How to Make Kajmak (When You Don’t Have Raw Milk)

Kajmak—also known as skorup in the Balkans, kaymak in Turkish, and sarshir or geymar elsewhere—is one of the most cherished traditional dairy products of the old world. Rich, creamy, and delicious, it’s enjoyed with everything from fresh bread to grilled meats, cooked as a tasty addition, baked as a filling, and even used in desserts or as a coffee topping.

While traditionally made from raw milk (which many of us don’t have at hand), this recipe features homemade kajmak using unhomogenized milk and heavy cream. The process is easy, the result is super tasty, and you’ll be able to enjoy a fresh batch of delicious homemade kajmak wherever you are. It’s easy to make, tastes far better than store-bought, contains no preservatives and costs a lot less, too.

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Kajmak – the creamy “must have” of the Balkans

Kajmak in the Balkans is something you simply can’t go without. It’s most often served with grilled meat, used as a filling in pies, cheese rolls, crepes, or other baked goodies, cooked into dishes like kačamak or cicvara, added to desserts like tufahije, stirred into coffee, or enjoyed as a Sunday breakfast spread—either on fresh, warm projara or paired with jam on a slice of homemade bread.

While it’s not entirely clear whether kajmak already existed in the Balkans or arrived along with Turkish coffee and other great dishes like japrak, sataras and kljukusa during the Ottoman era, one thing is certain—kajmak remains the silky soul of the region to this day. Or better yet, let’s say it straight: there’s no Balkans without kajmak!

Indeed, you’ll find plenty of store-bought kajmak on the shelves—usually made with sour cream and processed fats—but most of it doesn’t even come close to the creamy deliciousness of homemade kajmak. The real deal is still out there, though. Farmers often sell it in large wooden buckets at the local market, alongside blocks of smoked cheese and packages of cottage cheese. The older ladies will happily scoop a generous spoonful for you to taste, and there’s a world of difference between young kajmak, which is creamy and mild, and the aged one, ripened for months in wooden containers with a much more intense flavor.

It also comes in different color tones. The young one is lighter, creamier, and whiter in color, while the aged kajmak can become thick, the flavor more complex (sometimes a bit rancid), and take on a yellowish hue. Its taste and color also depend on when and where it’s produced. In spring, when cows graze on fresh grass, kajmak tends to be richer and more yellow; in winter, it’s usually paler and has a milder taste. Several local varieties of kajmak are well-known across the region, and some have even earned internationally recognized geographic origin certifications.

How kajmak is traditionally made

Kajmak is traditionally made from freshly milked, raw milk. The milk is gently heated in a wide, shallow pan until it reaches a boil, then moved to the warm side of a wood stove where it rests at 176 F/80 C for about two hours. After that, it’s left to cool down slowly to room temperature.

As the milk heats, the fat begins to rise to the surface. The warmth causes the fat globules to float up, some water to evaporate, and parts of the fat to melt into creamy butterfat. During this time, some of the milk proteins coagulate and form a thin film, to which the fat clings.

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After resting for 12 to 24 hours, a thick, creamy layer of clotted cream forms on top of the milk. This layer is then gently skimmed off and placed into a wooden bucket, with a bit of salt sprinkled between each layer to help preserve it.

The whole process can be repeated three to four times with the same batch of milk or with new batches over the following days, each time adding a fresh layer of kajmak to the bucket. The leftover milk doesn’t go to waste—it’s saved for drinking, making cottage cheese or used in cooking.

Once enough kajmak has been collected, it’s stored in a cool, dark place. Over the next days or weeks, it slowly ripens in the wooden bucket, developing a more aromatic and deeper flavor with time.

Ingredients you’ll need to make it with heavy cream

UNHOMOGENISED MILK – Fresh, raw milk is ideal for making kajmak, but if it’s not available where you are, look for pasteurized but unhomogenized milk instead. It’s usually sold refrigerated and often labeled as “non-homogenized.” While you can use homogenized milk, you’ll end up with much less kajmak and a lower fat content, since much of the milk fat has already been processed out for other dairy products.

UNHOMOGENISED HEAVY CREAM – The same rule applies here: homemade is best, but unhomogenized heavy cream with at least 35% fat is a great alternative. You can use processed cream if needed, but it won’t yield the same rich texture and flavor.

SALT – Use between 1.5% and 2% of the total kajmak weight, depending on how salty you like it. Keep in mind that salt helps draw out moisture over time, so a bit more salt will result in a firmer, sturdier kajmak. The recipe yields about 2 cups (400 grams) of kajmak, so you’ll need roughly one teaspoon of salt.

The recipe

FIRST ROUND OF KAJMAK

STEP 1: Pour the milk and heavy cream into a wide, shallow baking pan. Give it a good stir to make sure the cream is fully blended with the milk.

STEP 2: Slowly heat the milk and cream over low heat until it just starts to boil. Don’t stir—it’s important to let a layer form on top. You don’t want a full boil, just a gentle simmer with small bubbles forming under the surface. Once you see that, let it slowly simmer for a few minutes and then turn off the heat.

