How to Make Yogurt (Bold Baking Basics)
Save RecipeEasily make Yogurt at home and use it with my Frozen Yogurt recipe, Yogurt Pops and more!
Hi Bold Bakers!
I’m going to show you how to make Yogurt at home without any special equipment or thermometers. There are a few simple steps to follow and once you do then you are on your way to delicious homemade Yogurt. Ok, let’s get started…
Heat the milk low and slow:
This is called scalding the milk. You want to bring your milk to a simmer over a low and controlled heat. It takes time, roughly 20 minutes. You will know when it is ready because it will have formed a skin and the bubbles will be trying to come up to the surface. Be patient as it is an important step.
Let it cool down to the blood temperature:
You can test by placing your finger in there and if you can’t feel the milk around your finger then it is at blood temperature. Next step is to stir in some yogurt.
Wait, I need Yogurt to make Yogurt?
Now I know what you are thinking, ”I don’t have yogurt, that’s why I’m making it.” With all the yogurt making you need to add a yogurt starter to make it “grow.” Yogurt is a living thing and you need to feed it to help it grow, just like bread. If you don’t have access to yogurt you can buy an inexpensive Yogurt starter online.
Wrap it up warm:
Here you are creating a little bed for your yogurt to hang out in for the next 14 hours. The more snug he is, the better and thicker your yogurt. Remember yogurt is a live culture so as a living thing he likes to be warm and comfy, just like bread.
Adding flavor:
Once cold you can flavor your yogurt with honey, sweetener, vanilla or fruit. Keep in the fridge for 3 weeks.
When you make this yogurt, try it with my Homemade Granola or Microwave Granola. Or make Homemade Frozen Yogurt.
Learn how to make yogurt at home with my easy yogurt recipe.
- 2 cups (16oz / 500ml) Whole milk*
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt OR Yogurt starter
- In a heavy bottomed saucepan, over low heat bring the milk to a simmer. It will take around 15-20 minutes. The freshest milk will yield you better yogurt.
- Once it starts to bubble turn off the heat and set aside. You notice a skin has formed on your milk, that is normal.
- Let it cool down to the blood temperature. You can test by place your finger in there and if you can’t feel the milk around your finger then it is at blood temperature.
- Once cooled whisk in the yogurt or Yogurt starter. Pour into a sterilized jar and tightly close the lid. Note: You can sterilize your jars by placing some water in them and popping them into the microwave until the water steams.
- Line a deep bowl with a thick tea towel and place in the jar of yogurt. Wrap the jar up well in the towel and let it sit out in a warm part of your kitchen for 14-18 hours. (I use two tea towels to keep the yogurt warm and snug. Essentially you are creating an incubator for it to set)
- After this time, pop the jar in the fridge and let it get cold, roughly 2-3 hours. Once chilled your yogurt will be firm and thick in texture. (the thickness can vary. If yours did not thicken double check your steps and timing )
- At this point you can add sugar, sweetener, honey, fruit and vanilla.
- Keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Watch the Recipe Video!
You can make Yogurt using dairy free milk like nut, soy and coconut.
Meet Gemma
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Hi Gemma, first, thank you for sharing your recipes as well as the videos! I learn easier from watching “how to”, not just “reading” the directions. I appreciate your taking the time to produce the videos.
Recently I have started making the yogurt, but after straining it I hate to throw away the whey. I know that you have said it can be used as a marinade, but do you have specific recipes for that, or other uses? Also, would it be alright to freeze some of the whey for a later use? Edie
Hi Edie,
Yes! I an delighted you are making your own yogurt, it is a delicious thing and really easy when you get used to it. A strained yogurt too is divine, and of course this is what makes Greek yogurt special, well done you.
Whey is a valuable thing, you can use it in baking, as well as in marinades, in smoothies too. Chicken marinaded in whey, a little oil and herbs like tarragon will be delicious grilled. It adds some nutritional value, calcium being just one benefit. For cakes and pastry the acid relaxes the gluten to give a tender result, but do not add it to a yeast bake, it can interfere with the development of the gluten.
I hope this is of help,
Gemma 🙂
Hi. Can i use homemade almond milk to do this recipe?
