How to Make Homemade Yogurt Without a Yogurt Maker
Learning how to make homemade yogurt without a yogurt maker is easier than you might think, and it’s a rewarding way to enjoy traditional yogurt right from your own kitchen. Perfect for beginners trying it for the first time, this simple method uses just milk, a small amount of plain yogurt, and a warm spot like your oven with the light on.
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Servings: 0
Ingredients
- 1 quart 4 cups whole raw milk, or pasteurized milk --organic milk is always best! (not ultra-pasteurized milk)
- 3 tablespoons plain FULL FAT yogurt with live active cultures as your starter use store-bought or from a previous batch--SEE TIPS
Instructions
- Place 3 tablespoons of organic full-fat yogurt into a clean glass jar.
- Pour cold milk directly over the yogurt. No need to heat it.
- Then, stir the milk and yogurt until fully combined.
- Cover the container loosely with a lid, plastic wrap, or a clean thick towel. Place the glass jars inside your oven with the light turned on (but no heat). The light bulb provides gentle warmth (usually 100–110°F), the right temperature for culturing. Do not turn on the oven itself or you will catch your dish towel on fire and cook your ferment!
- Next day (12 to 24 hours later), once the yogurt has thickened, move it to the fridge for at least 4 hours to fully set for best results. It will firm up more as it chills. (The recommended time to ferment the yogurt is between 12 to 24 hours. I highly recommend tasting the yogurt at 12 hours and seeing if you like to tartness. SEE TIPS)
- (OPTIONAL) Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer overnight to remove the whey for a thick Greek yogurt. Remove the whey but do not throw it away! Use it to make Fermented Strawberry Lemonade or Lacto Fermented Lemonade.
Notes
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- If you are choosing to make this yogurt with raw milk, then keep in mind that since it is non-homogenized milk, you will need to shake the milk to incorporate the cream prior to pouring the amount you need in a container. Likewise, after the culturing process and the yogurt has set, you will once again notice a cream line and will need to stir that in before serving.
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- You can make flavored yogurt by adding your favorite chopped fresh fruit, vanilla extract, maple syrup, or honey before the fermentation process.
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- Don't forget to remove a couple of tablespoons of your homemade yogurt for the next batch before enjoying!
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- You can use a candy thermometer if you'd like but I find that the oven light works great so I don't stress too much about it.
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- The recommended time to ferment the yogurt is between 12 to 24 hours. I highly recommend tasting the yogurt at 12 hours and seeing if you like the tartness. Just keep in mind that the longer it goes the more fermented it gets and the more sour it becomes. We usually prefer it at the 24 hour mark.
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- Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer overnight to remove the whey for a thick, Greek-style yogurt.