Making homemade yogurt is one of those things I have literally been meaning to try for years, ever since my friend Kelly shared this recipe with me back in 2010! And now that I have finally gotten around to it, I can’t believe I waited so long!
Friends, this recipe is so easy to make that it is basically foolproof and I am literally kicking myself for not trying it sooner. I have made it a few times now, and even when I think I have completely screwed it up (like heated the milk to 200 degrees instead of 180) it has come out just fine. My girls absolutely can not get enough of this stuff and I love that we can sweeten it with honey and coconut and fresh fruit (and maybe a few chocolate chips!) instead of just buying the sugar-laden stuff at the grocery store.
Here is what you need:
1/2 gallon whole milk 1 6oz container plain, unsweetened yogurt food or candy thermometer slow cooker 2-3 large towels
Step 1: Pour milk into crockpot; turn to high and heat to 180 degrees. (This will take between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.)
Step 2 : Turn off the slow cooker and allow milk to cool to 120 degrees (This will also take between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.) Let unsweetened yogurt and allow to sit at room temperature while milk is cooling.
Step 3: Once milk has reached 120 degrees, mix yogurt into milk and stir gently but thoroughly.
Step 4: Replace lid and bundle crockpot with several towels. Set crockpot in an out-of-the-way place where it the yogurt can ferment, undisturbed, for 6-8 hours or overnight.
Step 5: Carefully unwrap crockpot and transfer crock to refrigerator to let yogurt cool completely. Do not shake or stir–the less you disrupt it, the better it will set.
Note: My family likes our yogurt to have a softer consistency, but if you prefer a thicker yogurt, you can line a colander with cheesecloth as shown, then pour in the yogurt to strain out some of the excess water.
Step 6: Serve with fresh fruit, berries, chocolate, granola, or coconut…the sky’s the limit on this one! Be sure to reserve 3/4 cup of starter for your next batch….you’ll be making it again before you know it!
Instant Pot recipe update: I followed the Fairlife recipe. One 52oz container of Fairlife whole milk, 1 heaping Tablespoon of Greek yogurt (I used Stonyfield Greek vanilla) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, I tablespoon sugar. Use Yogurt button on your Instant pot (8hrs) Make sure that vent valve is in the sealing position. Once time is done do not stir yogurt. Remove inner pot and cover then let sit in fridge for at least 4-5 hours or overnight. You do not need to strain. Once your yogurt has cooled properly, you can add honey, fresh fruit and granola. You can keep your yogurt in single serve glass containers, or plastic containers with well fitting lids. Yogurt can keep for at least 2 weeks. For more great tips and information about this method, check out this post by: Frieda Loves Bread
How to Make Homemade Yogurt
Looking for an easy and delicious homemade yogurt recipe? Here's how to make homemade yogurt in both a crockpot & Instant Pot - both super easy!
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon whole milk
- 1 6 oz container plain unsweetened yogurt
- food or candy thermometer
- slow cooker
- 2-3 large towels
Instructions
- Pour milk into crockpot; turn to high and heat to 180 degrees. (This will take between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.)
- Turn off the slow cooker and allow milk to cool to 120 degrees (This will also take between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.) Measure unsweetened yogurt and allow to sit at room temperature while milk is cooling.
- Once milk has reached 120 degrees, mix yogurt into milk and stir gently but thoroughly.
- Replace lid and bundle crockpot with several towels. Set crockpot in an out-of-the-way place where it the yogurt can ferment, undisturbed, for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- Carefully unwrap crockpot and transfer crock to refrigerator to let yogurt cool completely. Do not shake or stir--the less you disrupt it, the better it will set.
Serve with fresh fruit, berries, chocolate, granola, or coconut...the sky's the limit on this one!
Be sure to reserve 3/4 cup of starter for your next batch....you'll be making it again before you know it!
Recipe Notes
Yogurt can also be made using Instant Pot. Fairlife recipe is as follows:
One 52oz container of Fairlife whole milk, 1 heaping Tablespoon of Greek yogurt (I used Stonyfield Greek vanilla), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, I tablespoon sugar.
Use Yogurt button on your Instant pot (8hrs) Make sure that vent valve is in the sealing position. Once time is done do not stir yogurt. Remove inner pot and cover then let sit in fridge for at least 4-5 hours or overnight. You do not need to strain. Once your yogurt has cooled properly, you can add honey, fresh fruit and granola. You can keep your yogurt in single serve glass containers, or plastic containers with well fitting lids. Yogurt can keep for at least 2 weeks.
* * *
Have you ever made homemade yogurt? Do you have any tips or tricks to share?
TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR HOME LIFE
Ever feel like you just can't keep up? Our Living Well Starter Guide will show you how to start streamlining your life in just 3 simple steps. It's a game changer--get it free for a limited time!
If you love this resource, be sure to check out our digital library of helpful tools and resources for cleaning faster, taking control of your budget, organizing your schedule, and getting food on the table easier than ever before.
I confess I was surprised when this method worked for me, even with the cheapo store yogurt as a starter. It was a pleasant surprise. I linked to this in my Pancake Mix Fix post. Thanks for sharing.
My milk is in the process of cooling back down, so I can add my yogurt starter. Have been wanting to try this and finally just did it. I’m thinking that instead of honey or sugar to sweeten the yogurt, I’m going to try one of my fruit butters (we have apple, peach and sweet potato butters – they are 3 different butters not one – in the fridge.) Can’t wait to see how that tastes. <
I have made yogurt in a stainless steel pot. I used a heating pad on low heat under the pot and covered the top with towels. The bacteria that culture (grow ) in the yogurt are warm loving bacteria. So the added heat from the heating pad cause the yogurt to set better ( become more firm).
Thank you so much for writing this! Yogurt is something I’ve been wanting to try for a while now and seeing this finally gave me the nudge to do it. I made my first batch on Wednesday. It smelled so good when I first opened the crock pot! Had some in my granola this morning.
I’m trying to figure out if this will actually save us money… If my math is right it seems promising. We get 2 gallons of milk for $6, and a 5.5 oz container of Greek yogurt costs anywhere from 79 cents to a dollar. Half a gallon of milk weighs about 69 ounces, so that’s a little over 2 cents per ounce vs 14.3 cents per ounce for the store-bought yogurt. I think. So as long as it takes less than 7 ounces of milk to make an ounce of yogurt we’re good, right? (Of course if we’re really going to get technical I’d have to factor in the cost of electricity plus depreciation of the slow cooker, but those seem pretty negligible in this case… and making your own yogurt is way is more fun. Ha.)
Anybody know how much this recipe makes if you strain off the whey to make it similar to Greek style yogurt? I should have measured it but it’s too late now because I ate a bunch already 😀
I would like to do this with a whole gallon of milk, does it work to double the recipe or would I have to do it twice?
I have done this with a gallon of milk a few times …. works out well
You can use any amount you like, it is the crock pot size that makes the difference. The formula is all the same. 185f first, second , about 110f, third rap let set 8 – 12 maybe more hours, chill for 6 hours or so and enjoy, if you like straining will make it thicker.