This easy muesli recipe requires nothing more than mixing a few pantry staples together! It’s so good, you’ll be making it on repeat, and will save a bundle on those expensive bags and boxes of store-bought muesli cereals.
Since I was a little girl in Scotland, I have loved Alpen muesli cereal.
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In fact, when my mother was pregnant, she said she couldn’t wait to get up to eat a bowl of Alpen for breakfast because she loved it so much.
That said, I have to explain, to those of you in North America who may have only tasted the Canadian-made Alpen: it’s NOT the same as the original UK Alpen, it’s absolutely awful! I actually left a review for the only box I ever bought, and said it tasted like horse food! Not that I’ve had horse food, but you get the idea.
So whenever I come back from the UK, I have some Alpen in my suitcase. Last time, I splurged and bought the family size (almost 2.5 lb) bag and lugged it back with me. Well, no more lugging heavy cereal over 5000 miles, because I’ve cracked the Alpen code, and made it myself! It tastes JUST like the original!
Honestly, I cannot tell you how ecstatic I am to have done this. This copycat Alpen tastes just like the real deal, and I have already made four batches in about 10 days! This means my husband is allowed to eat “Alpen” too, now (it was off limits when I lugged it back from the UK)!
Alpen comes in three flavors: original (which is the one I like), no sugar, and dark chocolate. The beauty of this recipe is that you can make all three. Omit the sugar for the no sugar version, and add chocolate for the chocolate Alpen! So easy, and the most work you’ll have to do is to chop some hazelnuts, that’s it. Some of you on Facebook asked about muesli when you saw my photo.
What is Muesli?
Müesli means, “little mush” in German. It was invented by a Swiss doctor, Maximilian Bircher-Benner, in the early 1900s who hoped to cure his sanatorium patients by healthy eating of raw food. His original concoction consisted of rolled oats (soaked in water for 12 hours), sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, grated apple and ground hazelnuts or almonds.
You may have heard of Bircher muesli as there has been a resurgence of this overnight oats breakfast in past years. I eat Alpen, and this copycat muesli, with cold milk poured over it, but you can make it like Bircher muesli, or even pour hot milk onto it.
Did you know I’m a World Porridge Champion? Learn how to make better tasting oatmeal.
What is Alpen?
In the late 1960s, a UK executive from the Weetabix company was on a skiing holiday in Switzerland when his personal chef made him some muesli. (FYI I still buy Weetabix as I don’t think I’ll be recreating this cereal anytime soon!) He loved it so much and was so impressed with how it kept him going on the slopes, he brought the idea back to the UK and Alpen was born in 1971. It has been incredibly popular ever since. -Alpen.com
One of the things I love most about Alpen is the dry-milk coated raisins! Don’t ask me why, because I haven’t got a clue-it’s such a strange thing, I know!
Now, let’s get to the recipe. Here are all the ingredients you’ll need for the original Alpen muesli recipe (with a pinch of salt–not shown). Try to buy organic if at all possible. I used Shiloh Farms wheat flakes, Trader Joe’s nuts, organic raisins and organic rolled oats. My supplies have dwindled because I’ve made so many batches. Do I even need to tell you how nutritious this breakfast is? I thought not.
Easy Muesli Recipe (Alpen Copycat)
copycat recipe of Alpen muesli makes 10 servings
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW (I recommend using a scale)
Put all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
Pour into an airtight container.
Keep in a cool cupboard or pantry. Use within 4 weeks.
How to Serve Muesli
Serve with cold milk, or even hot milk on a cold day.
Soak the muesli with water the night before, and add shredded apples if you like, too. It’s rather addictive, just warning you. Although I’m not pregnant, I wake up thinking about having this cereal, too!
And if you have never seen one of these cow milk jugs, they are absolutely hilarious! Well, to me they are, but my mum hates them, ha ha! I have to say, children think they are so funny! Maybe something to encourage them to have milk (or whatever you want to pour)!
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Easy Muesli Recipe (Alpen Copycat)
A copycat recipe of Alpen muesli.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (170 g) wheat flakes
- 1 ¾ cups (170 g) rolled oats, old fashioned (not instant)
- ½ cup (60 g) raisins
- 1 Tbsp (14 g) fine sugar (caster), or a little more or less, to your liking (omit for sugar-free)
- 4 Tbsp dry milk powder
- ½ cup (43 g) sliced almonds (raw or roasted)
- ⅓ cup (43 g) chopped hazelnuts (raw or roasted)
- a generous pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients into a bowl
- Mix well.