Hi tiff,
This is a different process, not impossible, but different. You need to make your own almond milk as a first step, you then need a culture, and you need to thicken it. nut milks will not form a curd, so will not thicken, so gelatin, arrowroot, Carrigeen Moss, agar agar etc will be necessary. It is not a natural thing.
google a recipe though, there are a number of these out there, choose one from a good vegan site.
I hope this is of help,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma is sour milk equivalent to a youghurt starter or equivalent to yoghurt at all
It’s the starter, so you need the yogurt still.
Hope this makes sense,
Gemma.
hi, if I’m using greek yoghurt for starter, should I wait the yoghurt to cool down to room temperature?
No I think it’s ok to add it in there. That’s what I did while it was warm.
Gemma.
I tried this recipe. But the yogurt tasted like sour milk. I used UHT. I don’t know if there’s other use for this.
Hi Pauline,
UHT milk is not great for culturing, it sometimes will not work at all, it has been heat treated to a high degree to preserve it.
You can use it now in baking. It would be great in my soda bread recipe. (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/irish-soda-bread/).
I hope this helps,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma,
Can I use powdered milk? Ultra pasteurised milk is what’s available here. No fresh milk.
Hi there,
I understand that ultra pasteurized milk makes excellent yogurt, but iy will be best to add a really good quality natural, organic if possible, yogurt as your starter.
I hope you have great results, it is a lovely thing, and you can use your batch to make the next one,
Gemma 🙂
Powdered milk works well, actually. You can make soft cheeses with it, as well.
Thank you for this input, I appreciate the help,
Gemma 🙂
Does anyone have any suggestions on how much Vanilla or/and sweetener to add? Is it just “to taste?”
Hi Gail,
I would say to taste so maybe 2 teaspoons roughly.
Hope this helps,
Gemma.
Hey Gemma
Can we use this yogurt we make with this recipe for the crazy dough recipe?
Hi Marlon,
YES! This is perfect. If you strain this yogurt too you will thicken it, and finish up with a Greek type yogurt, strained, not thickened. you do this through a cheesecloth, in a sieve, over a bowl, in the fridge for about 8 hours, or overnight.
Thank you for being in touch,
Gemma 🙂
Do you remove the skin?
Hi Valerie,
If a skin forms on the milk when it is cooled skim it off and discard. The milk should not be heated beyond 180c, a thermometer helps for this process. Do not add the culture before the milk cools to about 105c, the blood temperature test works well for this.
I hope you make this, it is so good. If you strain it when it is ready, through muslin in a fine sieve in the fridge, for about 8 hours, you will have a Greek style/strained yogurt.
Gemma 🙂
Gemma 🙂
Hi,
I would love to try your yogourt recepe but I have 2 questions for you:
Is whole milk 3,25% fat milk? (where I live it is the fater you can get)
If I want to make by exemple coconut yogourt may I infuse some coconut pieces into my milk while heating it up?
I aslo love citrus yogourt but I guess that if I put some zest in it, the acidity will turn the milk into cheese?
Sorry for my bad english, hoping that you will still get my questions.
Thank you very much 🙂
Hi Dan,
Yes, full fat milk is about 3.5% fat content at its’ highest.
If you wish you can add shredded coconut to your yogurt when it is finished, this is a lovely thing!
Adding the zest of a lemon/lime will give you the flavor, without curdling the mix.
Straining the yogurt, through a cheesecloth, sterilized fine kitchen cloth, in a sieve, over a bowl, in the fridge, overnight, will give you a thick, ‘Greek’ yogurt, so lots you can do!
you can use the whey/water as a marinade too,
Gemma 🙂
Thank you.
I’ll give it a try
you can also make yogurt using the whey. 2 tablespoons per quart.
Hi! Gemma,
can I make yogurt using evaporated milk?
Thanks!
P.S. love your recipes ❤️
Hi Maria,
no unfortunately not for this one.
Glad you like my recipes 🙂
hi Gemma,
thanks for replying 🙂
I tried this with Macadamia nut milk but it didn’t set. I’m sure it was something I did wrong. I used almond milk yogurt as my yogurt part. I will try with almond milk and see if that works better.
Could I use lowfat milk?
Hi there,
Yes! Yogurt is not dependent on fat, it just makes it lovely and rich!
