Friends, I made yogurt! Coconut yogurt to be exact.
And if I can make yogurt, you can make yogurt – promise. Let’s do this!
There are no fancy tricks or expensive equipment involved here. Just 2 simple ingredients required!
All you need is coconut milk and probiotic capsules, which (if you’re like me) you probably have in your pantry right now. Score!
This is a 3-step process:
1) Empty coconut milk into a clean glass jar or bowl.
2) Top with probiotic and stir.
3) Cover with cheesecloth and wait.
That’s it! Seriously – it doesn’t get any easier than this. And the result is phenomenal!
I’m sure you’re thinking, “How good can homemade yogurt be?” Trust me, I’ve tried all the store-bought coconut yogurts and this by far is the best!
It’s creamy (almost like Greek yogurt!), rich, and tangy – just like the “real” thing.
Once your yogurt has activated (24-48 hours), simply refrigerate to thicken / cool and then enjoy!
I prefer my yogurt plain, but it is also delicious with maple syrup, lemon, vanilla, or fruit. For serving, I made some of my fruit compote and added some chia seeds to thicken and WOW – it was amazing with the yogurt. Dream big, friends! Just about any flavor combination works here.
I hope you all LOVE this yogurt! It’s:
Thick
Creamy
Coconutty
Probiotic-rich
Gut-healthy
Versatile
Easy to make
& SO delicious!
This would make the perfect satisfying snack or breakfast. I like serving mine with some banana, fresh fruit, and a sprinkle of Classic Granola or Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Granola and hemp seeds for added protein and fiber! Talk about an amazing plant-based treat.
This yogurt would also be delicious on top of things like my Life-Changing Banana Pancakes, Best Vegan GF Waffles, Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins, 1-Bowl Banana Bread, and more! And I put it to good use in upcoming recipes, so stay tuned!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag your yogurt creations #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers, friends!
Recipe updated 7/24/17 to reflect another round of testing and troubleshooting. Switched recommendation of light coconut milk to full fat! Other considerations:
- Please make sure your probiotic is high quality and does not contain PREbiotics.
- The combination I have had the most success with: 1 can 365 Whole Foods Full Fat Coconut Milk + 2 Renew Life 50 billion probiotic capsules.
- I have not tested this recipe in a yogurt maker or with a yogurt starter/culture. So if you try them this way, let me know how it goes in the comments!
- It’s important that you follow the recommendations of coconut milk brands I mention, otherwise I can’t guarantee good results. I believe Whole Foods 365 brand works so well because the flavor and consistency are nearly perfect. It does contain guar gum, which may be why it helps create smooth texture and prevents separation. Brands that do not contain guar gum are more likely to have some separation.
- If you have separation, that’s OK! Either stir it in, or put it in the refrigerator separated, then scoop off the creamy top layer.
- If your yogurt takes on weird colors or odd smells, something has gone wrong. This never happened to me, but it can. If this happens, throw it out! It should taste tangy, but not spoiled.
- If you made this recipe with good results and you tried other brands / methods, please leave a rating and share any tips or tricks that might be useful to other readers!
- I have not tested this recipe with any other non-dairy milks and have no further recommendations besides full-fat coconut milk.
- Lastly, if you want to thicken your yogurt even more, place two layers of cheesecloth over a fine mesh strainer set over a large mixing bowl and carefully pour in your yogurt. Then loosely cover the top (with a lid or plastic wrap), and refrigerate / let drain for several hours (draining liquid as needed) until desired thickness is reached!
Easy 2-Ingredient Coconut Yogurt
Ingredients
YOGURT
- 1 14-ounce can full fat coconut milk* (organic when possible, see below for brand recommendations // or sub light for thinner yogurt)
- 2 capsules vegan-friendly probiotic* (they need to be capsules, not pills, which have to be crushed, see below for recommendations // capsules can be easily opened and emptied)
ADD-INS optional
- Maple syrup, stevia, or agave nectar for sweetening
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder
- Fruit or Fruit Compote
Instructions
-
SEE NOTES ABOVE FOR MORE TIPS! It's important to select a coconut milk that's creamy and smooth (not grainy or clumpy) to ensure that the yogurt is creamy and smooth. My favorite brands are: Thai Kitchen full fat and Whole Foods 365 full fat (BPA-free), which both offer organic options. Native Forest Full Fat(BPA-free) isn't as creamy, but it still makes tasty yogurt. I would not recommend Trader Joe's (BPA-free), which was recently reformulated and is now chunky/grainy. The recommended brands' full-fat coconut milks (and coconut cream) also work well for coconut whipped cream!
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Shake your coconut milk well. Then open and pour into a clean, sterilized, dry glass jar or bowl. You can easily sterilize clean jars by rinsing throughly with boiling water and letting dry completely. Just let them cool back down to room temperature before adding ingredients. For jars, I like this one from Weck. Sometimes the coconut milk is separated, so after adding it to the jar, I stir with a whisk to get it completely smooth.
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Empty your probiotic capsules (see brand recommendations below) into the yogurt and (important:) use a wooden or plastic spoon to stir, not metal, as a metal spoon can react negatively with the probiotics. Stir until creamy and smooth, pushing the probiotic up against the side with your spoon to evenly disperse.
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Cover the mixture with cheesecloth (or a very thin, clean dish towel - something that lets air in but keeps bugs out) and secure with a rubber band.
-
Let the yogurt activate for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours (sometimes longer - 48 hours is my sweet spot for thickness and tang) in a warm place. The longer it rests, the tangier the yogurt will become. In warmer climates and summer it's easy to make yogurt if your house is warm (75 degrees F / 23 C and above). But in cooler climates or seasons, place the yogurt in the oven with the light on (do not turn on the oven), where it should have the right amount of heat to activate.
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That's it! Once the yogurt has reached the right amount of tanginess and thickness for your liking (be sure to sample with a wooden spoon), cover securely with a lid and refrigerate until cold. Refrigerating will also thicken the yogurt even more, almost to a Greek yogurt consistency (depending on the brand of coconut milk you used)! For even thicker yogurt, line a fine mesh strainer with two layers of cheesecloth and set over a mixing bowl. Pour in the yogurt, then loosely cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator overnight or for 12+ hours. It should thicken up quite a bit more.
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You have coconut yogurt (!!), which can be enjoyed plain as I prefer it, with fruit, or even with Fruit Compote. You can also add a bit of sweetener or flavor at this point, such as maple syrup and/or vanilla extract.
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Store covered in the refrigerator for several days (mine kept for 7 days). You'll know it's gone bad when the smell is off-putting or there is mold.
Notes
*My go-to probiotic is Renew Life Ultimate Flora 50 billion. However, the company does not confirm whether or not it is vegan. So a good vegan option is Jarrow Probiotic 10 billion, which I tested with the yogurt and it worked well! Keep in mind, one bottle of probiotics can not only be used to make dozens of batches of yogurt, but can also be taken orally for good digestive health!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without add-ins or sweeteners, using full fat coconut milk.
*Method heavily adapted from the amazing Laura Miller!
*Recipe updated 7/24/17 after another round of testing and troubleshooting!
* Recipe makes 1 1/2 cups yogurt.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 6 quarter-cup servings)
- Calories: 120
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated fat: 10g
- Sodium: 25mg
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Sugar: 1g
- Protein: 1g
Absolutely delicious. And indeed super easy. I’m allergic to dairy and been missing a tangy creamy yogurt badly. Found it here. I noticed it’s thickening still after I put in the fridge on Sunday night (it’s 3 days later). The shelf life is rather short because it’s just so delicious. Next round I’ll try with double the ingredients for a larger batch.
So glad you enjoy it, Simone! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Hi there – I am in the midst of trying this recipe. I used the Probiotic brand you mentioned and full fat coconut milk from the brand Thai Kitchen. I did half the batch size, using 7oz of coconut milk and 1 Probiotic capsule. I made this on Sunday afternoon and let it sit on my counter it is now Tuesday morning. I live in Florida, so my house is 75 degree+ (as you noted for the temperature environment). I just put the mixture in the fridge but I did notice when I put my nose up to the cheesecloth to smell the mixture that it smells like raw egg. Should I toss this, or does it smell like this until you put it in the fridge to thicken and chill?
Thank you,
Meri
If it smells like a raw egg that’s a bad sign. Better safe than sorry – don’t eat it. I’m wondering if something went awry with the sterilization process? Also, Thai Kitchen isn’t our preferred brand so that may be it as well. Let us know – happy to help troubleshoot!
Favour was great, but my coconut yogurt was runny both times I tried making it. I put it in the oven for 48 hours to culture both times and used the Renew Life probiotic as suggested. Any suggestions?
Hi Doreen! Did you try the thickening steps in the troubleshooting notes?
Do you refrigerate the Coconut milk? Do you only take off the cream? Or do you use the whole can of coconut milk/cream?
thanks
Jeannie Williams
You use the whole can. No need to refrigerate beforehand.
A delicious and simple way to make yogurt!!! This is perfect for my Keto diet! I am allergic to dairy so to find a delicious alternative was GREAT! Just follow the exact recipe to get wonderful results!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Christa!
Hi. I tried making coconut yogurt using a Yogourmet yogurt maker. I added a starter I had used with dairy yogurt in the past. After 24 hours the batch was still liquid but smelled like it was fermenting. After 48 hours it resembled Kefir. And the cream on top was fermented and delicious.
I’ll try it your way next time.
Eating my homemade coconut yogurt right now…it’s out of this world experience! So grateful for people like you, Dana, who make it possible!
It’s better than any storebought brands, it’s better than dairy! IN LOVE!
Forever grateful!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Sia!
Thank you so much for providing detailed instructions and videos.
We have just purchased a Thermomix TM6, which can be used to make Yoghurt.
I want to try cutting out dairy so you recipe might be perfect as a replacement for Greek yoghurt.
I will let you know how the coconut yoghurt tastes once we have made it.
Best wishes to you and your family, and thank you for creating such a great website.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Paul! Enjoy!
I’m in the process of making this coconut yogurt with Jarrow probiotics capsules, and while looking up some details found a post by a blogger, who wrote the same steps as yours. I’d say it was copied and changed a little bit. But anyone can tell that yours and hers are the same. I know I can’t attach a link to her page, but you might want to contact her to see if she might as well add a link to your recipe, since clearly it was taken from your blog. It’s called Julies lifestyle homemade coconut yogurt keto granola bowl.
Can’t wait to try my yogurt in 48 hours <3 thank you for writing this recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Sia! That’s helpful – we’ll check it out. And also glad you enjoyed the yogurt!
I confirm…I went on her blog and this is borderline plagiarism
I just finished making my first batch, I used the Thai full-fat unsweetened coconut milk, 1 tsp of Swerve granulated sugar and 2 capsules Renew Life Ultimate Flora 30 billion as I could not find the 50 billion you show. The taste is very sour/tart is this normal or is something wrong? also, I noticed you use 2 different probiotics, is there a reason for this? I definitely want to get this right, TY
Hi Meredith, it sounds like something might have gone wrong! Swerve contains oligosaccharides (which are PREbiotics) so that would be our best guess as to what went wrong. We would say leave it out next time! The two brands of probiotics we used are the ones we have used with success, but Renew Life 30 billion should work- you may just need to add another 1-2 capsules. Hope that helps!
Do you have any sweetener suggestions for a low carb diet that would work? or can the Swerve be added after it has been activated and been refrigerated? Gonna try again and thanks for a great and simple recipe!
Hi Meredith, adding it after it has been activated and refrigerated would probably work! Let us know if you give it a try!
I’m 24 hours into the thickening process, and it’s going well! Already thinking about making it again. Have you made it in bigger batches (e.g., doubled). Other than a larger jar, is anything different? Thanks!
Hi Jocelyn, so glad it is going well for you! We haven’t tried making larger batches, but that should work!
Hello
If using jarrow probiotic 10 billion how many capsules do I need to use for each can of coconut milk?
