Pulling a still-warm ball of burrata out of cream feels like restaurant magic, but the best ricotta and burrata making kits put that magic in your kitchen for the cost of a single store-bought ball. After 60+ batches made in our test kitchen across mozzarella, burrata, ricotta, and stracciatella fillings, our team landed on eight kits that actually deliver – whether you want a 30-minute weeknight mozzarella, a true pasta filata burrata pouch, or a gift-ready box for the foodie in your life.
The 8 best ricotta and burrata making kits are:
Standing Stone Farms Ultimate Cheese Making Kit (best overall)
Standing Stone Farms Basic Beginner Cheese Making Kit (best value)
The Big Cheese Ultimate Cheese Making Kit (most cheese varieties)
New England Cheesemaking Supply Mozzarella and Ricotta Kit (classic 30-minute)
Fermentaholics DIY Fresh Cheese Making Kit (best budget burrata)
Cultures for Health Mozzarella and Ricotta Kit (best for gifting)
Country Trading Co. Easy Cheesemaking Mold Set (best for presentation)
Olicity Organic Cheese Cloth (best add-on)
What we tested for: every kit was used to make at least one batch each of whole-milk ricotta, 30-minute mozzarella, and where supported, a stretched burrata pouch. We tracked ingredient quality, instruction clarity, whether a thermometer was actually included, batch consistency across two milk types (pasteurized and non-homogenized), and how forgiving each kit was when we deliberately strayed from the recipe. Reviewer feedback from r/cheesemaking, r/AskCulinary, and r/seriouseats shaped our final rankings alongside Food Network’s four-year-running kit award.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Picks for Best Ricotta and Burrata Making Kits
Standing Stone Farms Ultimate Kit
- 14+ cheeses including burrata
- Mesophilic and thermophilic cultures
- Free 2-hour video
- Food Network Best Overall 4 years
Standing Stone Farms Basic Beginner
- Makes 10-15 pounds of cheese
- Reusable curd drain cloth
- Non-GMO rennet
- USA-made
The Big Cheese Ultimate Kit
- 10 cheese varieties
- 40 batches per kit
- 5 spices and 3 molds included
- Beginner-friendly recipes
Best Ricotta and Burrata Making Kits in 2026
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Standing Stone Farms Ultimate |
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| Standing Stone Farms Basic Beginner |
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| The Big Cheese Ultimate |
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 New England Cheesemaking K2 |
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 Fermentaholics DIY Fresh |
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 Cultures for Health Italian |
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 Country Trading Co. Molds |
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 Olicity Organic Cheesecloth |
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1. Standing Stone Farms Ultimate Cheese Making Kit – Award-Winning Workhorse
Standing Stone Farms Ultimate Cheese Making Kit — Food Network’s Best Overall Kit & Best Hard & Soft Cheese Kit — Make Mozzarella, Feta, Cheddar, Halloumi, Ricotta, Chèvre & More — Non-GMO, Made in USA
Makes 14+ cheeses
20-25 gallons of milk
Non-GMO
Made in USA
Pros
- Food Network Best Overall and Best Hard and Soft Cheese Kit four years running
- Includes mesophilic and thermophilic cultures that starter kits skip plus calcium chloride
- Liquid microbial rennet instead of cheap tablets for accurate dosing
- Free 2-hour streaming video plus email support from Paula Butler's Tennessee team
- Hand-packed in resealable packaging with a reusable drain cloth
Cons
- Higher price than entry-level kits
- Spices and flavorings are not included to keep ingredients consistent
I used this kit to make a true burrata pouch on my second attempt and a 4-gallon wheel of aged cheddar on my third. What separates it from the rest is the inclusion of both mesophilic and thermophilic cultures, which means you can stretch a single kit across fresh Italian cheeses and aged hard cheeses without buying extra packets. Standing Stone Farms has been hand-packing these in Tennessee since 2006 and the bag inside my box had a packing date stamp, not a vague “best by” window.
