How to Make Homemade Whey Protein

Co-authored by Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

Last Updated: November 27, 2023 Fact Checked

Whey protein is a product of the cheese-making process. After you make the cheese, the liquid that strains from the curds is whey. Whey is beneficial as it is, but you can make it even more beneficial by dehydrating it. After you dehydrate whey, you are left with whey protein.^{[1]
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Research source} Once you grind it up, you can use whey protein in shakes, smoothies, cupcakes, and scones.

Ingredients

Whey Protein from Scratch^{[2]
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1 gallon (3.5 liters) milk
5 tablespoons (75 milliliters) lemon juice or white vinegar

Whey Protein from Yogurt^{[3]
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2 cups (500 grams) yoghurt or kefir

Quick Whey Protein^{[4]
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3 cups (240 grams) instant nonfat dry milk, divided
1 cup (80 grams) old fashioned or instant dry oats
1 cup (142 grams) almonds

Flavored Protein Powder^{[5]
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7½ ounces (210 grams) protein powder
3 packets Stevia powder
Vanilla powder, cinnamon, matcha, etc.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Making Whey Protein from Scratch

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1
Pour the milk into a large pot. You will need 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of milk. For best results, use grass-fed. whole milk.
- You can also use 4 cups (950 milliliters) of milk and 2 cups (475 milliliters) of cream.^{[6]
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2
Heat the milk to 180°F (83°C). You can gauge the temperature by sticking a cooking thermometer into the pot, then clipping it to the side. If you don't have a thermometer, just wait until the milk starts to simmer. 180°F (83°C) is the temperature at which milk simmers.^{[7]
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- Don't let the thermometer touch the bottom of the pot.
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3
Stir in 5 tablespoons (75 milliliters) of lemon juice. If you don't have any lemon juice, you can use white vinegar instead; the taste of the end product will be nearly identical. This recipe will produce ricotta cheese as well. If you wish to eat the cheese, white vinegar may actually be the better of the two options.^{[8]
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- If you are using milk and cream, add ½ tablespoon (8.5 grams) of salt and 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) lemon juice or white vinegar instead.^{[9]
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Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Take it off of the burner and set it some place where it won't get disturbed. Leave it there for 20 minutes.
Place a large strainer on top of a bowl. Line the strainer with a piece of cheesecloth. Scoop the curds into the strainer with a spoon or ladle. Pour the rest of the liquid into a large pitcher or jar, and store it in the fridge.
It's best if you place the bowl into the fridge for this step. It may take at least two hours for the whey to drain out, and you don't want the milk to spoil.^{[10]
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Pour the whey (both from the pitcher and the bowl) into the trays that came with your dehydrator; you'll need about 1 cup (240 milliliters) per tray. Process the whey according to the instructions on your dehydrator. Each brand will be different, but for most dehydrators, it will be 12 hours at 135°F (58°C).
Pour all of the whey into a pot. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to a steady boil. Let it cook until it becomes thick and clumpy. Spread it over a tray lined with parchment paper or wax paper, and let it cool off.^{[11]
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Research source} Break it into tiny pieces, then let it dry for about 24 hours.^{[12]
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You can do this with a blender or a food processor. You can even use a clean coffee grinder, if you have one. If your manually-processed whey still feels damp after this, you will have to spread it out again, let it dry another 24 hours, and then blend it once more.^{[13]
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A mason jar would work great for this. Use the protein powder in protein shakes, cupcakes, bread, etc.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making Whey Protein from Yogurt

