I am the last person you would think who would be making yogurt.
I never thought I would. I thought that, unless you ran a dairy farm, yogurt was just one of those things that you just had to buy. Like butter. Or cheese. Something that normal people just didn’t make.
Though I had friends who had made yogurt in the past, their recipes sounded complicated. Some involved specialty yogurt-making equipment. Others involved thermometers, special processes for keeping the milk a specific temperature like putting it in a thermal-lined ice chest or ovens that could be kept at really low temperatures (which mine never could). I just didn’t have the space or the time or the equipment, I said. And I know that if I had an ice chest laying around in my kitchen, there’d be no way that I’d be able to keep my son out of it. He’d be opening it and closing it, and opening and closing it and that whole “maintaining a constant temperature” thing would be out the window.
So I figured that I’d always buy yogurt. I envisioned that those people who made yogurt were exotic gypsy women with garlic hanging from the ceiling and wearing brightly colored scarves. I know. Who am I to talk? Me of the homemade sourdough starters, lacto-fermented condiments, herbs drying in my kitchen, and on and on. Yeah, but I hadn’t made it to yogurt production yet. I hadn’t gone THAT far yet in being a real foodie.
And then I came across a recipe to make yogurt in my crockpot. I read it. It was ridiculously simple. And I already had a crockpot, so I didn’t have to buy a new piece of equipment. I decided to go ahead and try the recipe.
And I’ve been making it ever since. I’m a homemade yogurt convert.
This recipe is fantastic and one that I make about once a week. I originally discovered this recipe on A Year of Slow Cooking blog- did you hear that Stephanie has a cookbook out now, Make it Fast, Cook it Slow? I can’t wait to get my hands on it; it’s going on my Christmas List . . .
- 1/2 gallon of whole milk (I use organic, and oftentimes raw, but use what you have. It’s best NOT to use ultra-pasteurized if you can help it)
- 1/2 cup live/active plain yogurt (to be used as a “starter”, like sourdough. Can be store-bought or 1/2 cup from a previously homemade yogurt. Full fat is best and what I would recommend)
- Crockpot
- Heavy bath towel or blanket
In a 4-quart slow cooker, turn cooker to low and pour in milk. Cover and allow to cook for two and a half hours.
After two and a half hours have elapsed, turn off cooker, unplug from wall and allow to sit, covered, for three hours.
Three hours later, whisk in starter yogurt and re-cover. Cover/Wrap the entire crockpot with a large bath towel or blanket and leave on your counter for eight hours.
After eight hours have elapsed, your yogurt is done! I normally lift the entire crock out of the base and keep it in my fridge until I have time to decant into something smaller . . .
This makes a fantastic smooth yogurt with just the right hint of tang. It tastes better than anything I’ve ever bought.
If you want it a bit thicker, (I often prefer Greek-style yogurt) simply line a colander with cheese cloth or coffee filters, place over a bowl and pour yogurt into it. The whey will drain off into the bowl (collect it and store it in your fridge for a few months for other cooking – I use mine to soak grains, make lacto-fermented foods or just add some to smoothies for extra nutrients) and you’ll be left with a thick, creamy yogurt.
If you want to flavor it, now is the time! Stir or blend in fresh or frozen fruit of your choice and maybe even a little honey for sweetness. YUM!
How do I use my slow cooker yogurt?
- In Green Smoothies
- Mixed with Regular Granola or Grain Free Granola for breakfast
- In place of milk or buttermilk in pancakes, bread and muffin recipes
- In place of sour cream in homemade ranch dressing
- Drained of whey to make a yogurt cheese, I mix in fresh herbs to make an herbed cheese bread for bagels or crackers, or mix in dried fruits and honey for a perfect spread for toast
Special Tip #1: Due to the time guidelines for this recipe I generally start it either first thing in the morning, by 8:00am, so that it is done by 9:30/10:00pm, or I start it in the early evening (around 5:00pm) so that I can stir in the starter yogurt before I go to bed and put it in the fridge while I’m getting my coffee the next morning.
Special Tip #2: I’ve heard that, over time your homemade yogurt will reduce in strength as a “starter” and you might have to purchase a small cup of yogurt from the store to start your next batch. I’ve had good luck with using homemade yogurt as starter for several weeks worth of batches, and have increased the quantity up to 1 cup (as the starter) if I felt it needed it.
