Homemade Yogurt (Dairy)

Making your own yogurt and cheaper and more delicious than anything you can buy.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Culturing Time 2

Servings: 6.5 cups

48 oz milk (I like to use grass-fed, non-homogenized. Just don't use ultra-pasteurized, it can come out runny.)
½ cup yogurt starter (This can be a previous batch of yogurt or a store-bought yogurt that has live bacteria.)
1 tbsp vanilla extract (optional)
4 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

Pour milk into the pot and heat to 180°F. A clip-on candy thermometer is helpful here.
Do not skip this step! Whether raw or ultra-pasteurized, this step is important for denaturing the proteins and creating a thick, glossy yogurt.
Patiently cool your milk down all the way back down to 110°F.
I add in my flavorings at this step (vanilla, maple syrup).
Thoroughly mix in your starter once the milk is cooled. Be sure the milk is cool enough to not kill your starter, but warm enough to encourage culture.
Then put your bowl of yogurt somewhere warm to sit overnight, or 8-12 hours. (I use a cooled oven with the light on.)
In the morning, move your yogurt to the fridge to chill at least 4 hours. After this, I transfer my yogurt to jars.
Enjoy!