How To Make Quark Cheese 

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares German recipes rooted in family tradition.

Updated: May 2, 2026

Quark is a German favorite I use in baking, spreads, & more. Thankfully, it's easy to make since I can't buy it here.

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Homemade Quark Cheese is perfect on its own, mixed with herbs or fruits, or used for baking such as the German Cheesecake.

Quark is hard to find outside of Europe, but it’s easy (and cheap) to make at home. I’ll show you two simple methods I use, and once you try it, you’ll see why I always try to keep some on hand. There are so many tasty ways to use it!

Top Tips for Best Results

1. Watch That Temperature: The buttermilk must NOT get warmer than 120° F.
2. Drain to Your Liking: Less time for creamy, longer for thick and spreadable.
3. Store It Right: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge and use within a few days.

What Is Quark?

Quark is a fresh dairy product made by warming soured milk and straining it. It’s smooth and creamy like thick yogurt, with a mild, plain taste and perfect for both sweet and savory German dishes.

In Germany, quark isn’t the same as cottage cheese, even though the names often get mixed up. It’s a staple in baking and a must-have in my kitchen!

Quark, Greek Yogurt, or Regular Yogurt?

I get asked all the time if quark is the same as Greek yogurt or even regular yogurt. They’re all creamy and spoonable, but they’re not quite the same.

• Quark is what's used in Germany. It’s made by gently warming soured milk, then straining it—no added cultures needed. It’s mild in flavor, smooth in texture, and naturally very low in fat (usually under 1%). It’s also easier on digestion for many people.
• Greek yogurt is thicker and tangier because it’s strained and made with live cultures. It’s high in protein like quark, but usually higher in fat, and has a sharper taste.
• Regular yogurt is the most liquid of the three. It’s usually not strained, so it’s looser and more tart. Great for breakfasts or smoothies, but not a good swap when baking something like a proper German cheesecake.

When it comes to baking, especially German recipes, quark wins every time for me. It’s creamy, mild, and gives the best texture. But if you’re in a pinch, Greek yogurt is the next best thing. Just know the flavor and texture won’t be quite the same.

2 Ways How to Make Quark

(Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.)

Making quark at home is very economical. The only ingredient you need is buttermilk.

• Always ensure your buttermilk has active cultures.

Buttermilk costs less than $2.50 per quart where I live and makes about 1¾ - 2 cups of quark.

There are all sorts of recipes for homemade quark, but these two super-easy methods I'm about to share with you yield absolutely amazing results!

1) Use a Greek Yogurt Maker

Using my Dash Greek Yogurt Maker is one of my favorite ways to make quark. If it's not available, this one is a great alternative. Not only is it great for making Greek yogurt, but it's also fantastic for making quark ... and definitely worth the cost of buying!

Here’s the simple way I make homemade quark using a Greek yogurt maker. It takes very little hands-on work, which is why I like this method so much.

All you need to start is cultured buttermilk. Be sure the label says it contains live or active cultures, because those are what help turn the buttermilk into thick, creamy quark.

Cultured buttermilk and a Greek yogurt maker are all you need to get started.

Start by pouring the cultured buttermilk into the container of the Greek yogurt maker. I use one carton, which is just about 1 quart.

There is nothing else to add and no mixing needed. Once the buttermilk is in the container, the yogurt maker will do the gentle warming for you.

Pour the cultured buttermilk into the yogurt maker container.

Put the lid on the yogurt maker and set the timer for 12 hours. This gives the buttermilk enough time to thicken slowly.

During those 12 hours, the gentle warmth helps the cultured buttermilk change texture. When it is done, it should look softly set and ready to drain.

Set the Greek yogurt maker for a 12-hour incubation.

After the 12 hours are finished, get the strainer basket and draining container ready. This step is what separates the whey from the thickened quark mixture.

The strainer fits inside the container so the liquid can collect underneath. That makes the draining neat and easy, with no cheesecloth needed.

Set up the strainer so the quark can drain properly.

Carefully pour the thickened buttermilk mixture into the strainer. It may look a little lumpy at this stage, and that is exactly how it should look.

Place the container with the strainer in the fridge and let it drain for about 6 hours. For a thicker quark, you can let it drain a bit longer.

