Dairy-Free Kefir Recipe, Variations, and Product Guide

Updated in 2026! Kefir, a tangy fermented drink, has surged in popularity for its gut-health benefits. But it’s typically off limits for anyone who avoids dairy. Fortunately, dairy-free kefir does exist! In this article, I’ll discuss the types of dairy-free kefir, how it differs, brands available, and how you can make your own! I have tips and a fantastic non-dairy kefir recipe to share with you, whether milk allergic, lactose intolerant, vegan, or dairy-free for other health reasons. You can jump ahead to the sections with these links:

• Kefir vs Yogurt
• Dairy-Free Kefir Ingredients & Options Explained
• Dairy-Free Kefir Brands you can Buy
• Dairy-Free Kefir Recipe

The Dairy-Free Kefir Guide

When I first heard of kefir, I thought it was just drinkable yogurt. But kefir is a completely different culture with its own benefits and challenges, especially for dairy free. I have since researched dairy-free kefir heavily, and have put together this quick guide to give you a strong understanding of this powerful fermented drink.

Kefir vs Yogurt

Both kefir and yogurt are fermented milk products, but that’s where the similarities begin to fade.

Kefir

Kefir is made by adding kefir “grains” to milk. These aren’t actual grains, but rather symbiotic colonies of bacteria and yeast, clumped together in a matrix of protein, lipids, and sugar from the milk. Here are some key features of kefir:

• Probiotic Range: Contains 30 or more different strains of bacteria and yeasts.
• Consistency: Generally thin and drinkable.
• Taste: Tart, tangy, and a touch yeasty.
• Effervescence: Yes, a fine bubbly effervescence or light fizziness.

Yogurt

Yogurt is made by heating and then cooling milk, before adding bacteria cultures that typically include L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus. Here are some key features of yogurt:

• Probiotic Range: Contains 2 to 7 strains of bacteria.
• Consistency: Typically thick enough to eat with a spoon.
• Taste: Tart and tangy, and smooth.
• Effervescence: none.

Kombucha Note: Kombucha is similar to water kefir, but it’s made with tea, is fermented for much longer than kefir (up to 30 days), and has a more vinegary taste. It’s also made with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts) rather than water kefir grains. The kombucha SCOBY and water kefir grains have very different bacteria and yeast profiles.

Dairy-Free Kefir Ingredients & Options Explained

Kefir Starter

There are three readily available starter options for making your own kefir: milk kefir grains, kefir starter culture, and water kefir grains. Milk kefir grains are always dairy. They contain bacteria and yeast that specifically feed on lactose and have been kept viable in milk. Kefir starter culture is also usually grown on dairy. Truly dairy-free kefir starter cultures are rare or may not be consistently available. Water kefir grains, on the other hand, are naturally dairy free and developed specifically to feed on sugar (sucrose) in water. Here are some brands currently available:

• Cultures for Health Water Kefir Grains
• Endless Fresh Water Kefir Starter Grains
• Florida Sun Water Kefir Grains
• Kombucha Kamp Water Kefir Grains
• NW Ferments Water Kefir Grains
• Water Kefir World Water Kefir Grains

Liquid

It’s always best to ferment water kefir grains in water. This helps to ensure their viability and long-term health. Water kefir grains can be used indefinitely if they are stored and propagated optimally. Minerals, sugar ratios, fat, acidity, protein, and anti-microbial effects in other types of liquids can stress the water kefir grains and render them less active or even inactive for future batches. However, you can ferment juices, coconut milk, other dairy-free milks, and coconut water with finished water kefir in a second fermentation. I’ve included some of these variations after the recipe, along with second fermentation guidance.