Thanks for joining me today for our first installment of
Don’t forget to get your favorite slow cooker recipes together for Friday’s carnival! See you tomorrow!
This post is written in conjunction with Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Frugal Friday at Life as Mom and Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum. And, of course, as an entry to my own carnival this week, For the Love of the Slow Cooker!
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oh goody, I'm trying this, I dont' like yogurt, so i'm hoping that homemade tastes better! for sure I'm trying peppermint!
My friend used to make her own yogurt in a thermos, heating the inside with hot water, then putting in a scoop of yogurt, topping the whole thing off with milk and capping it. Then she flipped the thermos and filled the outer section with hot, almost boiling water, and left it overnight. I'd tried it, but it never worked, so I'm going to attempt the crockpot version (especially since several women have asked me HOW to do yogurt this way!). My biggest problem is finding real plain yogurt with live culture here, most of it, even plain, has sugar added and I don't know if they have live cultures or not.
This sounds so much easier than other recipes I have read.
I might actually be able to do this one.
We have some major yogurt eaters around here and buy it at Sam's by the box.
I would love to have more control over the whole process and actually use whole milk instead of the lowfat varieties.
My only concern is how long it will stay safe to eat before it spoils.
Thank you for posting this. I have been wanting to make yogurt for sometime now and just have not tried it. This was so simple to do!
I have one question. How long will the yogurt keep in the fridge?
Thanks so much!
Do you think you could use Dannon "Vanilla" Yogurt for the starter? That's what we have on hand …. AND … how could I make my own homemade VANILLA yogurt instead of plain?? Any suggestions? Thank you!
Can the "starter" be just plain yogurt that you buy at the grocery store?
Also, how long does it keep in the refrigerator?
Thanks everyone for your questions! I've updated the recipe a little to hopefully help make it clearer for future readers . . .
To answer a few questions:
The yogurt should last a week or two past the sell date of the milk you used to make it, provided the milk was fresh. It should be obvious when it has gone bad by scent. If it still smells slightly tangy and pleasantly sour, it is fine!
I do not recommend using a flavored yogurt from the store (or a flavored yogurt in general) to use as the starter. It really ought to be plain. Just pick up one of those little cups of generic, store-brand plain yogurt next time you're at the store and start then.
Once the yogurt is made, feel free to flavor it as you like! Fresh fruit and honey are a great mix as is a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract plus a bit of honey for vanilla flavored. Just make sure that you hold back 1/2 cup of it plain for your next batch before you flavor the entire thing!
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Best,
Sarah
i just tried making this, and i followed the directions, but when i took off the towel after sitting for 8 hours it is still just as thin as milk!
i used 2% milk- is that why?
also, i read in another recipe to be careful when whisking the yogurt (i used nonfat because that's all the store had) to be careful not to whisk too hard and kill the active cultures. did i whisk with too much fury?
any suggestions would be lovely!
i just tried making this, and i followed the directions, but when i took off the towel after sitting for 8 hours it is still just as thin as milk!
i used 2% milk- is that why?
also, i read in another recipe to be careful when whisking the yogurt (i used nonfat because that's all the store had) to be careful not to whisk too hard and kill the active cultures. did i whisk with too much fury?
any suggestions would be lovely!
I just made this for the first time ever yesterday.
The consistency was good, but I have to say I was a little surprised by the taste. It was more like watery cream cheese than what I am used to from yogurt. I used whole organic ultra-homogenized milk (no other option) and plain Oikos (lowfat) as a starter.
Is this flavour normal? It's not unpleasant, but I made this yogurt primarily for my toddlers, so I want to make sure it's safe.
Also, do you recommend non-ultrapasturized for the health benefits, or because it's more likely to culture dangerous organisms?
Hi Mackenzie!
The times when I had little to no thickening with this recipe is the times when I used a low-fat yogurt for starter. There's really no comparison in terms of outcome. If you read the back of most low-fat yogurts you'll often find some sort of extra ingredients for stabilizer and thickener. Why? Because it doesn't get thick enough on it's own with less fat!
Try again with whole fat yogurt and whole fat milk and you should get a much better result. I'm sorry that it didn't work this time!
