Toasted Muesli with Almonds, Coconut and Dark Chocolate
Simple and delicious toasted muesli with almonds, coconut and dark chocolate (or mix-ins of your choice!). This muesli is a healthy, homemade breakfast.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on October 1, 2024
Growing up, my mom wouldn’t allow any sugary cereal into the house except for the exceedingly rare box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which we ate right out of the box like candy. Because it is candy.
I was otherwise opposed to cereal. I never liked my mom’s choice of cereal—the healthy, fortified, fiber-rich stuff. On a more fundamental level, I couldn’t understand the appeal of cold milk and soggy stuff in a bowl. It’s like cold soup! Plus, I hated the sound of metal spoons scraping against bowls so early in the morning. I swore off the whole category and switched to toast with peanut butter.
I crinkled my nose at the cereal bar in the dorms and carried on in my toast-eating ways until junior year, when I moved to France for a semester abroad. There were no toasters, refrigerators or microwaves in the dorms, just a stove. I stored my food in a cabinet in my little room and quickly learned how to get by.
At the French grocery stores, I found milk that didn’t require refrigeration until opening. Then, my friend Mandy introduced me to the magic of the French cereal aisle. The French know how to make some tasty, chocolatey cereal. After all my years of cereal-hating, I survived on cereal in France.
After all that, I came back home and fired up my toaster again. We just don’t make cereal like the French do. Eventually, I expanded into oatmeal and egg-y things and homemade muffins. I learned how to make granola, which is now a staple, and here we are now with muesli.
I wasn’t sold on muesli until I ran out of my yogurt and homemade granola in Austin. Ali offered me some of her store-brand toasted muesli and almond milk and it turns out, I like cold soup when toasted muesli is involved.
Muesli is like a healthier, lightened-up granola, which isn’t to knock my beloved granola but to point out that muesli has significantly less oil and sugar in it. It can be made with no oil or sugar at all, but a little bit goes a long way in the flavor department.
I treat muesli like granola and mix it with almond milk or yogurt in the morning. You can store extra muesli in a bag in the freezer and grab it like you would a box of cereal.
Most muesli recipes call for just plain, raw oats, but if you want to make phenomenal muesli, you must toast the mixture in the oven. The heat brings out the best in the oats, almonds and coconut. The oats crisp up a bit, so they retain more texture, which I love.
Muesli reminds me of cereal, which reminds me of France, so I added a reasonable amount of tiny chocolate chips to the mix. It’s basically the Almond Joy of muesli.
I’ve been playing around with muesli flavors like I have with granola. In fact, you could take inspiration from any granola recipe and turn it into muesli using the recipe below as your guide. You’ll find more muesli variations and guidance here.
Please let me know how your recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Toasted Muesli with Almonds, Coconut and Dark Chocolate
Simple and delicious toasted muesli with almonds, coconut and dark chocolate. This muesli is a healthy, homemade breakfast. Feel free to change up the mix-ins; just replace the almonds, coconut and chocolate with about 3 cups nuts and/or dried fruit (add the dried fruit after the muesil has cooled, like you do with the chocolate in the recipe below). Recipe yields approximately 7 cups muesli.
Ingredients
Muesli
- 4 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 ½ cups sliced almonds
- 1 ½ cups large, unsweetened coconut flakes
- Scant 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini dark chocolate chips
Serving suggestions
- Milk of choice (I like almond milk) or plain yogurt
- Sliced bananas, berries or fruit of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For easy cleanup, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (I was out, so I did not and it was fine).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut, salt and cinnamon. Mix well. Pour in the maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract and mix well. Do NOT add the chocolate chips; we’re saving those for later.
- Pour the mixture onto your baking sheet and bake until the oats and coconut flakes are lightly golden and fragrant, tossing halfway, about 15 minutes.
- Let the muesli cool completely before mixing in the chocolate chips (if you add them too soon, the chips will melt and you’ll have a delicious mess of chocolatey muesli). Serve individual portions in bowls with almond milk or yogurt. I like to let my muesli rest for a few minutes so the oats soften up a bit. Enjoy!
- Store cooled muesli in a freezer-safe bag with the air squeezed out. It keeps best in the freezer (no defrosting time required).
Notes
Recipe roughly adapted from my cranberry orange granola.
Make it vegan/dairy free: Be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips and non-dairy milk, like almond milk.
