Making homemade yogurt is much more frugal than purchasing “ready-made” containers of yogurt. (Plus, you know exactly what all the ingredients are!) Yogurt-making is a simple process, and is one of the best “baby-steps” in frugal, healthy food preparation.
A couple years ago, I guest-posted on another blog with my homemade yogurt recipe. Many of you have recently e-mailed me, asking for the recipe, since that previous blog is now expired. So, here is how I make yogurt from scratch!
This is the “small version” of the recipe. I typically quadruple it to make an entire gallon at once! (I use my big stainless steel pot.) I originally learned how to make yogurt from the book Wild Fermentation.
Heat 1 quart of milk gently, stirring often to prevent burning, to 180 degrees. Then let milk cool to 100 degrees. Stir in 1 Tbl. “plain, live-cultures” yogurt (no more!) with a whisk to fully combine. Pour into a jar, and place in a warm place.
Place yogurt in a warm place for 12 hours, undisturbed. I usually put mine in a big travel cooler, along with a couple jars of warm water and some big towels tucked around it all to keep it warm. I’ve heard of others using crockpots, ovens, or fancy dehydrators to keep theirs warm. But I like the free “non-electric” version. 
(My kids know to leave it alone, thankfully. If you need to, you can put it in the garage, up on the counter, etc. to hide it from little hands until they understand the process. We say, “The yogurt is sleeping.” You could also make it at bedtime, so that it sits overnight while you are sleeping. Then you will have fresh yogurt for breakfast!) Anyway, just make sure to leave the yogurt undisturbed while it is “yoging.”
If you’re using raw milk, the yogurt will tend to be thinner than “regular” yogurt. To achieve a thicker yogurt, you can add more cream, instead of just milk. This is a great raw milk yogurt recipe from Nourished Kitchen.
If you are using raw milk or non-homogenized milk, the cream will rise to the top, and it may even be yellow-colored, if the cows are grass-fed.
If you like flavored yogurt, stir in some fruit and/or raw honey when serving for a delicious treat. I also use my homemade yogurt as a frugal substitution in recipes, instead of sour cream or mayonnaise.
Do YOU make your own homemade yogurt?
This post is part of Frugal Friday at Life as Mom and the Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.
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I’ve never been brave enough to make my own yogurt, but a friend of mine does and hers tastes great! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
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Michele Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 11:29 am
@April Harris, Give it a try, April!
I’d love to hear if you do. (It’s really not scary.) 
Michele
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That’s too funny! I’m making yogurt this week!! There are so many “recipes” to try!
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Have been wanting to try this for awhile. Just haven’t been brave enough. Thanks for the tutorial!
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YES! I do make homemade yogurt…. matter of fact, I had some this morning with cantaloupe for breakfast – yummy with any fruit!
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If you are making the gallon version, do you use 4 tablespoons of live yogurt culture? I am assuming you purchased some yogurt at a health food store to get started, am I correct?
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Michele Reply:
July 9th, 2010 at 11:26 am
@Amethyst, Yes, I do use 4 Tbl. of yogurt for the gallon. I did purchase some yogurt to get started (I like “Nancy’s”), and then I usually use some of my homemade yogurt for the next batch.
Michele
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sarah Reply:
September 27th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
@Michele, is the yogurt that you start with any live cultured plain yogurt or is it a special type of live culture? and after its initial period of sitting overnight, you always refrigerate it, right? and one last questions, have you frozen your yogurt before and has it been successful?
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Michele Reply:
September 27th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
@sarah, I just use regular whole milk, plain yogurt (it’s not one of those special “yogurt starters”). Yes, I refrigerate it after it’s done culturing. I’ve never tried freezing it; sorry! I have bookmarked this recipe that looks good: http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2010/07/01/froyo-how-to-make-homemade-frozen-yogurt/ (Let me know if you try it!)
Blessings,
Michele
I’ve often thought about making yogurt, but never attempted. Maybe this will inspire me! Thanks for sharing!
