Best Homemade Yogurt Recipes

EASY HOMEMADE YOGURT

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Reduce heat and simmer, about 10 minutes; do not let it boil over.
• Remove pot from heat and allow to sit for 30 to 60 minutes. Dip your finger into the milk every once in a while to determine when you can leave your finger in the milk for 10 to 15 seconds without burning. Pour in the yogurt; there is no need to stir.
• Put the lid on the pot and carefully wrap a blanket around it. Place the wrapped pot in a slightly warm place where it will be undisturbed for 6 to 10 hours; overnight is best. Transfer to the refrigerator to allow the yogurt to continue to thicken.

AUTHENTIC HOMEMADE YOGURT

Steps:

• On a work surface, lay four clean cotton towels in a cross pattern, each with one end overlapping a few inches in the center. Position a large baking dish or glass mixing bowl in the center of the towels.
• Set the plain yogurt on the counter to warm to room temperature while preparing milk mixture.
• Combine milk and half-and-half in a large, heavy, non-aluminum pot. Heat over low to moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture just comes to the boil. Immediately remove from heat and pour mixture into the waiting bowl. Add 1 pint whipping cream, if desired, for added richness.
• Allow mixture to cool to 112 degrees F (44 degrees C). Gradually pour 1 cup of the warm milk into the yogurt, whisking constantly. Return the yogurt-milk mixture to the bowl and stir well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; wrap kitchen towels up and over bowl, covering completely. Let stand at room temperature until firmly set, 8 to 12 hours.
• Refrigerate yogurt several hours or overnight to chill completely.

HOMEMADE GREEK YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat milk and cream until almost boiling, stirring regularly, about 5 minutes.
• Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and water. Place a smaller, sterilized bowl over the ice bath for the milk.
• Pour hot milk into the smaller bowl. Cool until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the milk reads 110 to 120 degrees F (43 to 49 degrees C).
• Place yogurt in a separate bowl; mix in enough of the cooled milk until smooth. Pour mixture back into the bowl of milk; remove from ice. Let yogurt rest in a warm place while maintaining a temperature between 110 to 120 degrees F (43 to 49 degrees C), until firm, 6 to 8 hours.
• Line a strainer with a coffee filter and place over a bowl. Place yogurt in the filter and cover top loosely. Refrigerate until desired thickness is achieved, 6 to 8 hours.

HOMEMADE GREEK YOGURT IN YOUR SLOW COOKER

Steps:

• Pour milk into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low until hot, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Unplug slow cooker; keep lid on. Wrap slow cooker completely in a large, thick beach towel for insulation. Let sit for 3 to 4 hours.
• Whisk plain yogurt together with 1 cup of hot milk from the slow cooker in a bowl. Return mixture to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Rewrap slow cooker with the towel. Allow to sit at least 8 hours to overnight.
• Line a large colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Ladle yogurt into the colander; let whey drain into the bowl below. Let sit for 30 minutes, so the yogurt comes out quite dry. Store yogurt in a covered container in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.

HOMEMADE HONEY GREEK YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat 2 quarts milk in a saucepan over medium heat until a candy thermometer inserted in the liquid reads between 180 and 190 degrees F (82 to 88 degrees C), 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Whisk powdered milk and honey into the warm milk. Let cool until the thermometer reads between 115 and 120 degrees F (46 to 49 degrees C), about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Whisk a small portion of the warm milk mixture into the yogurt; stir mixture back into the saucepan. Transfer mixture into a warm slow cooker. Wrap slow cooker in a bath towel and tuck it away into a microwave or oven. Let sit until thickened into yogurt, 6 to 9 hours.
• Line a colander with cheesecloth or coffee filters and set over a bowl. Pour the yogurt into the colander and refrigerate colander and bowl until desired consistency is reached, 4 to 8 hours.

HOMEMADE VANILLA YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat up the oven by turning on for 3 to 4 minutes; turn the oven off.
• Bring milk to a boil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Stir in sugar and vanilla extract until blended. Turn off heat and let sit until warm but not cool.
• Place yogurt in a large container; pour in milk mixture. Cover and place in the oven until yogurt has set, 8 to 16 hours. Store in the refrigerator.