Hi Mary, With the Jarrow, we typically add 1-2 more to the mix since the Renew Life not only has more strains of probiotics, but also has a great quantity in volume (the capsules hold a greater volume). So, we’d suggest adding 1-2 more. Hope that helps!
Success! What a wonderful recipe. I followed the recipe to the T! I left it 48 hours on the counter. Then to the fridge! It was like magic when I checked the yoghurt in the morning, thick, creamy and perfect! Thank you!!
Thanks for sharing!!
I made this yogurt many times already. Its creamy and luscious and so yummy. Thank you for sharing this. I thot it was troublesome making a good yogurt… the simplicity and the end product blew my mind. YUM YUM!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Pauline. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
I didn’t read the note that says to make sure your probiotic doesn’t contain prebiotic and I bought one with a prebiotic – what does the prebiotic do to the yoghurt?
Hi Emily-Rose, in our experience, prebiotics cause it to get moldy or have a funky smell.
The first time I made it, it came out perfectly. Creamy and thick but the second time, it separated and barely thickened at all. I didn’t leave it on the counter for as long as I did the first time so the third time I left it for 30 hours and it separated again so i stirred it in before putting it in the fridge.. and it didn’t thicken up at all. It’s exactly like it was when I put it in the fridge just.. cold. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Also for some reason the Coconut Milk keeps having chunks in it despite shaking the can for 30 minutes. I really like the yogurt but so far it’s just not working for me anymore and I’m disappointed.
I’m using the Whole Foods brand of coconut milk and the 30 billion Renew Life probiotic cause the 50 billion one you mentioned was too expensive for me to buy.
Hi Sydney, sorry to hear that you had some trouble the second and third time! Our best guess is that the natural variation from can to can may be causing some issues. We have a few suggestions for you: 1) you can try blending the coconut milk to get the chunks out before making the yogurt, 2) you can use the optional trick in step 6 of the instructions, or 3) you can try a brand such as Savoy Coconut Cream or Aroy-D Coconut Milk– we have had good luck with these brands being reliable lately. Hope that helps!
I have had the exact same results as Sydney S. First one perfect and now I can’t replicate it for the life of me. Same ingredients and everything. It keeps separating and not thickening. Is it really that touchy?!
Success! I ended up with super creamy and thick yogurt! Here’s what I used:
-Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk Unsweetened
-Garden of Life Raw Probiotics – 85 Billion Cultures, 32 Probiotic Strains
This was my second attempt. My first try failed – it didn’t ever thicken up. I followed the instructions exactly as written both times. However, the major difference between my failed attempt and my successful one was the temperature of the room I left it in. On the first try, I kept it in my kitchen, which is about 68-70 degrees. My second attempt, I kept it in a room that does not get AC and stays around 75 degrees. At 48 hours, it was still a bit runny. I let it sit in there for 36 hours and it was perfect. It thickened even more once I put it in the refrigerator after 36 hours. Depending on the weather where you live, it may work to keep it in a warm garage or attic. Lastly, I did not have cheesecloth, so I used a paper towel to cover my jar and secured it with a rubber band. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for the great recipe and tips.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Anna! We are so glad it turned out for you the second time!
I tried this recipe with what I had on hand, and was excited to see that it worked! But it smelled yeasty and separated :/ Any tips considering that? Next time I’m looking forward tonight trying it with the products recommended! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Hi Jenny, did your coconut milk have any gums in it? If not, that could be the cause of the separation. As for the yeasty smell- perhaps it was the type of probiotic you used? Hope that helps!
I made this but threw in half a tablespoon of powdered sugar as well. Probiotics feed on sugar and unsweetened coconut milk can sometimes lack that sugar substance that it needs to thrive and multiple. My yogurt turns out great and thick! :D I use the Thai organic unsweetened full fat coconut milk I hope that may help someone that may be struggling!
I have a not vegan banana bread recipe that I’d like to make vegan. The non vegan version uses half a cup of yogurt…can I sub plant based yogurt? I use unsweetened original almond milk to bake with and that’s ok…but wasn’t sure about yogurt in baking.
Thanks for your thoughts!
I think that should work! Let us know how it goes!
Followed your recipe with the same cconut milk brand you mention.
It ended up seperating but I decided not to mix and just scoop the top creamy part and it is sooo great!
It is creamy and just a bit tangy as a yogurt should be.
I left it for 28 hours as it was pretty warm in the room, it workes out but I have no idea if temperature really has any affect.
Thank you very much!
Thanks for sharing, Shiri!!
Followed your recipe with the same cconut milk brand you mention.
It ended up seperating but I decided not to mix and just scoop the top creamy part and it is sooo great!
It is creamy and just a bit tangy as a yogurt should be.
I left it for 28 hours as it was pretty warm in the room, it workes out but I’m wondering if temperature has any affect?
Thank you very much!
Thanks for sharing and for the review, Shiri! xo
Where can i find the probiotic that you recomend? it looks delicious 😋
Hi Fernanda, it can usually be found in the refrigerated supplement section of health food stores. Hope that helps!
I just made this recipe and it is sooooo good!!! I did everything according to the instructions and it tastes just like regular yogurt but with a very slight coconut flavor that is amazing with a little sweetener added. I personally think it’s even better than regular yogurt. I know I will definitely be making this regularly now.
This was incredible. I followed your recipe exactly .. which I usually never do! I wanted the actual results that you were speaking of before I branched out and tried my own flavors and variations, since I have moved away from purchasing pre-made yogurt. And this recipe came through. I let it sit for 36 hours, and it was perfect. Thank you for all the specific advice!
Hello I’m just wondering the weight of one probiotic capsule? As the probiotic I have in hand is in powdered form.
Hi Vildan, since probiotics differ in their content of beneficial bacteria per weight of the powder, it is best to compare the CFUs of bacteria. For 1 batch of yogurt, we used 100 CFU of a probiotic blend that contained both bifidobacteria and lactobacillus species. Hope that helps!
I make homemade coconut milk from coconuts. Can I use this to make yogurt? I’m assuming its full fat since I just crack open the coconuts and blend the liquid and meat together.
We haven’t tested it that way but if you do let us know how it goes!
I made this on the weekend. Followed your instructions exactly. Tried only a tiny bit this morning. It smelled bad like sulphur! Taste was okay but was scared to eat it. I used fresh Probiotics so that should not have been a problem. And the coconut milk was full fat ARROYO brand.
Hmm, sounds like something went awry. I’ve never had this experience before, though I know some others have. Are you sure your probiotic didn’t have any PREbiotics? And did you sterilize all equipment?
Try adding some sugar or sweetener. The sulphur smell is the bacteria dying off as they have nothing to eat.
Hi! Can I reuse this coconut yogurt as a “starter” for the next batch? How much should I use? Thanks!
Hi Su, we recently tested this idea with adding 2 Tbsp of coconut yogurt to a batch and found that it wasn’t as tangy and didn’t really thicken. It’s possible that using more would work, but we are going to stick with using probiotic capsules for now. Hope that helps!
In most fermentations (like kefir, kombucha, or acv) the starter needs to be 1/4 cup of starter to a litre, or 1 cup starter to a gallon. Having said that, I’ve never made vegan yogurt. Hope that helps!
Thanks for sharing, Jessica!
I just made this today. I have probiotic tablets that are 10 billion so I used 4 of them. I hope it works. If not, I’ll use more next time. I’ll know in 48 hours 👍
Hello,
Not quite right :(
I just tried with Native Forest organic simple coconut milk (with no guar) and renew life 30bil (4 caps). Cultured for 48hrs and then refrigerated. Taste is good but not thick or yogurt like others have mentioned. It actually has a graininess as if the fat is still separating from the milk…is it an issue to use a “no guar” milk? Another though is my probiotic were not stored in the refrigerator.
What do you think for my retry, just new probiotics or do I need a different coconut milk?
Thank you!
Hi JeriLynne, the “no guar” coconut milk would cause graininess and separation. We would say to also try refrigerated probiotics for best results. Let us know how it goes!
My yoghurt is still runny after 24hours is that normal? When should it start to thicken?
Thanks!
Check out the troubleshooting tips (above the recipe!) for thickening!
I am excited to trying making my own yoghurt now! Being in another country means we don’t have the same brands as you Americans, but it will hopefully be fine. :-)
Thanks for the recipe! I admit that I didn’t read through aallll the comments to find my answer so I’m sorry if it’s a repeat….can you use the “whey” like you would with a dairy source?
I don’t think so.
Hi! My son has multiple food allergies and we are looking to trial coconut soon, and would love to use this recipe to create our own yogurt since many coconut yogurts have so many additives. For the probiotic capsules, we have loose probiotic powder for him made by Klaire Labs… do you know what the measurement equivalent would possibly be? I’m not sure exactly how much of the probiotic we should use. His comes with a scoop :) Thanks!
Hi April, we would recommend checking the CFU content of your probiotic- for 1 batch of yogurt, we used 100 CFU of a probiotic blend that contained both bifidobacteria and lactobacillus species. You also may want to check to make sure it doesn’t contain PREbiotics since some Klaire Labs blends do. Hope that helps!
My husband’s cousin turned me on to this recipe and my husband and I are addicted! I mix it in the morning with some chia seed pudding, maca, vanilla and fresh fruit. I add a little stevia if the fruit isn’t too sweet. This gives us energy all day!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Heidi. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
The coconut yogurt recipe here is really good, detailed and the comments are useful. I make a similar yogurt using Aroy-D Pure Coconut Cream 33.8 oz size which is about right for a one quart Mason Jar and I use a fermenting lid on the jar to relieve pressure generated in the process. The coconut cream comes in a box which I empty into the sterilized jar. I add 1 tsp of sugar (any kind) to help the probiotic (I use NOW brand capsules 1 each). I also mix in 1 TBS GEFEN clear unflavored Jello powder (Vegan, unlike most other jello powders) warmed in 1/2 cup of the coconut cream (this is to help insure a thick yogurt). The jar is then cultured in a yogurt maker at 100F for 24 hours then refrigerated. I have used a similar method using cashew, almond and soy milks but prefer the coconut. Hope this helps
Thanks for sharing!
I don’t think you can get these ingredients in Australia that Nelson mentions. The Aroy- D is available from Amazon but it is very pricey and they don’t ship to Aust. But worthwhile checking his method out if you live elsewhere.
So I love this yogurt. I bought the organic lower fat can of coconut milk at Good Harvest and it was a little looser than when I use the full fat variety. I just turned it into the nice cream and what fantastic results! Love all of your information Dana! Who thought food could be so fun:)
whoop! Thanks, Jill!
my fav probiotic is Saccharimyces boulardii.. and it DOESN” make yogurt… after multiple tries thinking it was my coconut milk brand etc.
All though a very useful item for digestive health Saccharimyces boulardii (SB) is a yeast rather than a true probiotic. As explained in Dr. William Davis’s blog when fermented it produces alcohol (like yeast used to make beer) so it is not good for yogurt making. I though it would be good to add it with a probiotic capsule, but not so, if you want SB’s benefits just swallow the capsules themselves.
Thanks for your info, now I know why my coconut yogurt was not turned out as expected since I used Trader Joe’s coco nut canned milk.
Just curious have you used the boxed coconut milk and tried this? Or was it canned coconut milk?
Canned!
Hi Dana! What size jar would you recommend using? Would a 15 oz jarvwork? Thanks!
Hi Paula, we think that would be too small unless you used two. We linked to our preferred Weck jar in the instructions (850 ml jar) which is equivalent to about two 15 oz jars. Hope that helps!
Does the number of cultures in the probiotic capsules matter for the recipe? I see you’re using 2x 50 billion and tried the 10billion vegan capsule – was it still the same amount of capsules?
Hi Chris, great question! With the Jarrow, we typically add 1-2 more to the mix since the Renew Life not only has more strains of probiotics, but also has a great quantity in volume (the capsules hold a greater volume). So, we’d suggest adding 1-2 more. Hope that helps!