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I tried the crock pot thing before – something went horribly wrong. It was slimy and stinky – I dunno – but this looks way better; just to let it do it’s own thang
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Michele Reply:
July 10th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
I have an old thrift store crockpot, which I love for meals, but I would be scared that something icky like that would happen if I tried the crockpot, too! (Maybe one that has a temperature gauge/thermometer would be better?) I do like the simplicity of this “non-electric” recipe.
Thanks for stopping by, Jen!
Michele
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How funny I came across this tonight, just made my 1st ever batch of yogurt and second batch of kefir. I used a yogurt maker(from craigs list) – Can’t wait till morning to have my fresh yogurt!
I even made my poor hubby drive 30 min. out of his way after work today, to get fresh milk.
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[...] Smoothies (use homemade yogurt), [...]
I’ve made yogurt about 10 times now. I like to strain it for 12 hours after chilling, then use it to make frozen yogurt, or top it with honey and granola. I use Mountain High yogurt as the starter. Once I used a different yogurt and the finished product tasted more like goat cheese. I have 2 questions:
1. What is the best way to clean the pot after you heat the milk? I find that to be the most frustrating part of making yogurt.
2. How long do you think the finished yogurt can be considered fresh and the cultures be considered live?
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Michele @ Frugal Granola Reply:
July 12th, 2010 at 11:07 am
@Maria, Great tips, Maria!
To scrape the milk out of the pot, and into a jar, I use a heat-safe silicone scraper: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002CGS4OO?ie=UTF8&tag=fruggran-20&creativeASIN=B002CGS4OO
I don’t know how long the cultures live. I usually end up replacing my starter every couple months because someone usually eats the last of the yogurt (forgetting to save some!), and I have to start over. Julie at Cultures for Health might be better able to answer that question: http://www.culturesforhealth.com
Thanks!
Michele
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Pat Reply:
January 24th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
@Maria,
I also don’t like to clean the pot. What I do that makes it sooo much easier is to pour the milk into canning jars and heat the milk with it right in the jar. After it’s cooled I add a teaspoon of yogurt starter to each jar. The pan stays completely clean and the milk doesn’t scorch in the jars either.
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Thanks for posting this. I tried a similar recipe, but haven’t found one that I really like. I’ll be trying this one soon.
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We are missionaries in Nigeria, and we make yogurt at least once a week. Fresh milk is pretty uncommon, so we use powdered milk to make it. I’m rarely REALLY precise with it, and it turns out great almost every time (Okay, there was that one batch….
). This is the recipe we use:
2 cups warm water
2 cups powdered milk
2 tbsp. starter yogurt
Mix, then add 2 cups hot water (not boiling). Let sit for about 8 hours. (We put ours in a cooler or thermos and it does fine. Our friend puts hers in a glass jar, wraps it in several towels and leaves it on the counter.) Chill, then eat.
This recipe is so easy to make — the water temp really doesn’t have to be precise, as long as it’s not so hot that it kills the bacteria. We love it with honey and fruit, too, and sometimes we add vanilla extract.
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I just have a question. I have been making my own yogurt for a couple years using the crockpot method. The flavor is great, so I keep doing it, but the consistency is very thin. It’s ideal for smoothies, but not so great for just eating out of a bowl. Does this recipe yield a more “store-like” consistency? I won’t go back to buying it because it’s so much cheaper to make, but I really would like for it to be thicker.
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Michele Reply:
December 27th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
I think that heating the milk to the high temp on the stove is what helps make it thicker. The other (“raw milk” method) I linked to adds additional cream to make it thicker. We’ve definitely been pleased with ours! It’s not quite as thick as the store-bought kind (they add extra thickeners), but it’s close.
Blessings,
Michele
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Janet Reply:
January 11th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
@Ashley, Strain your thin yogurt through cheese cloth for 4 hours and it will be nice and thick. If you strain it even longer it will turn into a nice yogurt cream cheese.