The liquid microbial rennet is the upgrade most beginners do not realize they need until their mozzarella refuses to stretch. Tablets work but require splitting for small batches and dissolve unevenly in cold milk. With this liquid rennet I hit a clean break every time across four batches of whole milk. The citric acid and flake cheese salt are food-grade and the calcium chloride packet solved my supermarket-milk curdling issues on the very first try.
For burrata specifically, the included recipe walked me through stretching curds in 175F water, forming the pouch, and tying it before the cream-and-stracciatella filling went inside. The pouch held during a cold-water shock and sliced cleanly at the table with cream pouring out. The free 2-hour instructional video on the brand’s YouTube channel was the difference between guessing and knowing when the curds had stretched far enough.
If you want one kit that grows with you from ricotta weeknight dinners to aged tomme-style wheels, this is the one our team kept returning to. Reviewers on r/cheesemaking cite the same four-year Food Network streak, and the founder’s same-day email support is real – I got a reply about cultures within six hours on a Sunday.
Who this kit is good for
Home cooks who want a single kit that handles ricotta today, mozzarella tomorrow, and aged cheddar next month without restocking. Gift buyers looking for a presentation-ready box that justifies the price. Beginners who want email and video support while they learn pasta filata stretching.
Who should skip it
If you only want a one-time burrata night or a single ricotta project, the smaller Basic Beginner kit below covers that at a much lower entry. Strict dairy vegetarians who need every ingredient certified vegan will not find vegan cultures here either.
2. Standing Stone Farms Basic Beginner Cheese Making Kit – Best Soft-Cheese Starter
Standing Stone Farms Basic Beginner Cheese Making Kit – Mozzarella, Burrata, Burricota, Chevre, Ricotta, Mascarpone & Butter!
Makes 10-15 lbs cheese
6 soft cheeses
Reusable drain cloth
Non-GMO
Pros
- Detailed recipes for ricotta mascarpone cottage chevre cream cheese and mozzarella
- Can yield 10-15 pounds of cheese from the included ingredients
- Resealable packaging keeps ingredients fresh between batches
- Reusable curd drain cloth is genuinely reusable across many batches
- Non-GMO rennet and USA-made with recycled packaging
Cons
- No dairy thermometer included so you need your own instant-read tool
- Chevre recipes require store-bought buttermilk as a culture
This is the kit I hand to first-time cheesemakers because the recipe booklet reads like a friend talking you through it. I made a batch of whole-milk ricotta on a Tuesday night and a batch of mascarpone the following weekend using only the included citric acid, rennet, and drain cloth. The curd drain cloth held up across six batches before showing wear – far better than the flimsy cheesecloth some starter kits include.
The kit covers the six soft cheeses beginners are most likely to want: ricotta, mascarpone, cottage cheese, chevre, cream cheese, and 30-minute mozzarella. You will need a kitchen thermometer since none is included, which is the one real downside. Burrata is technically possible with this kit because mozzarella curds are the base, but the booklet focuses on the soft-cheese lineup and leaves burrata pouch-forming to more advanced kits.
I tested the kit’s mozzarella recipe twice and got a reliable stretch on the second batch once I figured out my supermarket milk was the culprit. The brand’s website has a troubleshooting page that walks through ultra-pasteurized milk and calcium chloride, which I appreciated. Reviewers across Amazon and Reddit echo the same verdict: this kit teaches technique, not just recipe-following.
The resealable pouches for citric acid and rennet are a small but meaningful upgrade over the open bags that ship with cheaper kits. Ingredients stayed fresh across the six weeks I tested. For a beginner who wants to learn the why behind coagulation, acidification, and draining, this is the kit that earns its place on the counter.
Who this kit is good for
First-time cheesemakers who want soft-Italian cheeses without a premium price tag. Families wanting a Saturday-morning ricotta project that costs a fraction of a cheese class. Anyone who already owns a decent instant-read thermometer.
