Whether you’re making regular or Greek yogurt, it’s time to learn How to Make Yogurt! It’s incredibly easy, requires virtually no prep work and the outcome will amaze you: Wonderfully thick, creamy, luxuriously delicious yogurt! This homemade yogurt recipe is SO good and SO easy, you’ll NEVER need to buy store-bought again!
How long does it take you to pour a gallon of milk into a slow cooker? That’s how much prep time is involved in making this gloriously thick, rich, creamy Easy Homemade Yogurt recipe! And you have full control over its thickness – we’ll show you how to make Greek yogurt or regular yogurt, your choice!
Why Should I Make My Own Yogurt?
There are several advantages to making your own yogurt: It tastes better, has a better texture, is MUCH CHEAPER, and it’s MUCH HEALTHIER than store-bought because it has a MUCH HIGHER PROBIOTIC CONTENT. Really, it’s a complete win-win!
What Kind of Milk Should I Use to Make Yogurt?
For the thickest, creamiest yogurt we recommend whole milk but you can also use 2% and even skim milk.
How to Make Greek Yogurt
The difference between making regular and Greek yogurt simply comes down to how long you strain it. More on that in the recipe below.
What Do I Need to Make Yogurt?
- Milk
- Plain yogurt (as a starter culture)
- Cheesecloth
- Thermometer
- Pot or Slow Cooker
- Colander
Besides milk you’ll need some plain yogurt as a starter culture for your initial batch. Then you can use yogurt from that batch for your next batch and so on. There is no need to buy a special starter culture, all you need is plain yogurt. The plain yogurt will act as a starter culture to introduce healthy bacteria/probiotics to your homemade yogurt. It is essential that the yogurt you use has live cultures in it. Most grocery stores sell plain yogurt with live cultures but just be sure to check the label on the container confirm that it has l. bulgaricus and s. thermophilus in it.
You will also need some cheesecloth to strain the yogurt (trust me, it’s much easier than it may initially sound). I use and recommend this cheesecloth because it’s 100% unbleached cotton, is high grade, is very durable for multiple uses, and you get a ton of it. Overall it’s the best value I have found for the quality.
You’ll also need a thermometer. Heating the milk to right temperature and then reducing it to the right temperature are both critical to the success of your yogurt.
The other item you’ll need is either a slow cooker or a large, heavy stock pot and a colander for straining.
© Piliphoto | Dreamstime
Slow Cooker or Stovetop to Make Yogurt?
You can use either with great success and the choice is entirely up to you.
Using a Slow Cooker:
Pros: The heating process is slow and gentle so there is no risk of scorching the milk and having to throw it all out. Plus it’s hands free and the milk can heat up over the course of a few hours while you’re doing other things.
Cons: It takes a lot longer to heat up the milk than if you’re using a pot. But that’s only a disadvantage if you’re in a hurry.
Using a Stock Pot:
Pros: It’s much quicker than using a slow cooker. The milk heats up faster and then all you have to wait for is for it to cool back down and then set.
Cons: It requires your constant attention and as the milk gets hotter it requires constant stirring in order to prevent the milk from burning (and it can burn very easily if you’re not paying attention).
You can see that both have their pros and cons and it purely comes down to personal preference. I use and like both methods but generally use my slow cooker/crock pot more often because of the hands-free convenience of plugging it in and going about my daily tasks. Any crock pot or slow cooker will do the job. I use and love my Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 7 Quart Slow Cooker.
Do I Have to Bring the Temp to 180 F if I’m Using Pasteurized Milk?
Virtually every yogurt-making recipe will tell you to heat the milk to 180 degrees F before bringing it back down to 110 degrees F to inoculate it with a starter culture. The question you may ask yourself is, if I’m using pasteurized milk already do I need to heat it to 180 degrees or can I just skip that step?
Here’s what I’ve learned: Heating it to 180 degrees isn’t for the purpose of killing unwanted bacteria as much as it is for creating a thick texture. The heat changes the structure of the proteins in the milk and enables it to thicken into yogurt. I wanted to test that for myself and heated the milk to just a little over 110 degrees, added the starter culture, and proceeded from there. It hardly thickened at all. But when I heat it to 180 degrees, then let it cool to 110 degrees before adding the starter, it thickens up beautifully.
What is Whey?