Gemma 😉
Hi Gemma, I have tried your recipe of Home made yogurt and every single time it turns out great, I’ve also tried it with lactose free milk and it still turned out good! Thanks for your time and efforts and sharing your experience XXX
Good! I am really happy to hear this.
If you strain this you will have a ‘Greek’ thick yogurt, great for frozen yogurts and desserts. Good job!
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma just wondering if i can use plastic jar? I have two glass jars but it’s big and the only small jar i have is made from plastic
Hi there,
Yes, but do ensure that it is possible to sterilize it, that is really what matters,
Gemma 🙂
Thanks Gemma
One more question, my starter say to use it (1 sachet) for 5 liter but the problem is i don’t have that much milk and don’t want to make that much for the first time, any suggestion?
Hi there,
What weight is in the sachet? You can divide it down to match what you have, but you may find if the amount of milk you have available is too little the starter may not work so well. Give it a try though, it is fun to do!
Gemma 🙂
2 gr per sachet
Me and my friends are totally going to do this recipe for our science project, but I wonder, what kind of yogurt should we use as a starter?
Btw, love your recipes!
Hi Cecilia,
Great idea, and you can eat the results!
Always use the best ingredients you can afford/find.
For this look for a natural, organic yogurt, usually live/active for best results.
If you can find a Greek one, or one labeled ‘strained’ it will not have extra ingredient to thicken it and will be perfect. to make your own ‘Greek’ style yogurt you can strain the one you make, this will reduce the water content and produce a thick natural yogurt. you do this through a sieve, lined with a sterilized cloth, over a bowl in the fridge, for about 8 hours.
I fell top marks coming on!!
Gemma 🙂
hi Gemma,
should the yogurt must be a bio yogurt (i.e with active cultures) or I can use any plain yogurt?
thx,
Eli.
Hi Eli,
A good live active yogurt, usually organic will be best. The better the starter the better the result. then your own yogurt will be the starter for the next batch. good luck with this,
Gemma 🙂
Mom is how to make a yogurt
Hi Gemma,
Can I use sweetened yogurt for this recipe?
Hi there Mee Mee,
NO! I would not suggest this. You can add sweeteners, fruits etc to the finished yogurt, but you would not use it as a starter.
Make the following batches from your own one, you can get this to go on for a really long time,
Gemma 🙂
Hello gemma, I’ve seen a lot of your amazing recipes. And Im interested to try this recipe. I tried it at 12.30 pm and now is at 5 pm. Im so curious about the yogurt, because i made it with uht milk. I try to check the yogurt, and its still like milk. Is it working ?? Or it is totally failed ?? If it isnt working , can i do something with that milk.
Thankyou
Hi there Anggi,
You should be able to make yogurt with UHT milk, it is highly pasteurized but can still be inoculated with the bacteria.
By now you may have found this out! I would prefer to use whole dairy fresh milk, organic, raw or pasteurized, it will have a better flavor, but the UHT should work for you.
What did you use as a starter? this may be the problem,
Gemma 🙂
Hello gemma ! I love your recipes. Can we make frozen yogurt with this home made yogurt?
Hi Rahila,
Yes you can :). I’m glad you like my recipes. Good luck with your frozen yogurt.
Gemma.
Hi Gemma,
I followed your Youtube page for sometimes and I tried some of your recipes, including this homemade yogurt. It’s a great recipe, easy to follow and taste good as well. Is it possible to make greek yogurt from this recipe? How to do it?
Hi there,
thank you for your kind words, i am happy that this recipe is suiting you.
YES! Yogurt can only be called Greek yogurt now if it is made in Greece!! What it is though is a strained yogurt. that is the water content is reduced by straining the yogurt, hence the thick milk solids characteristic of Greek yogurt. If you buy it in the store look for the word strained on the pack, some Greek style yogurts have been thickened in some other way! So that is the story, now to do it!
Find a really fine cloth, like a cheesecloth, make sure it is perfectly clean, even sterilized in boiling water. Line a sieve with this. Pour in the yogurt and allow it to stand, in the fridge over a bowl for about 8 hours. The whey can be used in marinades if you wish, and the yogurt will be thick and creamy, and the protein concentrated.
Gently remove it from the sieve, put into a sterile container, and store it in the fridge.
It sounds like a chore, but it becomes second nature once you have the idea and the right cloth!
