Creamy Homemade Yogurt Recipe (2024)

A crockpot is the way to go: Heat on high for 2 hours and 45 minutes or until 180 degrees. Put a towel under the lid to absorb moisture. Let cool 3 hours or until 110 degrees. Remove skin if needed. Add 1/2 c. yogurt. Do not stir.
Wrap and/or put in warm place for 12 hours.
Only one pot to wash and the ceramic pot is easier to clean than the metal one for some reason.

The ice cube thing makes no sense. How does cooling metal a couple of degrees before heating it affect scorching?

I find the easiest technique is to use a cooler. I make 5 quarts at a time. I just pour the warm (heated then cooled) cultured milk into 5 quart jars with lids and stick them in a cooler with a lid on it. About 8 hrs later I stick the jars in the fridge. That's it!

I've been making yogurt for decades without ever heating the milk. Just stir a tablespoon of yogurt into a quart of milk. Loosely cover in a mayonnaise jar. On a warm summer day, I have thick yogurt in 8 hours. On a cold winter day it might take 24 hours. No mess. No fuss. Just works.

fa*ge and Trader Joe's Greek Yoghurt are the only brands that did NOT work.
I think because of lack of live cultures........

If you use organic whole milk that has been ultra pasteurized there is no need to heat to 200 degrees. You can heat the milk to a little over 100 degrees and start your recipe from there. The most tedious step is taking the milk up to 200 and then letting it cool just the right amount; with ultra pasteurized milk you heat the milk up to basically baby-bottle temperature and that's it.

I did this in my slow cooker with a gallon of organic whole milk and had absolutely amazing results! I heated it on low for 2.5 hours, let it cool for three hours, whisked in a cup of plain greek yogurt, and then wrapped the slow cooker in a beach towel to keep it warm and dark. I came back to it 15 hours later, strained the yogurt for 8 hours, and had some this morning for breakfast. It is the smoothest, creamiest yogurt I've ever had! This will definitely become a weekly project.

A yogurt maker is only about 30 dollars. It keeps the jars at the right temperature without all the fussing of blankets or towels or warm spots on the floor. I like that its a consistent temp and I have individual servings in 6-8 hours (plus chilling time). The jars go in the dishwasher. It's so easy.

This is the exact method I have used to make my own yogurt for many years. It makes a beautifully textured and delicious product. Also, if you drain the yogurt as the instructions for making Greek yogurt specify, and then press the yogurt a little bit in the cheesecloth, and you will have labneh or yogurt cheese. It makes a delicious spread for toast, or you can use it with berries and nuts and honey as a dessert.

I can't believe you are not using the whey. I have been making yogurt for years only using the strained whey as a starter. I strain the yogurt and save the whey for my next batch. No need to reserve yogurt as a starter. It doesn't last in my house anyway. I refrigerate the whey in a ball jar. It can last months. Whey has many healthy uses. Don't throw it out!

1) heating in a double boiler prevents scorching
2) an instant thermometer is useful --up to 190, then down to 110 F
3) after stirring in yogurt, put containers in a foam or picnic cooler along with a couple of quarts of very hot water, and check after 6-8 hours.
Two quarts at a time is a practical amount. Whole milk is the best!

I have made my own Greek yogurt for more than a dozen years... I use 1 - 3 gallons of whole organic milk at a time
Heat milk very slowly to 180 F in a heavy-bottomed stainless stock pot
Once your milk starts heating, do NOT stir! Cool to 115 F.
Add live culture yogurt at the rate of 1/3 C per gal. milk, no stirring. Cover with lid, place for 12 hours in oven that has been warmed, with heat turned off.
Strain through clean cotton cloth 'til whey equals 50% of milk used. Fabulous!

20 servings from 1 3/4 qt (56oz) is 2 1/2 oz. That's about half a real serving.

The one time I used ‘minimally pasteurized’ organic milk, I got food poisoning. I did heat it to 180 first, so I’m not sure what I did wrong. Now I use ultra pasteurized and I still heat it.

I do not understand how adding a little water, or rubbing an ice cube on the bottom of the pot creates some sort of barrier or prevents scorching. Anybody else suspicious of this?

The whey is also used to make bread, like Irish bread. Thick yogurt is what we call Labne.Labne is our staple diet. Often have it for breakfast, or for snack we sprinkle some Zataar olive oil, with some cut veg. and olives on the side.Delicious

I use 2 5 oz. Siggi plain yogurt cups, 1.5 gallons pasteurized whole milk; heat milk to 110F, mix in yogurt, put in oven with light on. In 24 hours, pour into a large tea-towel-lined bowl, draw up the corners and edges, tie off with twine, and hang it from a cabinet handle over the bowl. Bump the "bag" bottom a couple times as it drains to get the thick yogurt off the cloth and let the thin stuff have a turn. 2-3 hours later, whisk in another bowl & fill 3 mason quart jars. YUM

My yogurt was unsatisfactory until I used a thermometer to check, and found that my nearly new instant pot does not reach 180 degrees on its yogurt cycle. When I took five minutes to reach and maintain 180 degrees before letting it cool to 115, my yogurt got much better. Another way to firm it up is to put the cooking pot in the fridge, uncovered, for the night. The fridge takes a lot of water out. Not as firm as Greek style, but every bit as firm as store-bought.

Do not use ultra-pasteurized milk, or yogurt comes out very thin and runny. Only use regular, pasteurized milk. And be sure to use a yogurt that doesn't have any additives, only the yogurt cultures. If there are any added ingredients (like pectin), yogurt will be grainy. fa*gE is a good brand that doesn't have additives.Once the milk temperature gets to 180 degrees, I like to hold it in the 180-200 range for a good 5 minutes to ensure it turns out thick and creamy.

Omg excellent. Did 2 percent milk 1/4 cup dry milk powder. I did it in the instapot let it sit at 180 and cooled down in the pressure cooker. Then took out to cool. Fermented for about 10 hours. Then cooled in fridge for about 6 then strained and it’s amazing

Can I add organic extract to yogurt to flavor it, and if so, at what point? I've made a batch of organic chocolate mint extract, and would love to try this!

Followed the recipe exactly as written - controversial ice cube and all - and it was quick and easy yielding absolutely delicious results. Don’t fuss about the steps like a lot of the other commenters like to do. This recipe is fool prof and fuss free.

I pour the heated milk w/yogurt into Weck jars, add a dash of vanilla and two cardamom seeds into each jar, give them a stir and then place them into the oven with the light on overnight.Beautiful flavor.

There is a much simpler way. In NZ “EasiYo” has an inexpensive plastic thermos with an inner screw top plastic jar. Put 2 tablespoons from your last batch into the jar, fill it with hom*ogenised organic full milk, screw the lid down tight, and shake the jar hard to mix. Fill the thermos with boiling water, place the jar in the thermos til the water almost spills, screw down the thermos lid, and the yoghurt will set in 6-12 hours. Look for yoghurt with numerous types of bacilli.

PS the more frequently you make yoghurt, the fresher the bug, takes less time, and tastes sweeter. The longer it takes to make, and the older it is the the fridge, the sourer it tastes. Mix it with honey for a sweet dressing, and salt, garlic & mint for a tangy dressing. I’ve been using my bug for over 20 years

My Instapot has a yogurt function. It is so easy and works perfectly.

Finally made homemade yogurt recipe. Used organic whole milk and Dannon whole milk yogurt. Like the consistency but very bland flavor. I'm thinking I should have used my go to Stoneyfield whole milk yogurt. Suggestions are welcome!!