How to Make Yogurt

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Even when it’s not October #Unprocessed, I make a ridiculous number of things from scratch.

I tend to get a little pushy when it comes to making your own yogurt. Frankly, I think everyone should do it! If ever there was a homemade yogurt pusher, it’d be me.

I don’t need a trench coat (“Wanna buy some yo-gaht?”) to push this deal. Yogurt is one of the many from-scratch practices that saves a ton of money over buying it at the store. My family of four eaters, two of whom are under seven years old, goes through a gallon or two of homemade yogurt per week — no exaggeration.

With current milk prices of about $3-ish per gallon and a 32-oz. tub of plain yogurt ringing in at $2-3, I figure I save $600-800 per year just on this one food. Plus, I’m always pleased as punch to see healthful probiotics going into my kiddos, especially during cold and flu season.

Each batch takes only about 17 minutes, split up into four parts. I’m willing to teach you my secret method, but only if you promise to eat yogurt with as little sweetener as possible. 😉

The basic steps of yogurt-making…

…are easier than chocolate chip cookies:

  1. Heat to sterilize the milk (185 degrees).
  2. Cool milk to proper incubation temperature (90-120 degrees).
  3. Add starter yogurt.
  4. Incubate at warm temperature 4-24 hours.

Supplies

  • Glass jars (quart canning jars or empty mayo or spaghetti sauce jars work great)
  • Milk (any, from skim to whole – but skim will be very runny unless you add powdered milk, which seems a little #processed for this challenge. You could always just grab raw milk straight from the cows!)
  • Candy thermometer, but I can show you how to do it without one too
  • Pot large enough to hold your glass jars
  • 2 Tbs of plain yogurt per quart of milk (Buy the freshest yogurt possible at a store and make sure it has “live and active cultures.” I prefer Dannon or Stonyfield. I know they have the three top cultures that I’m looking for to help the gut.)
  • Picnic cooler
  • Bath/beach towel
  • Timer

Method

1. Put a dishcloth in the bottom of a large pot, and place the clean jars on the cloth.

2. Pour milk into your jars to about an inch from the top.

3. Place jars into the pot and fill pot with tap water around the jars.

4. Cook on high heat until boiling and get the milk to about 185 (you can’t burn it with this method, so if you forget it for a while, it’s OK!). Turn off the heat and put lids on the jars.

5. Put the pot in the cooler with the towel underneath and the lid on both pot and cooler.

6. Cool the milk. You can do it on the counter, in the garage in winter, or in a sinkful of cold water with ice packs.

7. Get milk to about 110 degrees. I know the milk is about ready when I can pick up the jars and hold them without burning my hands.

8. Stir in ~2 Tbs. plain yogurt for each quart of milk.

9. Get those lids on again and nestle your jars in the cooler. Keep them wrapped in one half of the towel and take the lid off the pot to let the heat out, then close the lid of the cooler to keep the heat in.

My yogurt jars happily nestled in the cooler, ready to incubate.
Before I close the lid, I’ll wrap the towel end from the right around the jars.

10. Incubate 4-24 hours. Shorter incubation makes sweeter yogurt, longer is more tart. Also lower incubation temperature makes sweeter yogurt and higher makes more tart. I’ve had good success at 4 hours and at 24 (add a teapot of boiling water at the 12-hour mark if going for the full 24, which gets rid of almost all the lactose in the milk).

11. When the time is up, put the jars into the freezer for about an hour to make a creamier consistency. Do not stir first. No room in the freezer? They can go right into the fridge.

That’s it! You have created yogurt!

More Information

About the Author

Katie Kimball is a wife and mother to four thriving kids who eat their vegetables.  She writes the blog Kitchen Stewardship, where she offers weekly “Monday Missions” with practical baby steps, healthy recipes, green living ideas to help her followers reach their healthful goals.  She has spent 10 years on her real food and natural living journey and shares her tips and strategies along with her prayerful encouragement.

You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

A photo of Andrew Wilder leaning into the frame and smiling, hovering over mixing bowls in the kitchen.

Welcome to Eating Rules!

Hi! My name is Andrew Wilder, and I think healthy eating doesn’t have to suck. With just three simple eating rules, we'll kickstart your journey into the delicious and vibrant world of unprocessed food.

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30 Comments
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October 26, 2011 2:32 pm

I haven’t ventured into making yogurt yet, but at the rate I go through fat-free greek yogurt I may have to give it a try. I did post one of my favorite yogurt mix-ins on my blog – my homemade spiced peach butter & some blueberries.

-the redhead-

Reply to  Handcrafted With Altitude
October 26, 2011 7:59 pm

You can do it! 😉 Katie

Methyl
October 26, 2011 2:11 pm

Brilliant! Thank you. What do you do to keep the culture going … I presume keep 2 Tbsp from the old batch to start the new one, but what do you do when travelling, etc? How long will it keep in the freezer?

