How to Make Homemade Quark
(German Curd)
Learn how to make authentic quark at home — creamy, fresh, and perfect for German cheesecake, baking, muesli and dips.
Quark is a fresh dairy product widely used in German and Central European baking. It’s soft, slightly tangy, and makes desserts like German cheesecake (Käsekuchen - recipe see here) incredibly creamy.
Beyond its taste, quark is low in fat, high in protein, and easy to digest, making it a great choice for a healthy diet. It also contains calcium and B vitamins, which support strong bones and energy metabolism. Plus, being a fermented dairy product, it contains probiotics that can help support gut health.
If you can’t find quark at your local store, making it at home is easier than you think. Plus, it’s fresh, additive-free, and yields about 600 g from almost 2 liters of buttermilk.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Resting time: 12 - 24 hours
Yield: ~600 g quark
Notes: Whey can be saved for sourdough bread, sourdough starter, baking, or smoothies
Ingredients
2 × 32 fl oz cultured buttermilk (= almost 2 liters)
Instructions
The process can take between 12 to 24 hours. I will describe how I do it but you can’t really do much wrong…
Warm the buttermilk
I start in the evening: pour the cultured buttermilk into a large pot and warm over medium heat until lukewarm. Do not boil.
Let it culture
Remove from heat and let the buttermilk sit at room temperature for a few hours until thickened (for me that’s overnight). This allows the curds to form.
Drain the curds
In the morning, line a sieve with cheesecloth, put sieve on top of another bowl and pour in the thickened buttermilk. Let it drain until it reaches the consistency of soft quark.
For me that usually takes about 6 hours. During that time the pot with sieve on top is in the fridge. If you don’t have that much time, you can gently squeeze the cheesecloth and push the liquid (whey) out.
Collect the whey
The liquid that drains off (whey) can be saved for sourdough, baking, or smoothies.
Finish
Transfer the quark to a bowl and use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (thaw in fridge overnight before usage).
Tips & Variations
Thicker quark: Let it drain longer for a drier, firmer quark, perfect for baking.
Creamier quark: Use full-fat buttermilk or blend with a small amount of cream after draining.
Flavor ideas: Add a pinch of vanilla, salt, or herbs depending on whether you plan to use it for sweet or savory recipes .