Make it gluten free: Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This post was created in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!
Hi, I just wonder why you don’t add Turkish cuisine recipes into your website. You will not regret.
Hi Ebru. I’m sorry, I haven’t had the chance to experience much Turkish cuisine so I haven’t attempted any Turkih recipes at home. I’ll look into it.
I’m still not feeling “cold cereal” for breakfast. I too have never been a cereal girl. It looks like slop and not what I want first thing in the morning. I was with you until you started talking about mueslie. I understand you want/need to make money but this feels like a sell out.
Astrid, I’m sorry you feel that way. I just finished a bowl of muesli for breakfast and thoroughly enjoyed it. My preferences have changed over time and while I still don’t like most cereals, I really love toasted muesli. I would never, ever post a recipe that I don’t enjoy on my blog! All I was asked to do is create a recipe with old-fashioned oats (which could be a wide variety of things), and I made muesli because I love it and wanted to share it as the healthy and delicious breakfast option that it is.
I love this recipe and make it weekly now. I sub dried cherries for the choc chips. Keep up the good work!
Wow, your comment is rude and really not necessary. Just because you don’t care for something doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be on the internet. I am glad to find this recipe..as I’m sure many other people are as well. Kate, I will be making this today. Thank you for posting.
Thank you, Amy! Hope you’re enjoying the muesli.
I loved this. Easy to make, travels well, tastes great. Love your website! thank you.
Lol because everyone has the exact same taste buds as you and needs your input. False. We don’t.
Fine recipe. I’m currently not allowing myself to have oats but I’ll bet this breakfast kicks pop tarts in the face.
Love your other recipes too :)
Thank you, Alex. :)
Lol. Astrid…. really! SMH. I never liked muesli until the Tuckshop chef (I work at a school) started making muesli with Greek yoghurt and fresh fruits. Aaaaaand sold! Going to get all the ingredients now and start making my own. I love this one because of no raisins (phew) and chocolate chips! Wait what? She added chocolate? YES!
Harsh words for so early in the AM! I think it looks great, thanks for the idea.
Agree! I love muesli (only ate it at my grandmother’s with warm milk in the winter) and am going to try this. Nothing wrong with a sponsored post once in a while if you make something you genuinely like.
Thank you, Fiona!
Don’t worry, you are not a sell out! I discovered muesli as an adult, and I love it. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Your blog, Naturally Ella, and Smitten Kitchen are my all-time favorite blogs. Your recipes always turn out great, and they inspire me to make healthy, delicious meals for my family (your mango salsa recipe saved dinner last night!) Thank-you for sharing your great ideas!
Hooray, thank you! Really appreciate you saying so. Glad you enjoyed the mango salsa!
Thank you for your post on muesli. It looks delicious. Sometimes the most simple recipes are the best! Do you know if there is a certain kind /brand of chocolate chip that is ok for a plant based-oil free diet?
I enjoy your blog!
Hi Linda! I agree, simple recipes can really be the best. I am not familiar with the specifics of an oil-free diet, but I used Enjoy Life brand’s vegan mini chocolate chips (http://enjoylifefoods.com/our-food/baking-chocolate/chocolate-for-baking-mini-chips/), which I believe I bought at Target. The ingredients are simply: Evaporated Cane Juice, Natural Chocolate Liquor (Non-Alcoholic), Non-Dairy Cocoa Butter. Hope those will work for you!
This is likely so late that it won’t help, but maybe you could use cocoa powder instead? Also, carob is a good alternative, too.
Thank you for this recipe! I finally (recently) got on the granola-making bandwagon, mostly to make more healthful cereal available for my husband and daughter. We lived in Germany for half a year, and while there, learned to like muesli. I’ve intended to try making it, and voila – here is a recipe! Many thanks.
And to previous posters – yes, its look is not elegant – and no need to be so harsh. Consider that muesli a basic whole grain food, healthful, and while for some an acquired taste, once acquired, it makes for a lovely and simple morning routine.
Thank you, Leslie! I hope you all enjoy this muesli.
Any dish that includes chocolate for breakfast has my attention. Sounds delicious. And Cookie looks ever so hopeful of snagging a morsel or two — so cute!