That yellowish liquid that’s left over after you strain the yogurt….that’s called whey. When making homemade yogurt, you’ll always end up with some whey as a by-product. The longer you strain the yogurt, the thicker it will get, the more whey it will yield. If you strain it to full capacity for an extra thick Greek yogurt, you’ll end up with about 8 cups of whey, but every batch will be different.
Whey is milk minus the fats and solids. It’s basically water with lactose and protein. And it’s the protein that’s the valuable ingredient here. Milk contains two types of protein, casein and whey. Most of the casein ends up in the yogurt and the whey is in the liquid by-product.
How to Use Leftover Whey
I’m so glad you asked! Whey is a great source of protein and is used in powdered form in protein shakes and protein bars. But how can you this leftover liquid whey? Here are a few ideas:
- Use it in place of water when you’re making broth or soup for an extra rich broth.
- Use it in place of water for baking bread or pastries.
- Add it to your smoothies of an extra protein boost.
- If you have a vegetable garden, use it lower the pH level of your soil if you’re growing things that prefer soil with a higher acidity level, like tomatoes.
Can You Freeze Whey?
Yes, it can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Can I Make a Smaller Batch of Yogurt?
This recipe calls for a gallon of milk because this yogurt will keep for a good 2 weeks in the fridge, giving you plenty of time to finish it off. (Note that a gallon of milk won’t yield a gallon of yogurt. It will yield about 2 quarts of yogurt depending on how long you strain it.) If however you would prefer to make less you can absolutely cut the recipe in half and use a half gallon instead. Just be sure to remember to reserve enough of the yogurt to act as the starter for your next batch.
How Much Protein and Calories Are in My Yogurt?
This is a question I get frequently. Calorie count and protein content will depend on how much whey was removed in the straining process and there really isn’t a way to measure that. Even calories are hard guess because through the straining process the end product is much more condensed that the original milk product. The best we can do is estimate.
© Fortyforks | Dreamstime
Homemade Yogurt Troubleshooting
“My yogurt didn’t set and I have yogurt soup!”
There may be an occasion or two when your yogurt doesn’t set properly. I’ve made probably close to 50 batches and fortunately it’s only happened to me twice but it was nevertheless disappointing. Many factors can be at play for a failed batch, anything from the first step to the last. If you’ve done everything right and have followed every step correctly from start to finish, all I can say is that the yogurt-making process involves fragile live bacteria and sometimes, well, they have a mind and will of their own. And if you’re using store-bought yogurt as your starter culture, it may claim to have live bacteria that is…no longer live. The only thing to do is try again with a new batch. But just because it failed turning into yogurt doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy it.
Don’t throw out the “soup!”
Throughout Europe and other parts of the world you can get a variety of delicious plain and flavored yogurt drinks. You can drink your yogurt milk and you’ll still be benefitting from those healthy probiotics. Add some honey or flavored syrups or blend in some berries or fruits of your choice and enjoy it in smoothie form!
Ways to Eat Yogurt
The ideas are almost endless. Here are a few:
- Add fresh berries or cut up fresh fruits to enjoy with your yogurt along with a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or a drizzle of honey or maple syrup for a healthy breakfast or snack.
- Make parfaits with fresh fruit and granola.
- Blend it with fresh or frozen fruit or with nuts, peanut/cashew/almond butter, chocolate, etc. to make smoothies.
- Add other ingredients and seasonings to use as a sandwich, toast or bagel spreads.
- As the base of a savory dip for oven-baked chips, bread or raw veggies.
- As the base of a sweet dip for fresh fruits or toasted cinnamon pita strips.
- Use it in place of mayonnaise for ranch dressing and other creamy dressings.
- Make homemade tzatziki sauce.
- Replace sour cream and buttermilk with yogurt in baked goods like cakes, muffins, pancakes or our sweet potato pie.
- Make yogurt fruit popsicles.
- Use it in place of sour cream for things like tacos, enchiladas and burritos.
- Use it in place of mayonnaise for egg, tuna, chicken salad and potato salad.
The way I most commonly enjoy my yogurt is simply stirring in a spoonful of fruit preserves with a little powdered stevia for a healthy, low-carb treat to satisfy my sweet tooth. Another favorite way is to make vanilla yogurt by stirring in some high quality vanilla bean paste.
