If you've been looking for a homemade yogurt recipe that's not too tangy, but also thick and creamy you've come to the right spot. I'm sharing my recipe, plus all my tips for getting delicious thick yogurt every single time.

Why I Love This Recipe

Making homemade yogurt was way easier than I anticipated. I've made yogurt from scratch before, but it always turned out tangier and runnier than I like. If making homemade products doesn't give me a product I enjoy, then I just won't stick with it, which is why I love this method for making yogurt.

It turns out perfectly thick and creamy every single time. And the flavor is almost sweet, not too tangy at all!

Does Homemade Yogurt Save You Money?

One of the first things I like to look at when making something from scratch is not only if it's more healthy, but it also has to be fairly easy AND it must be cheaper than the store-bought equivalent.

I'm happy to say, this homemade yogurt recipe fits the bill.

By making yogurt at home I'm able to cut my cost in half. In half! All it takes is about ten minutes of hands-on time.

Where I live an organic quart of plain yogurt is just shy of $5. I can purchase a half-gallon of organic grass-fed non-homogenized and non-ultra-pasteurized milk for $4.67. Using my own starter, I can make a quart of homemade yogurt for only $2.33, plus it has more live cultures in it.

I believe the fewer ingredients a recipe has the better and this homemade yogurt recipe only uses two ingredients, plus requires no straining! High-five me!

Health Benefits of Yogurt

We all know the health benefits of fermented foods, and yogurt fits into the category of fermented dairy. It contains a plethora of live beneficial bacteria (aka probiotics).

If you consume yogurt on a daily basis, you can pretty much toss those expensive probiotic capsules you're taking on a daily basis out! Getting probiotics from your food is so much better for you, and less expensive.

I like to get a variety of fermented foods in my diet because each food will have different strains of beneficial bacteria. I try to eat some form of fermented vegetables, fermented dairy, and of course fermented pickles on a near-daily basis.

Best Ways to Enjoy Yogurt

When your yogurt is sweet, thick and ultra-creamy, you can eat it straight outta the jar! But you can also get pretty fancy with different mix-ins, or even blend it up in the blender for a scrumptious smoothy.

One of my all-time favorites, during the summer months, is to blend up a smoothie with a yogurt base, then freeze it for frozen yogurt.

Ingredients & Supplies Needed

• Organic milk– don't use ultra-pasteurized (see section below on the best kind of milk to use for homemade yogurt).
• Yogurt culture – this can be a previous batch of yogurt, yogurt from the store, or a purchased culture (my favorite is this heirloom bulgarain yogurt culture).
• Thermometer – you have to keep an eye on the temperature of your yogurt, a candy thermometer works perfectly! Or, you can even buy a yogurt thermometer that highlights the ideal culturing temperature.
• Quart sized Mason jar – or another container with lid to culture and store your yogurt in.
• Sauce pan – large enough to hold your milk.

Best Milk for Homemade Yogurt

If you have access to raw milk, by all means, go ahead and use it. You can find instructions for making raw milk yogurt here. However, a lot of folks don't have access to raw milk, including myself, so the recipe below is for regular milk.

A couple of things about your milk. If money is really scarce and I have to tighten up my grocery budget, one of the things I insist upon buying organic is milk. Due to hormones and other GMO products associated with commercial dairy products, I only purchase organic butter and dairy for our home.

Homogenized Milk

I use non-homogenized and non-ultra-pasteurized milk for my yogurt. These are two different things. Homogenized milk goes through a process that breaks up the fat so it's distributed evenly throughout the milk. This means no cream on top and no need to shake your milk. I prefer to skim off the cream for other uses or shake it up. I also believe the less processed the better, so I prefer non-homogenized.

Pasteurized vs. Ultra-Pasteurized Milk

Now let's talk a little bit about the difference between pasteurization and ultra-pasteurization of milk. 

• Pasteurization is the process of heating milk up to 161 degrees F for 15 seconds. This kills some of the bacteria and gives the milk a longer shelf life.
• Ultra-pasteurization is heating the milk up to 284 degrees F for 4 seconds, essentially killing off everything and making milk shelf stable without refrigeration for up to 9 months.

Look at Your Milk Carefully

Most milk, even organic milk, is both homogenized and ultra-pasteurized. I had to look pretty hard to find a brand that was neither. Both Fred Meyer's and our local co-op carry Organic Valley and they have a non-homogenized non-ultra-pasteurized line in a half gallon. Beware, they also have ultra-pasteurized so carefully read the fine print on the front of the carton.

My understanding is the ultra-pasteurized milk has been heated so high, there isn't enough food left for the live cultures to live on and make a good quality yogurt. I haven't tested this out as I prefer the regular pasteurized milk.

