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. Our favorite brands are: Savoy Coconut Cream, Aroy-D Coconut Milk, and Whole Foods 365 full fat (BPA-free). Native Forest Full Fat (BPA-free) isn’t as creamy, but it still makes tasty yogurt. We would not recommend Trader Joe’s (BPA-free), which was recently reformulated and is now chunky/grainy.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Video
Notes
*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.
CINOGEL says
have you ever used gellan gum in your yogurt products before?
We haven’t!
Caroline says
Hi, I used the probiotic and Whole Foods organic coconut milk you recommended. Made in glass jar and stirred with a wooden spoon. After 48 hours of sitting on the counter it was the same consistency as when it came out of the can, a little thicker than milk. When I watch your video, it looks like it is very thick when you open the can. Could that be the problem?
Hmm, is it possible you used light canned coconut milk? If you didn’t already see the tip above the recipe for thickening, give that a look! The video also should help.
Cat says
Hey, I made this recipe–so easy! I got my coconut cream by Savoy, put in my probiotic capsules, mixed it all up and let it sit for two days. Put it in the fridge and it was really thick and creamy–like the best Greek yogurt. Not gonna lie, it tasted like….. fart. Definite hard-boiled egg/mild sulphur aroma to it. I hoped adding vanilla extract and honey might make it usable but that odor still came through. I couldn’t take it and dumped it. I am wondering if there are probiotic cultures that give a better flavor than others? What do you use?
Hi Cat, so sorry to hear that was your experience! What probiotic did you use? We’re thinking that may have been the issue! You can find our preferred brands in the recipe notes. For best results, we’d suggest using a probiotic that has at least one of these strains: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and/or Lactobacillus acidophilus.
Jason Hsu says
HELP! I know from watching the video that it was a mistake to use coconut milk from a carton instead of a can.
Can I at least drink the fermented coconut milk? I’m hoping that I can at least salvage something from this fiasco and not have to pour it all down the drain.
Ah, bummer! We don’t think it’s salvageable, unfortunately. You’ll be able to tell by any signs of mold or it tasting/smelling off.
Natalie says
Leaving a comment for all the folks who asked how to thicken it – mine didn’t thicken either until I used the strainer method. Watch the video, it helps to see how she does it. I get a centimeter of liquid that drains out, the remaining yogurt is THICK! It only takes a few hours in the fridge with the strainer to get the liquid out.
So helpful! Thank you for sharing, Natalie!
Erica says
Hi! Can I put the jar into the instant pot and use the yogurt setting for 8hrs after step 4?
Hi Erica, that should work! Let us know how it goes!
Karen says
Hi this is a great thorough video & super simple recipe thank you! Can I add collagen powder without ruining the texture. i wanted to add more protein in it and was thinking of adding my Vital Protein brand collagen powder.
Hi Karen, we’re so glad you like it! We haven’t tried that, but if you do, we’d suggest adding it just before transferring to the refrigerator so it doesn’t interfere with fermentation.
Patricia says
I just mixed my Aroy-D coconut milk and RenewLife Ultimate Flora 50 billionaire cultures/12 probiotic strains in a STAINLESS STEEL bowl, with METAL WHISK! I totally missed the comment about glass bowl or plastic spoon being so vital. The mixture was only in the bowl for like 2-3min before transferring to a sterilized glass mason jar but did I completely sabotage my yogurt? Did I just deactivate and bugger my ingredients? Also, I also doubled my mixture (2 cans milk & 4 capsules probiotic) – is that ok to do? How did I take such simple instructions and completely mess it up? Feeling discouraged, but I guess I’ll have my answer to all of this in 48 to 72 hours.
Hi Patricia, it might still work! We’d say just look for signs it may be off – mold, discoloration, or funky smell/taste. Hope that helps!
Nitsa says
Hello,
My batch is currently incubating in a clean mason jar. Fingers crossed it works.
My question relates to the reactivity of the bacteria & metal. Should I use a plastic lid or are standard coated the Mason jar lids OK?
Thank you.
Hi Nitsa, the lid shouldn’t be an issue as long as it’s not touching the surface of the yogurt.
Ame says
Thanks to your tips I finally had success making yogurt! And it is SO much better than store bought. Thank you for all the details in your recipe!
Amazing! We’re so glad it was helpful, Ame! Thank you for sharing! xo
Alina Aminova says
Hi Dana!
I made the coconut yogurt recipe. Thank you for that recipe! I used the 365 coconut milk but my yogurt came out grainy. I can’t understand why. Could it be because I used a lot of probiotic capsules? I put 8 capsules for one can of coconut milk. Thanks so much!
Hmm, perhaps! We’d also suggest giving the milk a whisk before adding the probiotic if you didn’t do that.
Emily Foote says
Hi,
I found the Renew Life ultimate flora probiotic at Walmart, but didn’t realize it was 30 billion in stead of 50 billion. The yogurt was delicious! I used the Arroy D coconut milk. The only think is it didn’t get really thick. It was sort of like a kefir consistency. Should I use 3 capsules for a total of 90 billion? Instead of using two 50 billion capsules? Would it make a difference? I let it sit about 32 hours before refrigerating and I liked the tanginess. I was comparing it to the Cocoyo brand
Woohoo! Sounds like it went great. Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Emily!
Emily says
Hi,
Any tips to make it thicker, though? More probiotics?
Thank you!
Hmm, it sounds like the amount of probiotics you used was good, we’d suggest maybe trying the whole foods brand full fat coconut milk next time if you can find it, and you can also look at step 6 for tips on straining/refrigerating to get thicker yogurt. If those adjustments don’t help then you could possibly try increasing the probiotics, but keep in mind that might make it activate more quickly. Hope this helps!
Debra says
I made this in my instant pot on the yogurt setting. After 8 hours it tasted delicious but did not thicken. I used the Savoy coconut milk you recommended. I put it in fridge still did not thicken. Would it be because my probiotics were expired? I also used the probiotics that you recommended. What do you recommend?
Hi Debra, if they were expired, that could definitely be the issue!
Melissa J says
My probiotics are Mega Sporebiotic from microbiome labs…do you think those are fine? Not Sure how they differ.
Hi Melissa, we don’t think the strains in Megaspore are the ones typically found in yogurt, so we’re not sure how it will turn out. For best results, we’d suggest using a probiotic that has at least one of these strains: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and/or Lactobacillus acidophilus. Let us know if you try it either way!
Renee says
For my first attempt on making this I plan on using exactly what coconut milk you suggest. However, I do wonder if I can use the Thai full fat coconut milk in a shelf stable carton. You get a few more ounces of milk by using that. Have you tried using this product?
Hi Renee, we aren’t familiar with that product, so we’re not sure! If it’s smooth and creamy, it should work.
Laurie says
@Renee – I tried it with the Thai shelf stable brand and it came out thin and grainy.
Renee says
Well, shoot! Thank you for trying and letting me know!! Guess I will stick to my cans.