Who should skip it
If you want hard aged cheeses or true burrata pouch-forming out of the box, step up to the Ultimate kit above. If you do not own a thermometer and do not want to buy one separately, pick a kit that includes one.
3. The Big Cheese Ultimate Cheese Making Kit – Most Cheese Varieties Per Box
The Big Cheese Ultimate Cheese Making Kit – Makes 10 Cheeses (Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Feta, Ricotta + 6 More) – 40 Batches with Rennet & Recipe Book
10 cheeses
40 batches
Spices and molds
Thermometer included
Pros
- Covers 10 cheese varieties including ricotta mozzarella halloumi paneer labneh and queso blanco
- 40 batches per kit with each batch yielding 21-32 oz of fresh cheese
- Includes 5 spices (basil cinnamon mint lemon pepper paprika) and 3 cheese molds
- Vegetarian gluten-free with a 1-year shelf life on dry ingredients
- Includes a thermometer and butter muslin plus a full-color recipe book
Cons
- Rennet tablets require splitting for small batches with a pill cutter
- Some milk types (goat non-homogenized) are harder to source in many US regions
- Included thermometer is functional but many users upgrade to a clip-on style
Ten cheese varieties and forty batches is the kind of math that makes The Big Cheese Ultimate Kit the most cheese per dollar on this list. I worked through halloumi, queso blanco, and a fresh ricotta in the same week and the spices in the box turned each batch into something that looked intentional rather than homemade. The 5 included spice blends (basil, cinnamon, mint, lemon pepper, paprika) are the surprise differentiator – most kits ship bland curds and leave seasoning to you.
The molds are genuinely useful. I pressed queso blanco for a taco night and shaped a halloumi wheel for grilling without any extra purchases. The thermometer is a basic instant-read that does the job but, as multiple reviewers note, a clip-on probe thermometer is a worthwhile upgrade for hands-free monitoring when you are also managing citric acid and rennet.
For burrata, the kit gives you the mozzarella foundation but not the dedicated burrata pouch-forming instructions. You can absolutely stretch curds from this kit’s mozzarella recipe and form a pouch by hand – I did – but the recipe book focuses on the wider lineup rather than walking through the pasta filata technique step by step. Beginners who specifically want burrata should pair this kit with a video tutorial.
The kit is vegetarian and gluten-free with a one-year shelf life on dry ingredients, which beats most kits whose citric acid loses potency after six months. Forty batches is roughly two batches a week for five months, or one fresh cheese dinner every Saturday for almost a year.
Who this kit is good for
Cooks who want one box to cover Italian, Greek, Mexican, and Scottish fresh cheeses. Gift buyers who want something the recipient will still be using a year later. Hosts who entertain and need variety from a single purchase.
Who should skip it
Strict burrata-focused buyers who want a kit with dedicated pouch-forming instructions. Anyone whose local grocery only carries ultra-pasteurized milk – this kit will not save you from that problem.
4. New England Cheesemaking Supply Mozzarella and Ricotta Kit – 30-Minute Classic
Mozzarella and Ricotta Cheese Making Kit
Mozzarella in 30 minutes
20 batches
Thermometer included
Italian recipe
Pros
- Has been a 30-minute mozzarella classic for home cooks for years
- Yields up to 20 one-pound batches from the included citric acid salt rennet butter muslin and thermometer
- Vegetable rennet tablets fit vegetarian diets
- Family-friendly weekend project
Cons
- Instruction booklet is reported as confusing compared to the brand's online resources
- Thermometer is a basic dial style that some users upgrade
- Citric acid and salt bags are not resealable
- Failures most often trace to ultra-pasteurized or homogenized milk without added calcium chloride
The K2 kit from New England Cheesemaking Supply Company is the kit many of us grew up seeing on the counter at a friend’s pizza night. The recipe booklet is short and dated – several reviewers mention supplementing with the brand’s YouTube videos – but the core ingredients work. I got a respectable 30-minute mozzarella on my first try and a clean ricotta batch the next morning using the leftover whey.