Sugar

Plain old sugar is what you want to use for making dairy-free kefir. More specifically, you can use white sugar, organic cane sugar, unrefined cane sugar (i.e. sucanat or rapadura), turbinado sugar, or brown sugar. Do not use honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, or molasses. Honey contains microbes that can compete with the kefir grains, and the others are too high in minerals that can damage the kefir grains. Unfortunately, sugar-free sweeteners will not work at all. But up to 80% of the sugar is consumed by the bacteria during fermentation, so homemade dairy-free kefir is relatively low sugar in the end.

Dairy-Free Kefir Brands you can Buy

We’ve watched dairy-free kefir products come and then go over the years. Lifeway, So Delicious, and Coyo (to name a few) have all bid farewell to their non-dairy kefir lines. You will find some drinkable dairy-free yogurts on the market, but remember they have different bacteria from kefir and no beneficial yeasts. Currently, there are no mainstream brands of vegan kefir. But here are some small brands that you can find online or regionally at local natural food stores:

• Agua de Kefir (by GT’s Kombucha; comes in flavors)
• Cabana Cultures Coconut Water Kefir
• Cocobiotic
• Cocos Organic Coconut Kefir (UK only)
• Inner-eco You Gut This Probiotic Coconut Water (comes in flavors)
• Kefir Lab Coconut Milk Kefir
• KFR Water Kefir (comes in flavors)
• Maison Riviera Plant-Based Coconut Milk Kefir
• The Coconut Collab Natural Kefir (UK only)
• This Chick is Raw Living Coconut Milk Kefir

Heads Up! Some coconut milk kefir products and other kefir drinks that look dairy-free are actually made with dairy milk kefir grains. Be sure to check the ingredients and with the company if needed to ensure the product is actually dairy free. Ingredients and processes are subject to change at any time, so always verify the product ingredients and production processes.

Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Kefir Recipe

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.

Alisa Fleming

Dairy-Free Kefir

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Truly dairy-free kefir is wade with water kefir grains. They contain different bacteria and yeast than milk kefir, and feed off of sucrose instead of lactose. For dairy-free milk and juice options, see the variations after the recipe.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 day d

Total Time 1 day d

Servings: 4 cups

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Global

Calories: 24

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• Water kefir grains rehydrated – see Kefir Grains Note below
• ¼ cup sugar
• 4 cups water free of chlorine and fluoride

Method

 

1. Pour the sugar into a clean (1-quart) jar and add ½ cup hot water. Swirl to dissolve the sugar.
2. Add 3½ cups room temperature or cool water. Check the water temperature. It should be between 68ºF and 85ºF.
3. Add the water kefir grains. Cover the jar with a coffee filter or several layers of cheese cloth and secure with a rubber band.
4. Put the jar in a warm room temperature spot (68ºF to 85ºF) and let it sit and culture for 24 to 48 hours (not more than 72 hours). The grains should be plump and translucent at this point.
5. Strain the kefir through a clean fine mesh sieve (stainless steel or plastic).
6. Store the prepared water kefir in airtight, pressure-safe bottles (like flip-top Grolsch bottles) in your refrigerator for up to 1 to 3 weeks.
7. To preserve the kefir grains, repeat steps 1 thru 3 with the used kefir grains. Either continue with the recipe starting a new batch, or put the jar in your refrigerator. It should stay healthy for up to 3 weeks (until you make a new batch), but it's best to change out the water and sugar weekly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 24kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 0gFat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 0mgFiber: 0gSugar: 6g

Notes

Kefir Grains Note: If starting with dehydrated grains, rehydrate them before making your first batch. The product should come with instructions. They must be water kefir grains specifically.

Water Note: Most of the water supply in the U.S. is chlorinated and some is also fluoridated. Use a water filter (reverse osmosis for fluoride) or boil the water (if chlorine is the only issue). Chlorine and fluoride can damage the kefir grains, but distilled water lacks some of the minerals that help the grains.

Bottles: The best type of bottles for making kefir are Grolsch bottles due to the way they seal. 