Natalie says
Thank you so much for the detailed instructions and video! My yogurt came out just as you described it would. I used the recommended Renew Life probiotic and am storing them in the fridge (I wouldn’t have known to do that that, so thank you!!). I tested Native Forest w guar, Savoy and Aroy-D. They all worked, but I need guar-free, so Savoy and Aroy-D will be my go-to’s. Found them at an Asian market. I got some separation and used the cheese cloth/strainer/bowl method and that worked like a charm. Being able to eat yogurt again has made my life so much better/easier! I’ve been on an elimination diet and struggle to find options – so I am truly grateful to have found your post.
Aw, we’re so glad it turned out well for you, Natalie! Such a relief to be able to have something delicious to enjoy =) Thank you so much for sharing! xo
MaryBeth Brejnik says
Thanks so much for your detailed review!
Carole says
All I have to say is WOW. I am having a horrible time sharing this fabulous yogurt with my husband!! It goes QUICK.
I used the recommended brands. I add a cap full of vanilla and 2 tablespoons of Swerve to mine, topped with granola. It is my new favorite treat. Thank you so much!
We’re so glad to hear it! Thank you for sharing, Carole! xo
James says
That’s a lot of saturated fat! I can’t imagine it’s very healthy when you factor in the sat fat
Serena says
Hey James, Not all saturated fats are bad :)
“Coconut oil is 92% saturated fat and therefore raises cholesterol levels similar to animal fats (butter, lard). However, it contains a unique type of medium chain saturated fat called lauric acid that research shows raises HDL or “good” cholesterol levels, which may lower overall heart disease risk. As a plant food, coconuts also contain disease-fighting phytochemicals or antioxidants…”
https://www.brighamandwomensfaulkner.org/programs-and-services/nutrition/articles/coconut-oil
Angie says
Has anyone thickens their yogurt with collagen?
Hi Angie, it looks like another reader tried it. You can find their experience by doing a search in the comments. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words (such as collagen) in the post and comments. Hope that helps!
Angie says
Thank you. I will find a pc to check that out
Natalie says
Try the cheese cloth/strainer/bowl in the fridge method. She shows it in the video. This helps strain out the water and leaves you with nice thick yogurt. Mine were coming out thin, so I did this method and it worked like a charm. I still add collagen to my yogurt for protein when I serve it.
Yemu says
Please educate yourself on the topic of fat healthiness (I recommend Perfect Health Diet book). Sat fat from the vegetable source is the most healthy of all fats :)
Cindy says
Best thing I’ve ever made. I can’t eat dairy anymore but would be converted anyway. I have a question about your cheese cloth. Where did you get it? It is much more luxurious than mine :-)
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Cindy. We believe it was this one. Hope that helps!
Yvonne says
I checked my probiotics and it contains prebiotic. May I ask why should I exclude prebiotic? What would happen?
Hi Yvonne, it can interfere with proper fermentation and cause the yogurt to taste/smell off.
Yvonne says
Thank you! I’ll get another probiotics then :)
Travis says
I live in Haiku Maui and have coconuts available, so I just made a batch of coco yogurt using this recipe. I made coconut milk by blending tender coco’s with coconut water until smooth and yogurt consistency. Then I used a scoop of store bought coconut yogurt instead of a probiotic capsule. Excited to see how it turns out, it’s sitting on the counter right now.
Love the recipes here, by-the-way! Thanks!
Thanks so much, Travis! Let us know how it goes. Our understanding is that if not using canned, the milk needs to be heated to kill off any unfriendly bacteria before fermenting.
Naomi says
Hello, I tried this recipe, I love the taste! but something did got wrong…. :(
for some reason didn’t get creamy, it get small tiny crumbles mixed with creamy yogurt( like tiny cottage cheese) .
Im not sure what did I do wrong but very upset with texture. Do you think you can give me a tip how can I solve it for the next time? Thank you!
Hi Naomi, so sorry to hear that was your experience! It sounds like perhaps the coconut milk wasn’t creamy before adding the probiotics? Does that sound like what happened? If so, we’d suggest trying a different brand that’s creamier. You can find our brand recommendations in the post.
Paulina says
Hi, my coconut yogurt didn’t thicken like yours did, like the way yours turned out on your video, I did all the steps, the two capsules, sterilization, 48 hours covered with cheesecloth, the the same brand yogurt. The only thing I noticed is my capsules look a little smaller than the ones you were showing, I added two capsules just like you did but they were smaller. Do think I should add three capsules next time?
Hi Paulina, Do you mean you used the same brand probiotic or coconut milk? If you used a different brand of probiotics, that could be the issue. If so, another capsule could help. Be sure to also check out the troubleshooting tips above the recipe for additional guidance.
Rane says
Can you use homemade coconut milk in this yogurt recipe? Thanks for your help!
Hi Rane! If you’re asking if you can use pre-made yogurt in place of the probiotics, we aren’t sure! We have not tested this with a yogurt starter. In place of the coconut milk, we don’t know for sure either, as it may affect the bacteria and create spoilage. Let us know what you find out if you give it a try!
Becky says
Hi, can you recommend a probiotic that is safe for 1-2 year olds we could try?
Hi Becky! Unfortunately we aren’t qualified to recommend a probiotic, but a quick google should help you find something that works!
Jordan Dawick says
I was super excited to try this recipe. followed the instructions using my oven with the light on as an incubator. Left this for about 24hrs then transferred it to the fridge till later in the evening. I opened the jar and stirred a beautifully thick yogurt. However there was the most horrific smell of sulphur. Made the husband sample a *tiny* bit and it tasted OK but the smell was too much. Any idea what went wrong?
Oh no! Sorry to hear that happened, Jordan. Does the coconut milk have any sulfur additives in it? Or other ideas would be if some contamination got in there or the probiotic contained prebiotics that interfered with fermentation.
Yuri says
So easy and delicious!!!! I used two capsules but could probably do with 3 next time for extra tanginess. I used probiotics (10billion) I had on hand so that was probably why. It sat for about 24hrs and another 12 in the fridge, such a creamy and thick texture! Loove!! Paired with with your dark chocolate granola, amazing!!!
Love that combo granola + yogurt combo =) Thank you for sharing! xo
Stephanie says
Hi there! I wonder if you could tell me if your coconut yogurt has a bit of a…”funky” smell? Mine does, but it does not taste funky, just very very tart.
Thanks!
Hmm, we’d say let it sit in the fridge for a day or two before consuming and if the smell intensifies, then something may be off.
Stephanie says
Ok, thank you!
Lynn says
I’ve made this twice using the suggested coconut milk and probiotic. After 20 hours, the yogurt has the right tanginess for me but it will not firm up. It’s like a yogurt drink – nothing at all like a Greek yogurt consistency. I’ve tried to strain it per the instructions but the liquid simply pours through the cheesecloth! I’m so disappointed! Are there any other fixes you can offer?
Hi Lynn, so sorry to hear it didn’t turn out as you were hoping! For a thicker yogurt, you can try using coconut cream.
Jeanne says
I made coconut yogurt and I used all your recommendations & it turned out ok except I can’t taste any coconut. Why is that? I love coconut. Thanks so much.
Hm, we’re not sure! Perhaps the brand of coconut milk? We wonder if adding coconut extract might help.