- Pour into airtight container.
Notes
Original Alpen has twice the amount of sugar, so if you want to make it exactly the same, just add 2 Tbsp of sugar.
For no sugar Alpen: omit the sugar.
For dark chocolate Alpen: add ½ cup (57 g) dark chocolate chunks.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 25mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 7gSugar: 7gProtein: 10g
Nutrition information is only estimated.
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Oh my goodness I moved to Australia in 2019 and haven’t found any muesli that comes close to Alpen, I’m so excited to try this!
What are wheat flakes? I googled it and it just comes up with bran flakes, can I crush them and use that?
Hi Bel, you’ll LOVE this, it’s really like Alpen, however, you’ll have to find proper wheat flakes. Bran flakes are nothing close to wheat flakes, so no, that won’t work. Wheat flakes look like rolled oats (think of the wheat kernel being flattened like rolled oats are). You can see them in the photos, there’s no crunchy flake cereal in Alpen. You may have to ask at a health food shop. Let me know if you can find them. CC
I found something called wheat flakes, I’m not entirely sure they’re the right thing, but it still worked out delicious!!! Thank you!
I live in Canada and loved Alpen as a child. After not eating it for a while I am sure they have changed it by adding flales or different flakes. It wasn’t as sweet either, but maybe I bought the sugar free…if we even have a choice.
[…] One of the easiest make-ahead breakfast meal preps you can do: Alpen-copycat muesli! Just mix all the ingredients together then enjoy hot or cold. Check it here. […]
Lovely, thanks for sharing. I’m in Canada and have been consuming our version here. Trying to save money as it’s so expensive and was looking for recipes to try and make my own. Can’t wait to try the OG version of it myself.
Oh I think you’ll be delighted with this one. I couldn’t eat the Canadian version being so used to the original from the UK. Let me know what you think, Melanie!
I’m excited to try this but am struggling to find wheat flakes. I too am in Canada and have to accept the Canadian version as others are atrocious.
I hope you can ask around in your area at bread baking classes or bakeries, someone has to know.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I’m in Spain 3 months post Brexit where the Brit shops here in Almeria are unable to get any supplies through thanks to the shambles of Brexit and the Europeans’ love of paperwork and taxes in triplicate.
I only buy Alpen as an occasional special treat due to its inflated price here in Spain, but I managed to buy the last box left in the shop! As the box was getting emptier and emptier I started panicking and getting withdrawal symptoms and I just happened to stumble across your page. I’m delighted with the results even though I substituted dried milk powder for coffee mate, it’s absolutely spot on. Thank you so much!
Oh that makes me so happy as I understand your pain! Try it with the milk powder as it will be even more like Alpen! Hope you find other recipes to enjoy, too! CC
This is so interesting. I used to eat this in college. I think the brand was Familia? I’ve always wondered why the muesli was powdered looking, and now I know! Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve never had Familia! I wonder how similar it is?
While not breakfast cereal people, this is my go to for snacking… Can’t wait to make a batch.
I have to try this, Christina! I love everything about this. You know I adore homemade granola and chocolate too just so we can reduce the sugar content found in store-bought cereals so this is absolutely fabulous. Like you, I also grew up with Alpen in Scotland and loved it but a few years ago was disappointed as my tastes had changed and found it too sweet. So, you’re brilliant! Thank you so much for this recipe. I have to make this.
Oh good! You’re so welcome, Jill! Enjoy it as much as I have!
I am intrigued by the “Muesli” recipe and want to make sure I understand it correctly – I have looked online for Wheat Flakes (that would NOT be the traditional Wheaties, correct?) I used info on package you pictured from Shiloh Farms, found it! Everything else, I am good to go…..Shall do my own Caster Sugar, that’s pretty easy……now once I mix it all, I should store in an airtight container. To prepare, I should place a serving or two in a bowl and cover with water (?) and let it soak overnight(?) then, in AM, do I drain left-over water, heat (low & slow) in microwave? or without draining the servings, simply warm on stove-top? And would one typically prepare with a little milk?
It looks so good and healthy!
C
Hi Carolyn, you are correct, not Wheaties, but actual real wheat flakes. Since I’ve never made Bircher muesli because I like it fresh with cold milk, I’m going to refer you to my friend Cynthia’s recipe for the soaking instructions. I would just use the same amount of this Alpen muesli in place of the oats. She uses milk to soak the muesli. There’s no need to cook it, but I’m sure if you wanted it hot, you could warm it up! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!