Easy Homemade Yogurt Recipe (+ How to Make Greek Yogurt!)

Making homemade yogurt is easier, cheaper, and healthier than store-bought! Try this recipe for plain yogurt and learn how to make thick Greek yogurt too!

Growing up, we almost never bought yogurt from the store. Every weekend, my mom made a big batch of yogurt to last us the rest of the week. We used it on everything; with fruit, on top of warm rice (my favorite!), in smoothies…I mean everything!

Not only is making homemade yogurt more cost-effective (especially if you’re using organic ingredients!), it tastes better, has less additives, and can be customized to your tastes.

The recipe I use now is a little different from my mom’s recipe. In her efforts to fatten us up as little kids, she added a good helping of half-n-half and whipping cream to her mix.

Now, don’t get me wrong, those two extras make for the yummiest, creamiest yogurt you will ever taste! But in an effort to keep things simple and low fat, all you really need for a basic yogurt recipe is just milk and a little bit of yogurt starter.

What Kind of Yogurt

You only need to buy yogurt starter for the first batch; after that, you will reserve some of your homemade yogurt to use for the next batch.

The starter is just regular yogurt. For best results, use full-fat yogurt to get a thicker, creamier final product. Just make sure it has no additives in it, like pectin, gelatin, or sugar. These additives can affect the final result and will make it either too grainy or it won’t set up properly.

And most importantly, make sure your yogurt has “active bacterial cultures.” These healthy bacteria are what will make your yogurt just perfect.

What Kind of Milk

You can use any fat content for the milk; of course, the higher the fat content, the thicker and creamier the end result will be. I don’t skimp on this; I usually use at least 2% (if not whole) milk.

How to Make Homemade Yogurt

First step is to take out your yogurt starter and leave it on the counter to warm up to room temperature. My mom always does this step, so I’ve just always done it as well. If you forget, I don’t think it’s a big deal.

Next, you want to create a warm resting place for your yogurt, so turn on your oven to the lowest temperature for about 15 minutes to warm it up. You want the temperature to be around 115 degrees. Once it’s warmed up, turn off the oven.

Next, you’ll want to prepare your jars for storing the yogurt. Ideally, they will be sterilized glass jars. You want to stay away from plastic, especially since you’ll be pouring the hot milk/yogurt mixture into them. I just use old honey jars, jelly jars, salsa jars, etc. Place them on a tray for easier transferring to the oven later.

Today I’m also making Greek yogurt, so I’m using the bowl on the left to hold half of the yogurt mixture. And then I’ll show you how to strain it to make Greek yogurt too!

S now it’s time to cook the milk!

Add your milk (and cream, if using!) to a big stock pot, and bring it to just under a boil (around 185 degrees). Right when you start to see little bubbles on the top (see pic below), remove the pot from the heat, and let it cool to around 115 degrees.

If you have a thermometer, use that. If not, just do it the old-fashioned way and test with your hands: it’s ready when you can comfortably place your hand on the side of the pot (or dip your clean finger into the milk) for at least 10 seconds.

Once it’s cooled down, get ready to work quickly. Take your yogurt starter, which should be in a large bowl or measuring cup. Then, scoop out a few ladle-fulls of the warm milk and add them to the yogurt.

Whisk well to combine, then add the milk/yogurt mixture back into the pot with the rest of the warm milk.

Stir it gently 2-3 times (no more than that!) to make sure it’s all mixed well. Then pour (or ladle) the milk/yogurt mixture into your prepared jars.

Now, carefully move the tray of jars into the oven, making sure not to agitate or jostle them too much. Turn the oven light on, and set the oven timer for 4 hours.

After 4 hours have passed, the yogurt should be nice and solid. It will continue to set in the fridge as well. You can taste it at this point to see if you like it. If it’s not tart enough for you, put it back in the oven, and check on it again in another hour or 2.

Once it’s reached your desired taste, remove the jars from the oven, and let them rest on the counter until they’ve cooled to room temperature. Then cover the jars and store in the fridge, where they’ll keep for up to 2 weeks.

The pictures below are from my yogurt batch after it’s been refrigerated. See how thick it is, just like regular yogurt? It even leaves a layer of whey at the top, just like the store-bought kind.

You can either dump this out (don’t do that – it’s sooo good for you!) or you can just stir it right back in, like I do. Or if you want a thicker, creamier yogurt, you can strain out the whey to make Greek yogurt! (Instructions for this are below)

Enjoy with your favorite mix-ins! 🙂

VERY IMPORTANT: Don’t forget! Make sure to keep some of your batch to use as the starter for your next batch! I just keep it in a small container in the back of the fridge so nobody eats it on accident! 😉

How to Make Greek Yogurt

After your yogurt has rested in the fridge overnight, take it out and prepare your strainer. You can use several layers of cheesecloth or a nut milk bag (which is what I use).

Set up your strainer in this order: place a large bowl to catch the whey, then a fine mesh colander over it, then line the colander with a sheet of paper towel, and then either the cheesecloth or nut milk bag.

Then scoop out the yogurt into the strainer that you’ve set up.

Now tie up the top of your cheesecloth or nut milk bag, and place everything in the fridge to strain for several hours. The longer you strain it, the thicker it will be. 4 hours is a good minimum, but some people strain it for as long as 8 hours to get it super thick. So it’s a matter of preference.

Homemade Yogurt

Making homemade yogurt is easy, cheaper, and healthier than store-bought! Try this easy recipe for plain yogurt and learn how to strain it to make thick Greek yogurt too!

1 gallon milk ( (at least 2% fat))
1 cup plain yogurt starter ( (at least 2% fat))

Add yogurt starter to a large measuring cup and leave it on the counter to warm up to room temperature.
Turn on your oven to the lowest temperature and let it warm up for about 15 minutes. You want the temperature to be around 115 degrees. Once it’s warmed up, turn off the oven.
Place your empty, clean jars on a tray.
Add your milk to a big stock pot, and bring it to just under a boil (around 185 degrees). Right when you start to see little bubbles on the top, remove the pot from the heat.
Let the milk cool to around 115 degrees. Use a thermometer to check every hour or so. If you don't have a thermometer, you can test it with your hands: it’s ready when you can comfortably place your hand on the side of the pot (or dip your clean finger into the milk) for at least 10 seconds.
Once it’s cooled down, scoop out a few ladle-fulls of the warm milk and add them to the yogurt starter that you placed in the measuring cup earlier.
Whisk well to combine, then add the milk/yogurt mixture back into the pot with the rest of the warm milk.
Stir the pot gently 2-3 times (no more than that!) to make sure it’s all mixed well. Then pour (or ladle) the milk/yogurt mixture into your prepared jars.
Now, carefully move the tray of jars into the oven, making sure not to agitate or jostle them too much. Turn the oven light on, and set the oven timer for 4 hours.
After 4 hours have passed, the yogurt should be nice and solid. It will continue to set in the fridge as well.
Remove the jars from the oven, and let them rest on the counter until they’ve cooled to room temperature. Then cover the jars and store in the fridge, where they’ll keep for up to 2 weeks.

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About Sarah UmmYusuf

Sarah UmmYusuf, a wife and mother of three, is a writer and teacher who loves helping people take charge of their family’s health. She created her blog, Nature’s Nurture, in 2011 to document her journey to a non-toxic home, and has helped countless others start their own journeys. When she’s not busy reading product labels or making her own cleaning products, you can find her chasing after her kiddos and drinking lots and lots of coffee.