HOMEMADE YOGURT

Steps:

• Start by cleaning and sterilizing all your equipment and tools as well as your work surface. Most utensils and storage containers can be sanitized in the dishwasher (some machines have a sanitize setting). Alternatively, sterilize everything in boiling water.
• Prepare an ice bath, filling a large bowl or sink with ice.
• Attach a candy thermometer to a heavy, large pot and add the milk. Place the pot over moderate heat and heat the milk until it reaches at least 180°F or boils, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming and making sure the milk doesn't scald or boil over. Alternatively, place the milk in a large microwave-safe bowl or a large glass measuring cup with a spout (for easy pouring) and microwave it in 2- to 3-minute intervals, until it reaches 180° or boils.
• Remove the milk from the heat and allow it to cool to 110°F to 115°F. To speed the cooling process, place the pot in the prepared ice bath and stir the milk occasionally. (If the milk temperature drops too low, return it to the heat.)
• If using yogurt as a starter culture: In a small bowl, combine about 1 cup warm milk with the yogurt and stir to combine. Add the yogurt-milk mixture to the remaining warm milk and stir until completely incorporated. Do not stir vigorously.
• If using a powdered yogurt culture: Follow the manufacturer's instructions and add the specified amount of powdered culture to the warm milk; whisk until completely incorporated. Do not stir vigorously.
• Pour or ladle the mixture into the yogurt maker containers or another incubator (if using a thermos, first warm the inside with hot tap water) and incubate between 110°F and 115°F for 5 to 10 hours, depending on the desired flavor and consistency-longer incubation periods produces thicker, more tart yogurt. Do not disturb the yogurt during incubation.
• Cover the yogurt and refrigerate until cold, 2 to 3 hours. (If you used a thermos to incubate, transfer the finished yogurt to a non-insulated container for chilling so the temperature will drop.) Stir any flavorings into the yogurt just before serving. (For thicker, Greek-style yogurt, after incubation, spoon the yogurt into a cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl and let it drain, covered in the refrigerator, for at least 1 hour or overnight. Discard the whey that drains out of the yogurt or reserve it for another use.)
• Yogurt can be stored in the refrigerator, in covered glass, ceramic, or plastic containers, for up to 2 weeks, but the flavor will be the best during the first week. As yogurt ages, it becomes more tart. If more whey separates out of the yogurt, just stir it back in before serving.

HOMEMADE YOGURT

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, heat milk over medium heat until a thermometer reads 200°, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove from heat; let stand until a thermometer reads 112°-115°, stirring occasionally. (If desired, place pan in an ice-water bath for faster cooling.), Whisk 1 cup warm milk into yogurt until smooth; return all to pan, stirring gently. Transfer mixture to warm, clean jars, such as 1-qt. canning jars., Cover jars; place in oven. Turn on oven light to keep mixture warm, about 110°. Let stand, undisturbed, 6-24 hours or until yogurt is set, tilting jars gently to check. (Yogurt will become thicker and more tangy as it stands.), Refrigerate, covered, until cold. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

JAMIE OLIVER'S HOMEMADE YOGURT

Steps:

• Bring milk to a boil in a thick bottomed pot. Turn heat off and leave for about 40 min until the milk has cooled down to body temperature. If you can keep your finger in the milk, you can go ahead and stir/whisk in the yogurt. Cover and leave at room temperature for 6-8 hours.
• Place in the fridge to chill; it will keep for 1 week.

HOMEMADE NONDAIRY YOGURT

Steps:

• Place 3/4 cup milk in a small bowl and whisk in starch until smooth.
• Bring remaining milk to a simmer in a medium pot. Whisk starch into hot milk, then let simmer until mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. It should be very thick, like pudding. (It will thin out after fermentation.) Remove from heat, transfer to a glass jar or ceramic bowl (not a reactive metal bowl), and let cool until it reaches 110 degrees.
• Stir in starter, cover, and let ferment somewhere warm and draft-free for 12 to 24 hours, until it milk turns sour, to taste. If it separates, simply whisk or shake it back together.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.

