--- title: "Filmjölk: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Filmjölk is a mild Swedish cultured milk, thinner than yogurt, eaten with muesli. What it tastes like and what to use instead outside Scandinavia." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/filmjolk" --- # Filmjölk Filmjölk is a mild Swedish cultured milk, thinner than yogurt, eaten with muesli. What it tastes like and what to use instead outside Scandinavia. Also called Fil, Filmjolk, Swedish soured milk. _Filmjölk_, often just _fil_, is a Swedish cultured milk. Milk is fermented with lactic acid bacteria at room temperature, which makes it thick but pourable and mildly sour. It is thinner than yogurt, thicker than milk, and tastes fresh and gently tangy, less sour than [buttermilk](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/buttermilk). Most Swedes eat it for breakfast in a bowl with muesli, cereal or berries. ## How to use it * Eat it cold with muesli, cereal, fruit or jam, the way it is most often served. * Use it in baking in place of buttermilk or milk, for tender bread, scones and pancakes. * Mix it into marinades for chicken or lamb. * Stir it into cold soups and dressings. Shops sell filmjölk at different fat levels, usually 3 percent for regular, and lighter versions. There are also flavored kinds and variants with extra probiotic cultures. ## Substitutes Outside Scandinavia, filmjölk is hard to find. Use one of these: * **Plain kefir**, the closest in texture. It is a little fizzier and more sour. * **Buttermilk**, which is thinner and tangier. It is the best swap in baking. * **Plain yogurt** thinned with milk, about 3 parts yogurt to 1 part milk. To make your own, stir 2 tablespoons of filmjölk into 1 liter (4 cups) of milk and leave it covered at [room temperature](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/room-temperature) for about 24 hours, until set. Keep a little back to start the next batch. ## How to store it Keep it in the fridge and use it within a few days of opening. It may separate into curds and whey. Shake the carton before pouring. ## In recipes Swedish baking recipes use filmjölk in _filmjölksbröd_, a quick bread raised with baking soda, and in soft gingerbread and spice cakes. In these, buttermilk swaps in one for one. Other Swedish cultured milks include [gräddfil](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/graddfil), which is thicker and richer like sour cream, and _långfil_, a stringy, stretchy fermented milk from the north. Neither swaps for filmjölk without changing the result. Swedish [kvarg](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/kvarg) is a strained fresh cheese, not a drink. Filmjölk is a product of [fermentation](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fermentation), so it keeps longer than fresh milk. ## Recipes that use it 8 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/C07269FE-5B72-435E-BE0CB95C548C345A/polsk-farskost.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&format=webp)Polsk färskostwww.arla.se · 960 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/polsk-farskost/) * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/0865B641-2713-4669-9DEB109426037BFF/picture.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&crop=(0,183,0,-348)&format=webp)Scones i airfryerwww.arla.se · 20 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/scones-i-airfryer/) * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/C6A399DD-6629-47E8-94C50032D6F00B48/amerikansk-frukost.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&format=webp)Amerikansk frukostwww.arla.se · 20 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/amerikansk-frukost/) * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/397A768D-6B99-466D-A8B20DEE8E43F878/filbunke.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&format=webp)Filbunkewww.arla.se · 30 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/filbunke/) * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/18E09C6E-5C84-4F00-973121768EDEAF7D/pepparkaksrulltarta.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&format=webp)Pepparkaksrulltårtawww.arla.se · 30 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/pepparkaksrulltarta/) * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/C99BDDEA-85A4-4796-8F3C51F75978AE2C/kycklingburgare.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&crop=(0,341,0,-190)&format=webp)Kycklingburgarewww.arla.se · 45 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/kycklingburgare/) * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/DE0AE809-BD02-4A46-9A393981519FCD2B/fruktsallad-med-fil.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&format=webp)Fruktsallad med filwww.arla.se · 15 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/fruktsallad-med-fil/) * [![](https://images.arla.com/recordid/E70F1B05-E569-4F5F-A907DB76F88DA27F/ragrot-med-kvarg-notter-och-blabar.jpg?width=1300&height=525&mode=crop&format=webp)Rågröt med kvarg, nötter och blåbärwww.arla.se · 15 min](https://www.arla.se/recept/ragrot-med-kvarg-notter-och-blabar/) ## Related terms * [ButtermilkButtermilk is a tangy, cultured low-fat milk used in pancakes, scones, biscuits and fried chicken. Make a quick swap with milk and lemon juice.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/buttermilk) * [FermentationFermentation is when yeasts or bacteria break down sugars and change food. It raises bread, sours sauerkraut and yogurt, and makes wine and miso.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fermentation) * [GräddfilGräddfil is Swedish sour cream, thick and tangy with about 12 percent fat. Use it in dips and toppings. What to use instead outside Scandinavia.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/graddfil) * [KvargKvarg is Swedish quark, a thick, high-protein, low-fat fresh cheese eaten with berries and used in baking. What to use instead outside Sweden.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/kvarg) * [Room temperatureRoom temperature in recipes means about 20 to 22°C (68 to 72°F). Eggs, butter and dairy at that heat mix more smoothly and help cakes rise evenly.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/room-temperature) [More in nordic ingredients](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/nordic-ingredients)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)