Yum, Kate, this looks amazing! I’m on a muesli kick right now, so it’s extra perfect! I had one question, though. I am used to eating muesli after it has soaked overnight, and I was wondering if you thought I could do that with this? If you soaked it overnight, would you add more liquid? It sounds good the way you suggested serving it, too! Thanks!
Abbie
Hi Abbie, yes, you could soak this muesli like you would any other muesli! I think it really boils down to personal preference. I like mine to retain some texture, so I just let it rest for a couple of minutes. Hope you’ll give it a try!
Just thought I would comment to say that not only have I tried it, I LOVE it, and it has become a staple for me! I have even doubled it before so I could have twice the amount for the same amount of mess! Thank you so much!
Ah muesli! One of my most favorite breakfasts ever. Love this toasted version too!
I lived on sugary cereal as a kid (and loved toast too!) but I have grown to love more healthful morning meals like oats and muesli. I used Bob’s Red Mill oats often too. I love the look of this particular recipe because I’ve never tried toasted muesli before. Your photos make me want to dig right in!
I love all the flavours in here! so delicious!
You’re lucky to have a mum like that. Mine bought me nutella, breakfast cereals, piadine (it’s like a wrap made with white flour and oil/lard) filled with scamorza (cheese) and speck, chocolate and so on. Luckily I started to learn about healthy food and now she eats better too!
Oh boy, lots of sweet treats! I bet you had fun eating them, though. :)
i LOVE museli! i was introduced to it while studying abroad in England and haven’t been able to find a good sub. Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve been seeing so many recipes for granola on blogs, but I just can’t stomach the amount of sugar in them. This, however, I’ll do! Thanks!
Thank you, Stephanie! Hope you love it!
Crazy talk! This looks and sounds fantastic! I love your blog and all of your recipes. I can’t wait to try this out- it’s perfect for this warm weather I’m experiencing!
This looks like a perfectly lovely breakfast. I will most certainly be trying this. This is like cereal for grown-ups, and I love that is is lower in sugar.
Wow, people have strong feelings about muesli!
I’m a relatively new reader to the blog and I’m slowly working through your recipes, Kate and they’re all huge hits in my home. My carnivore husband ate your honey-almond granola by the handful.
I’m looking forward to the weekend so I can make your Brussels sprouts pizza and muesli. Keep doing what you’re doing, I love your recipes (and more pictures of Cookie doing cute things wouldn’t hurt either!) :)
Cheers.
P.S. regarding Turkish recipes – I made a Turkish bread called “Tahinli ekmek” that was a lot of work but AMAZING. they’re like cinnamon rolls but have a tahini/brown sugar/cinnamon filling and are rolled differently.
Tahini cinnamon rolls?! I’m sold. Off to google them now. Thank you for your kind words about my blog, Deepthi. So glad to hear that you and your husband are enjoying my recipes! Cookie says hi. :)
My sister and I loved Cinnamon Toast Crunch growing up. But muesli is actually my go-to breakfast every morning these days. I cannot wait to try this delicious-looking recipe!
wow people are pretty harsh even on food blogs… it’s just food not religion haha anyway, i love muesli. and i love cereal. i don’t feel you on the cereal front. nothing like a good bowl of cap’n crunch w/ berries when you’re in the mood. the trick is… pour a little at a time. of course then you eat half the box because your mind thinks you haven’t eaten as much as you really have. =/ i don’t think i’ve ever had muesli with chocolate in it though. definitely a win!
Thanks, Cam! I appreciate it. I think I missed the boat on Cap’n Crunch, but I like your pour-as-you-go tip!
I don’t consider myself a muesli person (though I dig me some granola but when you put it like that… muesli being a healthier granola, how can I NOT try it?). You now have me salivating and I just ate lunch and am full so that’s SOMETHING new!! I’m going to have to make a variation on this (son’s allergic to coconut and I want him and everyone else to be able to join in on the fun) next week. And I’ve add almond milk to my grocery list. Thank you for giving me something exciting to look forward to with breakfasts again. It’s the one meal of the day that I cannot miss but also the one with which I get into a rut most often.
Thank you, Lisa! I think you’ll like this muesli. It’s a little more granola-like than most. Enjoy!
My first thought as I was scrolling through these pics is that this looks like something I’d actually eat for breakfast. Not some stylized crazy breakfast thing that no one has time to make. Love that! Keep it up.
