Video/Recipe: Coconut Milk Yogurt

coconut yogurt, dairy-free yogurt, cocoyog

 

As I mentioned in my previous post about making coconut milk, living dairy-free can be rather challenging. One of the hardest foods to give up is yogurt. The smooth texture of cool yogurt on a hot summer’s day is deeply refreshing. You do not have to miss out! This recipe is easy once you get to know the steps. Just add some fresh berries and it is as satisfying as any fresh dairy product — more so, because this yogurt is truly hand crafted.

While there are several steps to make before the coconut milk yogurt is ready, it is very light and fluffy… so worth the effort! Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

Coconut Milk Yogurt

Ingredients

2 quarts coconut milk
1 – 2 tablespoon honey (where to buy raw honey)
yogurt culture
2-3 tablespoons gelatin (preferably Bernard Jensen’s or Great Lakes)
vanilla extract (SCD legal)

Instructions

  • Heat the coconut milk to 180 degrees to sterilize
  • Remove from heat and cool to 105 degrees
  • Pour into glass jar and reserve one cup
  • Mix cultures into one cup milk
  • Mix honey into the cup as well
  • Combine cup into the larger portion of milk in the glass jar
  • Set into yogurt maker
  • Brew for 8 – 12 hours
  • The milk will not be thicker after brewing
  • After you take it out of the yogurt maker, heat 1/8 cup water to boiling in a small pot
  • Mix 2 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoon honey (you add more or less depending upon how sweet you like it) and 3 tablespoons gelatin into the water until well blended
  • Mix this mixture into the yogurt and blend well
  • Pour into 2 quart jars and refrigerate
  • After 6 – 8 hours you will see that the yogurt has separated
  • You will need to blend this in a blender as the fat will be hardened
  • After blending, refrigerate again for 6 – 8 hours
  • Now your yogurt is ready. Enjoy!

This post is linked to: Seasonal Saturday, Seasonal Sunday, Sugar-Free Sunday, Sweet & Savory, Melt in your Mouth Monday, Monday Mania, Midnight Maniac Monday, Meatless Monday, Mangia Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Weekend Carnival, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Hearth and Soul Hop, Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Made From Scratch Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, What’s on the Menu, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Made It On Monday, Foodie Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Tip Day Carnival, Simple Lives Thursday, Creative Juice Thursday, Frugal Follies, Pennywise Platter Food Trip Friday
Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Friday Potluck, Allergy Free Friday, Friday Food, Foodie Friday

 

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  • Rakesh

    Hi,

    thanks for posting this but I have questions:

    1. If the yoghurt culture is multiplying, what is it feeding on? The honey? If so, could we add honey to lactose-free milk and see it work too (in principle)?
    2. Won’t adding hot water to the yoghurt kill some of the bacteria? Or has it cooled by time its ready to add back in?

    Thanks

  • http://frugallygreenmom.blogspot.com/ April Hargraves

    Sounds yummy!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Rakesh,
    The cultures are feeding on the honey. In principle you might be able to make yogurt in lactose-free milk. I have never tried that. The water is not that hot by the time you mix in all the other ingredients.

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi April,
    Thanks for your comments!

  • wendi

    Thanks for this! I have a few questions, I buy 16 oz coconut yogurt for $3 or under. What’s the comparison to this? I’d have to buy the culture and gelatin AND yogurt maker..

    And do I have to use gelatin? Maybe less? Or is it needed at that amount to be ‘yogurt’.

    Thanks for the great video. I really hope to make it but buying the supplies and such seems like a lot.. Convince me :)

  • http://shopannies.blogspot.com angie

    what an amazing recipe my children love yogurt come see me at http://shopannies.blogspot.com

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Wendi,
    If you are on the SCD or GAPS diet you need to eat only completely non processed foods with no additives. That is why you need to make the coconut milk and then the yogurt — so you control what goes into it. If that is not an issue with you and you don’t mind a few additives, just buy it. What coconut yogurt is $3.00 for 16 oz?

  • wendi

    So Delicious at my local farmers market store. Its actually on sale for 2.84 now. I am not on the diet. Thanks!

  • http://kitchenswathi.blogspot.com Swathi

    I use coconut and yogurt separately a lot. combined only for curries. not yet as such. Looks delicious. Thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop.

  • http://www.heckagoodrecipes.blogspot.com Tressa @ Hecka-Good Recipes

    Do you really need to heat the milk to 180 degrees? They do this with cow’s milk to “pasteurize it, so would that be necessary with coconut milk?