Also, make sure that you don't use too MUCH starter. I know there have been a few times when I just sort of eye-balled it and knew I was heavy-handed with it, and again, thin yogurt. Because I added too many microorganisms and they ate up all the sugars in the milk too quickly. Yikes!
Finally, a slow figure eight or three with a whisk is all you really need to mix the yogurt starter with the milk.
I hope this helps and answers your questions! Let me know if you try it again!
Best,
Sarah
Hi Julie!
Thanks for your note! It sounds like your yogurt is fine, the starter might have just been a little old so didn't make quite such a "tangy" yogurt. Also, I've found that I much prefer homemade plain yogurt over store-bought because it is less sour and tangy; it yields just a pleasant, light tang and I love it! It might just be a new flavor you're not used to.
But, you should be able to tell immediately if your yogurt is bad, either through smell or mold. If neither is present, I think you're fine!
Oh, and regarding the Ultra Heat Pasteurization thing, here's a link that I found helpful about how milk is pasteurized. It's a personal preference, but I feel that the more gentler variety is better – the ultra heat pasteurized dairy is almost completely denatured from it's original cultures and enzymes and is very difficult to work with (for example, UHT Heavy cream is nearly impossible to whip, compared to regular heavy cream). I prefer VAT Pasteurized if I can find it.
Here's the link:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/raw-milk-easy-greening.html
Best,
Sarah
I just made this for the first time on Friday. Thank you so much for sharing such an EASY recipe. I'd been reading about other yogurt recipes and was quite intimidated by the process but when I read on your blog that it can be made in the crockpot I just KNEW I had to try it. I am in love! And I'm crazy about the idea of making my own cream cheese and for so cheap! I've been going crazy making cream cheese! Thank you, thank you!
Original comments from former blog:
Blogger Barbara said…
I use the same recipe and love it. I used to burn the milk, no matter what, when I heated it on the stove. Now I don’t have that mess and worry.
4:25 AM
Kelly said…
stupid question – but what is starter?
7:06 AM
Sarah said…
Thank you!
Kelly, a starter, in essence, is a microbiological culture that actually performs the fermentation of something. According to Wikipedia,
“These starters usually consist of a cultivation medium, such as grains, seeds, or nutrient liquids that has been well colonized by the microorganisms used for the fermentation.”
Clear as mud, right?
In this case, the “starter” is just already prepared “active/live” yogurt that will help culture the plain milk to make more active/live yogurt, but various starters are used all the time to create sourdough breads, beer and other cultured dairy (along with things like kombucha, but I don’t want to confuse you by going that far down that path!
I guess in my kitchen I use the term “starter” all the time since I frequently make sourdough and kombucha, that it made sense in my head to use it in this case! I’m sorry for the confusion!
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Best,
Sarah
7:57 AM
Cathy said…
I love my slow cooker but have never thought to use it to make yogurt. I prefer the thick Greek style so draining off excess liquid would be the way to go. Thanks for the great and easy idea.
9:18 AM
Greta @ Mom Living Healthy said…
This doesn’t look too difficult and I love the idea of making yogurt myself. Thanks!
12:19 PM
Julie said…
I love using this recipe, too.
One thing I’ve learned making it multiple times: the yogurt seems to thicken better (still not like store bought, but thicker than normal) if I have another warm crockpot near by, almost touching each other.
So, on the days I plan to make yogurt, I try to have a crock pot meal going simultaneously – esp. after I add the yogurt starter to help keep it warm in winter/colder months. I stumbled upon this method when one day in the summer, I didn’t have my AC on and the kitchen was quite warm. It made the thickest yogurt!
12:59 PM
motherhen68 said…
I use this recipe on and off. My kids aren’t big fans of the homemade yogurt, but they will eat it for breakfast with your grainfree granola!
Last Christmas season, after putting the starter into the warm milk, I added 4 “Candy Cane Lane” tea bags (peppermint tea) and let it steep until I drained it the next day. Peppermint flavored yogurt was so delicious! IT made great smoothies too. I think I”m going to do this again.
4:29 PM
Tara said…
I wonder if you could use kefir as your starter instead of yogurt?
