Creamy Homemade Yogurt (Printable)
Rich, tangy cultured yogurt made with just two ingredients — milk and live cultures.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 1 quart whole milk (low-fat milk may be substituted)
02 - 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with live active cultures (starter)
# Steps:
01 - Pour the milk into a saucepan and warm gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 185°F. Do not allow the milk to boil.
02 - Remove the saucepan from heat and let the milk cool to between 110°F and 113°F.
03 - In a small bowl, combine the yogurt starter with a few tablespoons of the cooled milk and whisk until smooth and fully blended.
04 - Pour the starter mixture back into the remaining cooled milk and stir thoroughly to ensure even distribution of the cultures.
05 - Divide the mixture among clean containers or individual glass jars. Cover loosely with lids.
06 - Place the containers in a warm environment — such as a turned-off oven with the interior light on or a dedicated yogurt maker — and let incubate for 8 to 12 hours, or until the yogurt reaches your desired thickness and tang.
07 - Transfer the set yogurt to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before eating.
08 - Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Homemade yogurt costs a fraction of what you pay at the store and tastes remarkably better once you nail the process.
- You control exactly what goes in, no thickeners, no added sugars, no mystery ingredients, just milk and culture.
- Saving a spoonful from each batch to start the next one makes this an endlessly renewable kitchen project that feels almost magical.
02 -
- Temperature is everything in yogurt making and skipping the thermometer even once will almost guarantee a disappointing batch.
- Your incubation spot must stay consistently warm, because a drafty kitchen counter on a cold night can ruin the entire effort.
03 -
- Clean every container, spoon, and surface with boiling water before you start because stray bacteria are the enemy of a clean, pure yogurt culture.
- Label your jars with the date you made them because even though they last a week, they taste their absolute best within the first four days.