I’ve just read this and mine is 3 billion would I need to add alot more?
Hi Katie, that would be ideal, but it might still work!
I have noticed a difference in the coconut milk form Whole Foods. Its makes thinner runny yogurt when it used to be thick. Trader Joes is now good and Native forest. I will try the Thai.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Tanyth!
Hey Dana! I just made this tonight I noticed my probiotics were clumping up in the coconut milk. I did my best to stir them in, but did you have any problems with this? Any advice? They were out of the brand you used at the store so I bought a different brand (still 50 billion) and high quality. Thanks!!
I just keep smashing them up against the side and stirring! Watch the video for more tips! We also have a more in-depth troubleshooting video coming soon!
I use a frother to mix my greens into my coffee for this same reason (clumping). Would that work or create too much air in the yogurt?
I made this recipe (without the frother) and it came out a bit runny. However, I loved it on fruit and it was awesome tasting. I believe it might have been because I used 17oz of coconut milk instead of 14oz. (I was too lazy to measure and each container of my coconut milk is 8.5oz) Gonna make again today with the 14oz.
Hello, from Toronto Canada
I made your recipe and followed it to the tee. Even used recommended products. It turned out thick and creamy, the first time. The second and third times it separated, was very runny and did not thicken even though I left it for whole 48 hours. Could it be my probiotics should not be in the refridgerator? The first time was when I purchased them initially then I placed them in the fridge.
Please, I love this yogurt and want to make it successfully each time. Your help would be most appreciated.
Hmm, that could be it! Otherwise, do reference the troubleshooting tips / notes for ways to thicken without much extra effort!
Hello, i want to make this yogurt recipe but i don’t have 10 billion capsules. Is it ok to use 4 capsules of 5 billion instead of 2 of 10 billion? Thank you
That should work!
Hi. The recipe up above says to use 2 x 50 billion…..that should equal 100 billion in total . Is that how you read it? 4 x 5 billion caps only adds up to 20 bill…I have not had success with anything less 50 bill….I use 2 caps of 30 bill and it works fine. But I have not tried the coconut milk yet and only used Bonsoy. I wonder if that makes a difference? Cheers.
Hi, I gave it a try and it didn’t thicken up at all. What did I do wrong? I used a probiotic only. I was so disappointed. Thank you.
Hi there, what brand of coconut cream or full fat milk did you use? That’s usually the culprit when it comes to thickness…
whole foods full cocoanut milk as you recommened.
So at that point, I’d suggest referencing the troubleshooting tips / notes for ways to thicken without much extra effort!
I tried to use fresh coconut milk from matured coconut last night and it turned out to be watery clear color at the top and the milk was just right at the bottom, im not sure if that was oil or what. Im planning to stir it later when it gets thicken. Will it still work? Any thoughts? TIA xx
Hi Cheena, we haven’t used mature coconuts and aren’t sure, but it sounds like stirring would be fine. Let us know how it goes!
Hello! I have a question – is it okay if I use powdered probiotic? Also will it not thicken if I use coconut milk that is lower in fat (8-12%) ?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Anon, yes powdered probiotics will work great since when using capsules, they are opened and only the powder is used. The lower fat content will probably yield a less thick yogurt. Hope that helps!
If I use a yogurt-maker, can it be made in less than 48hrs?
Hi Noemie, we haven’t tried it, but another reader mentioned making it in a yogurt maker in 24 hours. Hope that helps!
Have you ever tried So-Delicious coconut milk from Costco? Or Align probiotic? Just wondering.
I forgot to ask if you can use a coffee filter if you don’t have cheese cloth.
I just used the Align probiotics but you have to be careful, some of their products contain dairy. I still have 36 hours until the 48 hour mark! 🤞
Have you ever made vegan yogurt with an instant pot? I’m looking for a recipe that doesn’t use agar. Thanks,
We haven’t! Let us know if you give it a try!
I made this with two different types of probiotics and then with a yogurt starter (i used Cultures for Health Heirloom yogurt starter), and the flavor was much better with the starter. Now I use 1/4 c of the last batch as starter for the next batch, and I let it ferment for a full 48 hours on the counter. Delicious!
Thanks for sharing, Heather!
Help! First time trying this coconut yogourt and there’s a weird pink shape that formed on the top “crust” after 24 hours. I took a photo… should I be worried?
Hi Maya, it definitely sounds like something went wrong as pink typically indicates mold. We would recommend tossing that batch and trying again. Did your probiotic contain prebiotics? That is the most common reason we see mold happen. Better luck next time!
I made beautiful coconut yoghurt. Can I make my next coconut yoghurt using the last as a starter?
So glad to hear it, Christel! We recently tested this idea with adding 2 Tbsp of coconut yogurt to a batch and found that it wasn’t as tangy and didn’t really thicken. It’s possible that using more would work, but we are going to stick with using probiotic capsules for now. Hope that helps!
This recipe looks amazing & I want to try it. My question: would it be okay to use a very high quality live probiotic coconut plain yogurt as starter? If so, what amount should be used for your recipe?
This is the live ingredients list: L. Lactis, S. Thermophilus, L. Salivarius, L. Acidophilus, L. Helveticus, L. Plantarum, L. Gasseri, L. Brevis, L. Casei, L. Fermentum, L. Reuteri, L. Rhamnosus, B. Longum, B. Infantis, B. Breve, B. Bifidum)
Many thanks!
Hi, We recently tested this idea with adding 2 Tbsp of coconut yogurt to a batch and found that it wasn’t as tangy and didn’t really thicken. It’s possible that using more would work, but we are going to stick with using probiotic capsules for now. Hope that helps!
So I ran an experiment to see which turned out better after 48 hours.
1) Sprouts coconut milk (w/guar) and 2 Udo’s Choice FLORA Super 7’s Hi Potency probiotics. Thick 2″ at top of jar & a bit milk-like consistency at bottom of the jar. Smelled exactly as it should. Flavor was yogurty but not very strong. Once It was stirred and refrigerated, the yogurt thickened .
2) Trader Joe’s coconut milk (no guar) and 4Tblsp. Coconut Cult yogurt original flavor. Thickened at top 1″, milk-like consistency underneath. The smell was amazingly strong — in a good way. After stirring and refrigerating, it was more of a kefir consistency. The flavor was delish! Very similar to the Cult yogurt.
I’m on my 3rd batch and very excited to keep the coconut yogurt love going. Thank you Dana for your WONDERFUL posts! Very inspiring!!!
Thanks for sharing!!
I make cow’s milk yogurt and I scald the milk. I am curious if anyone has scalded coconut milk and if that would make a difference with the mold issues or the thickness. I have scalded my coconut milk and used 2Tbsp of my last yogurt. I cultured it for 24 hours in my oven with the light on and the door ajar in a stainless steel bowl. It thickened after being in the fridge to a kifir consistancy (not greek yogurt thick) and the whey went to the bottom of the jar. The 2nd batch did come out thicker than the first. It was very good, and I was wondering if the scalding was necessary . I did not sterilize my jar into which I poured the yogurt after culturing.
Can you use other types of milk? Or only coconut?
Hi Carolyn, we have not tested this recipe with any other non-dairy milks and have no further recommendations besides full-fat coconut milk. If you do some experimenting, we would love to hear how it goes!
This recipe has worked for me every time – and I make it LOT. I absolutely love it. I have great success with Thai Kitchen brand coconut milk. I use a glass container that has a plastic lid. Although I don’t put the lid on it while it’s on the counter (I use cheesecloth, as suggested), I do put the lid back on to give it a shake a couple of times, and then take the lid off again. I always do for 48 hours as well. Finally, don’t expect it to get thick until you put it in the fridge after fermenting it on your counter. Once refrigerated, it’s always been thick and creamy for me. Thanks for this recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Terri-Lee!
Is a sulfur/egg smell normal or should it not be used? I tasted and it tasted fine but did have a sulfur smell to it when I took it out of storage in the oven.
If there’s a sulfur smell, I’m wondering if your probiotics contained prebiotics?
I had this same problem as well and when I read your reply I took a look at my probiotic bottle and saw it does contain prebiotics. I didn’t notice that before I tired the recipe. Taste is OK but the smell is very off putting! I will definitely try again with a different probiotic as the flavor is quite good. Will let you know how it turns out.
Thanks for sharing! Those PREbiotics are sneaky!
I did twice. And failed badly twice! I can’t those brands in the UK so that might be part of the problem but first attempt just didn’t set and coconut milk simply separated. Second time it went absolutely sour and fermented in a really bad way. :(
So strange! Must be a brand issue – sorry I can’t be of more help!
If you’re in the UK, you can check this out … Mad Millie ships to the UK (but not the US, sigh).
I made this using the suggested products (Whole Foods store brand coconut milk and renew life but 15 billion instead of 50 billion- only because it was on sale lol) and it came out delicious! So tangy and creamy! I’ve never been a fan of coconut yogurt but I figured I’d try this recipe anyway, and I’m glad I did.
I let my mixture sit a little longer than 24hrs, then refrigerated it overnight. I plan on doing some fruit compote with it as well. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Hi there
I have Renee life ultimate flora 50 billion( critical care) and Thai kitchen cM. 400 ml. Do I use 2 capsules ? And does this brand have probiotics ? How do I know if it does. ? Would it say prebiotics in ingredients ? Tnx a bunch. Wanna give this a whirl tonight !:)
Sue
Hi Sue, we used 2 capsules of the Renew Life 50 billion. Prebiotics are typically listed as “inulin” or “fructooligosaccharides”. Hope that helps!
I tried this recipe awhile ago and used cheesecloth and my yogurt exploded everywhere and smelled really weird so I never got to eat it :-( I was scared to try again but I finally did. I used Thai kitchen coconut milk and solaray probiotics. They did have prebiotics in them. The one thing I did different was I sterilized my jar in my instant pot. I let it sit in my oven with the light on 48 hours and it came out perfectly. This time it smells like yogurt instead of yeast. Can’t wait to try it!
Hello!
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I recently made it and the yogurt came out so thick and creamy! It did not have a bad smell at all but for some reason it was not tangy at all, just pretty bland.
Do you know what might have caused this?
Thank you for your help!
Hmm, maybe you could’ve let it culture a little longer? Tanginess is affected by temperature, the potency of your probiotics, etc. Glad you enjoyed it!
Okay I’ll give that a shot!! Thank you!
I tried this recipe for the first time. I let it sit in a warm spot for 48 hours then in the fridge for 12 hours. It separated, didn’t set and smelled and tasted sulphuric like rotten eggs. (I threw it out) What did I do wrong? Thanks.
Hmm, sounds like you either didn’t sterilize properly, the probiotic has prebiotics, or something else went awry. Not sure what else might’ve been the problem!
Okay, thanks. I used a different brand of probiotics. It doesn’t have prebiotics but it’s a shelf-stable type so maybe that had something to do with it. I have now purchased the brands you recommended and will try it again.
I’m attempting to make it. But I’m experiencing a problem that has been mentioned. After the first 24hour I pulled it out to inspect it. It’s still very fluid. And there’s a rotten egg smell. I used your recommended “renew life” probiotics and canned Thai kitchen coconut milk. Help?
Hi Cathy, we aren’t quite sure what went wrong, but others have reported similar issues with the Thai Kitchen brand of coconut milk. We would recommend trying another brand next time. Were your probiotics stored in the fridge or at room temp prior to use? If room temp, they may have lost their potency. Another possibility could be the temperature of your home- if it’s too cold, it can have difficulty fermenting properly. Hope one of those suggestions helps!
I’m so excited to try this! Question for you: I use whey from yogurt to lacto-ferment my homemade mayonnaise to make it last longer. I never thought of using a probiotic supplement to ferment foods. Do you think it would work to use a probiotic supplement to lacto-ferment my mayonnaise?
