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Home » Recipes » Breakfast/Brunch » How to Make Homemade Greek Yogurt

How to Make Homemade Greek Yogurt

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How to make Homemade Greek Yogurt in a Crock Pot or Slow Cooker. It’s easy, better for the environment, and you only need two ingredients! A naturally gluten-free recipe.
How to make Homemade Greek Yogurt in a Slow Cooker or Crockpot

Pat and I made a mutual New Year’s resolution to cut down on the plastic we buy, especially pertaining to food. The impact is twofold. One, who knows what chemicals end up in your food because of plastic packaging. The other is lessening the amount of plastic that’s made. Sadly, tons of plastic ends up in the ocean. In fact, every great sea now has a garbage “gyre” or a rotating ring laden with plastics. It’s sickening. Cutting down on our plastic use saves energy, reduces greenhouse gas production and prevents pollution.

An easy first step was to stop buying store-bought yogurt. We eat multiple containers of single serve yogurt on a daily basis and our recycling bin is full to the brim by the end of the week. This method of making Greek yogurt in a slow cooker allows us to make enough yogurt to last us at least a week.

The trick to delicious homemade yogurt is starting out with great ingredients. You only need two things – milk and a yogurt starter. I use organic whole milk to ensure I am making a high-quality product. Whole milk makes the yogurt thicker and so much more decadent, but you can also use low-fat milk. You should choose a yogurt that tastes good to you, as it will determine how your final product will taste. Make sure your yogurt has live active cultures and is unsweetened.

How to make Homemade Greek Yogurt in a Slow Cooker or CrockpotHow to make Homemade Greek Yogurt in a Slow Cooker or Crockpot

For me, the trickiest thing about making homemade yogurt is that I have to be home for at least five hours to control the temperature! Luckily, yogurt is very forgiving. To keep the mixture at the required 110-115 degrees, I put it in a crockpot with the lid off on the “warm” setting and perch a thermometer on the edge. When it starts to get too hot, I just turn the crockpot off. It’s important to not move or stir the yogurt while it is incubating, as this can interrupt the process.

Because I usually start when I get home from work, I leave the mixture in the slow cooker overnight and then put it in the fridge when I wake up in the morning. Because the yogurt lasts for two weeks in the fridge, I usually make a larger batch using a gallon of milk. There isn’t a ton of hands-on work, but you do need to make sure you’re home. After I figured out a workflow to keep the temperature within the right range, I was able to just set it and forget it.

How to make Homemade Greek Yogurt in a Slow Cooker or Crockpot
How to make Homemade Greek Yogurt in a Slow Cooker or Crockpot

Greek yogurt is special because it is strained to remove the whey. This makes it thicker and creamier. There are many ways to strain the yogurt without having to buy special equipment. You strain it through cheesecloth, use a fine mesh strainer, or buy a designated Greek yogurt strainer.

You can add just about anything to your yogurt to suit your preferences. For me, a drizzle of honey with some almonds and berries is the perfect finish. You could also try adding a few spoonfuls of your favorite jam.

How to Make Homemade Greek Yogurt in a Slow Cooker

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Homemade Greek Yogurt

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How to make Homemade Greek Yogurt in a Crock Pot or Slow Cooker. It’s easy, better for the environment and you only need two ingredients! Makes about 6 cups after straining.

  • Author: Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: about 6 cups of strained yogurt 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Slow cooker
  • Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1-gallon whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened yogurt with live active cultures (found on the ingredient list)

Special Equipment

  • Slow Cooker (This one has a built-in thermometer which is pretty cool)
  • Food thermometer (I recently switched to an infrared thermometer because it’s easier to use and more accurate)
  • Mesh strainer, Greek yogurt strainer, cheesecloth or paper coffee filters

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, heat the milk until it reaches at least 180° F, stirring occasionally.
  2. Once the mixture reaches 180° F, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to 110° to 115° F. You can speed the cooling process by plunging it into an ice bath. In the winter I just put the pot outside to cool.
  3. Combine one cup of warmed milk with your yogurt and stir gently to combine. Add this mixture back to the large batch of heated milk.
  4. For the next 5 to 10 hours, depending on desired flavor and consistency, keep the yogurt between 110° and 115° F. You can get creative with how you do this. As I mention above, I use a crock-pot with the thermometer tucked along the side. You could also use a thermos or an oven with just the pilot light on. They key is to check it often. The longer you incubate the yogurt, the thicker and tarter it becomes. Do not stir the yogurt during incubation.

For regular yogurt: Cover the yogurt and refrigerate at least two hours before eating or straining, ideally overnight. If whey (liquid milk protein) separates out, just drain it off or stir it back in before eating. To make Greek yogurt you have to strain it (see next step).

For Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier because it is strained to remove the whey before eating. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. I have a fine mesh strainer that I load up over a mixing bowl in the fridge overnight. You can also strain it through a couple layers of cheesecloth or even two paper coffee filters taped over a small bowl. No fancy equipment needed, but if you want something specifically for making Greek yogurt you can buy a Greek yogurt strainer (link in the ingredients section). If you overstrain your yogurt just stir some of the whey back in.

