Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Base
- 300 g rolled oats
- 100 g mixed nuts, roughly chopped
- 50 g mixed seeds
- 5 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 80 ml maple syrup
- 60 ml coconut oil, melted
Add-ins
- 100 g mixed dried fruit, roughly chopped if large
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 134 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 201 mg
- Calcium
- 177 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 43 mg
- Phosphorus
- 204 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 57 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 11 mcg
- Water
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat oven to 160°C or 320°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the rolled oats, mixed nuts, seeds, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Pour the maple syrup and melted coconut oil over the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly with a spatula until the oats and nuts are completely and evenly coated.
Spread the mixture in an even layer across the prepared baking sheet. Press down lightly with the spatula to encourage clusters to form during baking.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Gently stir the mixture halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning. The muesli is done when it is golden brown and smells fragrant.
Remove from the oven. Let the muesli cool completely on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes without stirring. It will crisp up entirely as it comes to room temperature.
Stir the dried fruit into the completely cooled muesli.
Chef's Notes
- Customization is key. Maintain the ratio of roughly 3 parts oats to 1.5 parts nuts and seeds, and 1 part dried fruit, but use any ingredient combination you prefer.
- Always add dried fruit after baking and cooling. Exposing dried fruit to prolonged oven heat makes it unpleasantly hard and bitter.
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick oats or steel-cut oats to achieve the ideal chewy-crisp texture.
- For the best clusters, firmly press the raw mixture into the pan before baking, and avoid stirring it excessively while it cools.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 months — Refrigeration is recommended in warm climates to prevent nuts and seeds from going rancid.
Freezer: 6 months — Freeze in an airtight container; thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Troubleshooting
Muesli is chewy instead of crunchy
Cause: Not baked long enough, or stored in an airtight container before fully cooled
Fix: Return to a 150°C oven for 5 to 10 minutes, then cool completely on the tray
Prevention: Ensure the mixture cools completely on the baking sheet before packing away
Cultural Context
Muesli was originally developed around 1900 by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital. While traditionally served raw and soaked overnight with grated apples and lemon juice, this toasted variation leverages the Maillard reaction to create deeper, nuttier flavors. It has since evolved into a versatile global breakfast staple celebrated for its high fiber content and infinite adaptability.
