Making your own homemade yogurt is simple! We make yogurt for $0.12 – $0.28 a serving (depending on whether you buy conventional or organic milk).
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Why Make Your Own Yogurt?
As we are trying to eat more “real” food that is made from scratch we have begun to make our own yogurt. It is very simple to do and you will be thrilled by the results in flavor, quality, and cost!
How to Make Homemade Yogurt
I start mine after breakfast as it is really quick to get started, but takes 8 hours to “cook” in the yogurt maker.
You need 1quart (4 cups) of milk. We prefer to use organic non-homogenized milk from grass feed cows. But you can use whatever kind you like. The yogurt will still be delicious & creamy even if you use 1%.
Bring the milk to a boil in a large stock pot. When it boils to just the top turn it off and allow to sit until it cools to 120 degrees.
Add a 1-2 TAB raw local honey or pure maple syrup if you like. (You could use sugar, but don’t because it is processed and are trying to stay away from processed foods.)
Put one laddle full of milk in your measuring cup along with 1 6-8 oz container of yogurt – this is your started with live active culture. On an ongoing-basis this can be a reserved cup of yogurt from the previous batch. But if you haven’t made any in a while (or ever) I like using the the toddler organic one. Mix well.
Pour starter back into pot & mix thoroughly.
NOTE: If you’d like flavored yogurt feel free to add 1/2 cup pureed fruit at this point.
Ladle into clean, sterile containers leaving 1/2 – 1 “ space at the top.
NOTE: If you wan to make fruit on the bottom yogurt, place 1-2 TAB fruit on the bottom before adding the yogurt.
We love our yogurt maker – it is simple to use, takes up little space, has individual re-usable yogurt cups, and was only $40! I think it is worth it to get one, but you can always look up how others make it in crock pots & coolers & what-not.
Do not put individual lids on. Put the cover to the yogurt maker on. I let mine “cook” or grow the good bacteria & thicken up for 8 hours. The longer you let it go the thicker it gets, but the less sweat it gets too. So it is a balancing act. This one seems to suit us.
Press the orange button and let it do it’s thing all day long. It will beep and the light will go off when it is done.
Homemade Yogurt
Here is our finished yogurt – thick, creamy, delicious, and nutritious!
