I’ve talked a lot about fermented foods and drinks lately, from my favorite water kefir, to homemade sauerkraut. Lately, I’ve been enjoying trying things like fermented condiments, salsas, and more.

Most of these recipes use whey to speed the lacto-fermentation process and for a long time, I avoided these recipes because I simply didn’t have and didn’t know how to make whey.

A friend and lacto-fermenting veteran shared an easy way to make whey, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t started doing this sooner! The best part is, you can make whey at home in any kitchen with ingredients available at any grocery store.

how to make homemade whey and cream cheese from yogurt at home

Whey and Cream Cheese Recipe

How to make whey for fermenting vegetables and other foods and get probiotic cream cheese!

Prep Time 5

Total Time 1 5

Calories 4kcal

Author Katie Wells

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings

Ingredients

32 oz full fat organic plain yogurt
cheesecloth or thin dish towel

Instructions

Pour the desired amount of yogurt into a cheesecloth or thin towel.
Pull the ends of the towel up and secure with string or a rubber band.
Tie the towel with yogurt in it to a cabinet handle and position a medium size bowl underneath.
Leave it alone overnight to drip. The dripping liquid is whey.
In the morning, if the dripping has stopped, pour the whey in the bowl into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator for up to six months.
The yogurt left in the towel is actually cream cheese now. Put it in its own container and use as you would store-bought cream cheese.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Whey and Cream Cheese Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 TBSP)

Calories 4

% Daily Value*

Sodium 7mg0%

Carbohydrates 0.8g0%

Sugar 0.8g1%

Protein 0.1g0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

Make sure the towel is thin, as it will absorb too much of the whey if it is a very absorbent towel.
Use the whey for homemade salsas, sauerkraut, fermented veggies or pickles and more.

Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

Have you made whey before? If so, what is your favorite recipe using it? Share below!

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

158 responses to “How to Make Whey & Cream Cheese”

Cassandra

July 11, 2018

It’s not cream cheese that’s left over after you strain the whey out — it’s greek yoghurt. Taste it, and you’ll see. We make homemade yoghurt all the time, and use our trusty cheese cloth to strain out the whey. Excited to have some new uses for it!

Reply
Melissa

July 7, 2018

I left my yogurt dripping 24 hours and it is still dripping is it okay to leave dripping another night or should I move it to the fridge?

Reply
LaNee’

July 2, 2018

Does the towel need to be refrigerated overnight while it drips?

Reply
George

April 24, 2018

I make cream cheese pretty regularly, and the whey is a real bonus. In particular I use it in place of water in bread making. It takes my loaves to another level. But the method I use is a lot less expensive. I heat milk and, when it reaches a simmer, I add a couple of spoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. This separates the curd and whey, I then strain through a cheesecloth-lined colander.

Reply
1. Ansie
  
  July 5, 2020
  
  Then you dont have any live cultures left to do the fermentation
  
  Reply
Sjaan

May 21, 2016

Hi, I lined a colander with cheesecloth and let my full-fat organic plain yoghurt drip all night. They whey has dripped out into the glass bowl I sat underneath the colander however, some of the yoghurt has seeped into the whey also :-/. Is this ok considering I want to use the whey mix to ferment Veges or will it spoil my Veges causing mold to develop?

Would love your help

Reply
1. Kay
  
  May 22, 2016
  
  I don’t know if it would hurt it or not, but maybe put it through the toweled sieve again to catch what came through. Other than that, I don’t know. I used cheesecloth the first time I made it, and when I went to squeeze out the rest, the cheesecloth broke and I was left with a mess. Maybe I squeezed too hard. Now, I use a cotton towel similar to a dish towel that doesn’t leave lint. Hope that helps somewhat.
  
  Reply
Carrie

May 19, 2016

I hope this is not a dumb question, forgive me if it is. I am just trying to find an alternative for ginger bug to make cultured drinks that is dairy free as I can’t have dairy. I just haven’t had any luck since my very first ginger bug. All the rest have never made it or died during the 5-7 day period. I’ve wasted so much money on ginger and sugar trying to make it work again. I can’t get organic ginger here and that may be the problem. I don’t know. I know this is whey and kefir is made from milk also but would either of these, after the straining process be ok for dairy free or is there another alternative?

Reply
Grace

May 14, 2016

can the whey be used to make an organic protein shake?