Reply to  Methyl
October 26, 2011 7:54 pm

Methyl,
Yes, I keep a bit from each batch to start new, and I usually buy fresh at the store every few months b/c it weakens. I’ve gone for far longer sometimes, so it just depends on circumstance. You CAN freeze plain yogurt and it will stay alive for a really long time to be used as a starter. If you’re just traveling a week or so, your yogurt will wait for you in the fridge. 🙂 Katie

Jenny Purath
October 26, 2011 11:37 am

Ever try it in the crock pot? That’s how I do mine.

Reply to  Jenny Purath
October 26, 2011 7:58 pm

Jenny,
I mentioned above to someone else that I know a lot of people who love the crockpot thing, but I am just too lazy to do dishes! I hate washing that insert, and I’d have to transfer the yogurt to my jars…so I like this method for my purposes. It keeps me in control, too – I’ve even incubated in the sun on my back porch and in a hot car in the summer!
🙂 Katie

BouMama
October 26, 2011 11:28 am

can I do this with goat’s milk? and where do I get starter yogurt? I have some GM in the fridge that should be used asap!…thnx for the post!

Reply to  BouMama
October 26, 2011 7:52 pm

BouMama,
Yes, absolutely! I’m pretty sure goat’s milk yogurt can use the exact same method. You can get cow’s milk yogurt like Dannon or Stonyfield at any grocery store (just buy plain yogurt) or most health food stores will sell powdered yogurt starter (or online at places like Cultures for Health, but you’re in a hurry). 🙂 Katie

Amber Swift
October 26, 2011 11:11 am

any recommendations on how to make dairy-free yogurt??

Reply to  Amber Swift
October 26, 2011 7:50 pm

Amber,
I’ve tried it with coconut milk once, but I wasn’t a fan. Then again, I don’t drink coconut milk nor eat coconut milk yogurt, so that may have been my problem. It was very runny, but it definitely fermented. Maybe good for smoothies? You can try with any “milk” you like, just remember that the probiotics need some sugar to consume, so in the absence of lactose (milk sugars) you’d need a suitable replacement – might mean adding some sugar of some sort. Don’t use raw hone b/c of the antibacterial properties. Good luck!
🙂 Katie

Sami
October 26, 2011 9:24 am

I make yogurt all the time but much faster and easier. Put 1/2 gallon of milk in slow cooker on low setting for 2 hours. Turn off for 3 hours (just leave it sitting on the counter). Retain 8 oz yogurt from last batch and mix it until smooth in small bowl. Add 1 cup from the slow cooker into the starter bowl slowly and mix until smooth. Put starter into the slow cooker and mix. Wrap slow cooker in a blanket and leave on counter for 8 hours (sometimes needs longer). Yogurt made with very little effort on your part and it tastes SO good. I then put mine in a colander with a fine mesh fabric (I use voile) and allow it to drain the whey and end up with a good thick greek-type yogurt.

Reply to  Sami
October 26, 2011 7:45 pm

Sami,
The slow cooker method works for many people. Me, I just hate dishes so much, and I couldn’t bring myself to wash the s.c. insert twice a week! 😉 Katie

kitty
Reply to  Sami
October 8, 2012 4:10 pm

how do u store this and how long will it keep. can i freeze it.

Reply to  kitty
October 8, 2012 10:05 pm

Kitty,
It’s just like any yogurt, so you refrigerate it, and it will last about 3-4 weeks. You can freeze it, but the consistency won’t be very nice afterward, but okay for baking maybe.
🙂 Katie

Teawench
October 26, 2011 8:43 am

This sounds totally awesome & much better than buying one of those yogurt maker things I’ve been looking at. I’m definitely giving this a try on my next free weekend. Thanks!!

October 26, 2011 8:17 am

My mother-in-law in Brazil makes her own yogurt, but with a much longer process. (There is no store bought yogurt involved.) I was wondering just the other day if anyone here did that, and there is! Thanks for sharing, I am definitely going to try!!!

October 26, 2011 8:00 am

Would love to try this, but I’m the only one who eats yogurt at my house and I just have a little with lunch each day. How long does it last in the fridge?

Reply to  Valerie
October 26, 2011 7:36 pm

Valerie,
I’d say homemade yogurt lasts about a month, no problem. As a cultured food, the life of the original milk is extended. Plus, you can use this method to make just one jar if you want, which you could probably finish off in a week. You’ll find that you feel freed up to eat a bigger bowl when you make your own! 😉 Katie

October 26, 2011 6:54 am

I’ve done this a few times and had great success. I do it all in my enameled cast iron dutch oven … heat and incubate. I’ve also had great luck by just leaving the dutch oven in my bottom oven while the top is on “stay warm” – about a 150 degree setting. But the cooler seems to be a more energy efficient method for sure!! I find that with the skim milk it will get thicker but it takes a bit longer and you’re right … more tart for sure – but I don’t mind that.