Food spoils, it's normal, and the idea of milk being able to be drinkable after months on the shelf just makes my stomach churn, ya know?

Different Yogurt Cultures

This is where we get to have some fun. Fermented food is a living thing. Live cultures are good for our intestinal system. The type of culture you use to make your homemade yogurt will determine the flavor of your yogurt.

Most people are pretty familiar with greek yogurt. It's thick and has a very strong tangy flavor. My kids don't like it, and I only like it when I've added honey and fruit…

But there are many different varieties of yogurt starters, from heirloom to direct set as well as dairy-free starters.

Heirloom Cultures are Best

It's important to choose an heirloom culture because other cultures will lose their potency and ability to culture your milk over time. An heirloom culture, if cared for and properly maintained, will last forever.

I chose an heirloom Bulgarian starter culture because it's sweeter and creamier than Greek yogurt. It seriously makes the best yogurt we've ever had. I  purchased my Bulgarian culture from Cultures for Health. (Go to the “Shop by Product” dropdown menu and click “Yogurt” to see the different culture varieties.)

The cool thing is you only need to purchase a starter once, then you keep using it every time you make yogurt. It's truly the gift that keeps on giving.

I've also gifted some of my starter cultures and, if you know of someone who has one, I bet you could ask them for a starter of your own! Us fermenters love to share!

Store-Bought Yogurt Culture

If you can find plain, organic yogurt from the store that says “live cultures” on it, then you can use this as your starter culture.

Homemade Yogurt Recipe

1. Pour 4-6 cups of milk into a saucepan. Over medium-low heat, slowly bring the milk up to 175 to 185 degrees F.

2. Keep the temperature up for 15-30 minutes, this step is crucial for getting that nice thick yogurt that doesn't need straining. (See section below for more tips on how to get thick and creamy yogurt every time.)

3. After the 15-30 minutes have passed, cool the milk down to 110 degrees F. If you add the culture before the milk is cooled, you'll kill it. If you add the culture into cold milk, it won't culture. It just likes to be warm, not hot, not cold.

4. Skim off the layer of scalded milk with a spoon.

5. Pour the warm milk into a clean glass Mason jar. Add starter culture (1/4 cup yogurt or starter culture powder) and mix in thoroughly.

6. Put a lid on your jar. I use these plastic re-usable lids. I tend to use my Mason jars for everything from leftovers to cups on the go, so the plastic lids are great as keeping track of bands drives me crazy.

7. Keep yogurt at 110 degrees F for 4 to 8 hours. See culturing methods below to choose the one that works best for you.

8. There are a few ways to do this. You can purchase a yogurt maker, but I prefer the more frugal route when possible. Some folks wrap their jars in towels and place it in an ice chest. I prefer to use my slow cooker, fill it halfway with water, and set it on the keep warm setting, which happens to be 110 degrees.

9. After 4 to 6 hours, check to see if your yogurt is thick. If not, continue culturing for another two hours, then transfer to the refrigerator and store for up to two weeks, if you don't gobble it up within a day or two.

Culturing Methods

There are a few ways to culture your yogurt. Pick the option that works best for you, or what you have available:

• Yogurt Maker – As I mentioned before, I don't own kitchen appliances that don't pull double-duty, so I don't have a yogurt maker.
• Instant Pot – If your Instant Pot has a yogurt setting, as mine does, you can use your Instant Pot to culture the yogurt. It will keep your milk at a perfect 110 degrees F. However, I don't like to tie my Instant Pot up for 4-6 hours at a time, so this option doesn't work well for me.
• Towels & Ice Chest – I've heard many people use the towel and ice chest method. Simply wrap your jars in large towels, then place them into an ice chest and close the lid. Some peope even add jars filled with boiling water to the ice chest to maintain more heat.
• Crockpot – In the past, I used to fill my crockpot about halfway with hot water, place my jars of yogurt into the crockpot then turn the knob to “keep warm”. This would work great for me, but you'll want to test your crockpot settings to make sure it's not heating your milk up too much.
• Microwave or Oven Light – What I do now is I place my jars, wrapped in towels, into my microwave. If I turn on the overhead light to my stovetop, this heats up the microwave to the perfect “incubating” temperature to culture my yogurt. Some people will wrap their jars in towels and place them in the oven with the light on.

Choose the option that works best for you, or try them all until you find your favorite! I've done many of them over the years and the microwave is just what works best at this time.

Tips for Thick and Creamy (No-Strain) Yogurt

I don't have time for straining yogurt. There are times when I need whey and want a homemade yogurt cheese, and that's when I use this 3 easy steps to whey tutorial.

But the rest of the time, I want a yogurt that's thick, creamy, and requires no extra work on my part. Are ya with me? Yes? See, that's why we're friends.

