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Raejuusto from Finland

Raejuusto

Raejuusto counts among the traditional food of Finland, a cheese locals hold dear. · Finland

★ 4.5
Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Raejuusto counts among the traditional food of Finland, a cheese locals hold dear.

About Raejuusto

Raejuusto counts among the traditional food of Finland, a cheese locals hold dear. It is a regional cheese prized by local producers.

🏛️ History & Culture

Raejuusto, meaning "curd cheese," is a traditional Finnish fresh cheese made by curdling milk and draining the whey, leaving soft, moist curds. Its precise origins are not well-documented, but it stems from centuries-old farmhouse dairy practices across the Nordic region, where surplus milk was transformed into a simple, protein-rich staple. It has long been a daily food in Finnish homes, valued for its mild flavor and versatility.

Regional variations are subtle, typically differing in fat content and creaminess depending on the producer, with some batches left drier and others richer. Culturally, raejuusto is deeply embedded in Finnish food traditions, often served with fresh berries, jam, or honey for breakfast or dessert, and used as a filling in savory pastries like karjalanpiirakka. It represents the Finnish ethos of simplicity and closeness to nature, remaining a beloved, unpretentious ingredient that connects modern tables to rural heritage.

🍳 How to make Raejuusto

AI-assisted, not kitchen-tested

Raejuusto (Finnish Fresh Curd Cheese)

Raejuusto, often called 'squeaky cheese' or 'bread cheese,' is a fresh Finnish cheese traditionally made by curdling high-fat milk with rennet and baking or pan-frying the curd slab until it squeaks against the teeth. It is most associated with the Ostrobothnia and North Karelia regions, where it is eaten warm with cloudberry jam, or cooled and sliced into salads.

Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Serves
Makes about 600 g (roughly 4 servings as a side)
Difficulty
Medium

Recipe ingredients

  • 2000 ml (8½ cups) whole milk, high-fat, non-homogenized is traditional if available; otherwise whole pasteurized
  • 250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream, to mimic the richness of non-homogenized Finnish milk
  • 5 g (1¼ tsp) salt
  • 1.5 ml (¼ tsp) liquid rennet, animal rennet is traditional; dilute in 30 ml (2 tbsp) cool water before adding
  • 1 g (¼ tsp) mesophilic starter culture (MA011 or Flora Danica), optional; traditional bakery-cheese methods often skip it, but a small amount gives a milder tang
  • 60 g (¼ cup) cloudberry jam (lakkahillo), for serving; sea buckthorn or lingonberry jam is the closest substitute if cloudberries are unavailable
  • 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, for pan-frying the finished cheese

Steps

  1. 1 Heat the milk and cream together in a heavy saucepan to 38°C (100°F). If using starter culture, sprinkle it on the surface and let it rehydrate for 2 minutes, then stir in gently.
  2. 2 Add the salt and stir to dissolve. Hold the temperature at 38°C (100°F) for 20 minutes if using starter culture, to allow mild acidification.
  3. 3 Stir the diluted rennet into the milk with a gentle up-and-down motion for about 10 seconds, then stop stirring. Cover and let sit undisturbed at 38°C (100°F) for 35-45 minutes, until the curd gives a clean break and the whey is clear greenish-yellow.
  4. 4 Cut the curd into roughly 2 cm (¾ in) cubes with a long knife and let rest 5 minutes.
  5. 5 Line a colander with a large piece of butter muslin. Ladle the curds and whey into the muslin, then gather the corners and hang the bundle over a bowl, or tie to a wooden spoon resting across a pot, to drain for 30 minutes. Do not press; you want a moist, tender curd, not a dry one.
  6. 6 Tie the muslin into a tight ball and place it in a cold water bath for 10 minutes to 'squeak' (this chilling step develops the signature rubbery, elastic texture called juustoleipä-style springiness).
  7. 7 Remove the curd ball from the cloth. It should feel like a firm, springy disc of fresh cheese, about 600 g. Wrap it in a clean towel and refrigerate 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.
  8. 8 To finish in the traditional baked style: preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the unwrapped cheese slab on a parchment-lined sheet and bake 20-25 minutes, until the surface is pale gold and a knife inserted into the center comes out hot. Internal temperature should reach 70°C (160°F).
  9. 9 To finish in the pan-fried style (also very common): slice the chilled cheese into 1.5 cm (½ in) thick slabs, pat dry, and pan-fry in butter over medium heat 2-3 minutes per side, until a light golden crust forms.
  10. 10 Serve warm, immediately, with a generous spoonful of cloudberry jam on the side. The cheese should squeak audibly against the fork or teeth.
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Ingredients
Steps

Raejuusto — frequently asked questions

What is Raejuusto?

Raejuusto counts among the traditional food of Finland, a cheese locals hold dear. It is a regional cheese prized by local producers.

What is Raejuusto made of?

Raejuusto is made with whole milk, heavy cream, salt, liquid rennet, mesophilic starter culture (MA011 or Flora Danica) and cloudberry jam (lakkahillo).

Where does Raejuusto come from?

Raejuusto comes from Finland. Raejuusto, meaning "curd cheese," is a traditional Finnish fresh cheese made by curdling milk and draining the whey, leaving soft, moist curds.

Where can I eat Raejuusto?

Finns often eat raejuusto with cloudberry jam and cream as a light dessert at summer cottages after a sauna.

How do you make Raejuusto?

Making Raejuusto at home takes about 15 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.

→ More traditional dishes from Finland

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