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:
- 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: ThickCreamyCoconuttyProbiotic-richGut-healthyVersatileEasy 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!