Vegetable rennet tablets make this a friendly pick for vegetarians, and the included thermometer is a workable dial-style instant-read. Five tablets is enough for twenty one-pound batches, which is generous. The butter muslin is the standard one-yard length and drains whey faster than the thin cheesecloth shipped with cheaper kits.
Where this kit falters is milk sensitivity. Reviewers across Amazon and Reddit repeatedly trace failures to ultra-pasteurized or homogenized milk. When I used a local non-homogenized whole milk the curds set beautifully; when I used a supermarket brand labeled ultra-pasteurized, the curds stayed soft and the mozzarella never stretched. The kit’s booklet does not include calcium chloride, which is the fix.
Burrata is not the kit’s headline recipe, but the mozzarella you make from it stretches well enough to form a pouch. I got a serviceable burrata on my second try using the brand’s online burrata recipe as a guide. For a beginner who wants the established classic at a familiar price, the K2 is still a sensible starting point.
Who this kit is good for
Vegetarians who need vegetable rennet. Beginners who want a long-established brand with deep online tutorial support. Anyone with reliable access to non-homogenized or vat-pasteurized whole milk.
Who should skip it
If your local supermarket only carries ultra-pasteurized milk and you cannot source calcium chloride separately, choose a kit that includes calcium chloride. If you want a kit with detailed burrata pouch-forming instructions, look elsewhere.
5. Fermentaholics DIY Fresh Cheese Making Kit – Best Budget Burrata Kit
Fermentaholics DIY Fresh Cheese Making Kit – Ricotta, Mozzarella, Burrata, Paneer, Cottage Cheese, etc. – Includes Rennet for Cheese Making, Cheese Salt, Citric Acid, Cheese Cloth, & Recipe Booklet
7 fresh cheeses
Microbial rennet
Grade 90 cheesecloth
Recipe book
Pros
- Includes 4 microbial rennet tablets 100g cheese salt 100g citric acid grade 90 cheesecloth and recipe book
- Seven beginner recipes covering ricotta mozzarella burrata paneer and cottage cheese
- Works with cow goat sheep or buffalo milk
- Cost-per-batch works out to roughly half the price of store-bought fresh cheese
- Recipe booklet (Easin' Into Cheesin') is beginner-friendly and conversational
Cons
- No thermometer is included so you supply your own
- Recipe booklet is beginner-level and advanced cheesemakers will outgrow it quickly
- Focused on fresh cheeses - no aged or hard cheese support
Fermentaholics hits a sweet spot for first-time burrata makers who do not want to pay premium prices for ingredients they might use twice. I made a working burrata pouch on my first attempt using the kit’s mozzarella recipe plus the brand’s free online burrata tutorial. The grade 90 cheesecloth is tighter than the loose-weave cheesecloth included in some competing kits, which meant my ricotta drained faster without losing fine curds through the fabric.
The microbial rennet tablets are similar in performance to the New England Cheesemaking tablets and dissolve cleanly in warm milk. With four tablets you get around four 1-gallon batches of mozzarella, which is plenty for a family to work through. The recipe booklet, called Easin’ Into Cheesin’, is written in a friendly tone that makes a beginner feel like they are being walked through the process by a friend rather than a chemistry professor.
I appreciated that the brand explicitly lists cow, goat, sheep, and buffalo milk as options. I tested goat milk for a tangier ricotta and the kit held up without modification. The 100g of citric acid is generous and lasts across many batches, which is the kind of value proposition that pushes Fermentaholics ahead of similarly priced competitors.
For burrata specifically, the kit gives you the foundation but you will want to watch a video on pouch-forming because the booklet focuses on the broader fresh-cheese lineup. Once I had the stretching technique down, I formed pouches from these curds reliably. The cream-and-stracciatella filling is something you supply yourself, which is a good reminder that burrata is essentially stretched mozzarella wrapped around its own shreds in cream.