Hmm, I’m not familiar with this method or these ingredients. But if you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
So I tried it, and it appears to have worked! I left my homemade mayonnaise out on the counter for 24 hours after stirring in 2 probiotic pills, and it was edible the next day… and we’ve been using it for a few weeks now! But I’m not an expert on this… so if anyone else wants to try this, you are experimenting at your own risk! :)
Thanks for sharing, Kristi!
I’ve made this twice and I’ll make it a bunch more! Such a hit at my house. My husband is an ex-dairy eater and has been missing yogurt. He says this is better than the real thing. Question: has anyone tried doubling the recipe? Do you think it would work in one jar? Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, Maria! Doubling it should be no problem.
Thank you for the recipe! I made this for the first time and it came out perfect! I followed directions by sterilizing, mixing with a plastic spoon. I used Whole Foods 365, Organic Coconut Milk and Flora Advanced Adult’s Probiotic with 7 Senior -Specific Strains & 34 Billion Cells (Raw Probiotics). This probiotic has potato starch in it as well which I think is a PREBIOTIC and it came out great!
I let it sit 48 hours in the oven with only the light on. After taking it out, there was a bit of separation on the bottom but as everyone stated, the MAGIC happens after you refrigerate it. So, I stirred it up with a wooden spoon where it had a creamy texture and then I put it in the refrigerator before going to bed and woke up to a thick Greek like yogurt in the morning! I will be making this regularly. I will be rotating this with Raw coconut yogurt with fresh coconuts from time to time.
For troubleshooting, I think people need to make sure they have sterile vessels, and a good, fresh pro-biotic with active strains and patience.
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Maya!
Hey Dana, The probiotics I have in my fridge right now have a Prebiotic in them. What is the problem with making the yogurt with a prebiotic? I just didn’t want to have to buy a new bottle of probiotics BUT if it’s going to mess up the yogurt I’m willing to. Just curious as to why you said don’t use a probiotic that contains a prebiotic.
Thanks,
Sarabeth
The problem is it interferes with the culturing process and often provokes mold. I’ve tried it myself and it doesn’t work. I’d hate for you to waste good probiotics AND coconut cream on this!
Made this recipe with 1 can of Earth’s Choice organic Coconut Cream & Garden of Life RAW Primal Defense Ultra Probiotic (also threw in a leftover 1/4 cup of light coconut milk – also Earth’s Choice). Stirred with a wooden spoon and placed in a glass jar. after just one day it was already thick. After 2 days even thicker and it tastes amazing – tangy, thick and such a nice subtle coconut flavour. Great recipe, so simple and it turned out beyond my expectations. I have more or less cut out all diary and was really missing yogurt. Not anymore! Thinking this would be really nice flavoured with some fresh lemon. Thanks!!
Thanks for sharing, Mary!
I’ve made this very simple recipe many times now. I use the Sprout’s grocery store brand organic full fat coconut milk. It’s the cheapest one I’ve found & works really well. I add in 3 capsules of the Now brand Probiotic 10 25 bill. I only use the powder occasionally for recipes – so, this is one of the cheapest I found & it works well. I love Weck jars too & that’s what I make it in but I don’t bother w/ the cheese cloth. I just clamp the top on w/ the gasket & leave on the counter from 24 – 48 hrs – depending on the weather. Then I put in the frig. for another 24 hrs where I’ve found it continues to thicken – it gets really thick. Oh, & I always use a stainless steal spoon to stir it up – it’s a myth that you can’t use stainless steal (I do alot of fermenting). Thanks for the recipe!!
Thanks so much for sharing, Rachel!
I tried it with a bit of a variation. I used organic coconut cream (only 10 calories more per serving than regular coconut milk), using a store bought plain organic coconut yogurt with live culture/probiotics as the starter. Left it in my oven (not turned on) for 48 hours, it came out AMAZING!! Already rich like Greek yogurt! Lovely tangy taste mixed beautifully with fresh pineapple chunks and if you’re not vegan local raw honey! Pina colada yogurt anyone?!?!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Baroque!
Hi Baroque! What amount starter yogurt did you use?
I currently have some amazing coconut yogurt that just about broke the bank so I’d like to do the same :-)
Just made this!
Wow a fantastic result. im in the UK so i used a different full fat coconut milk and a probiotic powder not capsule and my one only had 15 billion bacteria. let rest for 36 hours then popped in the fridge for 8 hours and its perfect! set tangy snd delicious. Thank you!
Oh first this was my very first time making any yoghurt!
Thanks for sharing, Diane! Would you mind adding a rating to your review next time? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. xo!
Hi there,
I just wanted to let the administrators of this site know that the link to Thai Kitchen coconut milk goes to the Lite version, which I think was not your intention since you explicitly say full fat.
Thanks!
Cynthia
Thanks, Cynthia – we’ll look into that!
Awesome delicious yogurt! And so easy to make
Thanks for sharing, Sahara! Next time would you mind leaving rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks!
Since your probiotic vegan recommendation is 10 billion, do I need to use more than 2 capsules to get the same effects as the Renew Life 50 billion.
“my go-to probiotic is Renew Life Ultimate Flora 50 billion. However, the company does not confirm whether or not it is vegan. So a good vegan option is Jarrow Probiotic 10 billion”.
Brittny, with the Jarrow I typically add 1-2 more to the mix since the Renew Life not only has more strains of probiotics, but also has a great quantity in volume (the capsules hold a greater volume). So, I’d suggest adding 1-2 more.
After 48 hours, my coconut yogurt looked like it was going to be great and without thinking, I started stirring it with a metal spoon for about 5 seconds before i realized what I was doing and then I switched to a wooden spoon. Did I ruin my coconut yogurt? Do I need to throw it away and start over? Its in the refrigerator now.
If it has already cultured you should be fine!
Can this yogurt be substituted for any recipe calling for yogurt? I make regular yogurt all the time but like the dairy free option. TIA
In general, yes! We haven’t tested it thoroughly and can’t guarantee good results in other recipes. Let us know how it works for you!
Dana,
thanks for sharing this recipe! looks so inviting and simple..love that!
not a huge coconut flavor fan though, do you think i could sub in almond milk, since not allergic…
thanks,
tammy
Hi Tammy, we have not tested this recipe with any other non-dairy milks. We doubt it would thicken properly, but if you do some experimenting, we would love to hear what you learn!
As the yogurt was hardening there were some pink spots that showed up on the top layer. Is that mold? My husband ended up eating around them but I was too scared. He was fine but I still wanted to see if anyone else has this happen.
Five stars for being so easy and bc I’m hoping I did something wrong.
That sounds like mold, but without a picture I couldn’t tell you for sure.
Made it twice with great success when using 365. It didn’t work with Nature Forest gear free coconut milk.
Do you have to use two capsules for every new batch or can you use some of the yogurt as culture for the next batch?
Thanks for sharing! We recently tested this idea with adding 2 Tbsp of coconut yogurt to a batch and found that it wasn’t as tangy and didn’t really thicken. It’s possible that using more would work, but we are going to stick with using probiotic capsules for now. Hope that helps!
I tried to make this yogurt, but after about 31 hours it had not solidified, still all liquid and separation.. I used a premium coconut milk and probiotic that is only 15 million – would that be why? I have had the probiotics in my fridge for a while, but they have not expired.
Hi Lindsay, it sounds like your probiotic wasn’t strong enough or may have lost some potency. Hope that helps!
I’ve made this several times with incredible results each time! I do have a question: can you use a bit of a previous batch as a starter for your next batch? I was going to try using 1/5th of my last batch to culture my next. I’ll post how it goes! Please forgive me if this has already been discussed in the comments!
Hi Rachael, we recently tested this idea with adding 2 Tbsp of coconut yogurt to a batch and found that it wasn’t as tangy and didn’t really thicken. It’s possible that using more would work, but we are going to stick with using probiotic capsules for now. Hope that helps!
Hello,
Could you give me your opinion on these probiotics?
Could they work to make my coconut yogurt?
1/ Physis Advanced Probiotics
2/ Naturelo Probiotic Supplement
3/ Nature’s Zest
Thanks!!
Hi Manon, we aren’t familiar with any of those products and can’t say for sure whether they would work. It looks like the Naturelo does not contain PREbiotics and therefore may work best out of those options. If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
My husband has even more dietary restrictions than myself and we needed to make a non-dairy yogurt without any additives and your recipe came out SO beautifully, we just love it!! Also wanted to mention how incredibly helpful your blogger resources are, we never would have been able to start blogging without them, you are such an inspiration!!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Catherine! And thank you for the lovely note- so glad you have found our resources helpful!
Hi there Catherine! Would you mind sharing the brands that you used? I too need to use coconut milk that has no additives like guar gum or carrageenan. Anyway I would love to know which brand has worked for you (for both coconut milk and probiotics) so I can get the same ones! Thank you so much!
I tried to make this. after putting it in the fridge for a day to thicken up it ended up smelling like rotten eggs. What went wrong? I used only probiotic powder, I used non metal tools and it was in a glass jar.
Hi Cindy, Did you use the recommended brands of probiotics and coconut milk by chance?
This is hands-down the best yogurt I’ve ever had, including dairy, and I’m not exaggerating. My four-year-old and husband love it too, and I’m having a hard time keeping up with the demand! We especially love it topped with mango.
I would love to know if anyone tried to make this into frozen yogurt using an ice cream maker. Would that work? Would I need to add anything?
Mine was delicious, but gets hard as a brick in the fridge. How can I soften it when I want to have it for breakfast?
Hi! Are you using coconut milk with any gums or emulsifiers in it? That should help prevent it from hardening. Hope that helps!
Thank you! I’ve been using Sprouts brand Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream, and they both have guar gum in them! I will look for another brand that doesn’t have that.
I really appreciate your response.
The guar gum helps create a smooth texture and prevents separation. Brands that do not contain guar gum are more likely to have some separation. So the brands you were buying should have worked! Not sure what else might have caused that!
I tried using the Thai coconut milk and had no success after multiple attempts. Then I bought the imperial dragon brand of coconut milk and it worked perfectly on the first try. I kept it in my oven with the light on since it’s still in the 50s where I live.
Hi Dana,
I couldn’t find 50 billion probiotics, have you tried with different ones?
I’ve just ordered those from amazon.de (30 billions)
Also – could you let us know the percentage of coconut in the coconut milk you’ve used? Again, I was unable to get the ones you mention and would love to get information on the ingredients to buy a similar one here.
Hi Manon, it looks like the probiotic you ordered may contain prebiotics (inulin), so we aren’t sure that will work. The coconut milk we use has 14 g total fat per 1/3 cup (80 ml). Hope that helps!
Does the coconut milk needs to be room tempratire ? Or is it okay to add the probiotics to cold coconut milk ?
We have only tried it with room temperature and aren’t sure how it would work with cold coconut milk. If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
I had coconut milk without guar gum, only coconut and water and was afraid that it didn’t work since Dana recommended specific type of milk. Probiotics were Renew life 50 billions. After 24 hours it looked quite thick, but thin on the bottom so I let it sit a few more hours and it worked well! After refrigeration it was very thick but not as smooth as Dana’s, with a very little lumps like sand. Why is that?
Hi Lia, our best guess would be that the lumps occurred due to the coconut milk not having guar gum. Hope that helps!
Hi I tried making this but it smells really bad and I do not know why. Any thoughts on why?
Hi Alexa, sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you. It sounds like maybe your probiotics were bad. Hope that helps!
This was delicious! So easy to make. Thank you so much for sharing.
I would prefer to avoid can coconut milk,
Would this work with whole coconut milk from a carton?
No, we don’t think so. It would be too thin unless you used some sort of thickening agent.
I tried about 3 times to make it with coconut milk from a carton that i buy at aldi and i had zero success. I used a yogurt maker, so no cheese cloth, so i wonder what exactly did i do wrong. I had bought packets of probiotics from iherb. All those times nothing at all happened to my “yogurt”. Its as though it never “took”, it never turned into yougurt at all! So frustrating! Im going to try this brand of coconut milk and use probiotics that i already have (pb8) to see if i can make it work this time.