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Swathi,
    Thanks for your comments!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Tressa,
    When I make the yogurt directly after making the milk, (see previous post) I do not heat it as it has just been heated. But if I am using milk that has been frozen, you have to heat it anyway in order to mix it…As you said, heating to 180 degrees does “pasteurize” it. I’m not really sure if that is entirely necessary here, but it would kill any unwanted microorganisms and the coconut milk does not have all the “live” substances like raw milk that would also be eliminated with heating. So I guess the choice is yours.

  • http://larkscountryheart.blogspot.com/ Lark

    I am so happy you linked up to “Made it on Monday” :)

    I hope you will make us your new habit.

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Lark,
    Will do, the party is fun!

  • http://pounds4pennies.blogspot.com Pounds4Pennies

    Wow this sounds really delicious. I wish I had a yogurt maker. I just tried coconut milk for the first time this week. I was surprised at how good it actually was. If I can get it on sale I will purchase more. I am going to check out your previous post on how to make coconut milk.

    Thanks!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Pounds4Pennies,
    I think you will like it!

  • http://www.glutenfreehomemaker.com Linda

    I’v tried the store bought coconut milk yogurt once or twice and liked it, so I’m sure this is good too. As always, thanks for participating in Gluten Free Wednesdays!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Linda,
    Thanks for your comments.

  • http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/ Miz Helen

    Hi Jill,
    I am happy to see that your Video made it through the”Blogger Storm”. It is a great Video with very good information. I really enjoyed it. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you next week!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Miz Helen,
    I’m so glad it made it through as well!

  • http://www.momtrends.com/ Nicole Feliciano

    Thanks for the instruction. My husband is on a coconut water kick. I found you from ekat’s kitchen potluck. If you get a moment, I’d love for you to swing by and share this on Momtrends:

    http://www.momtrends.com/2011/05/easy-chicken-pot-pie/

  • http://www.littlebrickranch.com/ Little Brick Ranch

    Such a great idea…so much better than store bought! This would be perfect for my Foodie Friday linky party – stop by this week and link up!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Nicole,
    Thanks for the invite — will do!

  • http://www.ekatskitchen.com Erin @ EKat’s Kitchen

    This looks wonderful! Thanks so much for linking up to Friday Potluck!!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Erin,
    Thanks so much for your kind words!

  • http://mangoesandchutney.com/ Miranda

    What a great recipe. I love that you have things that I have never seen before. Thanks for linking up to Fat Camp Friday this week! See you next Friday!

  • http://fudgeripple.blogspot.com christy larsen

    fabulous recipe…i love making homemade yogurt…i never thought it could be done with coconut milk…genius! thank you for sharing with tuesday night supper club!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Miranda,
    And your carnival has a lot of foods I have not seen before and it is very interesting!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Christie,
    Thanks for your kind words!

  • http://www.simplysugarandglutenfree.com/slightly-indulgent-tuesday-51711/ Recipe for Gluten Free, Sugar Free Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; 5/17/11

    [...] Coconut Milk Yogurt from Real Food Forager [...]

  • http://www.mcquill-land.blogspot.com Jennifer

    Alright, this is probably a silly question, but… is this homemade coconut yogurt as coconut-ty in taste as the store-bought ones. My kids really didn’t like the coconut yogurt I purchased right after we went dairy free. They’ll eat soy yogurt, but I’m concerned with the amount they eat, especially my younger son who eats an entire large container of plain soy yogurt every couple of days. I’m looking for an alternative, but I’m not sure if this will work for them.

  • cindy

    where do I get yogurt culture? I love the idea of making my own yogurt, but have used acidophilus in the past. I just found your web site – I love it!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    HI Jennifer,
    I never bought the store bought coconut yogurt so I couldn’t say — I can only say try it — it has a very light and refreshing flavor and the texture is also light and fluffy. It does not have an over powering flavor. Let me know!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Cindy,
    You can purchase yogurt cultures is any health food store in the refrigerated section. It is a powder.

  • http://www.cybelepascal.com/?p=2830 Allergy Friendly Friday 5/20/11 | Cybele Pascal Allergen-Free Cuisine

    [...] Coconut Milk Yogurt from Real Food Forager [...]