Susan Redlon says
I made this recipe!
Creamy , but almost too tangy tart taste. There is also a probiotic sulphur smell?
I used savoy cream and 2 of the 50 billion Renew Probiotic ‘little’s compared to yours onYouTube.
It stays a solid 80° here, maybe it’s too hot? I washed and boiled hot water!
Hi Susan, we’re thinking maybe it fermented too quickly at that heat. If you try it again, we’d suggest checking on it sooner to see if it’s ready!
Marie says
Can you use a hand blender to remove any lump in the coconut milk?
That should work! You can use it instead of a whisk before adding the probiotics.
Rebecca says
I followed the directions carefully and the only difference I could see is the size of the probiotic capsules looked smaller. It sat for 3 days and I debated on adding more or just starting over.
I will try the second batch this week, and decided to contact the probiotic manufacturer so I can get an accurate measurement.
Thank you for your research, and being the special diet “test kitchen”.
I love to cook and understand the chemistry of cooking, but being fairly new to GF and DF with as much vegan as I can, it has made the transition more pleasant and less wasteful.
Blessings,
Rebecca
Thanks so much for your kind words, and for sharing your experience, Rebecca! xo
Theres says
Is there an organic savoy version?
Hi Theres! We haven’t found any organic coconut cream from Savoy, we like the organic whole foods 365 option, though! Hope this helps!
Caroline Le Grand says
Many thanks for this great recipe! Easy and no fuss!
I tried it with coconut cream (78% coconut) and it separated. It’s still on the counter (been there for 36h now) I’m waiting for the 48h mark to take it to the fridge. I’ll probably strain it as to get a real thick yogurt.
I have two questions though:
1- Would you recommend straining it before or after taking it to the fridge? (I would guess after since it will thicken more in the fridge)
2- I really like my coconut brand (I live in Belgium, it’s Kazidomi).Do you think I could add a pinch of guar gum myself as I make the yogurt to prevent separation? how much would you recommend?
Thanks in advance for your advise!
Caroline
Hi Caroline, thank you for sharing! We typically strain before adding to the fridge, but either way should be fine. As for the guar gum, that could help, but we aren’t sure on the amount. Let us know if you try it!
Kristi says
Hi! Thank you so much for this helpful post and video, loved it! I used Aroy-D coconut milk and “NOW probiotic-10 25 billion 10 probiotic strains” It has been sitting in my 84 degree garage for about 20 hours. I see about 1/2” of separation on the bottom and it smells a little tangy/sour. Is this all normal?
Hi Kristi, that does sound normal, as long as it doesn’t smell off and there aren’t any signs of mold. You can find troubleshooting tips for the separation above the recipe. Hope that helps!
Peggy says
Hi, just wondering where you purchased the beautiful glass container and glass lid? Thanks
Hi Peggy, they are large Weck jars. Hope that helps!
Cynthia Reed says
I want to thank you so very much for sharing your amazing recipe. I made it, it took closer to 3 days for mine. My husband likes a cold house. I used a nut bag to drain the separation. I’m a southern girl so I’m gonna use that liquid for cornbread and the yogurt for my baked potatoes. It tastes wonderful I’m so excited because I’m allergic to dairy. Also I get sick from commercial coconut yogurt so this is a game changer for me!!!
Aw, we’re so glad it was helpful, Cynthia! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Susan Redlon says
Well I did do just that; I evaluated where placementof my jars where.
They were not in sunlight, but the heat was too, much!
So I put this batch in the cupboard to control light and heat. Timed it to exactly 24 hours AND I used
1 1/2 Renew capsules of pro-biotics. I kept tasting my probiotics? So I tried a little less.
Viola , Thank you love this recipe after you find your tweak spot!
Emma says
This is my go-to yogurt recipe these days! No more watery store bought yogurt.
I’ve been making this for about 2 months with Native Forest full fat and it works beautifully. I buy in bulk on Amazon.
Woohoo! Thanks for sharing your experience, Emma! xo
Sara says
Hi! Love to try this recipe out and before that, I have a question. Is it possible for me to keep a portion from the last batch and use it to culture the new yogurt? Thanks!!
Hi Sara, We tested that 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. Hope that helps!
Sara says
My coconut concoction smells like eggs! Is this normal? It also hasn’t thickened up over 48 hours– It’s still very runny. I used Aroy-D and a non-prebiotic capsule. I made sure to sterilize everything as shown in the video. Where did I go wrong? Has anyone else had the sulfur smell?
Oh no, sorry to hear that! It sounds like something did go wrong. What strains of bacteria were in the probiotic? What is the brand?
Rikki Bobchin says
Mine also smells like eggs too but tastes okay. When I opened the coconut can it did smelled a little, so maybe the coconut in the can was bad? I used Savoy
Caitlin says
I used the Thai Kitchen brand, it smells like eggs a lot of the time right when you open it. It doesn’t mean it’s bad….some brands just smell that way. I really don’t like what came out though. I switched to the Whole Foods Organic 365 and so far have had no issues.
daria faïn says
Hello!
the first time I made the yogurt it was perfect : )
the second time i doubled the doses with 2 cans and 4 probiotic capsules and left it for 48h but it remained liquid.
any clue why?
thank you!
daria
Hi Daria, is it possible any of the brands you used were different? Or the room temperature?
NOORHANI DICKSON says
I tried this recipe this weekend and wow, it turned out awesome! I used the WF 365 Full Fat Coconut Milk and ReNew Flora 50 billion. Do you have any experience if this can now be used as a master for more yogurt or do I need to start the process over each time?!
We’re so glad it turned out well! We tried that and didn’t find it to work with this recipe. But if you try it, let us know how it goes!
Karen says
I’m going to have to make this again. Oh yea, I made it allright, then left it on top of the refrigerator. For. Weeks. My sweet husband “uhhh, what’s THAT?” Me, “I dunno.” Then “oh, just a science experiment” as I’m tipping the colorful mixture into the poor trashcan. It was quite pretty though…
Oh no! Let us know how it goes next time!
Emma says
I tried this with coconut milk and probiotics and didn’t have much luck at all. Perhaps the weather wasn’t warm enough, but it just stayed runny no matter how long I left in the warmest spot I had, nor did it thicken in the fridge. I now have tried with Kara coconut cream and probiotics and used with my normal yogurt maker – mixed it in the jar, added boiling water and it was ready 24 hours later! So yum!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Emma! Room temperature can make a difference. Glad it turned out in the yogurt maker!
Cari says
Delish and hella easy! I used the recommended brands then tried some others. My face is Kara coconut cream because it’s super cheap in Thai grocery stores and it comes in 32 ounce size.
I have an old-timey gas stove, so I store the fermenting yogurt in the bottom next to the pilot light and it’s always perfect. I tried it in a room and it went funky on me, so I stick to the stove now. I thought a room would be warm enough because I live in LA, but it wasn’t apparently.
I mix it up in a large pitcher first, then pour into smaller jars to make it easier.
Also, the whey leftover is great in baking or smoothies.
Great! Thanks for sharing, Cari!
