I shared my experience with you the very first time I made my own crockpot yogurt in this frugal experiments post over a year ago. Since then, I’ve figured out a few tricks and changed my methods so I now have a recipe to share with you!
Because it was a frugal experiment, I didn’t include my own recipe (I didn’t have one of my own just yet!). Instead, I linked to the recipe I used, which has now been taken offline.
So I figured it was about time I dedicated an entire post to my current crockpot yogurt recipe, as opposed to what I have been doing for the last few monrhs… which is just directing people to my recipe in the comments (serious blogger shame moment, right there!)
Here’s how to make your own!
How to Make Yogurt in the Crockpot
Economical and healthy option of how to make the yummiest yogurt in the crockpot.
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon milk
- 1/8 cup sugar
- 1 8 oz yogurt single serve to use as a yogurt starter
- 1 tbs vanilla
Instructions
Turn crockpot on low and pour in milk. Cover lid and let cook for 2 hours.
After the 2 hours, turn crock pot off and unplug. Leave lid on and let cool for 2 hours.
Pour yogurt starter in small bowl. Stir in vanilla extract and sweetener of choice. Ladle ½ cup of warm milk into a bowl. Stir gently until combined.
Pour into crockpot and combine using a gentle back and forth motion with the spoon or spatula to incorporate yogurt into the milk. Replace the lid. Leave crockpot off and wrap with a towel (I used two towels to make sure it is well insulated). Let sit overnight, for 12 to 18 hours.
Line colander with coffee filters and place colander over large bowl to catch the whey that will drain from the yogurt. Pour yogurt into colander, and transfer colander and bowl to fridge for 6 hours. the yogurt with thicken as the whey drains.
If you’d like to, save the whey for other purposes, like adding into homemade smoothie packs!
This recipe makes four to six cups of yogurt, depending on the desired thickness of the yogurt and the amount of whey you allow to drain from the yogurt.
Tips from readers:
Tips from readers:I grabbed these tips from the comment section of the original Crockpot Yogurt Frugal Experiments post, so I haven’t personally tried them, but they seem like great ideas for a thicker yogurt.
- Add a pack of unflavored gelatin for a much thicker consistency
- Add ½ cup of dried milk to the starter mix for a thicker yogurt
Tips from me:
- Save ½ cup of prepared yogurt to use as the starter in your next batch.
- If you’d like to use the yogurt for other uses such as a base for a dressing, dip or a marinade, leave out the sweeteners and vanilla. This allows you to get double the use out of your batch of yogurt! However, you will have to sweeten to taste when serving.
- If the yogurt doesn’t thicken enough, allow it to drain longer. The more whey that is removed from the yogurt, the thicker the consistency will be.
Answers to some common questions:
- If you can’t find plain yogurt, you can use vanilla.
- You can use milk with a lower fat content, however, your yogurt may not be as thick.
- You can use this recipe to make Greek style yogurt. You’ll need to use a cheesecloth instead of coffee filters when draining, and you’ll have to let it drain longer, probably overnight, which turns this into a 2-day-ish process (hence why I don’t take that route very often!)
If you have made your own crockpot yogurt, please share your tips and tricks in the comments below!
I have got to try this because I had no idea that you could make yogurt at home! We go through yogurt like crazy so this would save us a ton of money!
It’s super simple and I worked out that it saves us about $1.30 per batch. Hope you try it out!
Hi, Jazmin, I’m looking forward to trying this out. I’m just wondering, though, how important the vanilla is. I’m definitely going to add sweetener when I do this, but I’m just curious about whether the vanilla’s important for the yogurt. Is that just to make it vanilla flavoured? If so, can I put in different flavours? I’m not partial to vanilla yogurt, although I do like some other vanilla things. 🙂
You can totally skip the vanilla, Michelle! That’s just for flavor. I sometimes leave out the vanilla altogether if I’m going to be cooking with the yogurt so I can season it according to how I’ll be using it that week.
Have been making yogurt in my crockpot for the past several years. It is the best way ever made it. I’ve had 6 up yogurt machines, made it stove top, also. With the crock, you can make as much you like. This year, I plan to experiment with other milks and flavorings. Plus make yogurt cheese. You cannot go wrong with this recipe!
My comment above has missing letter errors in it. I am sorry for that. My computer has been locking up today and skipping letters as I type. have been trying to catch all. Of to reboot for the day. Linda
I was wondering where you get or what brand is the first starter ? I am anxious to try this recipe…I know yogurt helps when you take antibiotics, to restore your good bugs..
Hey Lillie, I’m not brand specific for the starter. I just typically buy the store brand single serve yogurt.
Just make sure it has active cultures int it
How long does this keep in the fridge? Thanks!
Can I use almond milk or coconut milk with this recipe?
You can make Greek yogurt with the coffee filters as I do. It turns out every time. It’s so easy, and if it ever gets too thick just add some of the drained reserved whey. Just relax if it doesn’t turn out the first-time you can do it again, you sure don’t have a lot of time or money invested. Oh and the thickeners, the powdered milk makes the yogurt creamy and adds more protein. As for anything else look very close as to the ingredients in THAT product before you add it to your healthy gut pleasing food. A food that our children will be eating. But that’s just my feelings. Enjoy your yummy yogurt. 🙂
I’m curious, do any of you know if I could use the dairy kefir I make on place of the yogurt starter? Since they are pretty similar I imagine it would be ok. But I would really hate to waste both the milk and the kefir. ….thanks for any responses in advance!
Thanks for sharing. I haven’t been putting sugar in before. But after reading your recipe, I added the sugar and made sure my yogurt stood to room temp and added some of the cooled,heated milk to yogurt first… Wow was my yogurt thick and smooth and yummy.
Yay! So glad to hear it worked out for you!
Can I replace cashew milk for the whole milk? My daughter is lactose intolerant! Thanks! Erin 🙂
What kinds of things can you use to flavor the yogurt?
Jam, jellies and lightly mashed fresh fruit are some of my favorite ways to flavor the yogurt. 🙂
I have used sugar, maple extract and chopped walnuts. I thought it was wonderful. In my next batch I plan to used granulated maple sugar instead of the sugar and extract.
Can you freeze the homemade yougurt?
I’m not totally sure since I don’t think I’ve tried it myself. But if you’ve successfully frozen store-bought yogurt before, I think it’d work similarly with this recipe!
Oh I need to try this! My family loves yogurt and I spend a small fortune on it. I’ve considered buying a yogurt maker but I already have a big crock pot. Have you ever tried it using liners? 🙂
I have been making crockpot yogurt for a few years always with success – I use any plain yogurt for starter and often with skim milk. This morning my yogurt is runny. Can I salvage it?