Reply
Yuliya

March 30, 2016

Amazing thread, I’d appreciate if someone can provide instructions how-to make home made yogurt either from raw or organic store bought milk. Is the yogurt machine a must?

Reply
John R

February 23, 2016

I take raw milk and make butter from it. I have been told the liquid I have left after extracting the butter is whey. Others call it butter milk. I think it is to thin to be buttermilk. What do you think? Is it whey?

Reply
1. Kay
  
  February 23, 2016
  
  As far as I know, it is butter-milk. The whey comes from strained yogurt.
  
  Reply
Aubrey

February 20, 2016

Confused. Is the resulting product Greek yogurt or cream cheese? Commenters seem to be saying both like it’s interchangeable…

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  February 23, 2016
  
  It is technically strained yogurt but it tastes similar to greek yogurt and is thick like cream cheese and can be used in recipes like cream cheese.
  
  Reply
  1. Danielle
    
    June 21, 2016
    
    Is this whey ok to use in the lemonade recipe for someone with a dairy allergy?
    
    Reply
    1. Wellness Mama
      
      July 17, 2016
      
      I wouldn’t use it for someone with an allergy.
      
      Reply
PLMohan

February 10, 2016

Hello Mama!

I have been so perplexed about the difference between sweet whey and acid whey and which to use for fermentation. Apparently the best way to propagate lactobacillus is to use sweet whey derived from soft cheeses as opposed to acid whey derived from yogurt. Check out below for a bit of background info if you haven’t come across it already.

Whey Too Much: Greek Yogurt’s Dark Side- https://modernfarmer.com/2013/05/whey-too-much-greek-yogurts-dark-side/

Can you clarify this with your fermenting veteran friend pretty please?

Many Thanks in advance!! 🙂

Reply
Christine

January 25, 2016

I made some whey about 2 months ago. At the time it was completely clear. It currently has some white, fluffy/flowy stuff floating near the bottom. The rest is the same consistency and smell as before. Is it still good to use?

Reply
Kshama

September 13, 2015

In India we make Shrikhand from whey. It is prepares by mixing whey, Sugar, cardamom powder and some saffron. Mixed using a mixing machine (https://allthatisbright.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/puran-yantra.jpg). If the whey is sufficiently dry then the shrikhand can be stored upto 1 month outside the fridge.

Reply
Mary Pierce Brosmer

August 16, 2015

Can you make whey by using whey powder and mixing with water? The using kvass, etc?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  August 18, 2015
  
  I don’t think you can make whey form whey powder.
  
  Reply
Hanna

August 14, 2015

I read someone say, you CAN’T use sour cream to do this, I beg to differ. Just made my first batch of Kimchi, used whey from SC, worked great!
I had lots of leftover juice, drink or save for next batch?

Reply
Kenny

August 5, 2015

I am so glad I found this site. I wanted to make homemade ginger ale and this blog has opened my eyes to so much. I’m not a health nut not of particularly ill health, but I do like to consume some good stuff like pro-biotics. I’m a big pickle, Kimchi and sauerkraut fan and this is taking it to a new level for me.

I cannot believe how much whey I have poured down the drain! Never found something I though I would like to use it in. I make my own Greek yogurt when I do gyros and souvlaki and I am sick now over the wasted whey.

Also, my wife got on me the last time I ate some of her yogurt because I stir it…like most people do. She pours off the settled whey and likes it as the yogurt thickens up as she goes through the tub of it.

All that wasted whey…I wish I had learned this 30 years ago.

Reply
Emily

June 11, 2015

Its very easy to make whey. Take raw milk in a pan up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Add a few drops renner, take it up to 104, then take off heat. You’ll have raw mozzarella and raw whey.

Reply
Jadis

April 26, 2015

Forgive me if this was already addressed, but it makes me nervous to eat a dairy product that was left out overnight. This is generally ok? The FDA has me worried about what I eat ; )

Reply
terah

April 24, 2015

this makes great whey for the probiotic lemonade recipe you posted. wondering if i didn’t have time to make my own if you would recommend any specific type to purchase. seems like they are all geared toward body building, etc. and i want one that focuses on the gut-promoting attributes of it!

Reply
Andia

March 23, 2015

this might sound silly…can I use the whey from my milk kefir? Or Could lemonade be made with water kefir instead of whey? As in just add fresh lemons to water kefir and be considered probiotic?

Reply