Marie says
I love the Cocojune yogurt, it is thick, creamy, smooth and delicious. Would this recipe taste like that, I do not like any of the other brands because they are too sour.
Hi Marie, it will depend on the probiotics you use and how long you let it ferment. We’d suggest checking it at maybe 18 hours to see if you’re liking the taste? Hope that helps!
Yv says
How come there is whey? I thought that will only happen with dairy?
Aimee says
The liquid wouldn’t be whey as this recipe is dairy free recipe.
Jos says
Excellent recipe. Thick, tangy, and delicious. Have your tried this recipe with only one probiotic capsule? What do you think the results would be? Probiotics are a little spendy so I just want to save a little.
Thank you!
Hi Jos, we haven’t. But it would likely be less tangy.
Ash says
Hi, I’m just about to try your recipe, looks so simple. I have a shelf stable probiotic with the strain lactobacillus rhamnosus 12 billion. Would that be okay to use? Thanks!
I’m not familiar with that one. Let us know how it goes!
Sue says
Is it possible to use this exact recipe, but with oat milk instead of coconut milk?
Unfortunately that won’t work! Oat milk would be too thin and require heating for safety.
Emma says
Hello! I just made this yogurt a few days ago. The instructions made it very simple to do! I used the 365 Full Fat Coconut from Whole Foods and the Garden of Life Raw Women’s Probiotic. My yogurt sat for over 30 hrs. I put it in the fridge after that and now it’s thick and tangy! The only thing that I am curious about is why there are some lumps in it? My guess is that I didn’t shake the coconut milk up enough before pouring it in my jar. Id love some feedback on how to make it smoother for my next batch! Thanks!
Hi Emma, thanks so much for sharing! We’d suggest giving the coconut milk a whisk before adding the probiotics. Hope that helps!
Daniel says
Hello ! I want to know if this recipe works with your homemade coconut milk recipe.
Thanks !
I’ve tried it and unfortunately it does not!
Jennifer says
I am thinking about adding a protein powder to my yogurt. Have you tried that yet?
We haven’t! If you try it, we’d suggest doing so just before transferring to the refrigerator so that it doesn’t interfere with fermentation. Let us know how it goes!
FARIZA BT ZAINUL ARIFFIN says
I love the taste sooo much. Thank you. Can you please advice how do i make it more sour taste
Hi Fariza, we’re so glad you enjoy it! You can try adding more probiotics or fermenting longer.
Savarna says
Hi
Can you use a yogurt maker?
Yes!
Tracey says
I’m trying my 2 Nd batch as we speak lol first one has turned out pretty good although it’s grainy I separated the water from the coconut “ cream” in the can and used 1 1/2 50 billion vegan probiotics and I put it in a clean glass jar with cheesecloth to cover and put it in the oven with the light at a perfect temperature of 26 degrees and took it out of the oven after approximately 30 hrs put into fridge overnight and it tastes good and very thick but like I said grainy 🤷🏻♀️
This time I mixed up the whole can water and milk together so hoping for a better result this time 🙏🏻🤞🏻
Yay! Let us know how round 2 goes, Tracey!
Laura Williamson says
So delicious! I used Organics full fat coconut milk from Safeway and the Renew Life probiotic tablets recommended. I had to let it sit for nearly 48 hours because we’re living in the mountains and it’s cold at the moment. But so creamy with perfect level of tartness!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Laura!
Katelyn says
I am so sad/confused. I followed all the steps properly to the best of my knowledge. I used Savoy coconut milk and Renew Life probiotics and everything seemed like it was going perfectly. It had separated during fermentation and after refrigerating, I went to go scoop all of the yogurt off of the liquid and even though the top tasted fine, OH MY GOD. THE SMELL FROM THE BOTTOM LIQUID. It smells like the worst rotten eggs. What could I have done wrong? Everything else seemed great so I would love to try this recipe again, but I’m super sad that this batch is inedible.
Hmm, sounds to me like there was some bacteria introduced from improperly sanitized equipment! Did you sanitize properly?
Ann says
I was super excited to find this recipe for vegan yogurt. I’d planned to make it today, but unfortunately, when I looked at the Renew Life probiotics label I learned that milk products were included. Soy, too, but that’s not a problem for me. I’m going to look for a brand that is definitely dairy free, and then make your delicious-sounding yogurt. I honestly can’t wait!!
Yay! Let us know how it goes, Ann!
Ann E says
Hi Dana. I did find dairy free probiotics so I made this yogurt and it turned out perfectly! It’s opened up a whole world of food for me. Some recipes call for buttermilk or yogurt, and whatever I could find had a funky taste or consistency. Even those that claimed to be “plain unsweetened” were no good for tzatziki because of something identified on the ingredient list as “flavour“. What the ?? Yogurt already HAS flavour. And it’s yummy!! I’m so happy I found your recipe. Thanks a million! :) 👍
Aw, yay! We’re so glad to hear that, Ann. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Steven holmes says
I know that with regular yogurt, you can use a previous batch for “starter” for the next batch because you are transferring a culture. Am I right to guess that a new prebiotic needs to be put in with each batch and you can’t use an old batch as a “starter”?
We tried that and didn’t find it to work with this recipe. But if you try it, let us know how it goes!
Jade says
I made this coconut yogurt using 2.5 capsules of my probiotics which have 10 billion active probiotics each, I let my yogurt sit activating in a warm environment overnight and checked it around the 19-20hr mark and it was very tangy in taste but not very thick at all, therefore I put it in fridge to harden up, when i came to check it about 2 hours later it had bubbled up a lot and even leaked out of the jars lid, what could have gone wrong? (I used the Aroy-D coconut yogurt)
Hmm, sounds like your probiotics were very active? I’ve never experienced that kind of change, especially not after refrigeration!
Makayla Endo says
Hi there,
I am wanting to make this for my 8 month old and am wondering if I can use a baby probiotic, Renew Life Ultimate baby flora probiotic. Do you think this would work. If not, do you think that adult levels of probiotics is safe?
Um, without being familiar with that product I can’t guarantee it but it should work considering it’s high quality, a powder (tablet) not a (crushed) pill, and does not contain prebiotics. I can’t speak to whether an adult probiotic would be safe for children – consult your doctor!
Taylor says
Yeah so it smells similar to buttered popcorn and it tastes like tangy, whipped, unsalted butter. When I made it the first time, I used coconut milk that was too watery (only 2g of fat) and it smelled like a coconut dessert and tasted like yogurt more or less but it was the consistency of kefir. I couldn’t get it to thicken beyond that, which was fine but I wanted to try with full fat coconut milk. The second time I used Andre Prost unsweetened coconut milk (13g fat/serving). The probiotics both times were Nature’s Truth Probiotic-14 (25 billion active cultures). The second time (the buttery one) the mixture was already super thick immediately upon mixing it with the probiotic. Thanks for getting back to me!
Taylor says
Hello, I made this recipe with full fat coconut milk, and it smelled like butter after it started to ferment. I tasted it and it sort of just tastes like tangy butter. I was a bit put off by that, as in I wasn’t expecting it. Is this normal/something you experienced or is this something weird on my end? Thanks :)
Hmm, tangy butter. Tangy is normal. Not sure what you mean by butter? Which brand of coconut milk / probiotic did you use?