You’re going to love how rich and creamy this yogurt is – it’s almost like eating dessert!
© Corinna Gissemann | Dreamstime
How to Make Yogurt
Let’s get started!
IF USING A STOCK POT INSTEAD OF A SLOW COOKER: If you’re in a hurry or don’t have a slow cooker you can use a stock pot. Simply heat the milk in a large stock pot over low to medium heat. Just be sure to stir it regularly, especially as it gets hotter, to prevent the milk from scorching. Then follow the rest of the instructions as written.
Pour the milk into the slow cooker and set it to HIGH. Go about your business, it’ll take at least 2 hours (usually longer) before the temperature’s up to 180 degrees. Use a thermometer to check the temperature.
Once the temperature is up to 180 degrees, turn off the slow cooker or stove top and let the milk cool to 110 degrees F. Again, go about your business, this will take at least another 2 hours.
Once the temperature is 110 degrees, mix a little of the warm milk into the room temperature starter yogurt, then gently but thoroughly stir it back into the milk using up and down, left and right motions (not circular). Close the lid and turn off the slow cooker.
Wrap a large bath towel around the slow cooker and let it sit undisturbed in a draft-free, room temperature (or warmer) area for 10-12 hours or overnight. If the environment is too cool the yogurt will not set.
When you remove the lid you’ll find that the milk has thickened and the whey has separated.
Look at that fabulous thick texture! The transformation is almost magical. You’ll be so excited the first time you make this! I still get excited every time I lift the lid.
Line a colander with some cheesecloth.
I currently use this cheesecloth. It’s great quality and you get a lot of it for an excellent price.
Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth. If it doesn’t all fit (depending on the size of your colander), let the yogurt strain until there’s room enough to add the remaining yogurt, then continue to strain.
Depending on how thick you want the yogurt, this will take several hours. For thick Greek yogurt, you’ll end up straining it for at least 4 hours. That will also depend on the gauge of the cheesecloth. Set the colander on top of a large glass bowl. If leaving it to strain for several hours, you can put it in the fridge if you prefer and let it strain there.
See the liquid in the glass bowl above right? That’s whey. See the section “How to Use Whey” for ideas.
Store the yogurt covered in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. When you’re ready to make another batch, use some of the previous batch for the starter culture.
If fully strained to make Greek yogurt, you’ll end up with about 2 quarts (8 cups) of whey and 7-8 cups of Greek yogurt.
You’ll end up with less whey and more yogurt if you strain it less to make regular yogurt.
Cook with it, bake with it, eat it plain or with a variety of mix-ins, whatever your heart desires!
Enjoy!
Be sure to also check out our tutorials for how to make:
- Quark
- Mascarpone
- Sauerkraut
- Collard Kraut
How To Make Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 gallon whole milk, 2% or skim milk (whole milk is recommended for thickest, creamiest results) (see note about using raw milk) *this method does NOT work with non-dairy alternatives
- 1 cup plain yogurt at room temperature, either from previous batch or store-bought (**The yogurt must have live cultures in it to work. Check the ingredients to make sure they include l. bulgaricus and s. thermophilus.)
- Equipment:
- Slow cooker or Pot
- Thermometer
- Cheesecloth
- Colander
Instructions
- IF USING A STOCK POT: If you're in a hurry or don't have a slow cooker you can use a stock pot. Simply heat the milk in a large stock pot over low to medium heat. Just be sure to stir it regularly, especially as it gets hotter, to prevent the milk from scorching. Then follow the rest of the instructions as written.IF USING A SLOW COOKER: Pour the milk into a slow cooker set to HIGH and close the lid. It will take 2-3 hours before the temperature of the milk is up to 180 degrees F. Check it with an instant-read thermometer. Once it's at 180 degrees, turn off the slow cooker, close the lid, and let the milk cool to 110 degrees F. This will take another 2-3 hours. Once the temperature is between 110 and 115 degrees F, add some of the warm milk to the plain yogurt, stir to combine, and then gently but thoroughly stir the mixture back into the milk in the slow cooker using up and down, left and right motions (not circular).
- Close the lid, wrap the slow cooker or stock pot with a large bath towel, and let it sit undisturbed in a non-drafty place at room temperature (or warmer) for 10-12 hours or overnight. If the environment is too cool the yogurt will not set. During this process the milk will have thickened and the whey will have started separating from the milk.
