So easy. Why didn't I start making my own yogurt before? Healthy and delicious. The whole family loves this recipe.

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Now, I realize making your own homemade yogurt could very well put you in the ranks as being superwoman, but let me assure you…

I am not superwoman.

In fact, once you see how easy this homemade yogurt is to make, you will wonder why you haven’t made it yourself.

I am all about easy and tasty!

When the two combine, BAM, I love the results!

Before I share the steps to make homemade yogurt, I think I should settle something first. While I do make yogurt, I regularly buy it.. Gasp! I know.

Sometimes life pulls in too many directions and I just don’t have the time to spend an extra 15 minutes in the kitchen. I found a brand that is hard to find at big conventional grocery stores, but many health food stores carry it. I would love to share the brand, which reminds me most of homemade yogurt, however, I am concerned my readers may wipe me out.

Okay, okay, I will share.

I love Seven Stars.

But, you must promise to leave some if you go out and buy this yogurt.

While most weeks I buy (in bulk through my food co-op) a case of Seven Stars Plain Whole Milk Yogurt, there are times it simply isn’t available or cost-wise I need to cut down on my food spending.  Perfect time to make my own.

A few years ago, as our family decided to start eating real food and started reading food labels in the store, I realized the yogurt in the grocery store just wasn’t going to cut it! Talk about scary ingredients.

I switched over to Stoneyfield Whole Milk Yogurt, but the cost for our family was just too much for the amount we consumed each week. I tried many homemade recipes online but none really turned out well. One day I found a crock pot recipe featured on Keeper of the Home. I eagerly tried it out and guess what?

I successfully made yogurt!

I tweaked a few components of the recipe and soon found I could make great, real yogurt full of nutrients with just a few minutes of prep time and some planning.

If you are going to make this yogurt you will need to plan ahead. While this yogurt only requires 15-20 minutes of active kitchen time, it does need to sit for around 8-12 hours in a crockpot to allow it to culture and turn into creamy yogurt.  I have found it works best to do all the prep work before I go off to bed and leave it out all night while I sleep. When I wake up, I have yogurt. Viola.

So easy. Why didn't I start making my own yogurt before? Healthy and delicious. The whole family loves this recipe.

6 DELICIOUS

Yogurt Recipes

homemade yogurt recipe tutorial crockpot
4.47 from 32 votes

Homemade Yogurt in the Crock-Pot

In fact, once you see how easy this homemade yogurt is to make, you will wonder why you haven’t made it yourself. I am all about easy and tasty!
Kristin Marr
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time12 hours 20 minutes
Total Time12 hours 35 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Cups
Calories 153 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt this is called your “starter”. Read the ingredients on your store-bought yogurt to be sure one of the ingredients is ACTIVE CULTURES. In order to make yogurt, you need these cultures or good bacteria. In the future, you can save a 1/2 cup of homemade yogurt as your starter
  • 1/2 gallon whole milk I have a difficult time getting my raw milk to always set properly. Please avoid using ultra-pasteurized milk.

Instructions

  • Turn your crockpot on high. Be sure to do this first, as your crock pot needs to warm up properly before you place the milk inside. Now is also the time to take out your yogurt starter and let it sit on the counter, to warm up a bit.
  • Pour all the milk into the pan (I use this) stirring occasionally until it begins to bubble and get frothy (around 185° if you would like to use a kitchen thermometer). Watch your milk to be sure it doesn’t bubble over or burn the bottom of the pan. While you are keeping a close eye on your milk, now is the time to get a cold ice bath ready for your pan. Fill your sink with some water and ice.
  • Now that your milk has started to bubble, turn off the burner and transfer your pan to the sink full of cold water. Place the pan in the cold water, but don’t allow any of the water to enter the pan and touch the milk. Keep the lid on the pan. Allow, the milk to sit around 10 minutes. You want your milk to cooler, but not cold. You need to have warm milk for the crock pot.
  • While the milk is cooling, scoop out a 1/2 cup of yogurt starter. Once the milk has cooled (but is still warm…10 minutes) turn off your crockpot (which is now nice and toasty warm). Place your yogurt starter and 1 cup of warm milk in the crock pot and gently whisk together. Now, add the rest of the of the warm milk to the crockpot and stir.
    Note to self: The baby will try to eat all your yogurt starter. Next time, make yogurt after bedtime.
  • With the milk and yogurt starter in the crockpot (now turned off), place the lid on. Now wrap up your crockpot with a couple large towels. Tuck your milk and yogurt into bed, all nestled in to keep nice and warm. Let that bacteria get to work making fabulous, creamy yogurt!
    Leave your crockpot alone for 8-12 hours. The longer you let it sit, the tangier your yogurt will taste. I like the taste at 10 hours. I know you may be tempted to take a peak and spy on what’s happening under those towels, but don’t! Your milk and starter need time to culture.
    Relax!
  • After 8-12 hours, remove the towels from the crock pot and you will find–yogurt! Before you stir or shake the yogurt, place your crock pot in the fridge and allow the yogurt to set. I usually allow it to set a couple hours. I’ve even neglected it all day in the fridge.
  • After your yogurt has spent some time setting in the fridge you can now scoop into the containers of your choice. I use quart mason jars (like these).
  • Store in the fridge and enjoy.