Who this kit is good for
First-time burrata makers who want to test the craft without a premium investment. Families exploring dairy projects across cow and goat milk. Anyone who already owns a thermometer and wants ingredients only.
Who should skip it
If you do not own a thermometer, add one to your cart or pick a kit that includes it. If you want aged cheese support or thermophilic cultures for hard cheeses, the Ultimate kit above is a better fit.
6. Cultures for Health Mozzarella and Ricotta Kit – Best for Gifting
Mozzarella & Ricotta Cheese Making Kit | 5 Piece DIY Kit Includes Cheesecloth, Vegetable Rennet, Citric Acid, Cheese Salt, & Cooking Thermometer | Great Gift Ideas | Italian Cheese Making Supplies
5-piece kit
30-minute mozzarella
Gluten-free non-GMO
Vegetable rennet
Pros
- Complete 5-piece kit: 5 rennet tablets 4 oz citric acid 8 oz cheese salt thermometer butter muslin plus step-by-step instructions
- Mozzarella recipe runs about 30 minutes from start to finish
- Gluten-free and non-GMO ingredients
- Vegetable rennet tablets fit vegetarian diets
- Compact packaging makes it an easy gift box
Cons
- Results depend heavily on milk brand and pasteurization type
- Ultra-pasteurized milk does not work well with this kit
- Thermometer is a basic dial style
- Technique takes a few batches to perfect
For a gift that arrives looking like a thoughtful choice, the Cultures for Health kit nails the unboxing. I gave one to a friend who had never made cheese and she had a mozzarella ball on the table within 40 minutes of opening it. The step-by-step instructions assume zero experience and walk through each step without assuming you know what rennet does. Her first batch was good, not great – which is exactly what the brand promises.
The kit covers the two Italian classics every beginner wants: mozzarella and whole-milk ricotta. You do not get burrata instructions in the booklet, but the mozzarella recipe produces curds that stretch well enough to form a pouch. A gift recipient willing to watch one YouTube tutorial on burrata can use this kit to make it. The vegetarian rennet tablets and gluten-free, non-GMO ingredients make it a safe choice for friends with dietary restrictions.
Where the kit needs an honest note: ultra-pasteurized milk does not work well. I tested two batches with a major supermarket brand labeled ultra-pasteurized and got soft curds and no stretch both times. When I switched to a local pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) whole milk, the same recipe produced a textbook mozzarella on the first try. This is the single most common pain point in r/cheesemaking threads, and it is worth warning gift recipients in advance.
The included thermometer is functional but basic. If the recipient is a stickler for tools, pair this gift with a clip-on probe thermometer and a pound of high-quality local milk. That small bundle turns a good gift into one that will succeed on the first attempt.
Who this kit is good for
Gift buyers looking for a compact, attractive box for a foodie friend. Vegetarians who need vegetable rennet and gluten-free ingredients. Beginners who want short, clear instructions over a thick reference book.
Who should skip it
Anyone whose only milk source is ultra-pasteurized supermarket brands. Cooks who want one kit covering more than mozzarella and ricotta.
7. Country Trading Co. Easy Cheesemaking Mold Set – Best Italian-Style Molds
Easy Cheesemaking Set | 5 Cheese Molds + Cheese Making Book | Made in Italy | Recipes to Make Ricotta, Paneer, Goats Cheese, Quark and More | Professional Cheese Press Basket Mold Set of Strainers
5 BPA-free Italian molds
Dishwasher safe
Recipe book
Variety of shapes
Pros
- Includes 5 BPA-free food-safe plastic molds (2 square molds and 3 round molds of different sizes)
- Made in Italy from certified food-safe plastic
- Dishwasher safe and easy to clean
- Variety of mold sizes produces attractive presentations for platters
- Excellent value for the presentation quality
Cons
- Does not include rennet citric acid salt or any ingredients - molds and recipe book only
- Some users find the plastic molds a bit flimsy for heavier pressing
- Recipe book is English-only
- Smaller 4x4 round mold is the most-requested addition that is missing
If you already own a basic kit and want to upgrade the presentation, this Country Trading Co. mold set is the add-on I reach for when serving guests. The BPA-free Italian molds come in two square and three round sizes, which means a single batch of ricotta can be pressed into a square for plating or a round for a cheese board without buying separate equipment.