- Line a colander with a cheesecloth and pour the yogurt into it. Set the colander over a large glass bowl and let it strain at room temperature for several hours, until you've achieved the desired thickness (length of straining time will also depend on the gauge of the cheesecloth. I use this cheesecloth - excellent quality and you get a lot of it for a great price) For thick Greek yogurt plan on at least 4 hours. You'll end up with about 8 cups of whey and 7-8 cups of Greek yogurt.
- Store the yogurt in the fridge in an airtight container, preferably a glass bowl for up to 2 weeks. When ready to make another batch of yogurt, use a cup of the previous batch as the starter culture.
Notes
**You don't have to use the slow cooker method. For a quicker method simply heat the milk in a large stock pot over low to medium heat. Just be sure to stir it regularly, especially as it gets hotter, to prevent the milk from scorching. Then follow the rest of the instructions as written.
Nutrition
First published on The Daring Gourmet June 2017
BZ in BA says
I have heard that the whey can be used as “starter” for your next batch. Also, that it freezes well. I am about to give it a try.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
The main thing is to inoculate the yogurt with the probiotics, which the leftover whey will have. My concern would be its consistency – it’s watery and the final yogurt may not set up as firmly, though I’m not sure. Let us know how it turns out!
Mike says
Kimberly, I wrote in on August 27 and September 4 and 6 of last year. I have been using a 16 Quart Roaster for quite some time now and start with 3 gallons of whole milk. I set the roaster on 300 to 325 depending on how fast I want to heat it up. To cool it faster, I take the pan out of the roaster so that it can get air around it. Right before I add the starter, I put the pan back in the roaster and set the temperature to about 108 degrees and leave it for 10 hours. Works great any time of year with the incubation temperature always being the same. Following your process, I have made many batches and have not had one that was less than perfect. Thank You
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mike, it’s great to hear from you again and thanks for sharing your experience using the roaster!
Chef Larry says
Just made my first batch of this overnight. It is now in the straining process. It came out thick and almost ready to eat right out of my crock pot. I took a small taste sample when I first poured it into the colander and I could taste the wonderful tang of Good Greek Yogurt
I did two small variations to your recipe.
1. I aged it for 16 hours in my oven instead of just 10 or 12 on the counter. What I did, since I have an electric oven, was while I was mixing in the cultures, I turned the oven on for 2 minutes and then turned it off and kept the door closed. I took the crock out of the shell, wrapped it in a heavy bath towel, then placed it in a broiler pan set on a heavy cookie sheet. Placed it in the (now warm about 125 degrees) oven, closed the door and walked away until 6 AM this morning.
2. To mix in the cultures to ensure it was fully incorporated, after mixing the starter yogurt (I used Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt 6 oz. single serve cup) with a cup of milk from the crock pot at 118 degrees, was i used a small mini blender and gently incorporated it all throughout the crock full of warm milk. This made sure that it was blended in properly to allow for set up time.
Total cost for the 1st batch? $2.88. $1.88 for a gallon of whole milk, and $1.00 for the Chobani Plain Yogurt 6 oz. cup. Each additional batch now will only be $1.88 since that is the everyday price for milk at the store near me. Normal price in my area for a quart of Greek Yogurt? $6.99. So this means that on every batch I make, I will save around $12.00
Yield looks to be at least 2 quarts after straining. I am straining it all day on my counter, covered to keep any dust out of the yogurt. After which, I will be adding it to WIDE MOUTH quart Mason Jars. Since I do a lot of canning, I have plenty of these to use.
For me, I believe the oven method is best since it really is very hard to find empty counter space in my kitchen.
We enjoy a lot of different curry dishes here at my place (Nicknamed Charlie’s Cafe after our little fur baby) and yogurt is a main ingredient in most of them, including the Naan Bread which is served with them. This will help cut down on the cost, and this way I KNOW what is in that yogurt!
Just remember, if using canning jars to sterilize them before adding the yogurt to the jars. I am a professional cook by trade, and I can never have my cooking environment too clean.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Larry! Thanks so much for the feedback as well as the cost breakdown. This yogurt never lasts long in our house, I’m constantly whipping up new batches :)
NICOLETTE KOVES says
The recipe calls for l. Bulgaricus and s. Thermophilus live cultures. My current greek yogurt at home contains live cultures l. Acidophilus, bifidus and l. Casei. Will this still work as my starter yogurt?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Nicolette, I think that should work. Let us know how it goes!