You need a can of coconut cream
Sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you! Perhaps the probiotics weren’t active? Trying another brand sounds like a good idea!
Perhaps temperature has something to do with it?
Do you by chance know what the calcium % is?
Coconut milk has hardly any calcium, so it is a negligible amount. The exact amount will depend on the brand of coconut milk used and your serving size.
I am curious if putting it in the dehydrator would help keep the temperature constant. Would you recommend that? Has anyone tried that?
We haven’t tried that and aren’t sure how it would work. If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Hi, I tried using Native Forest full fat coconut milk with Flora Super 8 Hi-Potency Probiotic 42 billion ($18) because it makes no sense to me to pay $52 for the Renew Life capsules you recommend. The coconut milk started thickening after about 30 hours, so I stirred it up to even out the thickness but this seems to have ruined the thickening process. Now after 48 hours it’s like a water consistency, so I put it in the fridge. Thought the coconut milk may go bad if I leave it in the oven with the light on for longer than 48 hours. Do you know any other probiotic brands that are under $20 that will work, if that is the problem? Thanks
We haven’t tried any others and aren’t sure how they will work, unfortunately. If you find one that works, we would love to hear! Thanks!
Hi Dana, thank you for your recipe, which I can’t wait to try. I’m interested in the fact you don’t boil the coconut milk first, as you would cow’s milk. Is this step completely unnecessary? Rachel
The difference is that canned coconut milk is stored at room temperature and cow’s milk is stored cold in the fridge. So we haven’t found it necessary to heat it!
Thank you for yoir reply. Actually, the reason for heating cow’s milk to make yoghurt, which involves boiling it then allowing it to cool to blood temp, is to kill off any harmful organisms. Presumably this isn’t an issue for coconut straight from the can or carton…? :)
You cannot stir, mix, shake or do anything that would create movement in yoghurt while it’s still forming – bacteria like peace! You can mix it to even out the texture AFTER it has chilled in fridge for a couple of hours. Hope this helps!
For people that want thickening, yes thicker milks do make thicker, but here are some more tips… one, you can simmer the milk at low heat and evaporate some water off before making. Two, you can let it reach the point if separating and drain away the whey leaving you thicker results like Greek style. Three you can thicken by adding gelatin (although it is made from animal bones) or use powdered milk, or add cornstarch.
And yes warm helps the process too, if your fridge is warm at that back like mine is, set the jar on the top back of the fridge to keep the bacteria happy. They thrive best in a fever type temperature. But don’t use a sunny window for heat, i even wrap mine in a warm damp cloth to help it along.
Hi!
I made this and it worked!! I used 3 capsules of the vegan probiotic you recommended and its thick and perfect.
My question is that it’s super sour — like almost too sour for me to eat. Is this due to how long I let it sit out? The coconut yogurt I usually buy has a bit of a sweeter taste to it. Or, is it due to the amount of probiotics used to make the yogurt?
Love this recipe and really appreciate any insights you have! Thanks!
Hi Sofia, it could potentially be that the store-bought yogurt has added sweetener. It’s also possible that your probiotics are very active or perhaps you are in a warmer climate? As long as the tangy taste is not unpleasant, that’s great- it means you got a good culture! But if you see any signs of mold, then we don’t recommend consuming it. For a less sour yogurt, you can add sweetener, such as in our Mango Coconut Yogurt. Hope that helps!
Hello, can yogurt I’ve made using this recipe be used as a starter for future yogurt?
We haven’t tried it ourselves, but have had a few readers mention it worked for them! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
You mention not to use a probiotic that contains prebiotic. I only have one with prebiotic and I’m in Uganda and can’t get anything else. Is it worth a try?
Unfortunately, we think it will turn pink and moldy right away. Alternatively, if you have access to a dairy-free yogurt, we think you could add a few tablespoons of that and see if you can get it to culture- though we haven’t tried it this way. Hope that helps!
Hi Dana, absolutely love all your recipes and cannot imagine the amount of hard work that goes into everything you create, respect! I’m trouble shooting this recipe right now because I’ve tried to make it a couple of times unsuccessfully!! I’ve got the probiotics you mentioned, the coconut milk I’m using should be ok, there’s no reason it should be and I’m in the tropics so it HAS to be warm enough!! I still end up with pretty much coconut milk that hasn’t changed consistency’s but it smells like the probiotics have activated (or whatever it is they do)? If you have any ideas or suggestions I’d really appreciate it, thank you :)
Hi Emma, our best guess is that the coconut milk supplier may have changed. We would say to try with another brand! Hope that helps!
Hi! Okay I am determined to make this work haha. I am so excited about this and trying it for the first time!
I’m not sure if it’s a success yet… just hitting 48 hours and I think it’s thickened a bit. I only used 2 jarrow capsules instead of 3, so it may not work. I also put it in my oven with the light on for the first 12 hours like someone said, but it was quite warm when I got home – I couldn’t touch the pans in my oven warm. Do you think this is a problem? I can’t tell how warm my apartment really is and fear it’s too cold.
Questions:
1. How warm is too warm? If my apartment is just at room temp around 72 (I think), is that warm enough?
2. Should I use 3+ jarrow capsules?
If this round doesn’t work, definitely trying again. So excited for when it does work :)
If the temperature is too high it will kill the probiotic.
Has anyone found a different combination of coconut milk + vegan probiotic capsule that works?
My concern is, the recommendation of Whole Foods Coconut milk ($2 per 13.5 ounces) + renew capsules ($0.73 cents per capsule) is MORE costly ($6.92 for 27 ounces) then just purchasing SoDelicious coconut milk yogurt from say, Target ($5.49 for 24 ounces)
Hello!
I made this recipe with a regular coconut milk can (60% coconut pulp and 40% water) with 2 vegan probiotic capsules I had at home (none of them organic) and the result was incredible! It really seems like a cream cheese when looking at, but it tastes as velvet!
The bad side for me was the timing. In the following 3 days I saw almost no difference, but I used just 2 capsules of probiotic. Then I started putting the pot in the warm oven every night (just pre-heat it few minutes and put the pot inside after it its turned off). It took around 1 week to achieve a greek yogurt texture and almost 2 to be a “cream cheese” (after one week I put it in the fridge,). It’s really an amazing and cheap recipe!
I already add more coconut milk and an extra capsule in my first yogurt and it’s going fine until now! Thanks a lot for this and the others vegan recipes! :D
Okay…I have tried this 3 times and something is not working and I can’t figure it out. When I leave it in the oven for two days with the light on. I get separation. I saw that you said separation was fine. So I stuck it in the fridge and then I got this hard layer on the top and water on the bottom. I decided to just stir it all up and taste it and I taste the twanginess but it’s not thick and creamy like yours. After I mixed it up, it looks like coconut milk but taste like coconut with a twang. Please help!!! I have been craving this every since I saw the recipe. 😓
Hi Thera, sorry to hear it didn’t quite work out as expected! What brand of coconut milk did you use? Brands that do not have gums in them may be more prone to separation. We have had the most success with Whole Foods 365 brand coconut milk.
I used WholeFoods 365 (full fat) and Renew Life 50 Billion pro-biotics. I live in Alabama and the weather has been around 65 to 68 in the house, but I was thinking that maybe the temp in the oven with the light on is still not warm enough. It was warm when I removed it after 48 hours, but maybe it needs to be warmer? Also, because of the separation, do I need to strain the water before putting it in the fridge or do I need to mix it again and then put it in the fridge. I so want this to work….Help!!!
Hi Thera,
As for the separation, there are a couple options: you can either mix it in or transfer the thick part to another container and strain the water. Sometimes brands change their suppliers and this can impact separation as well! We don’t think that the temperature would impact the separation.
Hi everyone,
I made this but it came out really gluggy and with a bad smell too. I left it out for 30 hours. Does anyone have any idea why this happened?
I used capsules that contained probiotics and prebiotics as it was all I had at home. Could the prebiotics have had a bad effect on it? Thanks for any advice!
I made this recipe with Harvest Farms Organic Coconut Milk and Whole Foods women’s probiotic capsules. It turned out great! Thick and tangy as originally said. I added my homemade 2 ingredient strawberry jam and it was phenomenal!
I wonder about the effectiveness of the probiotics after being left out of the fridge for a few days?
I followed the directions given along with the brands indicated and it was a great success. I can’t believe I was spending so much money when I splurged on this yogurt. Never again – thank you Dana!
I mixed 1 can of Native Forest classic unsweetened coconut milk with 6 ounces of Coyo yogurt in a blender to remove the lumps. Then I poured it into a sterilized jar and covered it with cheesecloth. I left it in my oven for 48 hours with the light on. It did separate after 24 hours, but I stirred it and put it back in the oven with the light on. At 48 hours, I stirred it again. It was very liquidy but I put it in the fridge. I just checked it 24 hours later and it was a smooth, tangy, yogurt. Not as fluffy as Coyo but pretty close. So happy it worked!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is very brand specific on the coconut, and maybe on the probiotic as well. I made this with Trader Joe’s Full Fat Coconut Milk. It did not thickened much, but it did become yogurt, just a liquid version. I will put some gelatin in next time, agar agar perhaps. Not full disappointed, because with some honey it’s really delicious! Liquid or not, I will continue using this recipe, and perhaps tweak it to see what I get. Thanks for sharing!
I just made this and the taste is awesome!! I let it sit for 48 hours and then chilled for 24, but it definitely wasn’t Greek yogurt consistency, it was really runny. (I did use the exact brands you recommended as well)
Do you only get the thicker “Greek yogurt consistency” if you strain it? I’ll definitely be making this again. Thank you!!
Hi! I just wanted to post what I used in case it is helpful for anyone out there!
First attempt: a can of Goya coconut milk with 2 Renew Life Ultimate Flora (90 billion) probiotic capsules
Result: I kept it out about 41 hours. It separated a lot and thickened slightly. I poured off the water after the fridge where it was only slightly thicken and then ultimately added chia seeds and honey to salvage (which was delicious)
Second attempt: A can of full fat coconut milk from Whole Foods -followed the directions :) with only 1 Renew Life Ultamite Flora (90 billion) capsule
Result: after 48 hours it was thick and had no separation. After being in the fridge overnight it is the consistency of mega thick Greek yogurt and the taste is amazing!! So happy!!!
Hi there ! Do you think the recipe would still work without using probiotics ? I’m on my second attempt with making this, I used the coconut milk brand and full fat and left it for 48 hours and refrigerated it for 24 hours and it didn’t come out thick at all!
Hi. I have a question. I made this last Sunday. I finally tried yesterday (Wednesday) after having in the refrigerator over night and I can’t decide if the weird taste is because the whole thing went bad or that is the “tangy ” taste other reviews referred to. I was so afraid to eat because tasted like was bad milk. Besides burping lot I didnt really have any reactions but before I tru again I want to make sure that is common.
Thank you
Renata Harris
This was amazing! Thick, creamy, tangy yogurt. I tried this with 2 brands, I ordered the traders joe on amazon and got one from my local grocery store, Compliments. Both have guam guam. I tested with the exact same priobiotics and the same temperatures and tested both at the same time. Only the Trade Joes turned out thick and creamy, whereas Compliments did not, it wasn’t a total flop but it was pretty liquid. I’ve made this 4 times now though and it’s my new breakfast fav!
Mix it with almonds, flaxseed, cacoa nibs, hemp hearts and shredded coconut with fruit. Yumm!
I am way late to the party on this, but the recent development of a dairy allergy encouraged me to try this after absolutely hating every store bought nondairy yogurt I tried. I followed Dana’s instructions exactly using 365 coconut milk and jarrow probiotics; it came out perfect! I was nervous when it was thin last night , but after sitting in the fridge it is thick, creamy, tangy, and delicious. This recipe will be a staple in my new dairy free life. Thank you!