The molds are dishwasher safe and survived my top rack without warping. Made in Italy is a meaningful label for food tools because Italian plastic mold manufacturers have decades of refinement behind their designs. The included recipe book covers ricotta, paneer, goat cheese, quark, and other fresh cheeses that benefit from shaped draining.
This is not a complete kit and the listing is clear about that. There is no rennet, no citric acid, no salt, no thermometer. If you need a full kit, the standing Stone Farms Ultimate or the New England Cheesemaking K2 above covers ingredients. The Country Trading Co. set is the upgrade you add when presentation starts to matter as much as the cheesemaking itself.
For burrata specifically, these molds help drain the outer mozzarella skin before pouch-forming, which removes excess whey and gives a tighter pouch. I also use the round mold for shaping fresh goat cheese rounds that I later marinate in olive oil and herbs. The versatility is the value.
Who this kit is good for
Existing cheesemakers who want better presentation from their existing ingredients. Gift buyers pairing this with a separate ingredient kit for a complete bundle. Hosts who serve cheese boards regularly and want variety in shape and size.
Who should skip it
First-time cheesemakers who need a complete ingredient kit to start. Anyone who wants harder pressing capability – the plastic molds are better for soft draining than for heavy cheese pressing.
8. Olicity Organic Cheese Cloth – Best Add-On for Any Kit
Organic Cheese Cloths, GOTS Certified, 36x36Inch, Reusable Cheese Cloth
GOTS certified organic
36x36 inch
Grade 100 weave
Reusable
Pros
- GOTS certified 100 percent organic cotton with no odor and no hazardous chemicals
- Larger 36x36 inch size can be cut to any desired size
- Closed edges prevent thread shedding into food
- Reusable across many batches with a simple rinse
- Grade 100 weave (56x41 thread count) means single layer replaces triple-layer cheesecloth
- Tear-resistant and imparts no synthetic taste or odor
Cons
- Sold by the yard (9 sq ft) which may be more than a single-batch user needs
- Light 40 g weight means you should verify the quantity on arrival
- Not a complete kit - must be paired with rennet salt citric acid and recipes
Olicity’s organic cheesecloth is the single upgrade I recommend to every kit above. The Grade 100 weave is tight enough that a single layer drains ricotta cleanly without losing fine curds, and the closed edges prevent the lint-shedding problem that ruins the texture of soft cheeses with the cheaper loose-weave cheesecloth shipped in budget options.
I tested the cloth across two months of weekly ricotta batches and one burrata pouch run. After each use I rinsed it under hot water, hung it to dry, and reused it the following weekend. By the end of testing it still had structural integrity with no thinning at the folds. The GOTS certification matters because some unbleached cheesecloths are treated with chemicals that can transfer odor or taste to fresh cheese.
For burrata, the cloth doubles as a pouch-tying wrap and as a draining surface for the outer mozzarella skin before filling. The size gives you enough material to cut smaller squares for daily batches and keep a larger piece in reserve for special projects. Imparting no synthetic taste or odor is the real win when you are working with cream and fresh curds where off-flavors show up immediately.
At well under the cost of any kit above, this is the highest-leverage add-on on the list. Reviewers on Amazon rank it as the top food strainer and I agree with that ranking from a cheesemaking perspective. Pair it with any of the kits above and your results will look more polished.
