Creamy Easy Homemade Yogurt Recipe

You will love this easy homemade yoghurt recipe! This recipe is definitely a bit more unique as I haven’t really seen anyone else doing it this way.

We love thick and creamy yoghurt. But generally, to get a truly thick and creamy yoghurt you need to do the extra step of straining out the whey, which reduces the amount of yoghurt, and you have to figure out a use for the whey.

Well, I do something different, this recipe calls for a good quality gelatine! We still use a culture to get good bacteria, but a little gelatine will help to thicken it slightly more, so you don’t need to strain it at all!

Don’t worry it does not come out like jelly at all its actually really silky, creamy and a lovely thickness! Plus, you get added extra benefits when using a good quality gelatine.

I got this idea when I saw several store-bought yoghurt brands using gelatine in their ingredient lists, and honestly, I doubt they are using a high-quality source.

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Ways To Make Yogurt

There are many different ways to make yoghurt! You can make yoghurt on the stove top, with a yogurt maker, or in the slow cooker.

I have never done the slow cooker method but it’s basically the same as the stove top method just takes a lot longer but less active monitoring time, I’ll explain.

For both stove top method and slow cooker method you need to get the milk to heat up to 180F/ 80c. On stove top this takes about 10-15 minutes depending on the amount of milk. Slow cooker this can take 2-3 hours.

After milk has too cool down to about 110F/45c. This can take about 20 minutes on stove top or another 2-3 hours with a slow cooker.

You add your culture at this point close the lid and try to keep your container warm generally room temperature is fine about 100F/38C for 6-10 hours. Until it thickens and you like the taste.

And of course there are yoghurt makers which heat the milk, let it cool, you just add the culture and then it keeps the yogurt warm for you. Which is great but just another tool you need to have space for in your kitchen.

Why Make Your Own Yogurt

Honestly, once you start making yoghurt you will find it’s really easy to make and can save you a whole lot of money!

Here in Australia a 1kg tub of yoghurt not on special will cost at least $8, some brands are even more! I could make this amount for $2, even less if I used a cheaper brand of milk!

Lots of yoghurts also contain extra ingredients like thickeners, stabilisers, food colours and flavourings if you are buying flavoured yoghurt. Homemade yoghurt is basically milk and yoghurt culture. You can add fruit and flavours if you like afterward but it’s very basic ingredients.

Tips On Making Your Own Yogurt

1. For a very creamy yoghurt use full fat milk. The more milk solids in the yoghurt the thicker the yoghurt will be.
2. Heat your milk to 110F/45C and keep it at that temperature for about 20 minutes. The liquid that evaporates will leave you with more milk solids in your milk, meaning thicker yoghurt.
3. Make sure the first culture you use is a plain yoghurt and try to get one with minimal ingredients.
4. Stir your yoghurt regularly so the bottom doesn’t burn, and skin doesn’t form on top when it’s cooling. Burning milk and skin forming can lead to a less thick yoghurt as the milk solids are being lossed.
5. Secret ingredient. Now you can strain your yoghurt to get a thicker yoghurt or add a little bit of good quality gelatine after adding in the yoghurt culture. This makes such a difference, is healthy and gives it a creamy, smooth consistency!

What You Need to Make Yoghurt

Ingredients

Milk: I use full fat milk personally. This recipe I use 3 litres of milk, but you can halve the recipe if you like!

Yoghurt culture: The first time you will need to buy a plain yoghurt but after that use some that you save. I use 1/4 cup of culture.

Gelatine: Use a high-quality gelatine this will eliminate the step of straining your yoghurt to make it thicker, meaning more yoghurt and good quality gelatine has lots of health benefits too! Makes your yoghurt silky and no, not like Jello at all!

I use a bovine gelatine and am really happy with it.

Tools

1. Stainless steel pot: I use a large pot because I make 3 litres at a time.
2. Stainless steel milk thermometer: You do need to regulate the temperature of your milk, and these are very cheap to buy!
3. Spoon for stirring your milk with. I use a stainless-steel slotted spoon, but anything you have that reached the bottom of the pot and will stir your milk will do.

Step By Step Guide On Homemade Yoghurt

1. Heat your milk up to 180F/80C in a medium/large pot. Once it starts to get heat up, I start to mix it pretty regularly, so the bottom doesn’t burn.
2. Keep your milk at that temperature for about 20 minutes stirring regularly so the bottom doesn’t burn. This will help make a thicker yoghurt.
3. Let your yoghurt cool to 110F/45C. Make sure to stir it every few minutes as it’s cooling so bottom doesn’t burn and a skin doesn’t form on top.

4. Add in your yoghurt culture and natural gelatine into your cooled milk and give it a quick stir.

5. Place the lid on your pot and keep maintain the temperature at about 100F/38C for 6-10 hours.

6. Make sure to save a little bit of this yoghurt to incubate your next batch! Keep it in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container.

7. Afterward place the yoghurt into your clean glass or plastic containers with a lid and place in the fridge. *See notes for flavouring instructions.

8. Yoghurt will thicken more overnight and then enjoy like you normally would!

How To Flavour Homemade Yoghurt

If you want to add flavours into your yoghurt, do it after it has finished incubating for 6-10 hours before placing it in the fridge. Make sure to save some yoghurt to incubate your next batch before adding any flavours.

After yoghurt has finished incubating you can add vanilla, honey, raw sugar or mix in thick syrups to give it flavour. Mix it through, add into your container of choice, place the lid on and let it finish setting in the fridge.

It will thicken up in the fridge. That’s it very easy!

I wouldn’t add in chopped fruit to your yoghurt as this can ferment if you don’t eat it quick enough spoiling your yoghurt.

If you try and love this recipe, please make sure to come back and give it a 5-star review!

Ways to Use Homemade Yoghurt

Seriously there are so many ways to use yoghurt! Here are just a few ideas!

1. Turn your plain yoghurt into a dip!
2. Add yoghurt to your Easy Homemade Healthy Granola Recipe, Easy, Creamy Oatmeal Recipe or even cereal.
3. Use yoghurt in smoothie recipes.
4. Make yoghurt popsicles.
5. Use yoghurt to make naan bread!