9:42 AM
Sarah said…
Julie – GREAT TIP! I have had made thicker yogurt and thinner yogurt over the weeks using the same recipe, and never really put two and two together on why one batch was thinner or thicker. Thank you!
motherhen – peppermint yogurt sounds so lovely and seasonal . . . maybe we could freeze it and make peppermint frozen yogurt? Mmmm . . .
Tara – I don’t think that you need to heat milk to make kefir. I haven’t made it yet myself, but if I remember, I think you culture it at room temperature.
Here’s a link I found by just googling “making kefir.”
http://www.tammysrecipes.com/making_kefir
Hope this helps!
4:08 PM
Johnlyn ~ said…
I’ve tried this recipe before and it didn’t work. I don’t think I added 1/2 cup starter though. Maybe that’s why my homemade yogurt is so thin!
I’m going to try this today. Thanks for posting and including the times to use.
1:40 PM
ButterYum said…
Yet another must try recipe. where do you come up with them???
ButterYum
5:19 PM
Johnlyn ~ said…
It worked! I don’t ever have whole milk so I used reconstituted dry milk and added some whipping cream. I bet whole milk would be even better. Thanks again for posting.
9:18 AM
Julie said…
Can you double this recipe?? I have a huge crockpot.
10:02 PM
Sarah said…
Hi Julie!
I haven’t tried doubling this recipe so I hesitate recommending it. Just last week I tried to double a recipe with a large quantity of milk in it in my crockpot and the milk took so long to heat up (much past the original recipe) that it separated, making the final product pretty unappetizing. Milk is one of those ingredients you have to be wary of in the crockpot.
I too have a six-quart crockpot and make this original recipe all the time. If you do double it, let me know how it goes!
Best,
Sarah
8:31 AM
I have to agree with one of the last commenters. This is a great recipe! Thanks so much for sharing. I made it yesterday and it turned out fabulously. I love that it is so easy to make and the taste is just perfect.
[...] homemade yogurt {in the crock pot!} [...]
[...] it can be done! I’m also going to try my hand at making yogurt this week in the crockpot. You can try too if you’d [...]
[...] amout of information concerning all things food), and the recipe I ended up using by Sarah from Heartland Renaissance. I chose to try to crockpot version for time’s sake, but the other recipes are very thorough [...]
I came over here from Katie Kimball’s website (after reading her post on Simple Mom today) and I’m so glad I did! Yogurt making has intimidated me … but I love using the crockpot and this sounds like the perfect solution for me! Can’t wait to give this method a try. Thank you!
Hi everyone,
I was so excited to see the crock pot yogurt recipe then realized that my crock pot broke last month. I went out and bought one. Got organic 2% organic milk,greek yogurt for the starter. Upon getting home I realized I was suppose to use whole milk and full fat yogurt. I figured what the heck, it should work… Wrong!!!! It’s the consistency of milk. So I cooled it and put it in the milk container, figuring I’ll just drink it and next time, I’ll get whole milk and full fat yogurt.
Other than that, I followed the recipe to the t. But was wondering if anybody could suggest anything else so next time I can consume the yogurt with a spoon, not drink it!
Thanks,
Trisha
Oh No! The yogurty milk can still be used for smoothies and baking, at least! So often lowfat yogurts are full of fillers and gums to make them thicker than they would be naturally; they’ve tricked us! I’ve also noticed the trend lately in making lowfat and nonfat “Greek” yogurts. Then you buy the Greek yogurt thinking that it will make a thicker yogurt and it doesn’t work. I feel your pain!
There are a lot of good comments above with tricks of the trade for making this yogurt “spoonable” – I’d make sure that you cook it in a warm place, use milk that is not ultra-pasteurized, don’t use too much yogurt culture starter (too much starter will actually make a thinner yogurt than a thicker one as there will be more active cultures eating the milk sugars) and make sure that you use a full fat, plain yogurt without any extra fillers.
I hope this helps and please let me know how it goes next time! It’s really a great recipe that I use all the time!
Best,
Sarah
I also tried this recipe yesterday but had no success. I did use full fat milk and yogurt, and followed the recipe exactly, but in the morning it was still like milk. I might buy more starter and try again. Any ideas?
Oh No! I have had a few duds in the past when the milk hasn’t thickened as I’ve expected it, but I’m sorry it was in your first try! The milky yogurt can still be used in smoothies, to soak grains or in something like a muffin or bread recipe (it is more like kefir here – a cultured milk rather than yogurt consistency!) but yes, not spoonable. Bummer!