VANILLA YOGURT (HOMEMADE)

Steps:

• Set 1/2 yogurt starter out to warm to room temperature.
• Heat the milk to almost a boil.(I like to microwave in a glass bowl for 5 minutes on high then 2 minutes on medium). Cool the milk (to a "barely warm"/ babies bath temperature) (cool water bath works well). Add dry milk, vanilla and sweetener of your choice; stir well.
• Stir in yogurt starter (do not whip but mix very well!).
• "Cook" the yogurt using your preferred method and time (longer makes a firmer, more tart yogurt. I like to cook about 12 hours). Chill 4 hours before eating.

HOMEMADE GREEK YOGURT RANCH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Add the yogurt, cheese, dill, vinegar, Italian seasoning, garlic and some salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
• Add the buttermilk and mix to incorporate. If the sauces is too thick, add a little more buttermilk.

HOMEMADE COCONUT MILK YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 115 degrees F (46 degrees C), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). Stir in gelatin. Add yogurt and mix well.
• Incubate the milk mixture in a yogurt maker for 24 hours. Chill in the refrigerator until set.

HOMEMADE VANILLA BEAN & HONEY YOGURT

Steps:

• Cut the vanilla beans in half, then slice each half open lengthwise. Scrape the tiny black seeds out of the middle of the beans and add to the yogurt. Stir well to mix.
• Drizzle in the honey (start with 1/4 cup) and mix well. Taste and add additional honey if you prefer a sweeter yogurt.
• Keeps refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

TRADITIONAL HOMEMADE YOGURT

Steps:

• Place milk in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Heat, stirring often, until a thermometer inserted into the milk reads 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Turn off heat and let milk cool, stirring often, to 115 degrees F (46 degrees C).
• Pour about 1 cup of warm milk from the saucepan into a bowl and whisk in yogurt. Pour this mixture back into the saucepan and stir to combine. Ladle the liquid yogurt into clean glass jars and cover loosely with lids.
• Place the jars in a warm spot in your kitchen, wrapped in a towel if your kitchen is breezy. Let incubate until yogurt thickens, 12 to 24 hours.
• Move the jars to a refrigerator to cool.

HOMEMADE MANGO-AGAVE GRANOLA WITH GREEK YOGURT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 1/2-sheet pan with parchment paper or silpat. Mix together the oil, agave syrup, honey, cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. Combine the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, flax seed, and salt in a large bowl. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well to combine making sure everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared sheet pan and bake in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. While still warm, break into clumps. Add the dried fruit after it has cooled. Serve the yogurt in bowls and top with some of the granola and a drizzle of honey. Store the leftover granola in an airtight container in a cool place.

HOMEMADE GREEK/BALKAN STYLE YOGURT

Steps:

• Pour the milk and powdered milk into a large pot or saucepan and heat on stove to 185F, stirring constantly. This should take about 10 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and let the milk sit until the temperature reads 110°F
• Add the starter and stir to combine.
• Put the lid on the pot and wrap the pot in a blanket. Put it in a warm place (I use my oven - turned off, of course!).
• Leave it for at least 12 hours. When you check it, it should be solidified, but creamy when stirred.
• Empty the yogurt into a colander lined with cheesecloth. Set the colander in a large bowl and put it back in the blanket for 1-2 hours.
• When you check it, there should be about a cup to a cup and a half of clear liquid (whey) in the bowl and the yogurt will be thickened considerably.
• Transfer the yogurt to the container and refrigerate.

HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY GREEK YOGURT WITH FRUIT AT THE TOP

Steps:

