Pumpkin Muesli

This Pumpkin Muesli is the perfect solution to dark fall and winter mornings when you need some extra motivation to get out of bed. Made with lots of healthy grains, pumpkin puree, dried cranberries, and apple cider, it will keep you full all morning long.

(This recipe for Pumpkin Muesli was originally published in October 2013, but has been updated with new photos and content in 2018).

Breakfast! Because sometimes you need a reason to get up in the morning. You know, besides life is wonderful and you have a to-do list from here to China and back and all that jazz.

Nope, sometimes that is just not motivation enough. And to be honest, when it's cold and pitch black out boo!), sometimes not even breakfast is enough. But it can help. Plus, I guess the knowledge that you'll get fired from your job if you don't get up really should be motivation enough...

But breakfast helps just a little bit more. Or at least can make you smile a little bit. And at 6:00 a.m. that is no easy feat.

I'm one of those people who never ever gets enough sleep. Ugh. I'm always so tired in the morning and sometimes again at like 3:00 p.m. when all I can think about is black coffee, chai lattes, and what my life would be like if I still ate things like Power Bars. Or if I ever drank things like 5-Hour Energy.

But at 11:00 p.m.? Not ready for bed. I'm not saying I couldn't go to sleep if I wanted to... I'm just saying I'm not in the mood to go to sleep and I get a second wave of "OMG I'm getting so much done!" late at night. And that basically means that getting up during the week is never fun. Never. But I do it anyway. Mostly because I have no choice, but that's neither here nor there.

I wrote about bircher muesli last year and claimed I wasn't going to overdo it and would never get sick of muesli for breakfast. Well, after eating muesli for breakfast every single day, I kind of sort of got bored of it.

So, after not eating it for a few months, I decided to try again, but to switch it up a bit. I added pumpkin and some other fall delicacies and am super excited that this breakfast fits perfectly with the season and doesn't really require me to open my eyes in the morning. I can deal with that.

Pumpkin Muesli Recipe

The concept this fall pumpkin muesli is totally simple. Put a bunch of healthy ingredients in a bowl and let them chill and soak together for a while. Then top with some garnishes and eat.

The best thing is that you can make it the night before you want to eat it. And then you have it waiting for you in your fridge the next morning and for the next few days.

I love over-easy or scrambled eggs for breakfast, but they're certainly no good if you make them ahead and leave them in the fridge. This? This is the way you have to do it for this muesli.

You can feel free to mix up your muesli ingredients to whatever suits your tastes, but here's what I include in mine:

• Old-fashioned oats
• Wheat bran
• Chia seeds
• Dried cranberries
• Chopped pecans
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Pumpkin puree
• Soy milk
• Apple cider
• Shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds, and maple syrup for topping

So many superfoods that will ensure you have a marvelous day ahead! Like I said, all you really have to do is stir everything, aside from the apple cider and toppings, together in a big bowl.

Let it sit covered in the fridge overnight (or at least for 3 hours) and in the morning? All you have to do is stir in the apple cider and add on the toppings.

I think even you can handle that first thing in the morning, right?

As I mentioned earlier, all the ingredients are pretty optional. You can leave any of them out (well, maybe include the oats... and also the pumpkin) and add anything else in (well, maybe try to stay away from M&Ms and other non-breakfast candies and ice cream).

If you prefer flax seeds instead of chia seeds or any other healthy grains or dried fruit, go for it! I love my creation because I feel like it's both healthy and delicious, but, of course, everyone has different tastes.

As is, it's not a super sweet muesli, even with the apple cider mixed in. That's why I like to drizzle a little maple syrup over the top. You could also use honey or agave or simply leave it unsweetened.

Also? This pumpkin muesli keeps me full for way longer than anything else I've ever had for breakfast. And when you have a super loud hungry stomach like mine, this is a very good thing.

I don't work in an office anymore, but when I did, my stomach was constantly growling during quiet meetings. But not after a bowlful of pumpkin muesli!

Another thing that wakes you up in the morning is when your dog is sleeping on your head. Which is exactly what my dog has decided to do in the middle of the night lately. If she doesn't wake me up then sadly Alexa does at 6:00 a.m. on the dot. I'm starting to hate her (Alexa, not my dog).  I think this fall pumpkin muesli is a much better way to wake up. Yup, I'm pretty sure it is.

What's your typical weekday breakfast?

For more easy breakfast recipes that can be prepped in advance, check out my classic bircher muesli recipe or my fruity granola recipe. Next I want to make these Berry Muesli Overnight Oats Jars from The Spoon and Whisk!