How to Make Authentic German Quark at Home (And Best Substitute for German Baking)

If you grew up in Germany, chances are German Quark was a regular part of your life. When I moved to the United States, one of the first things I noticed was that Quark was almost impossible to find. As a German baker and bakery owner, this quickly became a challenge because so many of the recipes I grew up with relied on it.

One of the most common questions I receive from Germans living in America is:

"What do you use instead of Quark?"

After years of baking German recipes in the United States and testing countless Quark recipes, I wanted to share what Quark is, how it's traditionally used, which methods worked best for me, and what I recommend as substitutes when making German recipes at home.

Jump to:

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• What Is Quark?
• What Is Quark Made Of?
• The Homemade Quark Method That Didn't Work for Me
• My Favorite Method for Making Quark
• Looking for a More Traditional Quark Recipe?
• What Can I Use Instead of Quark?
• What Kind of Milk Should You Use?
• My Favorite Quark Desserts
• German Cheesecake
• Käsesahne Torte
• Final Thoughts
• Frequently Asked Question about Quark Making
• German Quark Recipe

What Is Quark?

The best way to describe Quark is somewhere between Greek yogurt and cream cheese, but without the tanginess of yogurt or the heaviness of cream cheese.

Quark is the star ingredient in many classic German desserts, including:

• German Cheesecake (Käsekuchen)
• Käsesahnetorte (German Cream Cake)
• Quark-filled pastries
• Quark strudel with seasonal fruit
• Fruit Desserts

One of my favorite childhood memories is a simple dessert my mother would make by mixing Quark with whipped cream and serving it with fresh cantaloupe. Sometimes the simplest recipes become the most memorable.

What Is Quark Made Of?

Traditional Quark is made from milk that is cultured with beneficial bacteria and then strained to remove excess whey.

When making Quark at home, many recipes rely on milk combined with an acidic ingredient such as:

• Buttermilk
• Lemon juice
• Starter cultures

The goal is to separate the milk solids from the whey, creating a thick, creamy cheese-like product.

The Homemade Quark Method That Didn't Work for Me

Before I share my favorite way of making Quark, I want to talk about the method that I see recommended most often online.

Over the years, I have tested countless Quark recipes because, like many Germans living in America, I was determined to find something that tasted and behaved like the Quark I grew up with.

The method I see shared most frequently involves combining milk with either buttermilk, lemon juice, or both. Typically, the milk is heated to a low temperature, the buttermilk or lemon is added, and then the mixture is left at room temperature for 24 hours. Some recipes even recommend letting it sit for up to 48 hours.

After that, the mixture is strained through a cheesecloth for several hours to remove the whey and create a thicker consistency.

I have tested this method more times than I can count.

I've tried:

• Heating the milk first
• Not heating the milk
• Using only buttermilk
• Using milk and buttermilk together
• Using lemon juice
• Letting it sit for 24 hours
• Letting it sit for 48 hours
• Straining it for 5 hours
• Straining it overnight
• Straining it for a full 24 hours

And honestly, I never really cared for the results.

When I used lemon juice, I found the finished Quark far too sour. The lemon flavor was much stronger than the mild taste that authentic German Quark should have.

Even after extended straining, the texture never became quite right. Instead of thick, creamy Quark, I ended up with something that felt more like yogurt. Even Greek yogurt has a firmer consistency than some of the batches I made using this method.

Of course, that's just my experience. If this method has worked well for you, I'd genuinely love to hear about it in the comments. Maybe you've discovered a trick that I haven't tried yet!

My Favorite Method for Making Quark

As a German bakery owner, my goal is always to recreate German recipes as authentically as possible while working with ingredients available in the United States.

This method is not completely traditional, but after years of testing, it's the closest result I've found.

In the video below I didn't add the yogurt, and you can see how firm it is without the yogurt. This is why I like to add the yogurt.

Ingredients

• 1½ liters whole milk
• 1½ liters cultured buttermilk
• 300g full-fat Greek yogurt

Method

1. Bring the milk to a gentle boil.
2. Remove it from the heat.
3. Stir in the buttermilk.
4. The mixture should curdle almost immediately.
5. Pour the mixture into a cheesecloth-lined strainer.
6. Allow it to drain until most of the whey has separated.
7. Transfer the curds to a bowl.
8. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
9. Add the Greek yogurt and blend again until creamy.
10. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using.

Why I Add Greek Yogurt

When making homemade Quark, a large amount of whey is removed during straining.

For example, 3 liters of milk and buttermilk typically produce only about 500g of Quark.

Because so much moisture is lost, the finished Quark can sometimes be firmer than what I'm used to in Germany. Adding a thick, full-fat Greek yogurt creates a texture that performs beautifully in German cheesecakes and other baked goods.

I have found this is the closet taste to Quark and the best substitution. I have found that when making my German Bottomless Cheesecake and I use this quark recipe, it gives me the most authentic German tasting Cheesecake.

Looking for a More Traditional Quark Recipe?

Before we get to my recipe, I want to make something clear: my goal wasn't to create the most traditional or scientifically precise Quark possible.

My goal was to create a Quark that works beautifully in German baking while still being simple enough for the average home baker to make.

As a bakery owner, I'm constantly looking for practical solutions that deliver excellent results. I wanted a Quark recipe that I could easily make at home and use in my German cheesecakes, pastries, and other traditional recipes without spending an entire day in the kitchen.

If you're someone who loves the science of cheesemaking and wants to make Quark using traditional cultures, rennet, and a longer fermentation process, I highly recommend checking out Kimberly Killebrew's recipe from The Daring Gourmet. Her method follows a much more traditional cheesemaking approach and produces an authentic Quark using mesophilic culture, calcium chloride, and rennet.

For me personally, that process isn't practical enough for everyday baking. After years of testing, I found that the recipe below gives me the texture and baking performance I'm looking for while requiring far less time, equipment, and specialty ingredients.

If your goal is authentic German baking without turning your kitchen into a cheese laboratory, this is the method I recommend.

What Can I Use Instead of Quark?

If I don't have homemade Quark available, my favorite substitute is full-fat Greek yogurt.

It is affordable, easy to find, and works surprisingly well in many German recipes.

Some of my preferred brands include:

• Trader Joe's Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
• Fage 5%
• Siggi's Whole Milk Yogurt

The texture will be slightly softer than traditional Quark, but the result is often a lighter, creamier cheesecake that many people enjoy.

That said, if you're looking for the most authentic German texture and flavor, homemade Quark is worth the extra effort, however it will cost you 10$ in ingredients just for the quark for one recipe.

What Kind of Milk Should You Use?

For the best results, use whole milk that is not ultra-pasteurized.

Ultra-pasteurization heats milk to very high temperatures, which changes the proteins in the milk. These altered proteins don't separate and form curds as effectively, making it more difficult to achieve the proper texture when making Quark.

Look for:

• Whole milk
• Pasteurized milk
• Non-ultra-pasteurized milk

Using quality milk makes a noticeable difference in both texture and flavor.

My Favorite Quark Desserts

Frequently Asked Question about Quark Making