How To Make Thick and Creamy Yogurt At Home

I love yogurt! However, I do not like the amount of sugar found in most commercially prepared yogurt. I also have found that it is cheaper for me to make my own yogurt with the amount of sugar that I want in my yogurt.  My yogurt making has been a lot of trial and error but I have finally found a way that makes it successful 100% of the time. I hope that this will help you with your yogurt making!

Quick and Easy Directions!

Step 1:

Bring your milk to almost a boil. If you are using a thermometer, you want it to reach 180F.

Step 2:

Allow milk to cool down to 108-112F. If you are using a powder yogurt starter like YoGourmet, follow the temperature directions on the package.

Step 3:

In small dish, add your yogurt starter (1 package of YoGourmet or 2 Tbsp of yogurt with active cultures) with a few tablespoons of the cooled milk. Gently mix the two until the mixture is smooth. Add the mixture to the milk and gently stir to mix everything together.

Step 4:

Add approximately 3 tablespoons of sugar (more or less to your liking) and 1 tsp vanilla. Gently stir everything together.

Step 5:

Pour milk mixture into your yogurt maker and allow it to “cook” undisturbed for at least 8 hours.

Step 6:

Refrigerate yogurt to allow it to finish setting up before eating it.

Now for the details and explanation of why we do what we do.

Detailed Instructions

Step 1:

Bring your milk to almost a boil. If you are using a thermometer, you want it to reach 180F.

– Some people have had good success with not bring it up temperature and only heating it to 108-112F. The reason you want to heat it up to the 180F is it kills any bacteria that you DON’T want in your yogurt. It also helps your yogurt to be thicker. I have done it both ways, but have had much more success by bringing it up to 180F than just to 108-112F.

Step 2:

Allow milk to cool down to 108-112F. If you are using a powder yogurt starter like YoGourmet, follow the temperature directions on the package.

– If your milk is too hot, it will kill the yogurt starter, ie, the good bacteria. A good thermometer is a MUST for this.  I’ve never tried to wing it by the touch test.

Step 3:

In a small dish, add your yogurt starter (1 package of YoGourmet or 2 Tbsp of plain yogurt with active cultures) with a few tablespoons of the cooled milk. Gently mix the two until the mixture is smooth. Add the mixture to the milk and gently stir to mix everything together.

– Please don’t mix too violently! These are living “bugs” and you want to be gentle with them. 🙂

Step 4:

Add approximately 1/8 cup of sugar (more or less to your liking) and 1 tsp vanilla. Gently stir everything together.

– I try to eat fairly low-carb so I don’t want all of the sugar. You can use a sugar substitute if you would like, or just make it plain.  I have cut the sugar down to the bare minimum for my liking but you may need more or less depending on how sweet you like your yogurt.

Step 5:

Pour milk mixture into your yogurt maker and allow it to “cook” undisturbed for at least 8 hours.

– There are LOTS of ways to incubate your yogurt. Browse Pinterest and you will find lots of DIY yogurt makers. Honestly, I wanted something easy and 100% consistent so I purchased a 2 quart YoGourmet yogurt maker.  I had some older, individual cups style yogurt makers but they didn’t work well for my sized family and this larger yogurt maker works much better for me.

– If you are planning on making lots of yogurt, purchase a yogurt maker and take the guess work out of a DIY yogurt maker. Trust me, it’s worth the little bit of money to have quality yogurt that you enjoy.

Step 6:

Refrigerate yogurt to allow it to finish setting up before eating it.

– I let my yogurt chill for a good 12 hours before I dig in.

 

After the first day, you may notice a layer of liquid that settles in the lowest part of your yogurt.  You can mix this in to the yogurt, you can drain it off and use it with cooking or you can just drink it.