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Can you use a yogurt maker for this recipe? I have one that I have tried to make non-dairy yogurt with(which has not worked), and I would like to try dairy.
Linda
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Michele Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Hi, Linda,
I’ve never used a yogurt maker; I don’t know anything about them. Sorry! I’d suggest checking your manual, to see if the process is similar. (It’s my understanding that yogurt makers do all the heating for you, but yours could be different.)
Blessings,
Michele
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Probably a dumb question but do you cover the jar with a lid while the yogurt is sleeping?
Also, do the jars of hot water need to be replenished or is it ok for them to cool down in the process? I’ve always wanted to make homemade yogurt and this recipe has me convinced I can actually do it!
Thanks!
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Michele Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
@Erin S., I put the lid on the jars immediately have pouring in the yogurt-milk. Then I place the jars in the cooler. Yes, it’s ok for the water to cool down. With the towels tucked snugly around the jars, and the lid tightly on the cooler, it stays pretty steamy in there.
By the time the yogurt is done, it will be about “room temp,” and then I put them in the refrigerator.
Enjoy your yogurt!
Blessings,
Michele
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Michele Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
Oops- sorry, that was supposed to say that I put the lids on immediately *after* pouring.
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Oh my, this is good yogurt! I especially enjoy it w/a bit of raw honey drizzled on top. I made it a few nights ago and will need to make another batch in a day or two! I tried a crockpot version, but it was a fail. I think it got too hot. (I did get some nice whey from it!) Thanks for posting such a simple, healthy and frugal recipe!
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Has anybody had success with 100% soy milk or know of a soy starter? I have never made yogurt but we are having to remove dairy at the moment from my LO diet.
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Michele Reply:
January 24th, 2011 at 9:42 am
@Kari, When I’ve needed a dairy-free alternative for my children, I’ve used coconut milk. (Soy really isn’t a nourishing alternative.) It wasn’t as thick as dairy yogurt, but definitely cultured; a fun drinkable yogurt. I wonder if it could have been thicker if I added some more coconut cream, but I never tried it.
Blessings,
Michele
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Linda Reply:
January 24th, 2011 at 11:20 am
@Michele,
Did you use a yogurt maker or a different method? I have tried several milks in my yogurt maker, including coconut, but it totally fails.
Linda
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Michele Reply:
January 24th, 2011 at 11:26 am
I use the method detailed in the post above- no yogurt maker.
Janet Reply:
January 26th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
@Kari,I love making soy yogurt! It is so easy. If you use boxed soy milk you only have heat to 105 F – 115 F degrees. It is almost fool proof.
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If using raw milk to make yogurt, wouldn’t you be actually pasteurizing it if you bring it to 180 degrees which defeats the purpose of using the raw milk? When I made yogurt with storebought ultrapasteurized organic milk, I did bring it to 180 degrees but since using raw milk, I’ve only brought it to 103 degrees and placed the jars into cooler with 110 degree water surrounding the jars.
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Michele Reply:
February 20th, 2011 at 11:33 am
@Terrie, Yes, Terrie; check out the separate link I posted for the raw milk yogurt instructions, to avoid the pasteurization.
Thanks,
Michele
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I was just wondering if you have to use whole milk? Could I make this with fat free or two percent?
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Can you use almond milk or coconut milk?
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Can you use almond or coconut milk?
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Michele Reply:
February 28th, 2012 at 9:14 pm
I have made it with coconut milk (using a purchased coconut milk as a starter, to keep it dairy free). It is a runnier consistency than then dairy yogurt (more like a yogurt drink), but my kids still liked it!
Blessings,
Michele
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Michelle,
I would like to try making your yogurt. But I like vanilla best. Could you put vanilla in when making it and when would you do it? Thanks.
Dana
Ps love you blog!
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Linda Reply:
March 21st, 2012 at 4:40 am
I have asked the same question on blogs. What I do know is that the alcohol in vanilla extract will kill the cultures that are needed in the yogurt. I have found alcohol free extract but haven’t figured out when and how much to use it.
Linda
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