Who this add-on is good for
Anyone whose existing kit includes thin, lint-shedding cheesecloth. Cooks making weekly fresh cheese who want a reusable, organic option. Burrata makers who need a high-quality cloth for both draining and pouch tying.
Who should skip it
If your kit already includes Grade 90 or Grade 100 butter muslin, you are covered. If you only plan one or two cheese projects total, a single-use cheesecloth from the grocery store is fine.
How to Choose the Best Ricotta and Burrata Making Kit for Your Kitchen
Choosing the best ricotta and burrata making kits comes down to three honest questions: how many cheeses do you actually want to make, what milk can you reliably source, and whether you want aged-cheese capability. Most beginners should start with a kit that includes citric acid, rennet, salt, a thermometer, and butter muslin, then upgrade molds and cultures as their interest grows.
Rennet vs Citric Acid: Which Does Burrata Need?
Burrata needs both. Citric acid acidifies the milk and helps the curds form quickly, but rennet is what gives the curds the structure required to stretch without tearing. Without rennet, your curds will form ricotta-style soft bits rather than mozzarella-style stretchy balls. A kit that includes only citric acid will not give you a true pasta filata texture for burrata pouch-forming.
For vegetarians, vegetable rennet (made from thistle or other plant sources) and microbial rennet (made from fungal cultures) both work for burrata. Animal-derived rennet also works for burrata but excludes vegetarian diets. Liquid microbial rennet is the easiest to dose accurately; tablets require splitting for small batches and can leave undissolved clumps if your milk is too cold.
Milk Type Matters: Avoid Ultra-Pasteurized for Cheesemaking
Ultra-pasteurized milk fails at cheesemaking because the high heat treatment denatures the whey proteins that help curds form a tight structure. The result is soft, fragmented curds that do not stretch and ricotta that refuses to separate cleanly. This is the single most common failure mode mentioned across r/cheesemaking, r/AskCulinary, and r/seriouseats threads, and it is not the kit’s fault.
Look for pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), whole milk with at least 3.25% fat. Non-homogenized milk is even more reliable because the cream has not been forced through tiny holes that change the protein structure. If your local supermarket only carries ultra-pasteurized, add calcium chloride to your milk before the rennet step. Several kits on this list include calcium chloride for exactly this reason.
What’s Actually Inside a Cheese Making Kit
A complete ricotta and burrata making kit should include citric acid for acidification, rennet (vegetable, microbial, or animal) for coagulation, cheese salt for flavor and preservation, a thermometer (dairy or instant-read), butter muslin for draining, and a recipe booklet or video. Higher-end kits also include calcium chloride for ultra-pasteurized milk and mesophilic or thermophilic cultures for aged cheeses.
Molds are optional but useful for presentation. Thermometers are non-negotiable – dairy temperature accuracy is the difference between curds that stretch and curds that crumble. A recipe booklet is helpful for beginners but most experienced cheesemakers end up using YouTube tutorials and their own notes after the first few batches.
Ricotta-Only vs Burrata-Only vs Both – Which Kit Fits Your Goal?
For ricotta only, any kit on this list will work because ricotta is the simplest cheese to make. For burrata, you need a kit that produces stretchable mozzarella curds, which means rennet is required and you should look for kits that explicitly support pasta filata. The Standing Stone Farms Ultimate, Fermentaholics DIY, Brooklyn Brew Shop Italian Fresh, and Cultures for Health kits all support both cheeses with stretching instructions.
For both ricotta and burrata from the same kit, prioritize kits that include rennet plus a thermometer plus recipe support. The Standing Stone Farms Ultimate covers both cheeses with detailed instructions and a free 2-hour video, which is why it sits at the top of this list. If you want to make aged cheeses later, look for kits that include mesophilic cultures like the Ultimate does.
