Learn how to make milk kefir for a fraction of the cost of the store bought version!   Milk kefir is filled with probiotic benefits and is one of the easiest fermented food to make!

If you had asked me a year ago what milk kefir was, I’d of said Milk what? I don’t think I even knew how to pronounce “Kefir”!

Milk kefir is comparable to a drinkable form of yogurt. However, milk kefir has 10 times the beneficial strains of bacteria than yogurt. Also, instead of heating milk, adding a starter, and incubating at 110 degrees for a specified time frame, making milk kefir requires only two steps –adding kefir grains to milk and letting it sit it on your countertop!

You can check out my homemade Instant Pot yogurt tutorial here for more information on making homemade yogurt.

I had been making yogurt to add to our smoothies long before discovering how to make milk kefir. Oh, milk kefir is so much easier to make and tastes even better in our daily smoothies!

You should definitely try making milk kefir if you are a fan of yogurt!

WHAT IS MILK KEFIR?

Milk kefir is made from adding kefir “grains” to milk and letting them ferment for 24-48 hours. The microorganisms in these grains rapidly multiply and ferment the sugars in milk, turning them into kefir. (Source)

These kefir grains are not typical grains, but rather cultures of yeast and bacteria.  To me, kefir grains resemble mushy, cauliflower crumbles. The grains pack a powerful punch of probiotics and are even considered by some to be healthier than yogurt!

The taste of milk kefir will vary depending on the fermentation time and the type of milk you use. Kefir will typically have a naturally sweet taste along with a tangy kick.

PROBIOTIC BENEFITS OF MILK KEFIR 

I previously discussed the benefits of probiotics from fermented foods in my Fermented Jalapenos and Instant Pot Yogurt blog posts. However, milk kefir surpasses them both!

“Kefir may contain up to 61 different microorganisms, making it a much more potent source of probiotics than many other fermented dairy products”. – Source

In the typical western diet, yogurt is considered the most probiotic rich dairy item, but milk kefir is actually MUCH more potent in its probiotic, gut-healing benefits.

WHAT MILK SHOULD BE USED TO MAKE MILK KEFIR? 

We use raw cow’s milk from a local farmer to make our milk kefir, however kefir grains will adapt to most any type of milk they are placed into. Pasteurized milk will not produce as thick of a kefir, but will still give you some great probiotic benefits. The only milk that will not work is ultra-pasteurized milk, so make sure to check your label.

You can try goat milk, sheep milk, and even coconut milk, for a dairy free option.

There are many added preservatives added to store bought nut milks, such as almond and cashew milk. It is not recommended to ferment these since there are many added preservatives that could harm the grains. However, fresh, homemade almond or cashew milk will work great! (Source)

Note: If you do choose to use a daily alternative to make milk kefir, you will need to alternate back to cow’s milk after a few batches to revive the kefir grains. They will start to lose their effectiveness in these dairy alternatives over time.

Kefir grains are very resilient and adapt to most milk. If you decided to transition to a new type of milk, the grains will go through an adjustment period, but they will adapt very quickly!

WHERE CAN YOU PURCHASE KEFIR GRAINS? 

Kefir grains multiply very rapidly, therefore eventually you will have too many grains and your milk will ferment too quickly. For this reason, many people will sell, or even give away, their extra grains.

I purchased mine from Mr. and Mrs. Kefir on amazon. I received my grains very quickly and they adapted to their new environment in my home within about a week.

HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE MILK KEFIR LAST? 

Homemade milk kefir will last about 2-3 weeks when stored properly in the refrigerator.

TOOLS and INgredients YOU will need

• Live Kefir grains 
• Milk
• Mason Jar
• Strainer

WATCH THE VIDEO TUTORIAL 

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE MILK KEFIR 

1. Place 1-2 tablespoons of  kefir grains in a clean mason jar.
2. Fill the jar with milk almost to the rim. Don’t overfill because the milk kefir will expand slightly during fermentation.
3. Cover with a loose lid to allow any gases to escape.
4.  Leave the milk kefir at room temperature until your desired thickness and sourness is reached. This varies depending on the individual. We leave our milk kefir out around 36 hours. Some people leave it out only 12 hours and some up to 48 hours.
5. Strain kefir grains using a strainer. Place the milk kefir in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
6. You can now use the grains to start another batch of milk kefir. If you would like to store the grains instead, place them in a small jar of milk in the fridge until you are ready to start another batch of milk kefir.

WAYS TO ENJOY MILK KEFIR 

Our favorite way to consume milk kefir daily, is in smoothies!

Here are a few of our favorite smoothie combinations:

• Milk Kefir, Frozen blueberries, strawberries, bananas, & raw honey
• Milk Kefir, Frozen bananas, peanut butter, & hemp seeds
• Milk Kefir, Frozen beets, bananas, berries, & raw honey
• MIlk Kefir, Frozen cherries, bananas, raw cream & honey
• Milk Kefir, cacao powder, peanut butter, frozen banana, & raw honey

The smoothie possibilites are truly endless!

You can also drink milk kefir plain or eat it with granola similar to a yogurt.

Another favorite way to eat milk kefir is to make homemade ranch dressing! Recipe coming soon!

CHECK OUT THESE POSTS FOR MORE OF OUR FAVORITE FERMENTED FOODS 

Homemade Instant Pot Yogurt-Greek Style  

How to Make Fermented Jalapenos 

PRINT THE RECIPE 

Milk Kefir

Learn how to make milk kefir for a fraction of the cost of store bought milk kefir!   Milk kefir is filled with probiotic benefits and is the easiest fermented food to make!

Print Recipe

Equipment

• Mason Jar
• Blender

Ingredients

  

• live kefir grains
• Milk

Instructions

 

• Place 1-2 tablespoons of  kefir grains in a clean mason jar.
• Fill the jar with milk almost to the rim. Don't overfill because the milk kefir will expand slightly during fermentation.
• Cover with a loose lid to allow any gases to escape.
•  Leave the milk kefir at room temperature until your desired thickness and sourness is reached, between 12-48 hours. We leave our milk kefir out around 36 hours.
• Strain kefir grains using a strainer. Place the milk kefir in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
• You can now use the grains to start another batch of milk kefir. If you would like to store the grains instead, place them in a small jar of milk in the fridge until you are ready to start another batch of milk kefir.

Notes

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