Summer Ward says
Hi there! I have a couple questions. The wooden spoon… does it need to be sterilized as well? If so, does a quick rinse in boiling water suffice? I’d hate to dry it out too much! Also, can I keep it warm on the yogurt setting of my instapot for the 24-48 hours? I would want to cap it with a lid as I make curry dishes in there and wouldn’t want the smell to transfer. Is the air getting in necessary for culturing? Meaning does it need to be covered with only a cheese cloth or can I put a lid on it in the pot?
Thanks!
Hi Summer, The wooden spoon should be sterilized and a quick rinse with boiling water is fine. And yes to the Instant Pot!
Summer Ward says
Thank you! Yogurt is in the pot 🤞🏻Does keeping it at a consistently warm heat in the pot shorten the culturing time at all?
Yes, a bit!
FARIZA BT ZAINUL ARIFFIN says
How do I increase the shelf life of vegan yougurt
Thank you
This yogurt should last for at least 1 week (often several) in the refrigerator!
Kristi says
So is it OK to use a yogurt maker? My oven doesn’t get very warm with just the light, I have tried using it before.
Yes!
Amanda says
Hi! I have a probiotic powder (youtheory spore probiotic) with 6 billion CFU. The recipe recommends a probiotic capsule with 50 billion. Will that make a difference?
Thanks so much!
Hi Amanda, we haven’t tried this recipe with spore-based probiotics, so we aren’t sure how it will turn out. For best results, we’d suggest a mix of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria strains.
Marci says
Ok I Dont get how you deal with the chunk of fat that separates to the top of the can????? It does not blend in without heat and you make no mention of that
Hi Marci, it’s important to start with a brand of coconut milk that’s already smooth and creamy.
Devon says
Hi! I made this and it tastes great! It also smelled great, until I put it in the fridge! I transferred it to a different jar and covered with a metal lid. I think my partner has also been serving with a metal spoon. Does this matter? It just has a sulfur-y scent at first when the jar is opened. Thoughts?
Hi Devon, the metal lid/spoon shouldn’t make much difference after it has already fermented. But we wonder if something got in there that caused it to go bad? Did the brand of coconut milk you used have any additives like sulfites?
Devon says
I used Aroy-D Coconut Milk. The only added ingredient there is Polysorbate-60. It seems like sulfur is naturally occurring in coconut from what I’ve been reading. I found a company called The Cultured Coconut that says their product smells sulfur-y when first opened. And have found a few other recipes online that say the same thing.
It tastes great, but I’m still going to play it on the safe side and toss this batch. Will try making another.
Thanks for your help!
Beth says
If this works for me can I then use a spoonful as a starter in another batch?
Hi Beth, We tested that 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. Hope that helps!
Kamran H. says
Hi there! Amazing recipe! I was wondering can you make this without the probiotic capsules? Thanks for your time!
Hi, you could try using a yogurt starter, but you need some sort of beneficial bacteria to promote lactic acid fermentation.
Amber says
I just used whole food 365 coconut cream. They were out of full fat tonight. Also, Natren probiotic, but i put 4 in. They were a gel, not powder. Do you think this will work? Hoping so til i can get the exact ingredients!
Alyssa says
Hi! I’m getting ready to attempt this yogurt for the first time. I already have in my fridge the Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Probiotics, Mood+ capsules. They’re powder filled. Do you think this brand would work?
Thank you in advance =)
Hi Alyssa, it looks like that product contains PREbiotics, so it might interfere with fermentation.
Betty says
I have a question for Alyssa… Wondering if this might get to her…
I have the same product, so I wonder if you tried it and, if so, what were the results?
Tracy Conley says
My yogurt taste really good however; it’s really runny-like milk: how do I firm it up?
Hi Tracy, you can 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!
Stef says
Thanks for your recipe. I am currently doing a lod fodmap and scd diet. As per scd, I can’t have any commercially made yogurt, so homemade is okay, but i can’t use anything with guar gum added. I bought 2 brands of coconut milk from Noah’s that doesn’t contain any thickener, but in the end it didn’t turn out. One was completely liquid the other was semi liquid/runny even though I stirred it. I think it could be because there’s no thickening agent to the coconut milk? Any suggestions? I’m wondering if I should try refrigerating the coconut milk, then only using the solid part for the yogurt, reserving the liquid for something else. Do you think that might work? Thanks so much again
Hi Stef, that might work! Or try a thick and creamy coconut cream such as Savoy!
Nicole Zombotti says
The only capsules I have contain both pro and prebiotic. Why do you recommend against using pre?
They interfere with the fermentation and cause it not to work.
JoAnne says
After having a failure at making oat yogurt, I tried your recipe and was so worried that like the oat it wouldn’t thicken, so I added 2 tsp. of Agar powder and didn’t have a probiotic so I used a store bought coconut yogurt as a starter.
OH MY Goodness, it was DELICIOUS and REALLY thick. It was in my slow cooker for 24 hours and thick when it came out.
THANK YOU dear and God Bless and keep you healthy.
Woohoo! We’re so glad it turned out well. Thanks for sharing, JoAnne! xo
Cheryl says
Hi Dani, a vegetarian culture can be ordered from the Cheesemaking
Workshop and Deli in Coffs Harbour. My coconut yoghurt with Ayam coconut milk and cream was great.
Dani says
Hi,
I am trying to make this recipe as, however, I do have a questions before I start. I am based in Australia and it is hard to find the probiotic brands you have recommend. I was wondering if there are any suggestions about what probiotic brand I can use that is available in Australia.
Hi Dani, we aren’t familiar with brands of probiotics in Australia. Another idea would be to look for a (vegan) yogurt starter as it will likely have the types of bacteria that promote proper fermentation. Hope that helps!
Lucy says
Hi minimalist baker and Dani, I’m in Australia and I have made this twice! I Use Nutrivital 50 billion probiotic. It’s vegan (only a small symbol tells you this) and it’s shelf stable. It seems to hit the criteria, and the yoghurt was yummy! You can get it ina Go Vita store if you have one..
Thanks for sharing, Lucy!
Rebecca says
Glad I found this comment, I will try this brand, thank you Lucy! :)
Christa windle says
Hi I just made your coconut yogurt after hrs looking on internet to find dairy free yogurt without boiling milk! And not costing a fortune Thank god I found you was about to give up,I’m wondering if I use a quarter cup of yogurt I made as starter to next batch if it will have as much probiotic as using 2 capsules every time? I take a capsule every day usually of 50 billion
Thankyou soooooo much christa from nz😊
Hi Christa, We tested that 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. Hope that helps!
Michelle Wilmott says
Thanks for recipe I tried it last week but the smell was awful. I did taste it and it seemed fine but the smell was so awful I couldn’t eat it.
Any ideas? Thanks
Hi Michelle, it does sound like something went wrong. We’d suggest double checking that your probiotic does not contain prebiotics. There are additional troubleshooting tips in the videos.
