sweetness, and a mix of full-fat and zero-fat Greek yoghurt. You can use just one or the other depending on what you’ve got to hand.

Jump to Recipe

Why Bircher Muesli Worked So Well in My B&B

Back when I was running my B&B, Bircher muesli was one of those quietly popular options on the breakfast table. Most guests hadn’t tried it before, but once they did, they usually asked for the recipe. I did welcome some guests who skipped the main course altogether and just had a large bowl of the bircher with fruit. It looked fresh and healthy and gave them a break from the full English.

From the my B&B owner/cook point of view, it was also practical. You could make a big bowl the night before, pop it in the fridge, and it would happily last for a few days. Perfect for those busy summer mornings when guests were coming and going, and you didn’t want to be stirring porridge in the middle of a heatwave.

What’s the Difference Between Bircher Muesli and Overnight Oats?

These terms get used interchangeably these days, but there are a few subtle differences.

Bircher muesli is the original — it was created by a Swiss doctor in the early 1900s as a health food. It traditionally includes grated apple and often uses apple juice for soaking the oats, giving it a fresher, fruitier taste.

Overnight oats are more of a modern take — usually soaked in milk or yoghurt with sweeteners and fancy toppings. They’re often a bit thicker and sometimes feel more like pudding than breakfast.

Personally, I prefer Bircher muesli. It feels lighter and cleaner — especially with summer berries on top.

A Handy Way to Use Up Leftover Plant-Based Milks

If you’ve ever stocked oat milk, almond milk, or soya milk for a guest request and found yourself with half a carton left over, Bircher muesli is a great way to use it up.

You can swap it in for the apple juice or kefir. Just adjust the balance so the oats still have something slightly sweet or tangy to soak in. A plant-based yoghurt works just as well too, if you’re making a vegan version.

About the photo...

I had big plans to take a beautifully styled photo of my Bircher muesli for this blog post. I even had a mental list: rustic blue bowl, vintage spoon, artfully rumpled napkin. But every morning, I’m pretty much on autopilot until I’ve eaten, so I kept forgetting. After a week of this, I gave up and got Canva AI to generate one.

So here's the photo I actually took...

Exciting eh?

I do genuinely love this lidded Pyrex bowl for storing my Bircher muesli ( I think I've confessed my bowl obsession before ). I originally bought it for making yoghurt, but it’s perfect for this sort of thing — it’s just the right size, seals well, and makes me feel vaguely organised. If you’re in the market for a good, solid storage bowl - it's also perfect for storing cut fruit. It's also comes in a 0.6L size. This is the one I use >> Pyrex Round Shape with lid, 1.6L

Please note that this blog contains some affiliate links through to Amazon. If you buy via one of these links, I get a small percentage of the sale (at no extra cost to you), which helps cover the cost of hosting this blog.

Our Favourite Bircher Muesli Recipe

I usually make a big batch a couple of times a week, and it lasts us about four days in the fridge.

Ingredients (Makes 4 Servings):

• 2 cups (180g) rolled porridge oats (not jumbo – they don’t soak as well)
• 375ml apple juice (1.5 cups)
• 125ml natural kefir (½ cup)
• 240g full-fat Greek yoghurt (1 cup)
• 240g zero-fat Greek yoghurt (1 cup)
• 2 medium red apples, grated (skins on for extra fibre)

Optional:

• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed

Method:

Stir the oats, apple juice, kefir, and yoghurts together in a large bowl. Add the grated apple and give it a good mix. Cover and pop it in the fridge overnight. It’ll be ready to eat the next morning — and even better the day after.

How We Serve It

It's a pretty healthy balanced breakfast as it is, but I increase the protein and fibre in mine by adding in a couple of tablespoons of organic whey protein powder and a tablespoon of psyllium husk, topped with a generous pile of strawberries, kiwi and raspberries and pumpkin seeds. Rob prefers his with strawberries and chopped walnuts

It’s the kind of breakfast that feels like you’ve made a bit of an effort, even though it took five minutes to throw together the night before. Add a black coffee on the side and you’re good to go.

A Few Tweaks You Can Make

• Swap the kefir for more apple juice, milk or plant-based milk
• Use just full-fat or just zero-fat yoghurt depending on what you’ve got
• Make it vegan with plant-based milk and yoghurt
• Use gluten-free oats if needed