Pour the thickened mixture into the strainer and let the whey drain away.

Once your homemade quark is as thick as you like, spoon it into a clean storage container. The texture should be creamy, soft, and ready to use.

Cover the container and keep the quark in the fridge. It is lovely for baking, spreads, dips, or simply spooned over fruit.

The finished homemade quark is ready to chill, and use.

2) Use Your Oven. No Special Equipment Needed!

One of our readers and Facebook fans, Carmen McDermott, passed on these important tips regarding making your own quark using the oven method.

• Always ensure your buttermilk has active cultures.
• Preheat your oven to its absolute lowest setting, turn on the oven light, and then let it cool slightly. (At my oven's lowest setting of 150°F, that means about 20 minutes).
• Pour cultured buttermilk into a large casserole and cover with a lid.
• Wrap your lidded casserole dish in a thick bath towel and keep it in the oven for 6 to 8 hours, with only the oven light on and the oven turned off!
• Strain the quark through a cheese cloth or clean tea towel to the desired consistency.
• Store the finished quark in a covered container in the fridge.

Carmen says that she's used this method at least a dozen times and it has never failed her.

How to Use Leftover Whey

Whey is the liquid remaining after the buttermilk has been curdled and strained. The longer you allow the quark to drain, the more whey you get. But don't throw it out! Whey can be used in all sorts of ways:

• Use whey to cook pasta, potatoes, oatmeal, or rice
• Use in place of water when you’re making soup or stew for an extra-rich broth
• Can be substituted for milk or water in most baked good recipes (bread, pancakes, muffins, etc.)
• It is fantastic in my easy no-knead artisan bread recipe
• Use it to make homemade ricotta cheese
• Use it in your smoothies for some extra protein

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Using Your Homemade Quark Cheese

• Mix a bit of honey into it and serve it with your muesli or cereal

• Top a baked potato with it, along with a sprinkle of chives and a drizzle of flax oil

• Use it instead of yogurt or sour cream in your salads, such as my creamy German cucumber salad

• Mix together with honey and fresh berries or other fresh fruit for dessert

• Spread it on your sandwiches

• Use plain quark as a base for chip and veggie dip

• Use in baking that traditional German cheesecake

Print Recipe

 How to Make Quark Cheese

Quark is a German favorite I use in baking, spreads, & more. Thankfully it's easy to make since I can't buy it here.

Prep Time:

5 minutes

Incubation Time:

12 hours

Drain Time:

6 hours

Total Time:

18 hours 5 minutes

Servings:

1¾ - 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 quart (0.95 litres) buttermilk with live cultures

Instructions:

Using a Greek Yogurt Maker:

• Pour buttermilk into Greek yogurt maker container. Cover and set for 12-hour incubation.
• Pour into a sieve set into another container and let the quark drain in the fridge for about 6 hours.
• Store the finished quark in a covered container in the fridge.

Using an oven if the temperature will go low enough:

• Preheat your oven to its absolute lowest setting, no more than 150°F (65°C), then turn off the oven, turn on oven light, and then let the oven cool slightly.
• Pour cultured buttermilk (see note) into a large casserole dish. Cover with lid.
• Wrap your covered casserole dish in a thick bath towel and keep in oven for 6 to 8 hours, with only the oven light on and the oven turned off! The buttermilk must never get warmer than 120°F! 
• Line a large colander or sieve with a clean kitchen towel. Pour the buttermilk into it. Put the lined colander in the fridge to drain for about 6 hours.
• Store the finished quark in a covered container in the fridge.

Notes/Hints:

• IMPORTANT! Ensure that your buttermilk has active or live cultures.
• Make sure you turn the oven off after it's been preheated to 150°F. If it gets too warm, the buttermilk cultures will die ... and no quark! The actual buttermilk must NOT get warmer than 120°F.
• Use the remaining liquid whey to make my easy and delicious artisan bread.
• Use this homemade quark cheese to make a traditional German-style cheesecake!

*  *  *  *  *

Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Recipe updated May 2, 2026

If you've been making quark in a different way, do let me know. I know there are ways of making this with rennet and whole milk, but I have yet to find someone who actually has made it this way.

I only like to promote recipes that I know have been used successfully. So, if you have one, do let me know! I'd love to share it here with others as well. 

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.