We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Rachel! xoxo
I’m making the yogurt now it’s been almost 48 hours. I used the recommended 365 Full Fat Coconut Milk and the Flora 50 Billion Probiatics. I have a lot of separation. There is a thick part of yogurt at the top and the rest is liquid. If I mix it together will it thin out my yogurt?
Thanks
It will thin it out overall, but should still be good.
Will this still work with Probiotics that have prebiotics? Why the specific distinction? Don’t want to waste the capsules if they don’t work!
See comments above!
This worked perfectly…now I’m about to use the yogurt to start another batch and keep it rolling! Question…do I leave the new batch at room temp, warm place, or back in the fridge where my “starter” came from? Thanks SO much!!!
I used 1 can of Nature’s Promise organic coconut milk and 3 (30 billion) probiotic capsules, and let it sit for about 36 hours. (This was the best I could find at my grocery store.) Perfect result. Then made your tzatziki with it, which also, awesome!
I might make this every week.
where do I get a cheesecloth?
You can find it online!
go to a secondhand shop and get anything made of cheesecloth,. boil in a washung powder solution, rinse well and you saved yourself some money
It worked! Thick and creamy yogurt! I live in India, so if anyone over here is looking to make this, I’ll tell you what I used. I found probiotics on Amazon from the Wow brand, very good price. I started with two capsules but did not get much reaction in about 30 hours. It just wasn’t thick or tangy. I dumped in two more which was probably overkill, but it worked quickly after that! Really thick yogurt and not too coconuty which I was happy with. I used both the Kara and the Hommade brands. They both have emulsifiers and thickeners which must help. The whey separated nicely, so I drained that off and was left with really fluffy thick yogurt. Hope his helps someone else!
Tried this recipe many many times, the most recent one being yesterday…And each time a total flop.
Each time, after reading the reviews, had a change of heart of try again.
But NOPE! Just a waste of a lot of milk and probiotics.
Sorry, but this is one of the rare occasions that Dana’s recipe had failed me. :-(
Is it OK to open the jar once in a while to stir it? (or doing this might interfere with the probiotics)
I made this! It works great- my one concern is that mine tastes more sour than I was expecting. . . Is that normal? I read above it comes out “tangy” so I’m trying to decide if mine is tangy or sour. Has anyone experienced a similar taste?!
Yeah, me too! Almost sour cream or something? It made me wonder if it was “right” but I still gobbled it up, with no I’ll effect, so I think it is safe! I will say, my mother in law has been making dairy yogurt every day for actual decades now, and her yogurt is more on the sour side than store-bought ones. I think the sort of free-for-all situation of making it on your counter might impact the flavor a bit! Hopefully for the better. I think try it and see!
Is it supposed to have a strong sulphur smell???
Hi Sherilyn,
We haven’t experienced the yogurt having a strong sulphur smell and are not completely sure what would cause that. A few ideas could be if the probiotic contained prebiotics, if the coconut milk contained sulfites, or if the equipment was not completely sterilized. Hope that helps!
I love coconut yoghurt so was so excited to make this, I even bought a yoghurt maker for the temperature control. I tried with the yoghurt maker and still didn’t work. Tried 4 times. I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong
Can you use only one capsule of probiotic? And if so, would you wait double the time?
No, we’d recommend using the specified amount for best results!
If my probiotic is only 10 billion, do I need to use 10 pills? Or should 2 pills still work? Oh
See comments above!
Hello!
I’ve read through all the comments, but can’t find anything specific about the amount of probiotic to use. In your instructions you state 50 billion or 10 billion pills, so just wondering if you had to use more of the 10 billion? Does using more probiotic help to make it thicker?
I did make a batch using only 2 pills of 10 billion (20 total) and it did thicken after being refrigerated, but it’s not Greek yogurt thick…still yummy though!!😋Thanks for sharing
I tried making this twice using Ayur-D coconut milk but every time it has a wierd smell :( don’t know why!
If the coconut milk is separated after 12 hours, does it mean it won’t work. The first time I did it I left it on the counter and it worked super well, this time I left it in the oven with the light on without any heat and that’s what happened. I am curious to see if it’s normal or not. Thank you
Hmm it sounds like it didn’t work..
Hi Dana, I live in San Francisco, where it’s approx 65-68 degrees in my apartment year round. I don’t have an oven light, I do have a slow cooker. Is there any recommendation for placing it in a warm place at the right temperature?
I was so excited to find this recipe but my first attempt failed (badly). I used the exact ingredients suggested and followed the directions exactly too. It was looking good until I checked on it after about 40 hours and all of a sudden it was separated in the jar – hadn’t thickened at all. When I tried to drain it with a double cheesecloth and fine mesh strainer, it was all liquid so down the drain it went. I am not sure what happened other than the temperature might be my problem? I am in the mid-west and while it’s been warm (50s/60s), it’s certainly not 75 in my house. I tried putting it in the oven with the light on but that seemed to get too warm. Any other thoughts? I want to make this work!
OMG!!! This makes the BEST Waldorf salad! Add a little stevia when you make it! No mayo!
I’d love to try it out but don’t understand what is actively thickening the ‘yogurt’. Every other recipe suggests a thickening agent.
Unless the coconut milk just happens to be very thick anyway and along with temperature drop stiffens up.
This is the third time I have made this yogurt but something different is happening. The coconut milk is separating within the jar. I am using Thai Kitchen milk and the same capsules I have used each time. There is about a half an inch of “water” in each one. I shook and stirred well. I mixed then about 12 hours ago. Should I throw them out? Stir then perhaps?
If this is in the comments already, sorry! There are so many!!! Direction to the date would be awesome.
My house is not warm here in Montana and wood stove, so the temp fluctuates. I made this tonight and put it in my oven with the light on after warming it to 85, but it will not stay at that temp. I am very hopeful and will let you know how it turns out.
Hi Dana!
I have a question. I have probiotics that are in powder form. What is the amount in a capsule? Is it a teaspoon?
Thank you,
Maryhelen
Just wondering if you knew the amount of calcium in each serving? I eat yogurt for calcium but think I need to switch from cows milk.
Hmm, not sure! Sorry about that!
Made the yogurt with Aroy-D full fat coconut milk and 2 Renew Life vegetable capsules…after 48 hours, it looked and smelled like yogurt. Everyone at work tried it and they were amazed! I did strain the liquid which made the yogurt super thick (too thick)!
Will do this again this week!
Also works with silken tofu!
I’ve now tried making this twice and I’m struggling! The first time I tried Trader Joe’s coconut milk and that was just terrible. The second time, with the recommended Whole Foods brand. Both times I’ve used the recommended probiotic. My house is about 68 degrees F, so I placedy jar in the oven under the light. It’s been 48 hours and it’s no thicker than when I started. I sterilized my glass jar and used a plastic fork to stir. Help!!
Hi Dana, thanks for such a simple recipe. I wasn’t sure the temperature in my house was warm enough so put the jars in an esky with a jar of hot water (re-heating occasionally, which kept temperature in the 25-35 degree C range) and it was ready after 15 hours. There was a little bit of separation but I gave it a stir and put in the fridge. Checked after 5 hours and it is thickening up nicely, smooth and creamy … WOW! Thanks again for the method and the very helpful notes/instructions.
Hi , could you use a good quality active commercial coconut yogurt as a starter instead of probiotic capsules? And if so how much would you recommend?
I made this yogurt last weekend, following the recipe exactly (almost—I used a thin dishtowel rather than cheesecloth), and it came out perfectly. After the first 24 hours, it was still a little runny, but after the next it was much more solid, and I put it in the fridge to help it along. Even in a sporadically heated kitchen in NY in November, it worked. It’s quite tangy on its own, which takes getting used to, but it’s great with jam. Thanks, Dana!!
Oh my GAWD this turned out PERFECTLY. So luxuriously thick and creamy (once refrigerated overnight)!!
Yay! We are so glad to hear that, Sunny!
I tried to do coconut yogurt a lot of times, and every time, if I let it ferment for more than 24 hours I get a rotten egg smell (the taste is really good, but the smell is so disgusting) and always stays runny even if I use full fat coconut milk…
I tried pro biotic capsules and yogurt starter… Is there anybody who can give me tricks?
Hi Nancy! I would recommend scan in the comment above!
I have been using the 50 billion recommend probiotics and the whole foods brand coconut milk with success for several months. My last three batches with the whole foods brand just wouldn’t thicken. I tried another store brand of coconut milk and it thicken okay so I think the probiotics are fine. Wondering if anyone else has been experiencing this with WF brand?
I am having the same problem!
I made this for the first time and it turned out perfect! It’s cold where I live right now so I put it near a heat vent for two days.
Has anyone tried making more using a starter from the previous batch instead of using more probiotics?
Hi
I want to make this recipe but I have 25billions probiotics capsules at home and your recipe calls for 50billikns probiotics capsules. In that case, should I put 4 capsules ?
Also, can I use a nut milk back instead of the cheese cloth ?
Thank you!
See comments above!
I have saved this recipe to try out! Since I do have a yogurt-maker I think I will try that for consistent heat.
When I am successful, I want to try making a recipe that I have already made from Food52 – a Greek Yogurt Chocolate pudding. I want to see if I can make a dairy-free, sugar-free (I like Xyla brand granulated sweetener) and caffeine-free (I plan to use carob powder) version of this easy pudding.
I’ll report back.
I made this and I had to leave it 3-4 days because on the second day it was still too watery (probably from the cold). When it thickened up I put it in the fridge. So far so good, but when I got ready to add my honey and mixed it in it turned into a watery mess. What did I do wrong?
Hi, I’m wondering if you could give me some coconut light :) My yogurt came out … half liquid half in lumps. Added probiotics to the coconut milk (can doesn’t say if it has any type of guam, so I’m guessing it’s just coconut&water), and also added 2 tbsp of marine collagen (vital proteins) … let it rest of 36hrs and checked at 12hr then 24, then at 36hr put it in the fridge. Every time it has part liquid part big lumps, and this increased with time and after being in the fridge. Should I have added the collagen afterwards? Could it be from my probiotic (saccharomises bullardi ?), I really appreciate the help, thank you!!
Yes, I probably would have added the collagen after, Teresa!
Hi Dana, the first time I made this is was magical. Thick, rich, dreamy magic. Every time since has been a runny jar of sadness. Same glass jar, wooden spoon, or silicone whisk. Any tips on breaking up the powder? Can I use my fingers to help break any clumps?
Thanks in advance!
Has anyone tried making subsequent batches by keeping some of the yogurt and adding more coconut milk? Just looking to save costs on probiotic capsules.
I just started my first batch and can’t wait to to try it!
Hey everyone!
So I did everything wrong hahaha and now I’m afraid to eat it please helpppp !
I’ve mixed the whole with a metal fork, and I put 5 capsules for 500ml of coconut milk.
Is it dangerous? Can I still eat it?
Thanks!!
Hi Camille! See comments above!
I tried the recipe with Aroy-D organic coconut milk. It has no fillers, gums or starches. I have a lot of food triggers to watch out for. The first batch was thin more like keifer. But tangy and delicious. Then my next batch my house was too cold so it didn’t turn to yogurt. I tried putting it in my oven with the light on but my oven still got too hot and killed my yogurt. So I bought a cheap yogurt maker. The yogurt maker came with a lid. It gets too hot with the lid but is perfect without the lid. I have been making delicious 2 ingredient yogurt every couple of days. I tried it with Aroy-D 100% pure coconut cream and it was the best yogurt I ever had in my life. They both make good yogurt. I give your recipe 5 stars. The instructions because of my climate needed alterations but that is okay. I’m saving tons of money and giving my gut healing food. Thank you. Much easier and simpler than recipes that require gelatin (which I can never get right believe it or not) and tons of steps.
Whoop! Thanks for sharing your process, Lona!
How many hours in the yogurt maker.