  • http://fa.sarahbdesigns.net SarahB

    Thank you so much for posting the steps out in a list like you did – that’s just what I needed! I have tried making coconut yogurt twice now and was so frustrated by the separating because no one else’s tutorial seemed to mention it. I tried stirring it back together but it just wasn’t enough. I never thought to use the blender! I will give this a try again today. : ) (Found you by way of Cybele Pascal’s site!)

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Sarah,
    You are very welcome! It is a “process” to make this yogurt but the texture and the flavor are not to be compared. Let me know how it goes. I visited your site — you may want to take a look at the info about SCD and GAPS diets. They are good for allergies.

  • Sarah

    I made the yogurt and it came out great. How long does the yogurt keep for refrigerated? And is it possible to freeze?
    Thank you.

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Sarah,
    I usually make 2 quarts at a time and it can keep for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator. I have never put it in the freezer as I think the bacteria would die.

  • http://www.frugallynourishing.com Alison

    Jill, it looks like you have a glass container inside your yogurt maker….did it come like that or do you use your own?

    Also, how did you know your yogurt maker ‘ran hot’? I just bought one and want my yogurt to come out right and might do the dimmer switch idea….how hot was it? Did you test it throughout the cooking process?

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Alison,
    I bought the glass container as an extra option with the Yogourmet maker.

    When you run the yogurt maker more than 12 hours it may start to heat up. I was making goat milk yogurt on the SCD and that requires 24 hour yogurt. I would take the temperature of the yogurt at various times and it would be up at 120 — should be around 105.

    The solution is the dimmer set in the middle if you are going to make 24 hour yogurt. The coconut milk yogurt does not have to be brewed for 24 hours.

    Which yogurt are you making? Cow, goat or coconut milk?

  • http://www.frugallynourishing.com Alison

    Thanks for the reply Jill. Right now I’m making coconut, but can’t wait to make cow’s milk yogurt again soon. I have to search for the glass jar, haven’t seen it on amazon. Where did you get yours? I checked my yogurt at 6 hours and it was 105 still, but in the plastic container. I’d love to get glass if I can find it! Thanks for the video, I’m so pumped for yogurt, been dairy free for 2 years and on GAPS for 6 mo. and no yogurt! :)

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Alison,
    I think I got my glass jar from digestivewellness.com. You’ll love the coconut yogurt — I like it better than cow milk yogurt.

  • http://www.frugallynourishing.com Alison

    Jill, do you think you can freeze this yogurt with ok results?

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Alison,
    I’m sure you could freeze it but you will kill the probiotic. I’ve never frozen it so I can only guess. Let me know!

  • Tracey

    Jill-I just made the coconut milk and also the yogurt. I chose not to strain the coconut so my milk is not very smooth. Will my yogurt still turn out okay? thanks!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Tracey,
    I never did the yogurt with unstrained milk. You can only try — make sure there is enough honey there for the bacteria to eat. Let me know how the yogurt turns out!

  • kate

    I made this on Thursday, and it is SO good! Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting a video with this one. Making yogurt is a little intimidating.

    I think this is better than the store-bought coconut milk yogurt. Not as thick, but much more flavorful. Worth the effort.

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Kate,
    Thanks so much for your comments. The store bought coconut yogurt is full of gums and stabilizers to hold it together. Homemade is sooo much better!

  • http://eatliftmomrepeat.com/2011/09/12/sunday-in-my-kitchen/ Sunday in My Kitchen « Eat.Lift.Mom.Repeat.

    [...] Coconut Milk Yogurt.  Once I run out of our store bought coconut milk yogurt, I’m going to start giving this to my son instead.  I think I will probably do back-to-back batches to make sure there is enough for the both of us. [...]

  • Katie

    Jill – the past 2 times I’ve made this, it’s come out really runny, even using 3 tbsp of gelatin. Any idea why this is happening? I can’t figure it out!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Katie,
    Could the milk you are using be too thin? If you are making homemade coconut milk be sure it is moderately thick to start out with. Are you sure the cultures you are using are live? Lastly, are you mixing it all together several times after culturing? It will separate and one part is watery the other thicker. I hope this helps! Please let me know how it goes!

  • Katie

    I think it might be my culture, but i’m not positive.  the milk I make is fairly thick, and I’m mixing it up a few times after it cultures and is refrigerated with the gelatin.  I made one more batch yesterday just to make sure it’s not an error on my part, and it’s still runny today.  

    Thanks for your help! I’ll get some new cultures and give it another try!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Also, is your gelatin working? Are you using 3 tablespoons to 2 quarts of cultured milk?