Teri says
Thank you for this terrific recipe! I just made my first batch and it turned out fantastic. I found it pretty forgiving…I did everything wrong…overheated the milk (not scorched…just higher than the 180, then I overcooled it and had to warm it back up to 110 (which I then overshot to about 118). I used some fat free yogurt as a starter because it’s all I had on hand. It wasn’t set up by the time I had to leave for work, so I just left it wrapped in the towel while I was gone. Despite all my neglect, I still have two containers of delicious Greek yogurt for less than half the price I’ve been paying for one. Amazing! I can’t wait to see what happens when I don’t screw it up!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Haha, that’s awesome, Teri! Those live cultures are unpredictable that way – they have minds of their own! :)
Mary says
Hello Kimberley, I have read everyone of the above comments!! I have just made yoghurt as per your directions but have used a Yoghurt Maker which has 6 small pots in it. It has been in the ‘maker’ for 8 hours and I have just checked and it is lovely and thick! Wow! 🤗
In the past, I have made many pots of yoghurt but have never warmed the milk prior to adding the starter. (Maybe I never read the instructions properly). I would just add the starter to the milk and whisk (!!!) them together and pour the mixture of milk and starter (cold) into the pots, turn on the Yoghurt Maker and go to work. When I got home at the end of the day – lovely thick yoghurt. Now, did I get lovely thick yoghurt because I made it in the Yoghurt Maker which kept it at a constant temperature, or was I just lucky? Is it actually necessary to warm the milk if I am using a Yoghurt Maker? I don’t have a Slow Cooker.
Thankyou for your very clear instructions. Love your site!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Mary! :) I’ve never used a Yoghurt Maker before so I’m not really sure how it works.
Stormy says
The first time, PERFECT. The 2nd time I left it to drain for too long ( 3hrs at room temp and then I put it in the fridge to drain for 8hrs) and it’s THICK! and dry, LOL. Tastes fine but is there some way to thin it out a bit?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Stormy, congrats on the first time, yay! Your second batch: You can probably thin it out by adding a bit of milk. You know what I’d do instead though? Make cheese! The process you followed the second time is exactly what you would do if you were making a soft cheese, like labneh – a Middle Eastern yogurt cheese. You simply add a bit of salt to it and roll the thick yogurt into balls (yes, it will stick a bit to your palms) and then serve them drizzled with olive oil infused with chopped herbs, maybe some garlic, and a sprinkle of paprika. You take a ball and spread it onto a slice of crusty bread – heaven! For longer preservation you can place the balls in a jar of olive oil (I usually like to add chopped herbs). I’ll be publishing a post about homemade labneh, but that’s the gist of it.
Dianne says
Kimberly,
I want to thank you for this fabulous recipe. So easy! I have made it twice now and I am sure my co-workers, family and friends are tired of hearing about it! My question is can I hurry along the cooling period? My slow cooker s ceramic and once I stir in the yogurt starter and clamp down the lid it is taking more than 5 hours to cool down to 110 degrees. I have to admit I am not starting early enough and because I want to go to bed have resorted to taking off the lid and fanning the yogurt and cracking the lid. Any advice?
Then you,
Dianne
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Dianne, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you! Yes, I get impatient myself waiting for it to cool down, especially if I got a late start and want to go to bed. To answer your question, yes, you can speed up the cooling process a bit – I often set it outside to cool down faster. Of course, if it’s summer that won’t help much!
Dianne says
Thanks! I love your site!
Stephen Ramsden says
On a recent trip to Kosovo and Macedonia teaching science I stayed with a local family who made fresh yogurt every couple of days and ate it for breakfast with fruit. They would just go out in the yard, get the milk from the cow and cut whatever fruits were on the bushes. they would always keep a cup for the next batch. It was a wonderfully simple thing for them and they were shocked to hear that I paid for this stuff in the store every week. lol They made it in a frying pan and heated the milk to where you could no longer put your finger in it without pulling it back out and then just add the starter yogurt and put a lid and towel over it for about 6-8 hours sitting on top of the stove. Then they put it in the fridge. They would serve it and then add the fruit on top usually.