I used the 365 canned coconut milk and the Renew Probiotic (both of the recommended ingredients) and let sit for 48 hours…it separated and is still thin! I put it in the refrigerator and it’s still watery…what did I do wrong? I knew this was too easy – too good to be true :(
I’d love for this to work! I know it wasn’t too warm or too cool…what the heck happened?! I feel bad rating the recipe low but I feel like this should have worked and I’m super sad that it didn’t!
Hi Kelsey – did you retry making this recipe? I had the same results as you and I want to make it work!
Hello. I know in the instructions it mentions to not use crushed pills. At the moment that is all that I have. Do you think it will still work if I used crushed pills?
Also, if I do go out to buy capsules, do they have to be refrigerated probiotics?
Thank you for your help :)
See comments above!
I may have missed this, but does this work with Thai Kitchen brand coconut milk?
I made this with Native Forest Simply coconut milk and 100 billion probiotics and fermented for 36 hours and got a really nice, tangy flavor. however, it’s very runny. I have put it in the fridge to see if it thickens up. It’s more like a runny kefir. I have also made this with a coconut milk that had guar gum – Thai Kitchen and the flavor and texture was amazing. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I am going to eat it with my home made jam!
If I purchase the 10 billion probiotic capsules, do I add them up to get to 50 billion? So instead of just adding 1 capsule, I add 5 capsules to get to the 50 billion?
See comments above for tips!
Hi Dana— Worked perfectly for me. My local WF pulled my favorite brand of coconut yogurt (which is being made in Brooklyn and was quite spendy), and this tastes just the same. Just wondering— do you have ideas for including protein in the recipe? Any powders or other ingredients besides toppings that might mix well? (already using chia, pb, and high protein granola).
You could add protein powder to it after its made?
Just curious to know if the nutritional content of the coconut milk can label is equivalent to the final coconut yogurt product? Does the culturing process change it’s nutritional content?
Have made several times and it’s been successful with the additional of organic coconut sugar for the bacteria to feed on (there will be no added sugar left after the culturing process).
Also, for vegan option, the additional of agar agar is great for thickening!
Yes, it should be!
I have made this recipe once before and it worked perfectly! I’ve tried making it again twice now and it keeps separating and smelling terrible (like rotten eggs). I’m very confused because I’m doing all the same things I did before. I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else?
See comments above, Sarah!
Is there a reason to only use 2 probiotic capsules? Have you tried adding more to get more per serving? Thanks!
You can, I just found 2 to be sufficient.
Hi, I made the coconut yogurt less than 24 hours ago, set my timer for 48 hours. When I opened the oven with the light on I got a whiff of delicious tangy coconut, it looks like there is separation which you said is fine. May I stir it now and put it back to ferment or should I wait another 24 hours. I looked through all the comments but couldn’t find the answer. I LOVE your recipes!!
If it tastes right to you, go and ahead and throw it in the fridge! At that point you can scoop off the firmer cream easier and discard the bottom liquid (if you wish)!
Just made this for the 1st time and it came out perfect! Tastes like coconut flavored greek yogurt, minus the dairy and sugar! Tangy and creamy. I will definitely continue to make this!
Thanks, Lexi!
i checked the whole food probiotic capsules and its $38 for 60 caps. of any of you who were successful used a cheaper brand of probiotics could you tell me what worked for you?
Does it have to be covered with a cheese cloth? Going to try this today!
I just made this but apparently was too excited and added stevia sweetener at the same time as the probiotic. Will it still work?
My yogurt is 20 hours old and my yogurt has grown and the cloth is humped at the top. I also have fruit flies….is this normal???
Hello! Really looking forward to trying this yogurt!
I’m 24 hrs into it. I’ve got 2 jars, each with 3 cans of Thai Organic (full fat) combined with 6 capsules worth of Renew Life probiotics, in the oven with only the light on for warmth. After only a couple hrs the yogurt aroma was exciting!
After about 12 hrs the coconut milk completely separated and I just tasted the top which is incredibly thick and creamy and tangy! (Already tastes like a great yogurt!)
My question is, do I wait another 24 hrs and stir? I’d hate to ruin it but if I can stir it up and still have it thick then that’s what I prefer.
Thoughts?
See comments above!
Can we use a yogurt starter instead did the probiotic capsules ? Thank you in advance :)
See comments above!
Hello! Currently trying this recipe out! I was wondering about the importance of a wooden spoon, does it make any difference?
It is important. See comments above!
We make this at work for breakfasts.
sometimes to speed up the process in winter we use a “warming mat” underneath a bath of warm water which keeps the containers of yogurt at a constant temperature. They are quite inexpensive and be purchased at any home brewing shop or possibly a good health food store. They are used to help keep temps the same during fermentation so are good for Kraut as well if you live in a really cold area.
Imade your yoghurt. I followed your recipe to the letter. I wish I could post a photo of all the green mould on top after 36 hours.
It was a complete mess, mould on top of milk, an expensive waste of time and money. Suffice it to say that I will not be following any more of your recipes
Jacqueline, I’m sorry you had issues here. Just to verify, did you use the brands of coconut milk and probiotics we recommended and were you careful to sterilize your equipment before starting? These things are critical to the success of the yogurt. We’ve never had a similar experience with this recipe and would love to help you troubleshoot.
Hello! I’ve recently gone vegan and I am missing skyr (Icelandic yogurt) very much! Does this taste anything like skyr? I would be so happy to find a vegan replacement! Thanks. :)
Same! I’ve been trying to figure out how to make vegan skyr. Doesn’t seem like anyone’s done it yet (and posted the how-to on the internet). I think this recipe will have too much coconut flavor to taste like skyr. Probably the only thing that really tastes like skyr is skyr :o(
Hi there
can I use yogurt starter/culture for this? if so how much to use?
We have not tested this recipe in a yogurt maker or with a yogurt starter/culture. So if you try them this way, let us know how it goes in the comments!
Can can you make it into yogurt cream cheese? And can’t it be cooked as such? I have not tried this yet but intend to do this today I enjoy coconut milk and I enjoy yogurt so it seems like it would be really tasty.
We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure, Nancy! If you experiment with it, report back!
This recipe looks awesome, can’t wait to try it. The Whole Foods near me stopped selling my favorite brand, COYO, so I’m back to the drawing board looking for a thick, creamy coconut yogurt.
I have RenewLife Ultimate Flora Women’s Complete Probiotic 90 Billion in the fridge right now. Wondering your thoughts on how many capsules I should use since it’s 90 billion instead of 50. I was also planning to double the recipe and use 2 cans of coconut milk. Thanks!
Has anyone tried putting the milk and dissolved capsule in a sealed jar and then in the instant pot using the yogurt function for 12 hours?
This recipe is amazing! I have made it three times this summer, and it couldn’t be easier. I missed yogurt so much and, while I worry that it’s not the healthiest recipe (especially since I find myself eating WAY more than a 1/4 C serving), it is delicious and satisfies my yogurt cravings. Thank you for all the great recipes – I just made your almond ricotta and it was unbelievably good!
I want to make this right now, but my probiotics only have 500 millions cells, how many caps I have to use. Thank you!
As a big DIY-er in the kitchen who’s about to do another Whole30, and is allergic to nuts and thus nutmilks, I can’t wait to try this out!!!
This process in many ways reminds me of home-brewing beers, in that you are introducing a living ingredient to uncultured food in hopes of changing composition (yeast in that case, alcohol the hoped for result). After reading some of the comments here, I see many people do Not have an understanding of just how temperamental and biologically driven this process is … but I do think it’s not so much about brands of coconut milk, but more about the VOLUME of probiotics you add to the milk (50 Bill as you mentioned, but many are trying other volumes and questioning why this doesn’t work) , as well as temperature control, as well as factors beyond our control (IE, how many months has the can of coconut milk been out on the shelf). Is it possible to clarify here if you agree with this assessment? There is a lot of emphasis on the Whole Foods brand and I just don’t think that alone can hold up to the science of the culturing process.
By the way I love LOVE this site and if I can get this coconut yogurt to work, you just may become my new blog hero! Ok, you can still be a blog hero even if I fail at this, haha!
I tried store bought coconut yoghurt and I wasn’t a mayor fan. Mainly because it tasted extremely coconuty and overpowered all other things I would add. Is the taste of this homemade version similar? Or would you say it’s less heavy? (Just trying to assess wether it’s worth a try for me!)
I would say that the homemade version does have a present coconut flavor, so if you aren’t a fan, I might not recommend! You could add an additional flavor to tone down the coconut though like this?
Hi there! so i used the coconut milk brand from wholefoods along with the probiotics you recommended and i let it sit for 48 hours-
but now the yogurt tastes reaaally sour. is it supposed to be that way? i usually buy plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt and the store bought one never tasted sour.
Pls lmk thanks!
Hi Michelle! While it should be tangy, it shouldn’t be overly sour.
Do you think it’s possible to fortify this yogurt with calcium as well? i.e. the 365 Cal-Mag vegan capsules from Whole Foods?
I’m not sure as we haven’t tried it ourselves. If you experiment with it, report back!
This recipe looks interesting and so easy! Question – I already have Plexus Probiotic capsules but they are 2 billion CFUs per capsule. How many capsules would I need to use for the recipe? Also, would this recipe be for coconut kefir or is that different than yogurt?
Hope you can respond to my questions – thank you.
Hi beautiful!! I made it with the coconut powder it was great! But my first batch was verry thick and so so creammy it was soft and cannot distinguish different textures. My next ones turns very bubbly and hard and when I mix it a little bit it turns creamy but clumply and not as thick as the first one. Do you have any idea what it can be? Thanks!
Hmm did you mix the second batch the same way you did for the first? It sounds like the powder might have clumped up..
What if it separates while it’s incubating?? Also, are you supposed to add sweetener for the probiotic to feed on? Help!
I believe we’ve answered these questions in the comments above! Have a scan over them and happy cooking!
I just attempted w thai kitchen full fat coconut milk and two quality 10
Billion probiotic caps-not your recommended brands. Tested at around 30
Hours and didn’t seem quite ready. Tested at 42 and it smelled like yeast and was inedible. Smelled like bread dough. Darn it. Will try again after I use this bottle of
Probiotics with the ones recommended.
I made this 2 days ago and everything looks good so far. After 48 hours, I had a little separation at the bottom of the jar. Should I mix this before refrigerating to blend? Thanks so much! Can’t wait to taste!
Yes, mixing will help!
Would this recipe work with almond milk instead of coconut milk?
See comments above!
Hi! I just prepared it. Let’s see how it it looks in 24-48h. To make new coconut yoghurt will it be possible to transfer some yoghurt culture into a new batch instead of using more probiotics pills?
See answers above!
Hi sweetie! I am from Argentina and love your creations! I cannot find here a coconut milk can that makes a think rich coconut yogurt but I found coconut cream powder!!! Do you know the ratio of powder:water I should use to make this yogurt? Thank you so much!
Hi Deborah! Hmm we haven’t tried and really can’t say for sure, but if you experiment with it, report back!
I’m located in Australia and tried to make this. We don’t have the reccomended brand of coconut milk here, but I tried it with a good quality organic one and it didn’t work for me ? was very separated and didn’t thicken. Has anyone down under made this and had success ? Can you please share which brand coconut milk you used ?
Thank you for this recipe. I used exactly all your tips and Wholefoods brand coconut milk but used my strong Metagenics UltraFlora Spectrum probiotics I am on for my Lyme disease, 30 billion per capsule. I used 2 capsules. I let it sit for 35 hours on table with cloth over it. Last night mixed it with wooden spoon and refrigerated it.
Today I ate some for first time and it was extremely acidic. I guess that’s what you call tangy? It was so tangy acidic like that 1/2 hr after eating my throat burned a bit. That’s never happened to me eating yogurt of any sort. I’ve bought the Bulgarian yogurts, coconut yogurt unsweetened plain the Wholefoods sells along with the other common yogurts. siggis, so delicious dairy free unsweetened coconut etc. I’m concerned why/how this happened? Fermentation maybe?
I would like any feeeback as I’m new at this and first time ever making yogurt and I don’t know what caused this. Thank you.
