By Nik, founder of 東歐嚴選｜kefir.link and former chef · Updated 2 November 2026
Milk kefir, drained of most of its whey, turns into a tangy, spreadable cheese with the body of cream cheese. Fold in fresh raspberries, a spoonful of honey and a pinch of cinnamon, and you have a sweet-tart spread for toast, bagels or a plate of apple slices. Kefir gives the spread both its creamy body and its gentle sourness.
How milk kefir becomes a soft cheese
Kefir cheese is milk kefir with most of its whey drained away. Letting the curds separate from the whey before straining gives a better texture, and draining usually takes 12 to 24 hours, or longer for a thicker cheese. Store-bought plain kefir works as well as kefir made at home from grains, although its whey takes longer to drain. The longer the cheese drains in the fridge, the thicker it becomes and the sourer it tastes. Drained this way, kefir can stand in for cream cheese or sour cream.
Rescuing a cheese that is runny, sour or dry
If the cheese stays runny, drain it for longer, or use a tighter-weave cloth or a few extra layers. If it tastes too sour, a pinch of salt or a little honey or date syrup softens the edge. If it has gone dry and crumbly, stir back a little of the saved whey until it loosens. Each fix is small, so add a little at a time and taste as you go.
Toast, waffles and a savoury twist
The spread belongs on toast or a split bagel, and it also works as a dip for apple slices, crackers or pretzels. Spooned over waffles, French toast or muffins, it takes the place of butter and jam in one go. For a savoury version, leave out the honey and fruit and stir in garlic, herbs and a pinch of salt, or loosen the cheese with olive oil and serve it as a dip. Frozen raspberries can replace fresh ones; boil them for a minute and chill them completely first, as frozen berries are meant to be cooked before eating.
Raspberry kefir cheese spread
Ingredients
- 200 g plain kefir cheese Weigh after straining. As a guide, strain 500 g plain milk kefir in a Greek yogurt strainer in the fridge for about 24 hours to make about 200 g cheese. Time and yield vary; the cheese should hold its shape on a spoon.
- 60 g fresh raspberries Unsweetened frozen raspberries also work: boil them with their juice for 1 minute, then chill completely before folding in.
- 2 tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
You will need
- Mixing bowl and spoon
Instructions
- Gently rinse the fresh raspberries under running water, then pat dry with clean paper towels.
- Stir the kefir cheese, honey and cinnamon together in a bowl until smooth.
- Gently fold in the raspberries with a spoon, pressing lightly to leave small fruit pieces and pink streaks in the cheese.
- Spoon the spread into a small bowl to serve.
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