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–+ servings
A glass jar with Greek Yogurt homemade.

How to Make Yogurt or Greek Yogurt

Author: Veena Azmanov
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 2 mins
6 hrs
Total Time: 6 hrs 7 mins
Calories: 159kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 4 cups

Description

This is how to make yogurt or Greek yogurt at home with just 2 ingredients. It makes a rich, creamy, healthier, and wholesome yogurt. Use it with granola, parfaits, cakes, and as well as other cooking or baking recipes.

Ingredients 

Make 4 cups

    Yogurt with yogurt starter

    • 4 cups (1 liter) Milk whole, 1% or 2%
    • ¼ cup (4 tablespoon) Plain bioactive yogurt (or 1 tablespoon freeze-dried starter)

    Homemade Yogurt without yogurt starter

    • 2 cups (470 ml) Whole milk
    • ¼ teaspoon Citric Acid

    Greek Yogurt

    • 2 cups (470 ml) Whole milk 3% (not skimmed)
    • 1 cup (240 ml) Whipping cream 28% to 39%
    • ¼ cup (4 tablespoon) Plain bioactive yogurt

    Instructions

    Homemade Yogurt with yogurt starter

    • Scald - pour milk in a saucepan and heat on medium until it almost comes to a boil. (180°F or 82°C)
    • Cool - Cool the milk to room temperature (110°F or 43°C). Pour the milk in a glass jar or stainless steel bowl but do not use aluminum.
      Pro tip - You do not need a thermometer. Just leave it until it is barely warm similar to milk used for making bread.
    • Culture - Add the active yogurt to the milk and combine well with a whisk.
      Pro tip - I like to take half a cup of milk in a bowl and add the yogurt. Use a whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Then add this to the rest of the milk.
    • Rest - Cover the milk jar with a clean kitchen cloth or paper hand towel and store in a warm place untouched for 4 to 6 hours.
      Pro tip - Do not put the lid on tightly. The yeast in the milk needs to breathe.
    • Chill - After 4 to 6 hours,  the yogurt should have been set. Place it in the fridge and let chill for a couple of hours.
      Pro tip - at this point the culture is set but leaving it in the fridge will help it mature better without becoming too sour.

    Homemade yogurt without yogurt starter

    • Scald - pour milk in a saucepan and heat on medium until it almost comes to a boil. (180°F or 82°C)
    • Cool - Cool the milk to room temperature (110°F or 43°C). Pour the milk in a glass jar or stainless steel bowl but do not use aluminum.
      Pro tip - You do not need a thermometer. Just leave it until it is barely warm similar to milk used for making bread.
    • Culture - Add the citric acid or freeze-dried culture to the milk and combine well with a whisk.
      Pro tip - Adding citric acid to hot milk will cause it to curdle so make sure the milk is at room temperature.
    • Rest - Cover the milk jar with a clean kitchen cloth or paper hand towel and store in a warm place untouched for 4 to 6 hours.
      Pro tip - Do not put the lid on tightly. The yeast in the milk needs to breathe.
    • Chill - After 4 to 6 hours,  the yogurt should have been set. Place it in the fridge and let chill for a couple of hours.
      Pro tip - at this point the culture is set but leaving it in the fridge will help it mature better without becoming too sour.

    Greek yogurt

    • Scald - pour milk and cream in a saucepan and heat on medium until it almost comes to a boil. (180°F or 82°C)
    • Cool - Cool the milk to room temperature (110°F or 43°C). Pour the milk in a glass jar or stainless steel bowl but do not use aluminum.
      Pro tip - You do not need a thermometer. Just leave it until it is barely warm similar to milk used for making bread.
    • Culture - Add the active yogurt (or freeze-dried culture) to the milk and combine well with a whisk.
      Pro tip - I like to take half a cup of milk in a bowl and add the yogurt. Use a whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Then add this to the rest of the milk.
    • Rest - Cover the milk jar with a clean kitchen cloth or paper hand towel and store in a warm place untouched for 4 to 6 hours.
      Pro tip - Do not put the lid on tightly. The yeast in the milk needs to breathe.
    • Chill - After 4 to 6 hours,  the yogurt should have been set. Place it in the fridge and let chill for a couple of hours.
      Pro tip - at this point the culture is set but leaving it in the fridge will help it mature better without becoming too sour.

    Recipe Notes

    Tips for making homemade yogurt

    • Yogurt formation depends on the weather and climate conditions.
    • In summer yogurt can be ready in as little as 4 hours while it winters it can take as long as 6 to 8 hours at room temperature.
    • Fresh yogurt has a milky taste as it continues to mature it will start to get sour. 
    •  When yogurt is ready, it's best to let it set in the fridge for a couple of hours more to let the bacteria mature. It will also taste less milky and more like yogurt.
      After 3 to 4 hours in the fridge, you will see that the yogurt has a nice creamy and slightly sour texture.
    • The prepared yogurt now has an active live culture and can be used to make more yogurt. So essentially, you now have yogurt to make more yogurt.

    How to flavor homemade yogurt?

    • Honey yogurt - One tablespoon honey per one cup yogurt
    • Honey vanilla - one tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla per one cup yogurt
    • Maple Yogurt - One tablespoon maple syrup per one cup yogurt.
    • Date yogurt with Silan - One tablespoon silane or date honey per one cup yogurt
    • Mango yogurt - 2 tablespoon mashed mango flesh per cup yogurt - add 1 teaspoon honey if you want it sweeter.
    • Banana Yogurt - ½ mashed banana flesh per cup yogurt - add 1 teaspoon honey if you want it sweeter.

    Fruit yogurt with jam is a perfect mid-day snack.

    The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

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