I love this recipe, but. I’ve had 50% success rate. The last 2 jars I’ve made have developed almost white dots on top, there’s no colour in it at all, the yoghurt has thickened up nicely, so I’m wondering if i haven’t mixed the probiotics in well enough and they have sat on the top? Or is it straight up mould?
Hmm I’m not really sure, but if you try making it again, ensure you mix the probiotics in.
yeah every batch since then has still developed the white/grey spots… do you know if mould can be that colour? and if so, how am is it developing mould when I sterilise everything?
would you still eat it with the white/grey spots on it?
I would take that as mold spots UNLESS it’s just your probiotics that didn’t get stirred around well enough. Perhaps it needed more mixing? If there’s any chance it’s mold (which is typically pink, blue, or white spots), I’d toss it.
Hi, do you know if once I make a batch I can save some and use it as a starter for my next batch so I don’t have to keep adding Probiotics? I know with cow milk you can.
Thanks
We haven’t tried, but scan the comments above as others have tried it. Good luck!
The recipe looks amazing and I’ve tried four different brands of milk now and all come out runny ? not giving up yet but I cannot get hold of the brand’s you reccomend in the UK. Anyone know any brand I can use that works and is sold I the Uk/ EU?!
Would LOVE to know. Many thanks
I made coconut yogurt, but it didn’t work with probiotics, I used homemade fermented pickle juice and it worked
A week later I put too much pickle juice in homemade coconut milk and I am excited to say I made “cheese” taste like feta.
Thanks for sharing, Miriam! While we recommend using the probiotics listed in the notes above, that is super interesting that pickle juice worked to make cheese!
Wow! I tried this recipe after a flop with another coconut yogurt recipe very similar to yours (the instructions were not as clear as yours). I didn’t have the coconut milk and probiotics you recommend, but it turned out just fine with what I had. I can’t remember which brand I used for the coconut milk; I used 4 capsules of Natural Factors Double strength (24 billion) – it’s not vegan, as it contains dairy, but that’s the only brand I had on hand.
My mixture did separate, but after a day in the fridge, I stirred the mixture, and I ended up with a smooth, creamy texture.
It’s really, really good with strawberry and rhubarb compote. :)
Hi! I’m really excited because I’ve tried other non dairy yogurt recipes with starters and they didn’t work but this one has gotten thick and looks right! The only thing is i can’t tell if the smell is like a normal greek yogurt kind of smell or if it’s a bad smell. I ended up letting it sit probably 50 hrs to thicken more. Does the regular yogurt have some of a smell when you make it?
Hi Ashley! Check the comments above for tips, but it should have a slight tangy smell. And if it smells bad, it sounds like your probiotic was bad or expired or your coconut milk wasn’t fresh/high quality to begin with.
I live in France, so your options for milk and probiotic aren’t available for me here. :( Any ideas?
Hi all! It’s been a few hours since mixing the milk with the probiotics and it has separated. Have I done something wrong?!! Or is this normal?
Hi Kurt! This has happened to others as well. Check the comments above for tips!
Hi, Can i use coconut cream instead?
We haven’t tried it, but it looks like others have, and have had success with it!
Made this using Sprouts brand full fat coconut milk and Trace Minaerals Probiotic 55 billion. Came out great and I love the idea of getting even more out of your probiotics by culturing them into yummy foods!
I could smell that good things were happening and I could tell the coconut milk was getting thicker, but when it went into the fridge it was about the consistency of Keffir. I did stir once at 24 hours with a wooden spoon and let go until 48. After a few hours though, it has a perfect, thick consistency like normal yogurt. Definitely recommend trying this out!
I made this 24 hours ago with Thai kitchen coconut milk and 2 Jamieson 2 billion probiotics … it’s the exact consistency and taste as regular coconut milk. I’m really confused, is it because i used a weaker probiotic? Does anyone know if you have to use total 100billion? this is the only vegan probiotic available to me! I tried adding 3 more capsules and placing it where it’ll get more air but I’ll update in another 24 hrs.
It got tangy and thickened very slightly after refrigerating .. Still delicious but I’m trying again with 5 capsules instead of 2 this time!
What happens if you use a metal spoon to stir instead of a wooden spoon?
It may react with the probiotics and render them less effective (according to some of the research we’ve done). So use a wooden or plastic spoon to be safe!
Mine turned out great! I used Nature’s Place unsweetened organic and Equate probiotic. Whisked the milk smooth then added the probiotics and stirred. Just left it in a bowl on the counter for 24 hours. Smooth and tangy. Thanks!
I’m wondering if this recipe is safe for during pregnancy? I’m 31 weeks pregnant.
Thank you ?
Hello!
I absolutely love this. I’ve had some experimenting with making Kefir. Although, I’ve never made yogurt and I need to learn because we eat too much of that stuff in my home! I’ve just been having trouble choosing a brand. I know not to get prebiotics, but still couldn’t find the right brand. Which brand, if any, do you recommend that are Vegan? Thank you!
Hello!
I’ve tried making this three times now and I’m not sure if I’m doing something wrong. Each time, it’s begun to smell like rotten eggs only a little over letting it sit for 24 hours. Is there something I can adjust to avoid this? Or is this normal and the yogurt is still edible.
Thanks for in advance for any tips!
Hi Lauren! Did you use the recommended brands of probiotics and coconut milk by chance?
Loved this yogurt! I’m making another batch right now! I made tzatziki with the first batch and it was killer good with grilled pita points!! I used the Thai kitchen organic coconut milk and renew life ultimate flora women’s probiotic capsules. Sorry glad I found this recipe! I also made the fruit compote with cherries and strawberries and I made the chia pudding!! I’m happy!!
Well I got super excited to make this BUT I’ve tried this recipe twice now, as has my partner and we can’t seem to get it to thicken. After even 48hrs it stays the same runny consistency as when first poured, and he’s a chef at a 5 star restaurant ;) I’m not sure where we are going wrong, and a simple recommendation for another brand of coco milk I can’t see making too much difference.
Hi Shannon! We have had success with the recommended brands shared above, but are sorry to hear you did not have the same success with the brands you used. Are you using either the probiotics or coconut milk recommended?
same here but i did use the coconut milk recommended… which probiotic did you use? i used 2 capsules of 2 billion each, maybe we both didn’t use enough?
Can I just add agar agar in at the end after cooling if it’s not thick enough?
We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure, but if you do, report back on how it goes! Good luck!
Used cheap Walmart probiotic. First batch on counter at room temperature didn’t work–made a tasty rice pudding though. Pulled out my old Salton pre- vegan yogurt maker. After 24 hours had a great batch. I think the trick is to keep a consistent warm temperature. So glad I found this page.
My InstaPot has a yogurt setting. Wonder if this would work using that? Guess I’ll try and find out!
We haven’t tried, but let us know how it goes!
Did this work?? I’m having issues with mine thickening!
I left in warm spot for 48 hours and it has not thickened at all. Still consistancy if coconut milk. I used full fat Thai Kitchen coconut milk and 2 Nature’s Way Fortify 50 billion probiotics (with no prebiotics). I hate to waste money on this, any suggestions?
Hmm it may have been your probiotics? We have had the most success with the recommended brands listed above!
Hi! I am so grateful for this recipe and have been making yogurt at home for the past several months thanks to your experimentation with it! Question: has yours ever gotten foamy?? I just pulled some out of the oven from being there overnight, and it’s got this firmly-structured foam on top. The only thing I can think is that maybe my coconut milk was off. I used a can of Thai brand, and the coconut cream part wasn’t firm, which I thought was odd at the time but blamed it on the hot weather we’ve been having.
I’m probably going to dump this batch just to be safe, but I wanted to see if you’d ever seen that. Thank you!
Hi Laura! We have heard from several people that it made their yogurt foam up! Does your probiotic contain prebiotics? I’ve heard of that happening with prebiotic versions!
I made this and it looks great but smells and tastes very tangy, veering to sour/off… is this normal? It’s hard to know what the flavour should be compared to dairy yogurt
Hi Jessica! It should be tangy as outlined in the recipe, but not spoiled. but have a scan of the comments above for tips!
I just made this with vinegar and sea salt and coconut milk. It was delicious!
Awesome! We’re so glad to hear that, Rosemary :D
What is the shelflife of this yogurt (after thickening) in the refrigerator?
In the recipe she noted it is good in the fridge for several days and hers kept for 7 days but if it starts smelling sour to get rid of it
Hi Dana! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I am trying to troubleshoot. I made this with Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk (non-organic as there wasn’t any at the store) and 2 capsules RAW Garden of Life Women’s probiotics. I left it in my oven for 24 hours with the light on, at which time I took it out and saw that there was separation and the liquid below was yellow. I put it into the fridge to try to thicken it and it basically froze the coconut fat on top and the rest is still liquid. It tastes kind of like yogurt but also a little bit more sour/tangy than would be expected. I’m trying to figure out what went wrong and/or how to fix it and I have a few thoughts maybe you could help me with. The serving size of the probiotics is 3 capsules which gives 85 billion live cultures and 32 probiotic strains. I’m wondering if I should have done more/less capsules of probiotic perhaps? Or do you think it didn’t work because I didn’t leave it out of the refrigerator for 48 hours? I noticed that yours were not yellow, and I didn’t know if this was just cause of the probiotics I used, or what. Do you think there is anyway I can save my current attempt? Any advice you could give before I try again would be great!
Hi! After making one batch of yogurt, can I use the yogurt itself to make more yogurt (instead of continuing to use capsules)? If so, how would I do that?
Thanks in advance!
FINALLY SUCCESS!!!
I tried making this three times and I was about to give up and post a comment about it not working but I decided to try again. I live in the Caribbean – Trinidad to be exact. I got the Renew Life probiotics from Amazon and used a Caribbean brand of coconut milk. I used my oven with the light on and left it for 24 hours and then in the fridge for another 24 hours or so and consistency and taste was perfect.
I think my failures had to do with the fact that I didnt have patience and didnt wait long enough and in my first attempt I used the work probiotic. But I am happy to report that it has finally worked and this is delicious. So good I dont think I can go back to store bought yogurt.
Yay! We are so glad to hear you had success, Vernette!
Tried this with the same coconut milk and probiotic brands. It formed a thick layer on top with a yellowish tint. Doesn’t smell bad though. It is still pretty thin in consistency. Think something went wrong?
Hmm did you leave it for long enough?
I’m excited to try this! I actually put it together tonight, but I added the stevia right after the probiotic. Then I read to add sweetener after the yogurt is ready. Will this be a problem? Thanks!
Hi Sunni! Yes it might affect the process, but report back on how it goes.
So you say capsules not pills, but that pills need to be crushed. Do you think it might work with crushed pills? I have Nature’s Bounty probiotic pills and want to try crushing them into powder. I know it’s not the recommended way, but what’s there to lose from trying other than a can of milk and some probiotics I never take anymore.
Check the comments above for tips!
I made this in a glass bowl with 1 can of Thai full fat coconut milk, covered with cheesecloth and left in the sun in a room I could occasionally turn the heat up to the appropriate temperature 2-3 times for 48 hours. It thickened overnight in the fridge and is rich, creamy, everything I hoped for. So grateful! The thing is I cannot make coconut yogurt in my instapot. It doesn’t work. But I can make soy yogurt that is just as thick and creamy as this coconut milk recipe:
1. 2 quarts of soy milk (no additives, just soy beans and filtered water) I use organic unsweetened EdenSoy into glass bowl.
2. Add starter culture (I use Yogourmet vegan yogurt starter, but any one will do). Mix.
3. Pour into heat proof containers without lids.
4. Set directly into Instapot (no rack, no water added). Secure lid and press ‘yogurt’ button, set for 12 hours.
I didn’t trust it the first time I tried it, but it is thick and creamy like greek yogurt. Only works on soy though (organic, no additives) not coconut milk. So getting this coconut milk recipe is a God send! Yummy. thanks so much