• When your milk is heated to approximately 181 degrees F keep it at this temperature for 15 to 30 minutes. The longer heating time helps create a thicker yogurt, which means no straining!
  
  The heating of the milk isn't about pasteurization or killing bacteria, it actually breaks down a protein in the milk allowing it to thicken once you've added the starter.
  
• Don't shake or stir the yogurt after adding the culture. I'm probably the world's least patient person. I literally sweep back the dirt to see if my seeds are sprouting because I can't wait for them to break through the surface in the spring. When I first started making yogurt I wanted to see how thick it was and would basically poke and prod it before it was set. The results? Runnier yogurt. Resist the temptation my friend, resist.
• Let it ferment longer. Sometimes it just needs another hour or two. That patience thing again.
• Is your culture fresh? Like sourdough, live cultures are the strongest when they've been fed frequently. (Here's more details on making your own sourdough starter, including a free video.)
  
  The first time I activated the powdered culture from Cultures for Health, it took 8 hours and was still kind of runny. Ideally, you should remove 1/4 to 1/2 cup yogurt right after it's made as your starter for next time. Watch the video above to see what I mean!
  
• Freeze your starter if it's going to be more than a few days until you make yogurt again. The longer your yogurt sits in the fridge, the more live cultures will die. This is why homemade yogurt has more live cultures than store bought yogurt as it was made long before it arrived on the grocery store shelf.
  
  By freezing the yogurt when it's the most active, even though a few may die off from being frozen, I have a much larger colony of live cultures to work with next time I make yogurt.  

Did you make homemade yogurt? If so, I'd love for you to leave a star rating in the recipe card below. Then, snap a photo and tag me on social media @melissaknorris so I can see!

More fermentation articles:

• Ultimate Guide to Fermenting Vegetables
• Fermentation for Health Benefits & Food Preservation
• Fermented Pickles – Quick & Easy Old Fashioned Recipe
• Fermented Dairy – Why You Should Be Doing This Now
• How to Make Real Buttermilk (Cultured Buttermilk Recipe)
• How to Make a Sourdough Starter + Tips for Success
• Kahm Yeast (What, Why & Does it Ruin a Ferment)
• Fresh Fermented Salsa Recipe
• Rehydrating Sourdough Starter
• Best Beginner Sourdough Sandwich Bread No Yeast
• Sourdough Chocolate Bread From Scratch
• 8 Tips for Strengthening Your Immune System Now

Homemade Yogurt (Thick & Creamy)

MelissaKNorris

Make delicious homemade yogurt that's both thick and creamy and turns out great every single time.

3.79 from 82 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 mins

Culture Time 4 hrs

Total Time 4 hrs 40 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Bulgarian

Servings 4 cups

Calories 158 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 cups milk
• 1/4 cup yogurt or starter

Instructions

 

• Heat milk to 175 to 185 degrees F and hold it at that temperature for 15-30 minutes.
• Allow to cool to 110 degrees F and skim off scalded layer. Pour into a quart sized clean Mason jar.
• Stir in 1/4 cup yogurt or starter until well combined.
• Put a lid on the jar, wrap the jar in a large towel and place it in the oven with the light on or one of the other culturing methods listed in the notes section below.
• Keep warm at 110 degrees F for 6 to 8 hours or until firm.
• Remove 1/4-1/2 cup yogurt and set aside (or freeze) for your next batch of yogurt.
• Move yogurt to the fridge and store for up to 14 days.

Notes

Culturing Methods:

• Yogurt Maker – As I mentioned before, I don't own kitchen appliances that don't pull double-duty, so I don't have a yogurt maker.
• Instant Pot – If your Instant Pot has a yogurt setting, as mine does, you can use your Instant Pot to culture the yogurt. It will keep your milk at a perfect 110 degrees F. However, I don't like to tie my Instant Pot up for 4-6 hours at a time, so this option doesn't work well for me.
• Towels & Ice Chest – I've heard many people use the towel and ice chest method. Simply wrap your jars in large towels, then place them into an ice chest and close the lid. Some people even add jars filled with boiling water to the ice chest to maintain more heat.
• Crockpot – In the past, I used to fill my crockpot about halfway with hot water, place my jars of yogurt into the crockpot then turn the knob to “keep warm”. This would work great for me, but you'll want to test your crockpot settings to make sure it's not heating your milk up too much.
• Microwave or Oven Light – What I do now is I place my jars, wrapped in towels, into my microwave. If I turn on the overhead light to my stovetop, this heats up the microwave to the perfect “incubating” temperature to culture my yogurt. Some people will wrap their jars in towels and place them in the oven with the light on.

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 8gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 112mgPotassium: 346mgSugar: 13gVitamin A: 410IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 294mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Homemade Yogurt, Thick Yogurt, Yogurt

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