Nutrition Note: Sugar is consumed by the bacteria and yeast as the kefir ferments. It's estimated that 50% to 80% of the sugar consumed. Our numbers are based on 50% consumption. Longer fermentation reduces the sugar and produces a more tart taste.

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Dairy-Free Kefir: More Tips & Recipe Options

Flavor Variations

To keep your water kefir grains viable, it’s best to ferment the kefir grains in water. Then you can do a second fermentation with some of the resultant water kefir (without the grains) and more flavorful liquids or fruit. Here are some suggestions and recommended ratios to start with.

• Coconut Water Kefir: Combine 1 1/2 cups coconut water with 2 1/2 cups prepared and strained water kefir. Ferment it for 24 to 72 hours.
• Fruit Juice Kefir: Combine 1/2 cup 100% pure fruit juice with 3 1/2 cups of prepared and strained water kefir . Ferment it for 12 to 48 hours for higher sugar juices, or 24 to 72 hours for lower sugar juices. Some great juice options include 100% pineapple, grape, cherry, mango, orange, apple, cranberry, or pomegranate juice.
• Fresh Fruit Kefir: Stir 1/2 cup fresh, peeled fruit chunks into 3 1/2 cups of prepared and strained water kefir. Ferment it for 24 to 72 hours. Fruits like apples, pineapple, raspberries, mango, strawberries, blueberries, and peaches are wonderful. Consider adding a little peeled ginger, too.
• Dairy-Free Milk Kefir: You can technically use a fresh, homemade milk alternative, like almond milk or thinned coconut milk, to make a dairy-free milk kefir. But the natural proteins, minerals, and fats in these often prevent proper fermentation. For a truly creamy experience, it’s best to simply stir some of your favorite milk alternative into a glass of prepared water kefir and enjoy!

Second Fermentation Safety

The second fermentation should be done in airtight, pressure-safe bottles (like flip-top Grolsch bottles) to maintain the effervescence of your dairy-free kefir. But we do have some important suggestions to help prevent too much pressure from building up:

• Leave Headspace: Do not fill the bottles all the way to the top. Always leave about 1 to 2 inches of headspace.
• Burp the Lid Daily: Open the bottles briefly once or twice a day to release excess pressure. Be extra cautious and vigilant in warmer climates and with sugary juices.
• Start at the Minimum: It’s safer to start with a low ratio of juice or other flavoring liquid. You can always add more once it is fermented (for taste) and you can increase the ratio in future batches as safe and desired.
• Monitor the Weather: When temperatures are warmer, fermentation will happen more quickly. You might need to burp the lid more often and reduce the fermentation time as needed.
• Consider the Add Ins: Naturally sweeter juices or riper fruit will ferment more vigorously than less sweet fruits and underripe fruit. Make sure to burp the bottle more often if you believe more sugars are present.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Too Sour: Your dairy-free kefir fermented for too long. The sugar is now breaking down into acids, which increases the sour taste.
• It Didn’t Culture: Is your room temperature in the range listed in the recipe? If it’s too cold, this can slow fermentation significantly. Did you forget to add sugar? If you did remember the sugar and your room temperature is warm enough, then your kefir grains are probably no longer active. Some possible reasons include a bad kefir batch, improperly stored grains, the wrong type of sugar (see options above), water with chlorine and/or fluoride, or the water you used was too warm. Make sure the water temperature isn’t above 86ºF (30ºC) when you add the kefir grains.
• Kefir Turned Color: Your finished water kefir can be a translucent opal color (like coconut water) or a yellowish brown, depending on the sugar you used. But if it’s pink, red, orange, green, or black, it is probably contaminated and needs to be thrown out.
• Texture is Slimy: A hint of sliminess is normal, and is caused by the yeast during fermentation. But if it’s too slimy, you can drain and rinse the grains and start again. Make sure you aren’t using a high mineral type of sugar or high mineral water. If sliminess persists, the grains might be stressed or imbalanced and may need replacing.

Also Try Our Almond Milk Yogurt Recipe!