Krystal says
Hi! I just made this and it is amazing, very thick and creamy and the perfect tanginess. I was wondering if I could then use this as the starter for future yogurts (ie put a spoonful of this yogurt into another can of coconut milk and have yogurt). Has anyone done this/had success?
I would love to be able to make yogurt from each batch before as the starter and then not need to buy the probiotics as often.
Thank you!
Hi Krystal, we’re so glad it turned out well! Some readers have mentioned using it as a starter, but in our experience it wasn’t as tangy and didn’t really thicken.
Gayatri says
Have you guys frozen this yogurt? Mine was full fat coconut milk, it came out so thick in fact that it felt like butter/ice cream consistency. I’m assuming because it was 18gms of fat that’s what caused it to get so thick.
So I was wondering have you guys tried freezing it after refrigeration, and what that does?
Hi Gayatri, we haven’t tried freezing it. Let us know if you do!
Lyndsey says
I’ve made this twice and neither time worked – the first time, I left it out for 24 hours then in the fridge for 24 hours. It didn’t thicken or become tangy. The second time, I left it out for 48 hours. 12 hours after moving it to the fridge, I took it out and found mold. Both times it was covered with a cheese cloth. Any idea what went wrong? The brand I use is only made of fresh coconut kernel extract (as per the can…)
Hi Lyndsey, sorry to hear it didn’t work out! It sounds like the probiotics aren’t active and/or the room isn’t warm enough.
Nicole says
I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now and it’s always worked out very well. I’ve found a brand of coconut milk that works well for me – the Aroy-D brand is widely available and while it does separate it creates a yogurt with a great mouthfeel and lovely, gentle tang.
The problem I’ve had, though, is with my yogurt giving off a strong sulphur-like smell that to others makes a room smell as though someone has passed gas recently. The yogurt tastes perfectly fine but the odour produced by fermentation means I can’t eat my yogurt anywhere but at home. (I don’t dare send my kid to school with it and the local brand of this yogurt Is getting quite expensive at $8 per 500 ml jar!) I assumed it was the strength of the probiotic I was using (50 billion count). I tried using half a capsule and my yogurt fermented but tasted off and had an odd pinkish film over the top that made me think it had gone bad.
I’m curious if you think a higher count of probiotic could create greater fermentation and lead to a smelly yogurt? And since you mentioned using a probiotic with just 10 billion units, perhaps it wasn’t a lesser amount of good bacteria but contamination that lead to my other yogurt going off?
Hi Nicole, we wonder if a sulfur-reducing bacteria is getting in there and causing the smell. We wouldn’t recommend eating it if it develops a pink film. Did you switch brands of probiotic or just the amount of probiotic? We’d suggest making sure your probiotic has at least one of these strains: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and/or Lactobacillus acidophilus. Or you could also try using a yogurt starter. Hope that helps!
Nicole says
Hello! I’ve been making this recipe almost since you posted it back in 2017. With one exception, I’ve used the same probiotic every time and have always had the same sulphur smell. The exception was that I tried one other probiotic (20 million units) and it didn’t work; the yogurt just didn’t ferment at all.
The strains you mention have been in the capsules I’ve used, though I wonder if it isn’t some other strain that causes the smell ones. Clearly, the pink film was all kinds of wrong and I would never eat that.
Trying a yogurt starter is a good idea – would I use it in the same way as the capsule or would I have to use a yogurt maker? (I don’t have one of those or means of making something like it, so I may just try another brand of probiotic.) Thanks for your help!
Ah, gotcha! Thanks for clarifying. It does sound like the capsules may have some other bacteria or there’s some sort of contamination happening. Yes, you can use the yogurt starter similarly to the capsules and we’ve had success without a yogurt maker.
Nicole says
Fantastic! Imma get me some of that yogurt starter. Thanks! :D
Nicole says
Something interesting to note that I’ve discovered since the last time I posted here…I found a brand of canned coconut milk with a statement on it’s label saying “…may contain naturally occurring sulfur dioxide.” Sulfur dioxide does give off a stinky smell akin to what I described and, sure enough, my next batch of yogurt turned out with exactly the the same stink despite me using a different brand of coconut milk and a new probiotic with all the bacterial strains you mentioned above. Perhaps this is a compound that naturally occurs in coconuts and is present to some degree in all coconut milks. I fermented my yogurt for two days and it was only on the second day the stink developed. After the first day, the yogurt smelled just fine. I think a shorter culturing time is probably key as well. (My home is super cold in the winter but I get the exact same result with this yogurt regardless of the time of year.)
Thanks for sharing this info, Nicole!
Cheryl says
I made coconut yoghurt in Australia with 2 cans 400ml Ayam coconut milk and 1 can 400ml Ayam coconut cream with a culture for non dairy milk, simply mixed together and in a yoghurt maker and it was great, consistency and taste excellent!
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thanks for the lovely review, Cheryl! xo
Gaya says
Hi there! Thank you for this simple recipe! I tried it and it came out, FANTASTIC. I’m based in Australia. I sanitised my jar, got fullest-fat coconut milk (18g), probiotic capsules, and put them together. I don’t have a cheesecloth, so used 2 layers of clean kitchen wipes (the blue and white ones because they have holes).
I checked after 24 hours – it was thick on top, I tried a scoop and it tasted great, although the inside of the yogurt was still a tiny bit runny. So I popped it in the fridge – and it got REALLY thick. Kind of like coconut oil.
I would like it to be more like yogurt (so slightly more watery) – any suggestions? I also really want to cut down on the fat content (18-20g is a bit too much). I may try this with a lite coconut milk (8-10 g fat).
I know you said to not use lite milk – What has been your experience with lite milk, like what happens?
Thanks! Looking forward to hearing from you!
Best,
Gayatri
Hi Gayatri, it sounds like you would prefer a thinner consistency in which case lite coconut milk may actually be more what you are looking for. Hope that helps!
LindaLu says
I want to make this recipe before I do, I have a question. I have cans of the Native Forest Simple full fat coconut milk. The milk you recommend is their Classic formula. Can you tell me if the one I have will work?
Hi Linda, we don’t think that one will work as well because it doesn’t have emulsifiers so it’s typically more chunky. But if you open it and it’s creamy, it could work!
Steven says
I covered my jar with a lid rather than cheesecloth. I used organic whole coconut milk by Native Forest – no guar. Per different instructions I let it sit for four days. It’s like cottage cheese on the top and rest is liquid. I used Raw Probiotics by Garden of Life. I’ve had the probiotic sitting in a closed jar for several months. Any suggestions?
Hi Steven, we wonder if it may have cultured too long. We typically culture closer to 1-2 days. Does it smell funky?
Tracy Conley says
My first batch in my yogurt maker was delicious!!!!! So good. It’s really runny – the top is thick and I can see liquid on the bottle.
It was soupy but still delicious. I will continue trying to perfect it.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Tracy! We’d suggest a thicker coconut milk/cream and also checking out the notes above the recipe for more info on how to thicken. Hope that helps!
Olivia Layne says
Hi there! Can I use homemade coconut milk or is it not creamy enough?
I bought a vegan yogurt starter, can I use that instead of the probiotic pills??