What I’ve done when this has happened in the past is to make sure that the milk I use is not ultra-pasteurized and start with a new yogurt starter culture. Make sure that the yogurt you use does not have a lot of fillers in it (Stoneybrook Farms and Dannon seem to work the best for me) and try again. Make sure not to use too much yogurt and say a prayer while making it! I’d say 97% of the time my yogurt turns out as expected and every once in a while it throws me for a loop. It really does work, I promise!
A few other ideas . . . yogurt thickens better in a warm environment so if you have your crockpot right next to an air conditioner, it might affect the consistency as well. See the notes above (several comments up) about how one person makes sure to cook something else warm nearby the same days she makes yogurt.
Hope this helps and thanks for commenting!
Best,
Sarah
Hi Sarah,
I just saw your reply to Melanie so I’ll try Dannon next time.
Sarah,
Starter for sourdough??? Is it yogurt perhaps?? Or where can I get some. My husband has tried making starters according to the bread maker recipe book and it was disgusting!!!
Yes, the “starter” is yogurt. Sorry if it wasn’t clear!
Best,
Sarah
PS – Looking for a sourdough starter recipe too? Learn how I made mine here . . . I’ve had it going for over three years!
http://heartlandrenaissance.com/2008/06/sourdough-mama/
The plain whole milk yogurt I have in the fridge has pectin in it. Will it work for crockpot yogurt ?
Hi Muriel!
I think it would be fine to make yogurt with . . . let me know how it goes!
Best,
Sarah
I too am intimidated but am going to give this a try. Once it’s done, do I need to stir it before I put it into the jars?
No need to stir any more than you would just by scooping it into your storage container! Good luck and let me know how it goes!
Best,
Sarah
Tip: For warmth heat a towel or blanket in the dryer before wrapping around crock pot. This trick worked for me, especially this summer since air conditioning is going full force. Thank you for the recipe! Draining right now and can not wait to try yogurt cheese.
I tried making my yogurt with raw milk yesterday but it would not “set” at all so I left for work,asking my husband to watch it.He kept an eye on it and made sure that it was consistantly at 95 degrees. I got home and I think it went bad. I put it in the refer and will check it out today after work. I might have to throw it out!
While working, I thought next time I’ll take an electric throw and wrap it around the unplugged crockpot because it is just too cold with a regular towel.
Anybody try this?
I was also thinking about putting the crockpot without the outer electric part in the dishwasher that was previously on heat dry……
I have made this yogurt several times and it always turns out great but the last couple of times I’ve made it, it has come out runny and clumpy – not smooth. The only difference I can see is that I’m using a bigger crock pot and it seems as if it may be heating the milk hotter than my smaller one. The milk appears to burn a little around the inside of the crock pot. Can you tell me if this sounds like it would be the issue? Thanks so much!
Lisa,
That sounds like that may be the problem! A lot of newer crockpots don’t heat quite so “low” as some older ones, and if you’re using a bigger crock the milk will be more shallow with more surface area and will heat quicker and will probably become hotter. However, you should never see the milk “burn” – it should never even get close to boiling, let alone scalding along the sides! Yikes! And, I know from failed attempts with other recipes with milk in the slow cooker, once it gets that hot, the milk separates and curdles, which is probably happening with your milk turned yogurt. Once that happens, there is no fixing it.
If you’re up for experimentation, I’d say try a little less time in the cooker or try a little more milk (or, if you can, go back to your smaller cooker!) – I’m sorry that it didn’t work for you these past few times! Let me know how it goes!
Best,
Sarah
PS – What size slow cooker did you use? I’ve made this effectively in as large as a 6-quart. Is your cooker new? It might be that the heating apparatus is not working right and is heating too high. If that is the case, I might consider returning it!
More is not always better in this case! 
[...] know a lot of people make slow cooker yogurt, but I hate dishes so much that washing that big insert just kills me. I’d rather dump the [...]
I forgot to put it in the fridge before I went to bed and it was wrapped in the towel for close to 13 hours instead of 8. It set up really nice, but I’m concerned it was at room temp for too long. Can taste and smell alone let me know if it started to spoil by not being in the fridge?
It’s probably just fine Cheryl! I’ve done that myself a time or two!