Thanks, Tessa! That’s what I was going for. I think breakfasts should be super simple, especially weekday breakfasts!
Do you have to put muesli in milk to eat it? Or can you eat it straight like dry cereal (sans milk)? I don’t like putting milk in my cereal, so I’ve always stayed away from muesli because I only ever see it served in milk.
Hi Mimi! I just sampled the muesli straight from the bag and it’s great that way. I don’t know if un-toasted muesli would be as enjoyable since it’ll be even more chewy, but I really enjoyed the version you see here.
I’ll have to try making it!
Wow, somebody (Astrid) woke up on the wrong side of the bed! Please don’t listen to the bullies on the web that go mean on lovely people like you. I would like to say that I am always inspired by your recipes and photos and it was a nice change up from granola to see your toasted muesli recipe today. Keep up the great work, and don’t let a mean comment ruin your day, week or month!
Thank you very much, Jerilyn!
Oh my gosh I totally agree with you about the cereal thing!! My mum would only buy healthy stuff too and also now I really dislike cereal with milk and agree with the cold soup thing. If I have cereal (granola etc) I eat it on its own or with yogurt etc. Never with milk.
This looks totally delicious. I will have to have a go making it! :-)
Glad I’m not the only one! All of a sudden, I don’t mind my muesli with cold almond milk. How times change…
sounds perfect to start a good day!! yumm
I studied abroad in France as well and LOVED the cereal there! They had this one almond-honey-crunch situation that I ate for breakfast/dinner/dessert. It’s so surprise I gained so much weight in France…
Oh dang, that sounds good.
This actually looks like the perfect after school snack. Delicious!
I always enjoy your recipes. Have you, or will you ever be writing a cookbook?
How long will the muesli keep in the fridge?
Hi June, thank you! I am hoping to work on a cookbook soon… we’ll see. :) I recommend storing the muesli in the freezer (in a freezer-safe bag, with the air squeezed out and sealed). It should keep well for a few months!
I agree, toasted oats make the muesli 10x better! These looks and sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing : )
That look delicious and I cant wait to make it this week end, I always loved muesli!
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes Kate, I love every single one of them.
The roasted brussel sprouts pizza is also next on my list!
I am also looking forward to your monthly list of fresh produce, it is my kitchen bible!!
Thank you so much, Cecilia! Please let me know how the pizza and muesli turn out. Just a head’s up, my May produce guide will be a few days late, but it’s coming! So glad you appreciate the guides.
I’ve been on the hunt for healthier breakfast options, and this sounds divine! I could live on cereal alone!
I recently fell in love with muesli and was JUST thinking I’d like to mix it up and try my hand at creating some of my own flavors. This looks like just what the Dr. ordered – I might even try it with some dried blueberries instead of chocolate! Thank you for posting such beautiful and accessible recipes. I visit your blog often.
Thanks, Jess! Dried blueberries sound like a fantastic substitution. Thank you for visiting my blog and saying hello!
I think this looks like a wonderful breakfast! Sometimes simple classics are where its at!!! :)
Yum! I love muesli and this looks like a delicious recipe, Kate. I think the secret to avoiding ‘cold soup’ is having lots of crunchy bits. I also prefer less milk and have a big dollop of natural yoghurt instead. I’m also a huge believer in dark chocolate at breakfast time! It tastes so good and is so good for you. Will definitely be giving this a try.
I never realised that granola and muesli were different. I always just thought granola was ‘American muesli’ (Aussie here). Hmmm…..
Thanks, Sarah! I’m with you on crunchy bits and yogurt. Our granola over here is usually more clumpy and sweet. Muesli is more like plain oats, although I toasted mine and added a touch of sweetener.
I am a lover of both granola and muesli but I wasn’t really sure of the difference until you pointed it out. I guess my homemade granola is more closely related to muesli then, which is what we call both granola and muesli here in Australia. Confused yet, me too….
Anyhoo, I love this recipe. Toasted oats, almonds, and chocolate sound like the best way to start the day to me, and since my granola err…muesli jar is nearly empty again I know just what I’m going to be filling it up with :)
Thanks Kate!
Thanks, Amy! Granola is usually more clustered, at least over here in the States! Hope you love my muesli.