Hi Olivia, homemade coconut milk needs to be heated before making the yogurt for safety. With canned, it’s heated during processing which kills any harmful microbes. If your homemade coconut milk is extra thick, then maybe it would work with heating. We haven’t tried a vegan yogurt starter, but it should work well!
Vegan-ish says
I have the EasiYo (non electric yoghurt maker) and also a yoghurt setting on my oven (I think this is maybe 30-40C). Would this be too hot for this vegan yoghurt recipe (not sure how the probiotics in capsules compare with that in a live dairy yoghurt starter?
Also any recommended UK brands of coconut milk? Would the long life coconut milk 1litre cartons work eg. Alpro/KoKo etc or are these not creamy enough?
Thanks
Hi, That temperature isn’t an issue, just know it will ferment faster. We aren’t familiar with brands in the UK, but we’d suggest doing a search in the comments to see what other readers have found. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words (such as “UK”) in the comments. Hope that helps!
Fiona says
Hi Veganish, I think they are talking about the cans of coconut milk you find on the shelf for Asian cooking, not the coconut drinks like the Alpro and Koko. Those won’t work. You need the thick, white coconut solid stuff in the can for yoghurt.
Tracy Conley says
Trying this tonight in my yogurt maker. If you add fruit, when do you do that step?
Hi Tracy, add it after fermenting- just before transferring to the fridge. You can check out this recipe for further guidance. Hope that helps!
Jade Amoy Palmer says
Can I use this as a substitute for plain curd? I saw a video on how to make a pizza white sauce without cheese, and it’s mostly vegan aside from that ingredient.
Hmm, I’ve never tried that! But if you do let us know how it goes!
Rebecca says
Hi, my first attempt didn’t work so now attempting to troubleshoot what the issue is. I ended up with a beige film on top and while it smelled and even tasted fine, it gave me a stomachache after having a tiny amount just to taste. I ended up tossing out just in case.
I will be doing better about the sanitizing step (may have been the issue), but had a question about the probiotics. I have the Renew Life 50 billion you recommended but the capsules are much smaller than yours appeared to be in the video. Should I use three?
Thank you!
Hi Rebecca, sorry to hear that! Renew Life recently modified to make smaller capsules with the same amount of bacteria, so we don’t think you need to adjust that. Let us know how it goes with additional sanitizing!
Rebecca says
I just wanted to report back and let you know the extra sanitizing step made all the difference. Also, I made sure to use 365 brand coconut milk and that just made a perfectly creamy and smooth end result. I can’t speak to your other recommended brands but I had the best results with the 365 brand milk. I tried a few other brands I had on hand already and the yogurt never really thickened up as much.
Amazing! Thanks for the update, Rebecca!
Em says
I’ve had a go but when I’ve retrieved my yoghurt after the 48 hrs it has a thick creamy wrinkled layer on top? Is this a bad sign or is this the separation to mentioned?
It may be a bad sign, but without seeing it it’s hard to say. How does it smell / taste? A film isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Rebecca says
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Would it work in a yogurt make or would that be too warm and not enough air flow? Thanks!
We haven’t tried it that way, but it should work well!
Alycia says
Can I still make this with the renew life probiotic but the 30 billion rather than the 50 billion you suggested?
That should work! You could add an additional capsule for more tang.
Charmaine says
Hi! This recipe really really worked! I used really twice because I am in awe and so excited!
I made two batches in one day – I was rushing and somewhat skimmed the recipe so for the first batch I used a metal spoon. After I mixed it I went back to read the recipe and discovered that a wooden spoon was best, so I covered the metal spoon one with cheesecloth anyhow, just in case and made a batch with a wooden spoon. I used two vegan 10billion capsules in each container and full fat coconut milk.
After 48 hours I went to try the metal spoon one and it was the same consistency so I let it sit in the fridge for two more days – no change. I decided to just use a splash of it in my smoothies and just now in my kitchari.
I completely forgot about the second batch until now – I used up all of the first batch in my kitchari and remembered i had a second jar and when i went to pour it, it was yogurt! Tastes good tooo! I am going to make a peach compote to go with it!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe – the metal spoon really does make a difference! I am glad I made one with a wooden spoon as well.
<3
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Charmaine! So helpful! xo
Manon says
Oh Dana!
Thanks for the video 😍
I tried the recipe a few years ago, I was a little hesitant and mine didn’t turn out right. I gave up on it until today where I decided to check the recipe again…
and surprise: a video! Yassss
Your video is given me the tips I was missing and as a non-native speaker it just is so much easier to see you do it.
You’re fab fab fab, thank you again!
Amazing! Hope it works, Manon!
Frances says
Why do you use 50 billion CFU for non-vegan, but only 10 billion CFU for the vegan? Don’t the CFU’s make a difference?
We suggest adding more of the 10 billion (4 capsules vs. 2).
Marie says
Do you know if acidophilus would work?
We haven’t tried just that strain alone. But if you do let us know how it goes!
Michal saragani says
Hello, I think I put a little amount of probiotic capsules, each capsule contains 5 billion bacteria and I put 4 of them.
The yogurt had been almost a day and had not thickened at all except for a little foam on top. I would love to know what to do in such a case, maybe it is possible to add capsules?
You could possibly add some capsules! The foaming sounds normal. The thickening happens mostly in the fridge. Sounds like you just need to throw it in the refrigerator once it’s tangy enough! And follow the additional tips if it doesn’t thicken enough.
Juli says
Hello! I miserably used a metal whisk instead of wood. Do I need to throw this out or is it salvageable? Thanks!
We’d say it’s worth continuing to see if it will work! But if it smells or looks off, it’s best to toss it.
Belle says
The first time I tried this with Whole Foods 365 coconut milk & Natren Megadophilus (which I already had in the house), it didn’t work, didn’t set up. I out the milk in the jar, added the powder, and tried to stir it in (with a bamboo spoon) but the probiotic powder stayed in chunks floating on the top. Not sure if that’s why it didn’t work.
Second time I used the recommended Renew Life 50 billion and it worked great, took 48hrs in a cold kitchen but near my stove. This time I put the powder in the empty jar first, then added about 1 tablespoon of coconut milk, stirred it to make sure the powder was distributed, then added about 1/4 cup more milk, stirred agian, then added the rest of the milk and stirred. I wanted to make sure the powder was fully distributed, and maybe this helped make it successful the second time. Just made it a third time in the same fashion and it worked again!
Question: Can you make this like you would homemade dairy yogurt, where you start a new batch with some of the yogurt from the previous batch? Would save $$ on the probiotics, which are pretty pricey and makes it not much cheaper than buying the same amount of non-dairy yogurt. Otherwise great recipe!
Hi Belle, thanks so much for sharing your experience! We tested that 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. Hope that helps!
Hannah says
Could I use reduced fat or lite coconut milk?
It won’t be thick and creamy, but more like a drinkable yogurt.
Megan says
This was my first time trying this! I think it was an OK first attempt, but I can’t figure out where my error was to make it better. It had a weird chalky texture to it.