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Make sure that you are using unbleached cheesecloth for this. You can also use a clean towel instead. Make sure that the bowl is deep enough for the strainer and 1 cup (240 milliliters) worth of liquid.
2
Scoop the yogurt or kefir into the lined strainer. You can use homemade or store-bought yogurt. If you are using store-bought yogurt, make sure that it does not contain gelatin or pectin.
- Make sure that you are using plain yogurt or kefir; do not use the flavored kind.
This can take up to 24 hours. If you used yogurt, you'll be left with sour cream in the strainer. You can leave the bowl in the fridge longer as well; this will give you more whey and turn the yogurt into cream cheese.
Save the solids in the cheesecloth. Depending on how long you strained the yogurt/kefir, you'll be left with Greek yogurt, sour cream, or cream cheese! At this point, your whey is complete. It has plenty of protein on its own, but if you want to get even more protein, you'll have to dehydrate it. Dehydrating will concentrate the whey by removing water from it.
Fill the trays that came with your dehydrator with 1 cup (240 milliliters) of the liquid whey. Dehydrate the whey according to the instructions on your dehydrator. For most machines and dairy products, this will be 135°F (58°C). It will take about 12 hours for the dehydration to be complete.
Pour all of the collected whey into a large pot. Bring the whey to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a steady boil. Allow it to cook until it turns into a thick, clumpy, curdle. Transfer it to a tray lined with parchment paper or wax paper, then let it cool.^{[14]
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Research source} Break it into smaller pieces, and let it dry, about 24 hours.^{[15]
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7
Blend the dried whey into a powder. You can do this in a blender, coffee grinder, or food processor. Hand-processed whey may still feel damp at this point. If this happens to you, repeat the process: spread the whey out again, wait 24 hours, then grind it once more.^{[16]
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Transfer the whey to a lidded container, such as a jar. Mix it into protein shakes or smoothies. You can also add it to baked recipes, such as muffins, cupcakes, or scones.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making Quick Whey Protein

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1
Blend equal amounts of dry milk, oats, and almonds. Place 1 cup (80 grams) of instant, nonfat dry milk into a blender. Add 1 cup (80 grams) of old fashioned or instant dry oats and 1 cup (142 grams) of almonds. Blend everything together into a fine powder.
- Do not add water to the milk.
- Powdered milk contains whey.
Place the remaining 2 cups (160 grams) of instant, nonfat dry milk into the blender. Pulse the blender once more until everything is smooth.
Use a container with a tight-fitting lid, such as a jar. Keep it at cool room temperature, and use it within 2 weeks. If you won't be able to use it within that time, keep it in the refrigerator instead; this will prevent the almonds from going rancid.
4
Use the protein powder in protein shakes. Measure ½ cup (46 grams) of your protein powder into a blender. Add 1½ cups (350 milliliters) of milk (or any other liquid). Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then add any desired extracts, fruits, or yogurt. Blend until smooth, then drink it.
- You have to let this protein powder sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the oats to turn to pulp.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Making Flavored Protein Powder

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Combine 7½ ounces (210 grams) of protein powder and 3 packets of Stevia in a jar. Next, choose one of the flavors from the steps below. Use the protein powder like you normally would in protein shakes.
You can buy ground vanilla powder from a store or make your own by grinding 12 scraped-out and dried vanilla beans along with 2 to 3 whole vanilla beans. Add 1 tablespoon of this powder to your jar. Close the jar, then shake it to mix.
Add 1½ teaspoons of ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder to the jar. Close the jar tightly and shake it to mix the ingredients.
4
Use cocoa powder for a chocolate-y taste. Pour ¼ cup (25 grams) of high-quality dark cocoa powder into the jar. Close the jar tightly, then shake it to mix the ingredients together.
- Add 1 tablespoon (3 grams) of instant espresso for a cafe mocha flavor!
Purchase some matcha green tea. Measure out 1½ tablespoons (9 grams), and add it to the jar. Close the jar, then shake it until everything is combined.

Shopping List and Recipe

Sample Homemade Whey Protein Shopping List

Sample Homemade Whey Protein Recipe

Expert Q&A

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Question

How can I make liquid whey into powder whey without a dehydrator?

Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
Registered Dietitian
Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Claudia specializes in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss. She works at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences center, and has been working there since 2015. Before her current role, she worked as a Clinical Nutrition Manager at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she completed her 1200 hour dietetic internship. She received a BS in Nutrition Sciences from Southeast Missouri State University.

Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

Registered Dietitian

Expert Answer

To make whey powder without a dehydrator, first pour all of the collected whey into a large pot. Bring the whey to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a steady boil. Allow it to cook until it turns into a thick, clumpy, curdle. Transfer it to a tray lined with parchment paper or wax paper, then let it cool. Break it into smaller pieces, and let it dry for about 24 hours.

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Tips

You can drink protein shakes made from whey protein for breakfast.^{[17]
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If you want to build muscle, drink a water-based protein shake 1 hour before starting your workout. You can also use soy or skim milk instead of water.^{[18]
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Drink a protein shake just after your workout for an additional boost.^{[19]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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Warnings

Whey protein can be helpful if you want to build muscle, but if you don't work out enough, it can actually cause you to gain weight.^{[21]
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Drink protein shakes slowly so that you don't get sick.^{[22]
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