• Tools to Sterilize: 1 pan with lid, 9 glass pint jars, 9 pint jar lids, 1 ladle, 1 candy thermometer, 1 canning funnel, 1 stirring spatula (mine is extra wide), 1 metal stirring spoon.
• Other Tools: 1 small cooler, 1 teapot,1 blender.
• Sterilize all your cooking tools. This is easy to do. Put a few inches of water in the bottom of your pot. Put all the cooking tools you can fit inside. Put the lid on the pan. Simply steam the tools in the pan for a few minuets. or Wash all the tools in a dishwasher. or Heat water in your teapot and pour boiling water over your tools.
• Use a sterilized pint jar to measure out the 8 pints of milk into your pan. Put your candy thermometer in the pan and get your spatula ready.
• Turn your burner to less then medium heat. Slowly heat the milk while stirring the bottom of the pan from time to time. Heat milk to almost boiling (or 180 degrees).
• While milk is heating measure out the yogurt. Use one sterilized pint jar to measure out the Greek yogurt. Remember to stir your warming milk often.
• While milk is heating, heat water in your tea pot and pour it into your cooler. Close up the cooler to preheat it. Refill the teapot and heat some more water. Remember to stir your warming milk often.
• While milk is heating measure out the fruit topping ingredients into a blender and blend them. Place this blended topping inside the fridge to wait. Remember to stir your warming milk often.
• When milk has reached 180 degrees remove pan from heat and allow to cool to 110 degrees. The active cultures will be killed if they are stirred into milk any hotter then 110 degrees.
• While waiting for milk to cool down dump water out of your warmed cooler and place the empty pint jars inside of the empty cooler.
• Once milk has cooled to 110 degrees it is time to stir in the yogurt. In order to easily stir in the yogurt it helps to stir it with a little milk before adding it to the warm milk. Put half the yogurt in two jars and stir in warmed milk with each jar. Then pour the yogurt/ milk mix into the pot and stir it all together with the rest of the warmed milk. The used pint jars can still be used for culturing yogurt in them.
• Place your canning funnel on to one of your pint jars. Ladle yogurt/milk mixture into the pint jars, one will not be all the way full. Loosely cover each jar with a lid.
• Pour preheated water from your teapot into the bottom of your cooler. Close up cooler and let the yogurt culture.
• Culture in the cooler for 6-10 hours, you can add more hot water if you want. The longer the yogurt cultures the thicker it will be. I like to add hot water in the middle and culture for the whole 10 hours because I like my yogurt very thick.
• When yogurt has reached desired thickness remove the jars from the cooler. Dump the water out of the cooler.
• Get your fruit topping out of the fridge and spoon it onto the top of each of your yogurt cultures, for a fruit at the top effect. Replace the lids tightly on each pint jar.
• Store pint jars of yogurt in the fridge until you are ready to eat them.

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB JAM WITH FROZEN YOGURT PARFAIT AND HOMEMADE WALNUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• For the frozen yogurt: Strain the yogurt through a fine-meshed strainer for 2 hours. Put the strained yogurt, the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract in a blender and blend until the ingredients are incorporated, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the yogurt mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the homemade walnut brittle: Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat and grease it liberally with 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, about 6 minutes. Stir in the walnuts and cook until the mixture becomes golden-brown and reaches 300 degrees F, about 5 more minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from heat, and stir in 1 stick butter, the vanilla extract, baking soda and salt¿the mixture will come to a vigorous bubble, then it will settle. Stir until the butter is fully melted and pour onto the silicone baking mat. Let the brittle cool completely, about 30 minutes. Break apart before serving.
• To assemble the parfaits: Add a large spoonful of jam to each parfait glass, then a scoop of Frozen Yogurt, and top with a few pieces of Homemade Walnut Brittle.

HOMEMADE VEGAN COCONUT YOGURT

Steps:

• Whisk coconut milk in a large, heavy saucepan until smooth. Sprinkle agar-agar flakes on top. Let sit, undisturbed, until flakes are rehydrated, about 5 minutes.
• Heat the milk gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer inserted into the center reads 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until agar-agar is fully dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the stovetop. Let milk cool, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 115 degrees F (46 degrees C). Speed up the cooling process by placing the saucepan in an ice water bath; stir continually until it reaches the correct temperature.
• Open the probiotic capsules and sprinkle the powder over the milk. Discard capsules. Stir in sugar until dissolved.
• Transfer the yogurt mixture to sterilized glass jars and cover with lids, or leave in the saucepan and cover. Let sit in a warm place, about 110 degrees F (43 degrees C), until thickened to desired consistency, 12 to 24 hours.
• Chill yogurt in the refrigerator until set, 4 to 6 hours.