I think I followed the directions precisely – even watched the helpful video. I used the full fat 365 brand coconut milk, and 2 Renew Life 50 billion as recommended. Shook the coconut milk and poured into glass jar that I’d rinsed with boiling water; used wooden spoon to stir/smear around sides of jar to evenly distribute probiotic, covered with the cheesecloth, and set in oven with light on for 48 hours. My little ambient temperature reader said it was 85 degrees in there!
There were about 2 inches of liquid at the bottom (not sure why), so as recommended, I used the bowl + strainer + cheesecloth method to thicken it up in the fridge for another 24 hours.
No foul smell, no mold, and it certainly thickened up. It was really, really tangy — maybe too tangy?! The flavor had such a strong bite to it I could barely eat a sample even with honey and golden kiwis mixed in — but the main thing for me was the texture. There were these little chalky bits in it. I tried stirring and stirring the final product to get that really smooth greek yogurt texture, and no dice. I could not get rid of the chalky bits no matter how hard I tried.
Any thoughts on what that was about and advice on how I can try to improve this next time?
Hi Megan, sorry to hear it didn’t turn out! It almost sounds like it was a dud can of coconut milk? We’re not sure what else would cause a chalky texture. For the tanginess, you could try cutting back on the amount of probiotic or fermentation time.
Eric Busby says
Hoped to start a batch tomorrow, but realized that the probiotics that I have are 1 billion.
Any recommendations on the amount that I should use, as 50 would be extremely excessive. Even 10 would seem a bit much.
Hi Eric, maybe 2-4? Let us know how it goes!
Mike says
My first attempt at this was a mixed bag. I used Savoy Coconut Cream and Now Probiotic-10 25 billion. The flavor was pleasantly tangy, though milder than I like, and it hadn’t thickened at all after 36 hours.
My second batch, however, was a tremendous success, setting up as delicious and creamy in fewer than 24 hours. Since I changed up the coconut brand (Shoprite Organic), the number of capsules (4 Probiotic-10 25 billion) and the method (i introduced more heat since my house is really cool in winter, it’s hard to tell what worked. All I know is that it really did. As you promised, it’s the best yogurt I’ve ever tasted.
Incredible! Thanks for sharing, Mike! Love your changes! So helpful.
Mike says
Thanks for this great post.
I tried this using Savoy Coconut Cream and NOW brand probiotics. After 36 hours it has a very pleasant tangy flavor, but doesn’t seem to have thickened up at all. Also, mine tastes a good bit more like coconut than the So Delicious coconut brand I buy at the store. Would it become less coconutty and more yogurty if I let it set up longer? I don’t mind the coconut taste, but I’m just curious what my expectations should be.
Also I’m wondering if the coolness of my house is slowing things down. I’ve been using the oven light trick, but my oven doesn’t seem to get noticeably warm. Do you know anything about starting this off by warming the coconut milk first? I notice that people who do this with cow’s milk often use heat.
Hi, Mike! The longer it sets unrefrigerated, the tangier it will become. Our sweet spot is usually ~48 hours. And yes, a warm home / environment helps. My other go to place is the laundry room where it’s usually kind of warm / humid. Just avoid direct sunlight.
SueB says
I have made this recipe a few times now using either the Arroy-D or 365 coconut milk as suggested, as well as the suggested Renew Life 50 billion capsules. Both have turned out great when left in the oven for 24 hours with the light on (only). The only differences were that the Arroy-D was not as thick so I put 3 tbs of chia seeds in before putting in the fridge to cool, turns out awesome. My next batch, I will try one capsule of 100 billion, instead of two 50’s. I say this because for $3 more you get the 100 billion but only need to use one capsule instead of two – hopefully it will work as I’ll be able to make twice the amount:). Thanks for the recipe.
We’re so glad it’s worked well for you! Thanks so much for sharing!
Bri says
Would thai kitchen coconut milk work
Another reader mentioned it worked great for them! Let us know how it goes!
Talia says
Hello! I’m super excited to try this. I’ve completed all the steps and currently have my yogurt in the oven. However, I’ve noticed there are little chunks of the probiotic powder despite my stirring and attempted smoothing. Will this impact my yogurt?
Thanks so much!
Hi Talia, it might, but there’s a possibility it will still work. If it looks, smells, or tastes off, it’s best to discard and try again.
Tashi says
Mine came out perfect I used the 360 coconut milk and sprouts brand probiotics. I left it in my microwave (off) for about 35 hours. I grew up eating plain tart yogurt with everythin. I have a dariy sensitivity so I no longer am able to do that. This is the best replacement I have found. I have tried everything on the market
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Tashi. 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
Lisa says
Hi! I just mixed the probiotics with the coconut milk…really curious to see what happens!
If it comes out nice, would a spoonful of the yogurt work as a starter for the next batch?
Thanks as always for the wonderful recipes and tips!
Hi Lisa, We tested that 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. Hope that helps!
Selina says
I have cashew milk in my pantry (sadly no coconut milk), can I use that instead?
Thanks
It unfortunately won’t thicken up.
Rainbow Warrior says
Hey! I saw oatmilk in the store the other day. So that means you CAN use other milk options to make yogurt. The culture will grow through the milk substance. To thicken, one can use agar, arrowroot starch, or gelatin to achieve desired thickness. I have not tried this method. But I know it exists! You’ll know the culture process is underway when it tastes tart or tangy like standard yogurt.
Another coconut yogurt recipe I found mentioned the use of starches to thicken the yogurt once the culture has grown.
Ihope this helps!
I’m making my yogurt from a scoby culture. We’ll see how it works out!
Laura says
I used the only brand I could find, “Native Forest simple”, with the same probiotic you used, sprinkling and stirring it into the milk. I used glass and no metal. It made a too-thin yogurt (more like kefir) which smelled and tasted nice. It had the normal yogurty smell and taste. But 10 min after I ate it, I got a stomach ache and cramps. I almost never get stomach aches, so it made me worried I had dome something wrong. What do you recommend for next time?
OK strange. Have you consumed this probiotic before? Perhaps it was too active for your system? The other possibility is it was rancid or went bed, but if you said it smelled and tasted fine that wouldn’t have been it.
Laura says
Yes, when I bought the RenewLife Probiotic you mentioned, I began taking it every day, too. No issues there. Usually with fermented foods, if they smell pleasing to our noses, they should be mostly the good bacteria. I am used to eating store-bought coconut yogurts, and I’ve never had an issue there, either.
On another note, the yogurt was just thin. I knew it might be, because you said this brand was not the best for thick yogurt. But I don’t usually see those better brands around. I’ve read other coconut yogurt recipes where gelatin can be added for thickness. Do you recommend it for those who are eating animal products?
I’ve never tried adding gelatin but if you do certainly let us know! I’m not sure what else may have upset your stomach, unless it was the coconut milk itself.
Laura says
I am accustomed to the coconut milk as my only milk because I’m on the AIP for RA. — I used a yogurt maker, which has a 9 little jars. Every single jar had the same smell and taste. So, it’s not as if a stray bug got into one and dominated over the probiotic bugs. It’s something that was there in the original mix. I’m really confused about it. But I will try again and see what happens. The RenewLife bottle is new, too. I’ve had it only 2 weeks.