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma, I just join the bolder baking club 3 days ago… I like your video so much.. this homemade yogurt recipe is awesome… I am new in baking and cooking, your blog and video help me a lot.. I wish a great success for you..
Hi Ina,
Thank you for being with the Bold Baking community! I am delighted to have you with us. I am also really happy that you are finding the recipes useful,
Gemma 🙂
Gemma all I want to know is if I can use probiotic drink for the yoghurt started.
I would be very delighted if you let me know this information. N also let me know the amount of it.
Hi there,
I would not be inclined to do this. I suspect the bacteria will not survive the process, and the yogurt will fail. it would be better to use a really good organic yogurt, which will develop probiotics as it ferments, especially if you are using a good local milk. That is what I would do! If you strain this you will then have a Greek style yogurt, ideal for frozen yogurt.
Gemma 🙂
hi Gemma!! thanks for recipe, it easy and details.. you did say before about live culture can buy online.. can i know how you buy it online? even tho i was another country or far away, can i still can buy it online or just your state only? sorry for my english, still learning.. huhu xD
Hi there,
I do not know where it is available in every country, i get it from amazon.com, perhaps you have a local provider, you should google it.
For you the best way may be to use a good organic, local yogurt to start yours. Once you have it going you can use a portion of your own to start the next batch, that way you can keep one batch going for many years! Do try it,
Gemma 🙂
gemma, can i use full cream milk to do this?
Sure you can, it will be delicious,
Gemma 🙂
Hi,
You mention in your recipe that we can use nut milk, coconut. Can you make a video of that. Nutmilk yoghurt!
Hi there Sathi,
Nearly any non-dairy milk can be cultured, including legume, nut, seed, grain, or coconut milk. What is impotant is that it is as natural as possible, too many additives will interfere with the culture. May I suggest you research this particular subject online, it is worth getting a deep understanding of it,
Gemma 🙂
This recipe couldn’t be easier and the yogurt was absolutely delicious. I normally add some kind of sweetener, like stevia to store-bought plain yogurt, but this didn’t need it. My family loves it! Thank you, Gemma!
Hi there, this is so good to hear, thank oyu,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma
I don’t have yogurt starter can I use sour cream? Lol or does that not have live cultures?
Thanks!
If you use sour cream you will get sour milk! this is a different thing, acids are not cultures, cultures are a bacteria really, Gemma:)
Hi Gemma! Thank you so much for this recipe. I really needed this recipe for my biology class and I did it! Hope you have a good day!
Hi Lisa, that is great, I am happy to hear it, Gemma 🙂
hello gemma,please how do I make a yogurt drink and also can I add an already made Greek yogurt to the milk instead of the cultures
Hi Sarita,
Yes that is the idea! 🙂
hello, thanks for the recipe,but how can I make a yogurt drink
Hi Sarita, if you add real fruit juice, with crushed berries this will make this more liquid, drinkable,
Gemma 🙂
Hello Gemma! So glad to see this recipe as I live in a small apartment and do not want to purchase a yogurt maker that I don’t have space for! To confirm, it is ok to use non-fat milk for this recipe, correct? Thanks!
Hi Holly, yes! this is not fat dependent 🙂
I am happy that you will find this useful, I loved making it too,
Gemma 🙂
Thank you Gemma! And a huge congrats for having over a million subscribers!! I’m not surprised.. your videos and approach to baking is so unique and simple. Love the positive and sincere energy you radiate when you talk about food 🙂
hi Holly,
thank you, I could not do any of this without your kind support,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma. Love your videos and recipes!.
Love your confidence in all of us to make things from scratch. Things are so soo much better made at home with love and a little time. Thankyou for sharing .
This is so true, i cannot imagine buying everything ready made, it is nice to have input to flavor etc. Gemma 🙂
Can 1% milk be used to make this yogurt?
Yes Christian, this is not dependent on the fat content 🙂
Can yogurt be substituted for buttermilk?
Depending on the recipe! Where you are looking for a reaction with an alkaline ingredient like baking soda/bicarbonate of soda, either will work! 🙂
Hello gemma. Thanks for this recipe. I have never made a yoghurt before but with this I will
definitely try it out. I am a Nigerian where you hardly get a good yoghurt. what will I use in place of a life culture since I have never made any before. getting the life culture in Nigeria would be so very hard. thanks gemma.