STEP 3: Let the pan sit in a warm spot on the side for about an hour. If you notice it starting to cool down too much, you can gently warm it up again, but don’t let it boil.

STEP 4: Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and let it cool down slowly to room temperature. Once it’s fully cooled, place it in the fridge overnight, or for at least a few hours (ideally 12 hours). Here’s what we got after the first round:

STEP 5: Gently skim off the layer of kajmak that has formed on top. It’s easier if you cut it into smaller pieces before lifting it off.

STEP 6: Depending on how thick and firm you want your kajmak to be, you can strain each layer before transferring it to a bowl. I usually don’t strain it, since I prefer my kajmak to be softer and milder—and the salt helps pull out excess moisture over time.

STEP 7: When adding the first layer to a bowl or container, sprinkle it with a little salt before adding the next one. Each layer should be about as thick as the milk fat film that formed—don’t pack it on too thick.

SECOND ROUND OF KAJMAK

STEP 8: Once again, slowly heat the milk and cream, and gently bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat and repeat the whole process. You’ll notice this time the layer of kajmak on top might be a bit thinner, but still enough to collect. Just like before, keep adding the new layers to your container, sprinkling a little salt between each one. Here’s what I got after the second round:

THIRD ROUND OF KAJMAK

STEP 9: Repeat the whole process again, just like before. This is what I got from the third round. I stopped here, but if you’re using good homemade milk and high-quality heavy cream, you can likely go for a fourth round. You’ll get a few more tablespoons of nice, creamy kajmak.

And here it is! From a generous four cups of milk and four cups of heavy cream, we ended up with about two cups (400 grams) of creamy, delicious homemade kajmak.

Traditionally, kajmak is made without mixing—the layers are simply stacked with a bit of salt in between. But if you prefer, you can gently mix it. This can help the salt draw out moisture more quickly and may cause it to ripen a little faster.

Recipe tips and notes

• Use high-fat, unhomogenized milk and cream. The more natural the milk and cream, the better. Unhomogenized milk lets the cream rise properly, and high fat content gives you a richer, thicker kajmak.
• Use a wide, shallow pan. A wide surface area = more kajmak!
• Heat the milk slowly. Gently warming it brings out a much better flavor. If it boils too quickly, the kajmak won’t have the same rich, pleasant taste as it does with slow, careful heating.
• Don’t boil too hard. Heat the milk just to the point of boiling, gently simmer it for few minutes and then move it off the heat. You want to encourage the cream to rise without scorching the milk.
• Let it rest undisturbed. After heating, let the milk cool slowly to room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator (ideally 12–24 hours). Don’t stir it – this allows the cream layer to thicken properly.
• Don’t mix the layers – if you want the traditional taste. Just gently remove it from the milk and layer it in a pot with a little bit of salt between each layer.
• Store in a wooden or clay pot. If not, glass jar will do. Make sure your equipment and everything else you’re using is clean.
• Let it age if you like stronger flavor.  Fresh kajmak is soft and mild. Aged kajmak develops a stronger flavor and a firmer texture. Let it ripen in the fridge or a cold pantry for several days to weeks.
• Don’t waste the milk. The leftover milk is still perfectly good! Use it for cooking, baking, drinking or making homemade cottage cheese.

Storage

Kajmak made from this recipe will keep well in the fridge for up to ten days. How long it lasts also depends on how much salt you use—more salt helps it ripen faster and keeps it fresh longer. Just make sure to keep it covered, as it easily picks up smells from other foods in the fridge..

If you’d like to store it longer, you can add a thin layer of melted butter on top to seal in the freshness. The longer it sits, the more it develops a rich, mature flavor.

Of course, it can also be frozen. Simply pack it in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag, and it will keep in the freezer for up to six months.

How to use it

Kajmak goes well with all kinds of food. It’s a classic side for grilled meats like ćevapi, pljeskavica, or roast lamb. We eat it with chicken or breaded mushrooms too, in fact, we eat it with everything! One of the most common ways to enjoy it is simply spread on fresh bread or flatbread, with a slice of homemade smoked meat. Try it on warm projara cornbread or sourdough with a bit of honey or jam, and a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast.

It can be used in savory bakes like phyllo pies, burek, cheese rolls, or crepes. It’s tasty on roasted or baked potatoes, and works well in potato salad too. A spoonful over roasted vegetables like peppers, zucchini, or eggplant is also incredibly delicious.

Kajmak recipe FAQs

More bread spread ideas from the Balkans

If you’re looking for more delicious ways to top your bread, here are a few spreads from the Balkans the to try next:

For something utterly sweet, umami packed and unique, check out our black trumpet mushroom jam, or, if you love mushrooms, try our creamy saffron milk cap pate. If you prefer something fruity, plum jam is a classic, without added sugar. And if you’re in the mood for something fresh and herbal, don’t miss our spruce tip pesto with walnuts – a forest-inspired twist that brings a bold, bright flavor to any slice of homemade bread.

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