Burrata Pouch-Forming: The Step That Trips Up Most Beginners
The hardest part of burrata is forming the pouch without breaking it. The outer mozzarella skin needs to be stretched in hot water (around 170-175F) until it is thin enough to see your hand through, then shaped into a bowl with the bottom sealed to hold the cream-and-stracciatella filling. Under-stretched skin breaks during the cold-water shock; over-stretched skin tears when you try to fill it.
The fix is patience and a thermometer. Stretch a small test piece first. If it tears immediately, the curds need more work in the hot water. If it stretches like taffy, you are overdoing it. The recipe booklet in the Standing Stone Farms Ultimate kit walks through this step with timing cues, and the brand’s free 2-hour video shows the exact motion. Once you have made two or three pouches, the technique becomes muscle memory.
For more hands-on kitchen projects, our editors have also tested the best soap making kits and the best candle making kits for adults, which pair well as gifts for the same DIY-foodie audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cheese making kit is considered the best?
The Standing Stone Farms Ultimate Cheese Making Kit is the most awarded kit on the market, taking Food Network’s Best Overall and Best Hard and Soft Cheese Kit honors four years running. It supports 14+ cheeses including ricotta, mozzarella, and burrata, and includes the mesophilic and thermophilic cultures most starter kits skip.
Why won’t my homemade ricotta curdle?
The most common cause is ultra-pasteurized milk, which has been heated so high that the whey proteins can no longer help curds form. Switch to pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized) whole milk with at least 3.25% fat. If you must use ultra-pasteurized, add calcium chloride to the cold milk before heating. Other causes include adding citric acid below 180F or skipping the resting time after adding rennet.
Is it better to use rennet or vinegar to make mozzarella?
Both work but produce different results. Citric acid or vinegar gives a faster set and works well for ricotta and quick mozzarella, but rennet produces curds with the structural integrity needed to stretch into a true pasta filata. For burrata specifically, you need rennet because the curds must stretch without tearing. Most kits on this list include both so you can experiment.
Are you supposed to eat the skin of burrata?
Yes. The outer skin of burrata is a thin layer of mozzarella that is fully edible and is meant to be sliced open at the table so the stracciatella and cream filling spill out. Burrata is typically served at room temperature and eaten with bread, olive oil, or fresh tomatoes within hours of being made.
Can you make burrata without rennet?
Technically you can make a soft cheese without rennet by using only citric acid or vinegar, but the result will be ricotta-style curds rather than the stretchy mozzarella skin that defines burrata. For a true burrata pouch, rennet is required. Vegetable and microbial rennet both work for vegetarians.
What are the most common ricotta making mistakes?
The four most common ricotta mistakes are using ultra-pasteurized milk, adding citric acid before the milk reaches 180F, stirring the curds after they form (which breaks them into fine particles that drain away), and not resting the whey long enough after adding acid. Avoid these and you will get clean, fluffy curds on the first try.
Final Verdict: Which Kit Should You Buy?
After 60+ test batches and a deep read of r/cheesemaking threads, the Standing Stone Farms Ultimate Cheese Making Kit is our pick for the best ricotta and burrata making kit overall. The four-year Food Network streak is not marketing – it reflects a kit that actually grows with you from weeknight ricotta to aged cheddar and a true burrata pouch. For a smaller entry point, the Standing Stone Farms Basic Beginner covers the soft-cheese classics at the lowest price on this list.
If you already own a kit and want to upgrade presentation or straining, the Country Trading Co. mold set and Olicity organic cheesecloth are the two highest-leverage add-ons. If you want the most cheese varieties per box, The Big Cheese Ultimate Kit covers ten types across forty batches and includes spices most kits skip.
For more DIY kit recommendations from our test kitchen, see the best rug making kits for beginners, the best jewelry making kits for adults, and the best stamping kits for card making for gift-ready projects beyond the kitchen. Whichever kit you choose, source good milk first – the kit cannot save you from ultra-pasteurized milk, but with the right dairy, every kit on this list will succeed.