Kate all your recipes are awesome! We all know that you will only post recipes that you enjoy and love. I am really excited to try this out. :)
Thank you, Tanya! I appreciate it. :)
Looks good. And congrats on making it onto this list of best veggie food bloggers:
http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/foodanddrink/the-best-vegan-blogs-to-follow-for-recipes-and-diet-tips-10210834.html
Thank you, Ellen! So excited that I made the list.
I never really liked muesli. :/ But I’ll give this a go!
Mmm, this looks amazing. I’m a huge muesli fan! My parents also wouldn’t let us have any sugary cereals which was annoying at the time, but I’m thankful for now!
I will try this for sure. Toasting always bring out more flavors. I don’t do dairy because I’m lactose intolerant but am slightly curious about almond milk. I’ve lived without having cereal/milk/yogurt for 4+ years so I don’t see myself jumping to almond milk but wonder about its ease with stomach issues. Any ideas?
Hmm, can you tolerate nuts well? I’m really only a fan of one brand of almond milk (Califia Farms) because all the others taste funny, and even that one has some additives. My favorite homemade nut milk is cashew milk. It’s really easy to make because the cashews blend up so well that you don’t have to strain it. You might give that a try! https://sooka.info/2013/cashew-milk-recipe/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
This looks delicious! Who can resist coconut, almond, AND chocolate?! I’m the type of person who eats the same thing for breakfast for weeks (I’ve literally been eating toast + coconut oil + raspberry jam + chia seeds for the past 4 weeks) until I get bored one day and then move on to a “new” breakfast. This muesli might be next in line after my toast stint haha!
Well, your latest breakfast sounds epic! I’m going to have to give that a try. Hope you love the muesli, Emily!
Thank you so much for sharing! I’m living in Germany right now and muesli has moved granola to the sidelines for me. I love granola, but hate all the added sugars in most types. Quick question: Is it okay for me to not toast the oats? Or will the muesli turn out differently because of the maple syrup and such?
Hey Claire, I think the muesli will be a little wet and won’t keep as well if you don’t toast the oats. Plus, toasting the oats brings out so much more flavor!
OMG, this is amazing. I’ve never had muesli, but thought I’d give this a try. It was good that I decided I needed a bowl mid-afternoon. So glad to have a filling, heathy vegan breakfast option. Thanks!
Awesome! Thank you, Shannon!
I made this yesterday and had it for breakfast today! It made my apartment smell amazing and I am still full at 11 AM, which is the ultimate breakfast test in my book. Thank you for such wonderful recipes Kate.
Hooray! Thank you, Kelly! We had matching breakfasts this morning, btw.
I made this recipe last week and it is so delicious. My girls love muesli and I usually soak my oats overnight with coconut yogurt and dried fruit. This was totally calling my name. It is my only cereal since I don’t eat cereal.
I also admire people who can make money doing something they love and you are one of them. Thanks for this recipe.
Thank you, Flor! So glad you enjoyed my muesli. Thank you for your kind words, too!
Do you have any suggestions for replacing the oats with something else? I still react to GF oats :/
Hey Emily, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve heard that a small percentage of gluten-free individuals are also sensitive to compound found in oats. I wonder if rolled quinoa would work? That’s the best substitute I can think of. If you give that a try, please keep an eye on it while it bakes (in case quinoa flakes toast quicker) and let me know how it turns out!
I can’t wait to make this for my girls for breakfast! I have a delicious granola recipe, but I feel like it has far too much honey to be anything more then an occasional treat. I try to keep my girls under the reccomended 3 tablespoons of added sugar per day, so it is usually fresh fruit and Joe’s O’s or steel cut oats for breakfast at out house.
Minus the chocolate chips :)
Hope your girls love the muesli, Kristin! High five for keeping their sugar consumption under control. There’s so much sugar in everything these days…
I have a really good granola recipe, but it uses so much honey and oil. Besides being caloric, it is expensive! I always thought Muesli was mushy but I decided to give yours a try and was so pleased! It was crisp (and stayed crisp) and not so sweet. I have already enjoyed it on chia pudding and with milk. I used pepitas instead of almonds to keep it nut free for the kids to take to school, but I don’t know if there will be any left for them… :)
I hear you, Aviva! So glad you appreciate this muesli. I love it!
Absolutely love how easy and toasty this is. I like it with homemade cashew milk. My son just eats it straight up with a spoon. ha!
Hooray! Glad you two are enjoying it! Homemade cashew milk is the best.