Why eat store-bought yogurt when making it at home is both easy and less expensive?
This homemade yogurt combines the thickness of popular Greek-style yogurt with a rich high-fat creaminess that’s hard to find in American supermarket yogurt. Keep in mind that this yogurt is definitely not low-fat (so keep serving sizes small if you’re watching your fat intake), but it also contains no added sugar (beyond what might be in the starter, or what you choose to add yourself).
If plain yogurt gets boring, try mixing in pureed fresh fruit, vanilla or other extracts, jellies or jam, instant coffee, maple syrup, honey, chocolate syrup, or Torani/Monin syrups, for a variety flavors. This yogurt can also be frozen in an ice cream maker.
This homemade yogurt combines the thickness of popular Greek-style yogurt with a rich high-fat creaminess that’s hard to find in American supermarket yogurt. Keep in mind that this yogurt is definitely not low-fat (so keep serving sizes small if you’re watching your fat intake), but it also contains no added sugar (beyond what might be in the starter, or what you choose to add yourself).
If plain yogurt gets boring, try mixing in pureed fresh fruit, vanilla or other extracts, jellies or jam, instant coffee, maple syrup, honey, chocolate syrup, or Torani/Monin syrups, for a variety flavors. This yogurt can also be frozen in an ice cream maker.
Persons
4
Serving Size
1/2 cup
Ingredients
- 4 cups half & half (right out of the refrigerator is fine)
- 1 T unflavored commercial yogurt with active cultures (I’ve used various brands; for the pictured batch, I used Dannon Oikos Greek-style yogurt; different brands may yield different results, so feel free to experiment with different brands to see which one produces a homemade yogurt with the texture and tanginess you most prefer).
Instructions
- Whisk together starter yogurt and half & half in a 7 cup Pyrex bowl (or similar glass container that fits your yogurt maker).
- Allow to ferment in your yogurt maker until thickened. This generally takes between 8 and 12 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen (also keep in mind that longer fermentation time can yield a more tangy yogurt, so if you prefer a milder flavor, aim for a shorter time). If excessive condensation forms on the inside of the yogurt maker lid, carefully remove the lid and shake out the moisture before replacing.
- When sufficiently thickened, stir well and transfer to the refrigerator for another several hours of cooling and further thickening.
© 2025 © Frank K. Mazdab