Notes

No need to purchase separate live active cultures. Just look for yogurt at the grocery store that has ‘Live Active Cultures’ on the ingredient list. It’s possible to use less milk to get a smaller yield.

Keywords: homemade greek yogurt, how to make greek yogurt at home, easy greek yogurt recipe

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @asideofsweet on Instagram and hashtag it #asideofsweet

If you’re looking for a fun way to enjoy all of your new Greek yogurts, try turning it into an easy yogurt brulee:

Brulee Greek Yogurt for an Easy Breakfast Treat!

P.S. – This post is a makeover from a post I originally shared in September 2013. There’s been a huge improvement in my photography and food styling, right? I remember being really proud of these photos when I originally took them.

How to Make Homemade Greek Yogurt in a Slow Cooker - A GENIUS Recipe!How to Make Homemade Greek Yogurt in a Slow Cooker - A GENIUS Recipe!

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January 8, 2017  •  Filed Under: Breakfast/Brunch, Gluten Free Recipes, Healthy Snacks, Recipes, Snacks, Summer Treats 18 Comments

Comments

  1. Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says

    September 9, 2013 at 11:10 am

    This looks so creamy! And you made it look so easy, I love it 🙂

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      September 10, 2013 at 8:00 am

      Thanks! It’s really not that bad and you can make a massive batch very easily.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
  2. Ash-foodfashionparty says

    September 9, 2013 at 9:19 am

    Home made yogurt is quite delicious. I do love the idea of using a crockpot.
    In India, they make yogurt from scratch every other day.

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      September 10, 2013 at 7:59 am

      I know! One of my favorite things was getting a lassi with the cream top on it! Sooooo yummy!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
  3. Marianne says

    August 16, 2016 at 9:04 am

    I am wondering how you can really be sure that your cultures are alive. Is there any way? I live in a hot climate and I am afraid that
    if I order them online they will die before they get here.

    Reply
    • Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet says

      August 16, 2016 at 9:14 am

      Hi Marianne – You don’t need to order special cultures for this recipe. Just use yogurt as a ‘starter’ that has live active cultures in it. You can find this listed in the ingredients list.

      Reply
      • Marianne says

        August 16, 2016 at 1:26 pm

        Oh, thanks. Holy cow, I really misunderstood. On the “yogurt ingredients list”. DUH. I decided I need a regular
        yogurt maker and they were also selling starter. I kept
        misreading the recipe, and then I finally saw the note on the
        bottom of the recipe. I always look for the live cultures when
        I buy yogurt. LOL
        Thank you for the quick reply.

        Reply
        • Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet says

          August 16, 2016 at 1:29 pm

          No worries! I actually updated the recipe to be more clear based on your question! Hope you love it as much as I do!

          Reply
  4. Karen says

    October 14, 2016 at 6:52 am

    I made it. It is wonderful. The truly easiest I’ve ever made. I am so excited! Thank you. Thank you.?

    Reply
    • Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet says

      October 14, 2016 at 9:03 am

      Hi Karen! This just made my day! I’m so glad it turned out well for you. This is one of my favorite recipes.

      Reply
  5. Meggan says

    January 28, 2017 at 7:25 pm

    Such a cool recipe tutorial. I never even THOUGHT of making my own yogurt, but now I see how easy it is. Pinned to a giant board! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet says

      January 29, 2017 at 8:12 pm

      Yay! You’re the best Meggan!

      Reply
  6. Krista says

    March 22, 2019 at 8:09 am

    Quick question regarding non dairy….have you made yogurt using this method with either almond or coconut milk?

    Reply
    • Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet says

      March 22, 2019 at 8:28 am

      I haven’t and they won’t work with this method as you need fermentation to occur which happens from the enzymes and sugars in milk.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Krista says

        March 22, 2019 at 8:35 am

        Do you have any recommendations or suggestions for how to make yogurt with coconut or almond milk?

        Reply
        • Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet says

          March 22, 2019 at 8:39 am

          I don’t sorry.

          ★★★★★

          Reply
  7. Shannon says

    June 14, 2019 at 7:58 am

    I love the idea of treating reducing the plastic in our fridge and dairy products are our family’s biggest culprit so I love the idea of making yogurt from scratch. Can you use this yogurt to start the next batch or will I need to buy store bought yogurt each time? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet says

      June 14, 2019 at 8:24 am

      We use the previous batch! Every once in a while it gets a little sour and then we buy a store bought yogurt to start over.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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Welcome!

San Francisco Food, Fashion, Travel Blogger

Hi! I’m Kelly. I live in San Francisco with my husband, Pat, and our puppy, Maddie. Here you’ll find recipes, DIYs, style, travel & a glimpse into our adventures. To learn a little more about me, Click Here.

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