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 108mgPotassium: 336mgSugar: 12gVitamin A: 400IUCalcium: 286mgIron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

 

So easy. Why didn't I start making my own yogurt before? Healthy and delicious. The whole family loves this recipe.

 

We like to drizzle raw honey in our yogurt. We also berries or homemade jam to sweeten it up. I occasionally semi-defrost strawberries and blend with a little honey in the food processor and mix into the yogurt for a fruity twist. Pure vanilla extract (learn how to make your own) and raw honey can be combined for a french vanilla twist.

Way to go superwoman!

So easy. Why didn't I start making my own yogurt before? Healthy and delicious. The whole family loves this recipe.

4.47 from 32 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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195 Comments

  1. After you put it in crock pot and wrap it in towels, do you continue to keep crock plugged in, or turn it off?

  2. 1 star
    I followed the recipe to the tee. I left the liquid in the crockpot for 16 hours. It is still very liquid. Didn’t work for me.

    1. Hey Cris, Can you share a photo with me and I can help troubleshoot – [email protected]. If it’s still super liquid (not liquid at all), it could be that the starter didn’t contain live cultures and so the milk never turned into yogurt. Another issue could be if ultra-pasteurized milk is used.

      There is a difference between thick Greek yogurt and traditional yogurt (like this). Traditional yogurt will be much runnier, but should still be thick to eat with a spoon. You can strain it to make a thicker yogurt if that’s the case-place a cheesecloth on a colander with a bowl underneath and pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth. The whey (liquid) will separate as it sits on the counter for about 30 minutes, making a very thick yogurt.

  3. 5 stars
    It’s a wonderful way to eat healthier & save $ at the same time. Thank you for sharing your recipe. I’m enjoying my homemade yogurt now with wild blueberries picked last year & with a little vanilla extract & honey to sweeten it up! Yum! 🥳. Thanks again!
    Jennifer

    1. Hey Mia, Ultra-pasteurization kills everything in the milk, so there’s nothing in the milk to help with the bacterial growth needed for yogurt. It’s basically water at that point, that tastes like milk.

  4. 5 stars
    I made this last night using the last of my Seven Stars Farm yogurt! The whole reason I looked into this is the lack of availability of said yogurt (also my favorite!). Also the reason I chose this recipe: I figured, anyone who LOVES that yogurt as I do, her homemade recipe will probably make yogurt I love too! I wrapped it in towels and left it in my hot garage overnight (hot car engines…), and the crock was still warm this morning! Can’t wait to have some for lunch today!!! Thank you for this recipe, Kristen!

  5. I tried this last night and it came out perfect!!! I couldn’t believe it. So glad I have a dead simple way of making yogurt at home.

  6. 5 stars
    I’ve tried a few yogurt recipes and this was the easiest to follow. And it was yummy! Thanks for sharing!

    1. Hey Holly, I believe there are different culture strains in kefir than yogurt. So you’ll need a starter yogurt to begin. Once you have homemade yogurt made, you can continue to use that as your starter.

    1. Hey Mari, I haven’t, and I’m not sure it would work. I think the https://minimalistbaker.com/ has a good coconut milk yogurt. I think that might be the best option. Not sure about a homemade almond milk yogurt option. The only milk I would avoid turning into yogurt is soy (and just avoid in general). Hope that helps!

  7. 4 stars
    Thanks for sharing this! I made yogurt a couple of days ago and it went really well! I tasted the yogurt after 8 hours and it still tested like warm milk to me and the cockpit felt cool by then. Our house is at 63 degrees in winter sho I thought that might make a difference. I turned the oven on for a minute out two and then if then moved the crockpot there for another couple hours. The taste was what I wanted after 10 hours. Our family has upped out yogurt eating game since the baby has started enjoying it so we go through 2 jugs from the store pretty quick! Now I’ll just make a yogurt batch when we get near the end of the first jug. Thanks again!

  8. Ok so you’d do it in molds not a big container of it to freeze? Does it unfreeze in the same consistency as when it’s fresh?