Homemade Yogurt
Thick, creamy and naturally delicious — simple ingredients, no artificial additives.
Bobbie's tips: use whole milk for the creamiest yogurt; heating to 180°F makes a thicker yogurt; keep the milk at 110°F before adding the starter; don't use flavoured yogurt as a starter; for Greek yogurt, strain longer. Keeps 7–10 days in the fridge in an airtight container, or up to 2 months frozen (texture may change slightly). Save ½ cup of your homemade yogurt as the starter for your next batch (up to 4–5 cycles). Nutrition per ½ cup plain, from Bobbie's card: about 100 calories, 5 g fat, 6 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 300 mg calcium.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 gallon (3.8 L) whole milk (or 2% if preferred)
- ½ cup plain yogurt with live active cultures (look for “live and active cultures” on the label)
- Optional: ¼ cup powdered nonfat milk (for thicker yogurt)
- Optional: 2 tbsp honey or sweetener (add after making)
- Optional flavourings: vanilla extract, fresh fruit, etc.
Flavour variations (add after the yogurt has chilled)
- Vanilla honey: 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2–3 tbsp honey (or to taste)
- Strawberry: 1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped or puréed, 1–2 tbsp honey
- Blueberry: 1 cup fresh blueberries, lightly mashed, 1–2 tbsp honey
- Peach: 1 cup fresh peaches, chopped, 1–2 tbsp honey, ½ tsp vanilla (optional)
- Plain Greek-style: strain in a cheesecloth-lined strainer for 2–6 hours to remove whey
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottom pot
- Thermometer
- Whisk
- Glass jars or container with tight lid
- Yogurt maker, Instant Pot, slow cooker, or warm oven (choose one method)
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Method
- 1
Heat the milk: pour the milk into a large pot. Heat over medium heat to 180°F (82°C), stirring occasionally. This helps create a thicker yogurt and kills any unwanted bacteria.
- 2
Cool the milk: let the milk cool to 110°F (43°C). This is the perfect temperature to activate the yogurt cultures.
- 3
Add the starter: in a small bowl, whisk the plain yogurt with a little warm milk until smooth. Stir this mixture back into the pot and whisk well.
- 4
Incubate: pour into clean jars or a container. Keep at 110°F for 8–12 hours using a yogurt maker, Instant Pot (yogurt setting), slow cooker (warm setting), or an oven with the light on.
- 5
Check for thickness: after 8–12 hours the yogurt should be thick and set. The longer it sits, the tangier it will be.
- 6
Chill: refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Get this in a pack
Homemade Yogurt is printed in More Family Favourites
27 recipes, each on its own printable page, with a shopping list. Instant download. See what's inside
$12
Or get every pack in one go: The Whole Kitchen Collection — $39
From Bobbie's “Bobbie's Recipe Cards (batch 7)”. Written up by Bobbie's Kitchen · Updated 26 October 2026