It should be quite apparent (from taste and smell) if the yogurt has gone bad, but it sounds as though yours is great!
Best,
Sarah
I’m finally trying this – a year after your post!!
The comments are all so helpful and I’m hoping for a successful first batch. I think I might wrap the crock and put it in the oven (not on of course) for a more consistent temperature (and hopefully warmer than my house). Fingers crossed!!
Yeah Jenn! I’m so glad that it worked for you! I know your boys will love it!
Best,
Sarah
I made yogart last week with a very similar recipe and it appears to have come out great. The problem is that when I rechecked the recipe I had doubled the amount of starter yogart by mistake. It looks and tastes just like yogart, but I’m wondering if there might be something wrong with it because I used too much starter yogart. I am thinking it might have too much of the good bacteria. Can anybody give me some insight? Thanks-
It’s probably just fine, Ron. If it had too much “good bacteria” they would have eaten up all of the milk sugars and the yogurt would not have set (just remaining milky) so I think you did a great job! Yum!
Best,
Sarah
I’m glad to find this and can’t wait to try it. (next payday.
)
I’ve been intimidated for months, but I just tried it and it worked. The only issue I’m having is getting it to strain through the cheesecloth and colander to make it thicker. Any tips?
Hi I was wondering if I used a packet of the live culture instead of yogurt how would the recipe change?
Hi Brenna!
I’ve never used dry live culture for yogurt made with warmed milk, just the countertop cultured variety . . . but I would guess you could easily merge the directions to make it work! Or, make the first batch as your culture insists, then make the remaining with the slow cooker . . . let me know how it turns out!
Best,
Sarah
I’ve never made my own yogurt. I just got a crockpot. Kitchen Stewardship linked to this post. Here we go. Weeeeeeee
(I’ve been know to make a disaster from the most simple process in the kitchen, so I’m hoping this doesn’t crash and burn. lol) Thanks for the tutorial!
[...] of yogurt making in more depth and shows you how to do it using a simple ice chest/picnic cooler. Want to try it with a crock pot? Check out this post! Using raw milk for your yogurt? This post might be helpful (read the whole thing as she adds [...]
I have 2 questions.
1) Does the yogurt turn out thicker if it incubates longer? I’m planning on wrapping mine in a blanket and setting it in front of my pellet stove to stay warm.
2) I am allergic to dairy (not merely lactose intolerant), has anyone tried almond milk or rice milk? If so, did you find any quirks or learn any tips that would help me? I am currently attempting to make it with almond milk. (Intensely dislike the taste of soy milk.) This time I am going to use regular plain yogurt as my starter since I couldn’t locate plain soy yogurt…guessing/hoping the trace amount of dairy won’t hurt my tummy. I’m so excited to see how it turns out and see any responses!
Hi Carol!
The yogurt does not turn out thicker if it incubates longer, it actually could turn out thinner if it incubates too long as the culture will continue to eat milk proteins and thin it out. To make it thicker, I normally strain it through cheesecloth after it cools.
Unfortunately I don’t have any experience working with non-dairy milks for yogurt. Sorry! I did find this note on Elana’s pantry forum site about making almond or coconut milk yogurt (which sounds awesome! I love coconut milk!) so maybe you’ll be able to find the answers to your questions through them and their links. Hopefully it works for you! Let me know!
http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/coconut-milk-or-almond-milk-yogurt-recipes
Best,
Sarah
Just realized I accidentally added the starter right after turning my Crockpot off. Did I kill the cultures with too much heat? Should I re-add it? Or just consider this batch messed up? Sighs, I’m bummed.
Honestly, it could be either way Carol! I’d probably wait and see if it begins to culture on it’s own, and if not, start the process over the beginning (re-warming the milk) and then add the culture when noted. If anything, you can always use the milk in a bread recipe or something!
Good luck!
My brain is jumping up and down with excitement. I say my brain b/c the rest of me is quite calmly sitting here reading but I’m so exited inside to try this. My only disappointment is that I currently have something in my crock pot. If it weren’t dinner I’d be tempted to toss it. Humm, actually, I could just put it on the stove to simmer, it’s just beans and random stuff pretending to be a real meal b/c I lack other ingredients. Anyway, I’m pretty excited about this!
