Slow Cooker Yogurt

Slow Cooker Yogurt is an easy and fun recipe to make. Control the ingredients that go into your yogurt by making it yourself. Using your crock pot to make yogurt is another great use for this useful appliance.

Slow Cooker Yogurt

Once I learned how easy it is to make homemade yogurt, I stopped buying it at the store. So easy and it tastes great!

There are other methods of making yogurt out there, but I really like making yogurt in the crock pot.

Which Milk is Best for Making Yogurt?

• Whole milk is the best for a thicker, creamier yogurt.
• You can also use 2% or skim milk, but the yogurt won't be as creamy and thick.

You Need Yogurt to Make Yogurt

I know that sounds weird, but it's true.
You will need some form of what's called a "starter" to kick off the fermentation process that turns milk into yogurt.

• You can buy a small 8 oz container of plain yogurt that contains Live Active Cultures (read the container).
• Also look for the bacterial cultures Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. That's the magic stuff!
• You can purchase a powdered form of starter as well, but the small container of plain yogurt is much cheaper.
• If you have made yogurt before, you can freeze some to use as a starter in your next batch. Just let it thaw at room temperature before using.

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Why is the Temperature of the Milk Important?

• The milk needs to be brought to a high enough temperature of about 180° F to make sure the yogurt is thick and creamy once fermented.
• Then the milk needs to cool to a temperature of about 110° to 115° F (which is when you add the starter) which will be warm enough to incubate the live cultures that make yogurt, while not killing them.
• You can find the instant read thermometers on Amazon. They are under $20. I like this one: ThermoPro Instant Read Thermometer (affiliate)

Strain the Yogurt to Make it Even Thicker

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If you make this easy homemade crock pot yogurt recipe, please leave a comment with a star rating below. I would like to know how you liked it!

Slow Cooker Yogurt

Slow Cooker Yogurt is an easy and fun recipe to make. Control the ingredients that go into your crock pot yogurt by making it yourself.

5 from 2 votes

Print Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crock pot yogurt recipe, how to make yogurt in the crock pot

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 11 hours hours

Total Time: 11 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 cups

Calories: 166kcal

Author: Sandy Clifton

Ingredients

• 1/2 Gallon Milk whole, 2% or skim
• 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt as a Starter* (store bought or from a previous batch)

Tools You Will Need

• 4-qt to 7-qt Slow Cooker
• Instant Read Thermometer
• Cheesecloth or Coffee Filters, for straining
• Strainer or Colander
• Whisk

Instructions

• Pour the milk into the slow cooker crock. Use High or Low setting to bring the milk up to 180° F. Keep an eye on it.
• Once the milk has reached 180°, turn off the slow cooker and let the milk cool to between 110° F and 115° F. (this is the temperature that the yogurt cultures can live in, No hotter).
• Add the yogurt starter to a small bowl and whisk some of the milk into it to temper it. Then whisk it into the milk in the crock.
• Put the lid on and wrap it in a blanket or towels and let it sit in a warm spot in your kitchen. My favorite place to put it is in the oven with the oven light left on (the oven itself is OFF). This keeps it warm enough and is off of the counter. You will just put the crock with the lid in the oven, not the slow cooker housing. Don't wrap in blankets or towels if using your oven and oven light. No need! Also, if using the oven, write yourself a note that it is in there so you don't forget and accidentally turn it on!
• Let the yogurt incubate for 8 to 12 hours. I like the 10 hour mark. The longer the yogurt incubates, the tangier it will be. Don't open the lid or the oven before the time is up.
• When the time is up you should have some nice yogurt. Place the crock in the fridge, if possible, and let it chill about 2 hours before you stir it. This will help it stay thick.

If You Want Thicker Yogurt

• Place a couple layers of cheesecloth or a layer of coffee filters in a strainer. Place the strainer above a bowl that can hold at least 5 cups. Then stir the yogurt and place it in the strainer. Put this in the fridge and let it strain for a few hours, or until the yogurt is as thick as you like.
• The leftover liquid is called whey. You can use this liquid in soup, to make breads, or other recipes.
• If your yogurt is too thick, just stir some of the whey back in.

Notes

*Be sure that the yogurt has live cultures in it or it will not work. Look for "Contains Active Live Cultures" on the ingredients label. Lactobacillus L. bulgaricus and Streptococcus S. thermophilus are examples of this.

 

**Freeze 1/2 cup of this yogurt as the starter for your next batch of yogurt. Thaw at room temperature before using.

 

This recipe can be doubled.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 166kcal

Resources to Make this Recipe and More

This post contains Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.