That is the idea, then keep it going. it is worth buying a good organic yogurt to start, then use your own as a starter for every batch. some families keep this going for years! 🙂
Love all the recipes! They are easy to replicate as well as taste and look delicious.
I’ve been making butter, ice cream, yoghurt and pizza monkey bread just in the last week!
The only thing I’m having difficulty with is trying to find the link for the fruit pop
moulds. Keep up the great work Gemma, I’m excited to see what’s new each week.
Hi Sue! Thank you for your lovely note. I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes. I have almost 200 so I hope you find more favorites. You can find the Ice Pop Moulds that I use here: http://amzn.to/2dbiXxO. Make sure to come back tomorrow for my new OREO Cake. It’s definitely my new favorite cake. Thanks for being part of the Bold Baking Community, Sue! 🙂
Hi Gemma, Can I use whole lactose free mik to make this yogurt?
Yes you can, but you will need a lactose free starter too! 🙂
Thanks Gemma. I’ll make it for my
family. We all like yogurt.
That is great, and keep it going then, make each batch from the last! 🙂
Thank you for this Gemma. What do you mean by ‘live culture’
Hi Jen, ‘live’ in this context refers to the bacteria contained in yogurt, which is ‘good’ bacteria, good for your ‘gut’. If you want to learn more about this you can do a little research 🙂
This is wonderful Gemma, I love yogurt but it is so expensive to buy in the store here. Now I can buy a small portion for the live culture and make my own. Thank you, thank you, thank you! =)
That is great, yes you can! and you can keep it going by using a spoonful of your own every time you see it running out! I am happy that you like this recipe, Gemma 🙂
So this is like making curd…
Hi Sam,
Not so much! this is a different process. Curd is formed by the introduction of an acid to an alkaline, as in the cream cheese recipe here on my website.
Yogurt is made by the introduction of live culture (good bacteria) to the milk. It is a different result! Gemma 🙂
Hi gemma…did i read it right that i can make yogurt using soya milk? Wow cuz i make my paw soya milk.
Yes you can, it is a question of which starter to use! if dairy is ok for you you can use dairy yogurt as a starter, goat yogurt starter, or you can buy a vegan starter online. This milk will need a thickener too, such as agar agar. You must use a new starter for each batch, Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma,
Small follow up on this comment, how much agar agar do you think should be used if we wanted to make the yoghurt entirely vegan?
Hi there,
I am not sure what you mean!
Generally we do not use a gelling agent in yogurt. I am a little confused!
Gemma 🙂
At the end of the video I saw a cake that has three layers with Oreo cookies what is the recipe called
Hi elizabeth, not sure what you saw but it may be this (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/no-bake-oreo-cheesecake/) 🙂
Yes you are correct
I use the plain yogurt as sour cream… on baked potatoes, chili topper, etc… Love your video!!! 🙂
Thank you Tess, this is a handy one, and you can keep it going for years! 🙂
Hi, can you make bold basics on cheese? like mozzarella probably.
Hi there,
This is a complex thing ot do at home, I do not think it would be an ideal one for you guys!
Thank you for the suggestion though. You can check this up on Google to get an understanding of how it works,
Gemma 🙂
Thanks for sharing this recipe with everyone. It’s really that easy, and so many people are afraid to make their own yogurt.
Here are a few more tips for anyone interested in making homemade yogurt. We make Artisan cheeses and yogurt for sale at our local farmers market here in Costa Rica.
If you want to be precise, first warm your milk slowly to 180°F. Let cool to 110-112°F, and add your starter culture, then continue to follow the instructions above.
If you want thicker yogurt, the two tricks are to increase the protein of the milk–before heating – – and to heat to 180°F first, which changes the protein structure of the milk.
To increase the protein of the milk, before heating, add 1/8 cup of powdered milk per quart/liter of milk, stir well and heat slowly as described above to 180°F.
One last tip. You are growing a live culture, so don’t ever let your milk go above 113°F with the culture in it, or you will begin to kill off the good bacteria–the probiotics you want to grow and eat.
Hi Jose, thank you for this great contribution, this will be a great help to people who do not like to take shortcuts. It is interesting to know that this is a regular practice for so many people. Great tips! 🙂