I tried it and love it! It worked fantastically. Thanks! I just blogged about it today.
WELL….before I read all the comments I had filled my large crockpot with an entire gallon of skim milk (all I had on hand)…and the only kind of plain yogurt I have is Great Value from Walmart.
Am I doomed???
Hi Julie!
Well, I have to admit, I just don’t know! I haven’t made that quantity of yogurt in the past in my slow cooker . . . HOWEVER, the two key points of making yogurt is, first, heating up the milk to 180-200 degrees Fahrenheit first, then, cooling it to about 110 degrees before adding in the culture. So, if your milk is already heating away in the crockpot, I’d recommend checking it’s temperature with an instant read or candy thermometer to make sure it gets up to temp (you don’t really want to exceed 200) before turning it off, then make sure it cools down to 110 (and not lower than 100) before adding in the culture. Also, I’ve recently discovered that removing a cup or two of milk from the batch and whisking in the yogurt culture quite well in that small amount first, before adding and stirring it back into the pot, works well. Finally, if you have the kind of crockpot with the removable insert, I’d recommend removing it after you stir in the culture and culturing it in a warm place (like an oven with the light on) wrapped up in a towel. Making sure you hit these points might save it!
Because of the larger quantity of milk, it might take a little longer to get to heat and a little longer to cool than the original recipe suggests, so a thermometer would be a great tool to augment the recipe to fit your needs and crockpot for the future!
Also, if you’re not too far into the process and you have a packet of Knox gelatin in your cupboard, bloom it in a little of the milk before adding it into the heating milk and you will end up with a thicker consistency of skim yogurt. I normally always make mine with whole milk, but this is a trick I read about just recently and it just might do the trick!
Good luck and let me know how it turns out!
Best,
Sarah
I’ve been trying to get up my courage to try making yogurt for several months. (Sad, I know.) When I found your crock pot recipe this week I knew I finally found a method that would work for me. I tried it yesterday and, yippee!!! It worked! I have yogurt! Honestly, I can’t believe how easy it was. I added a little sugar and some strawberries this morning and my kids loved it! It was a little on the thin side, but still good. I used 1% milk because it’s what I had. Next time I’ll use whole milk and hopefully that will thicken it up a little. My husband also suggested next time wrapping my crock pot in a space blanket before putting a quilt on it. Maybe that will help hold the heat in longer too. Hmmm. I’ll let you know when I try it.
Thanks so much!
Tara
Oh my goodness I have been wanting to try making yogurt and I LOVE easy!
Thank you so much for sharing this – can’t wait to test it out!
I made this yogurt last week, it was wonderfully easy and very successful! Thanks for the recipe…..!
I was looking for sprouting wheat for quick bread and found you.
I am so excited as I am a caregiver to Mom and would really
love to have healthier foods for us both..Thank you for crock pot yogurt recipe.
I look forward to all the comments and education.
Cat
This is just a note. I am joining even as we speak. thx
Tara,
Please let me know if the wrapping of the space blanket works. I’ve tried it numerous times and whatever I do, it turns out too thin.
I gave up till I saw what you’re going to try. So I’ll wait to see how it works for you!
Thanks,
Trisha
Excited to find this! I tried it already – though messed up the directions so I will have to do it again – but I noticed that the milk developed a thick skin on top during the first stage of cooking. Do you think it’s getting too hot in my slow cooker (I have a newer 6-qt. version that seems to cook “faster” than other slow cookers)? Should I shorten the cook time?
Thanks,
Dori
[...] of yogurt making in more depth and shows you how to do it using a simple ice chest/picnic cooler. Want to try it with a crock pot? Check out this post! Using raw milk for your yogurt? This post might be helpful (read the whole thing as she adds info a [...]
I have a small crockpot without a temperature setting. It is one of the small black friday deals. I am wondering if it will get too hot. At what temperature is the milk supposed to be at during the cooking process? Has anyone used one of these type of crockpots to make yogurt? Love this site
Hi Juls!
Good question! I’m working on a revised yogurt post but until then, the basics are:
Heat the milk to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, then turn off the crockpot and allow it to reduce in temp slowly until it reaches
110 degrees Fahrenheit at which time you add the starter. Wrap it up and allow it to make yogurt!
Good luck!
Best,
Sarah