Homemade Yogurt

Making Homemade Yogurt may sound difficult, but it’s really not. Homemade yogurt is healthy and tastes so much better than store bought! All you need is two basic ingredients: half a gallon of milk and about half a cup of regular plain, or Greek yogurt. Whole or 2% milk works best for this recipe, the more fat the creamier the, but you can also use skim milk if you’d like. This is my preferred recipe for a perfect homemade yogurt every time.

I have been making yogurt from scratch on the stove top for years now and I don’t think I’ll ever go back. Homemade yogurt is very easy to make, once you get the hang of it. Once you start making your own yogurt, you can use some of each batch to culture your next batch. Super! 

How to Make Yogurt from Scratch:

• In a large pot, heat the milk on high and bring to a boil.  (to 180°F)
• Let the milk cool down. (to 115°F)
• Add starter culture (yogurt)
• Transfer the pot into a warm spot. (Keep at 115°F) 
• Wait for the yogurt to set. (About 8 hours)
• That’s it!

How to Serve Homemade Yogurt: 

• Strain your yogurt and turn it into Labneh, enjoy it on a toast or a bagel. Treat it like cream cheese!
• Use in smoothies.
• Top with berries, granola and honey for an indulgent weekend breakfast. 
• Swirl in your favorite chopped nuts. 

If you’ve tried this Homemade Yogurt recipe or any other recipe on The Salt and Sweet Kitchen, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. You can also join my new Facebook group where you can share a picture of the recipes that you’ve tried or Follow me on Instagram! 

 Yogurt Recipe

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Homemade Yogurt

Yield: 2 quarts yogurt

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes

How to Make Yogurt at Home?

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Ingredients

• 1/2 gallon whole or 2% milk 
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt- containing active cultures 

Instructions

How to Make Homemade Yogurt:

1. Pour milk into a large pot with lid (don't cover) and set over high heat- stir frequently.
2. Bring milk to boil- continue stirring frequently as the milk starts to heat to make sure the milk doesn't boil over.
3. Set the milk aside on a thick blanket or big towel ( Don't move or disturb through the whole yogurt making process).
4. Let the milk cool until it's just warm to touch prior to adding the Greek yogurt.  To determine if the milk is the right temperature you can either use a thermometer which should be about 115°F, or you can use the time-tested pinkie finger method. I used the pinkie method, where you dip your pinkie finger in the warm milk and try to count off 10 seconds (1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi....) . If you can tolerate the heat for 10 seconds, it's time to add the yogurt.
5. Thin the yogurt with a little bit of milk first by scooping few table spoons of warm milk and adding it to the Greek yogurt. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the yogurt is dissolved in the milk.
6. Pour the thinned yogurt into the warm milk while whisking gently. (only a few whisks, don't over mix here.)
7. Cover the pot with its lid and wrap the pot with a thick blanket or a large towel; You might want to double the towels to keep the milk warm as it sets - ideally the around 110°F).
8. Wait for the the yogurt to set for at least 6 hours without touching it. ( I leave mine overnight).
9. Move the yogurt pot to the fridge and place it uncovered for couple hours.
10. Now you have yogurt!
11. Enjoy!

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