I have used this recipe countless times and it is awesome. I have found that a big bag of frozen fruit works equally as good as chopping fresh fruits. Either mashed or whole fruits are delicious in this mix. I put it in one pint mason jars and make enough for about 10 days each time. When it starts slightly burning your tongue as you eat it, it’s time to get rid of it. :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for sharing your experience, Stephen. I can just imagine their incredulity at the thought of us paying such premium prices for such a basic staple :) I’m happy you’ve been making and enjoying this, thanks so much for the feedback.
Lora B. says
Love, love love! Thank you for this recipe! Mine turned out great, but it did take almost a day to strain. As someone else mentioned, around the sides got dense much quicker then the center. The cheese cloth is so large(I bought the one you suggested), I think next time I will cut it in two and use two strainers! Also, I see where the whey can be frozen for 6 months-how long will it be good just in the fridge? Excited to add this to some soups and smoothies.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lora! Yes, the sides will strain faster because they’re on a sloped incline (i.e., a thinner layer of yogurt) than the bottom (a much thicker/deeper layer). I’ve seen so many conflicting answers to the whey storage question – some say it will keep a couple of weeks in the fridge, others say a month, many say up to 6 months, and I’ve even seen some that say over a year. If I’m not going to use it up within a few weeks I usually freeze it.
Marian says
Okay Kimberly, I made your Greek style yogurt this weekend.
In a word, scrumptious.
I used the organic whole milk from Waitrose, with the cream on top, and followed the recipe to the letter. Except I had to reheat it from 90F to 115F because I had fallen asleep and it cooled down too much.
But everything else went to plan. It sat the night next to the AGA.
In the morning I started to strain it. I actually moved it to the fridge after 4 hours, and allowed it to strain more. My muslin was a very tight weave and it was taking ages. But got there in the end.
In all honesty I have never, ever tasted such fabulous yogurt. It’s so creamy, with a touch of tang. I took about a quarter of the yield (oh, yes, I did cut it down to a half gallon of milk due to my slow cooker capacity) and added a touch of honey to have with my breakfast in the morning. I may mix some stem ginger in with a portion of the rest, keeping some plain for recipes.
To top it all off, I made all this lovely, scrumptious yogurt for less than a large pot of commercial brand I was purchasing!
Win/win. :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Marian, I’m so happy to hear that, yay!!
Marian says
Brilliant Kimberly, just the recipe I need. Looked at others and way too complicated!
This is similar to the way I am making buttermilk; heat it to 180F, cool to 110, add the culture the first time. On subsequent batches, I mix some from my previous batch with the full milk, wrap it in a towel and set it near the AGA. Perfect every time!
Can’t wait to try this. Since I’m the only one eating the yogurt I will halve the recipe. But now, I should have it on hand whenever needed – or wanted!
Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Marian! And thanks for the info on how you prepare buttermilk. Happy yogurt-making :)
Kristyna says
Hello Kimberly,
thanks for the recipe, gonna try it tonight. I have a question (dont know if its been asked/answered before, there are too many to read through all of them). Is it possible to leave the slow cooker on WARM instead of wrapping it in a towel, or is the WARM setting ‘too warm’? Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kristyna, when I’ve had a couple of failed batches (didn’t set) I’ve turned it back on to WARM for 3-4 hours and it set up perfectly. But that was also after it had sat out all night wrapped in a towel and given time for the cultures to multiply. So setting it to WARM from the beginning may or may not prevent the cultures from doing their job, I’m not sure.
Jodi says
Hi, I’m making the yogurt right now for the first time. My kids like vanilla yogurt. I bought the Nielsen-Massey bourbon vanilla bean paste that you recommended. About how much do I add and do I add it when the draining is complete?
Thanks.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jodi, the vanilla bean paste is amazing. How much you add is purely personal preference. I usually add it to each serving instead of to the whole batch at once, but that’s just my personal preference. Whichever way you’re doing it, start with a little, stir it, taste it, and add more accordingly.
Po says
Hi, thanks so much for this recipe. I’ll see tomorrow if I did everything right! :) I was wondering if I could make this with non-fat milk instead of whole milk?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Po, I would recommend at least using skim/low-fat milk (texture). Let us know how it turns out!