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Thick, creamy, and tangy with just three ingredients — this coconut yogurt is a total keeper. No dairy, no fuss, and no fancy equipment (just a thermometer).
It took a few trial runs (and a couple of flops), but I finally landed on a version that’s smooth, spoonable, and perfectly balanced between subtle coconut flavor and that classic yogurt tang.
In this post, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned along the way — including what works, what to avoid, and the little tweaks that make a big difference. And if you’re after more dairy-free yogurt inspiration, check out my almond milk yogurt or soy yogurt recipes too.
Watch how to make it
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Only 3 ingredients. Full-fat coconut milk, probiotics, and a natural thickener — no artificial stuff or sweeteners.
- No special tools. No yogurt maker needed! A clean jar, a wooden spoon, and a warm spot in your kitchen are all you need.
- Thick and creamy — like the real deal. Spoonable texture and perfect tang, without any dairy.
- Naturally vegan, gluten-free, and gut-friendly. Packed with probiotics and free from common allergens.
- Easy to customize. Stir in vanilla, maple syrup, or fruit purée when serving — or keep it plain and tangy.
Ingredients
- Full-fat canned coconut milk: Look for unsweetened versions with minimal ingredients. Brands with guar gum (like Whole Foods 365 or Savoy) often yield a creamier result. For an additive-free option, try Aroy-D or make your own at home.
- Optional homemade coconut milk: Blend 1 cup of coconut meat with 2 cups of filtered water, then strain out the solids. Here’s how to make coconut milk in detail.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the yogurt for that creamy, scoopable texture.
- Tapioca starch (optional swap): Also works — just double the amount if using this instead of cornstarch.
- A starter: Choose either one:
- Probiotic capsules or powder: Choose one with live active cultures and no added prebiotics or enzymes.
- Plain coconut yogurt: Make sure it contains live cultures and no unnecessary additives. (Regular dairy yogurt works too if you’re not fully dairy-free.)
You’ll also need:
- A non-reactive spoon: Wood or silicone is best — avoid metal.
- Sterilized glass jars: For incubating and storing your yogurt.
- A saucepan: For gently heating the coconut milk.
- An instant-read thermometer: To monitor fermentation temperature.
👉 See the recipe card below for full ingredient details and measurements.
How to make coconut yogurt
Step 1: Sterilize Your Tools
Preheat your oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Wash your jars and tools in hot soapy water, rinse well, then place the jars (no rubber or plastic parts) on a clean baking tray. Heat in the oven for 10–15 minutes until fully dry.
Alternatively, boil everything (except lids with rubber) in a large pot of water for 10 minutes. Let cool before using.
Step 2: Prepare & Heat the Coconut Milk
Shake your can of coconut milk well to combine any separation, then open and whisk if needed. In a small bowl, whisk 1–2 tablespoons of the coconut milk with the cornstarch until smooth. (Tip: You can strain this to remove lumps.)
Pour the rest of the coconut milk into a saucepan, stir in the cornstarch slurry, and heat over medium until it reaches 180ºF (82ºC), stirring occasionally with a wooden or silicone spoon. Don’t let it boil — just heat until hot and slightly thickened.
Step 3: Cool & Add Your Starter
Take the pot off the heat and let the mixture cool to 108–111ºF (42–44ºC). This is warm enough to incubate, but not too hot for your cultures.
Add your starter:
- If using probiotic capsules or powder: Stir them into 1–2 tablespoons of cooled coconut milk first, then mix that into the pot.
- If using coconut yogurt as your starter: Just whisk it in gently until fully combined.
Step 4: Transfer & Incubate
Pour the coconut mixture into sterilized jars — one big jar or a few small ones is fine. Loosely cover with a lid or cloth.
Choose your incubation method:
- Warm kitchen corner (24–48 hours): Wrap the jar in a towel and let it sit undisturbed.
- Oven method (10–12 hours): Place the jar in the oven (turned OFF) with just the light on.
- Instant Pot (16–24 hours): Use the YOGURT setting.
- Yogurt maker (10–12 hours): Follow the machine’s instructions for around 104ºF (40ºC).
The longer it ferments, the tangier it gets.
Step 5: Chill to Set
Once the yogurt has finished fermenting, transfer it to the fridge for at least 6 hours. It will thicken as it chills and become even creamier. You might see some separation — that’s normal. Just stir it gently before serving.
Once the coconut yogurt has chilled and set, it’s ready to use. Add it to yogurt parfait with granola, swirl it into overnight oats, or dollop it over pancakes, waffles, or French toast with fresh fruit.
Save 2–3 tablespoons from your batch if you want to use it as a starter for the next round (you can usually do this 2–3 times before the cultures weaken).
Coconut yogurt tips
- Don’t stress if your first batch isn’t perfect. The texture and tang can vary depending on your coconut milk, starter, and fermentation time. Just tweak one thing next time — it’s all part of the learning process.
- The coconut milk really matters. Some brands work better than others. Choose full-fat coconut milk with as few additives as possible. (Or try making your own!)
- Add flavors later. Stir in vanilla, maple syrup, or fruit purées after the yogurt has set. Once flavored, aim to eat it within 3–4 days.
- Sterilize everything. Clean tools and jars help keep bad bacteria out and good cultures happy.
- Avoid metal tools. Use wood, silicone, or ceramic spoons — they’re gentler on the probiotics and won’t interfere with fermentation.
FAQs
You can — but it’s a bit of a gamble. When heating the milk, look for tiny bubbles forming around the edges (don’t let it boil). To check if it’s cool enough to add your starter, dip in a clean finger — you should be able to hold it there for 7–10 seconds without discomfort. Too hot? Just wait a little longer.
It usually keeps for 1–2 weeks in the fridge. For best freshness, store it in a few smaller jars instead of one big one — unopened portions will last longer that way.
If it smells off, tastes strange, or you see pink spots or discoloration, it’s safest to toss it. Some separation is normal, but if it looks or smells “wrong,” trust your gut. When trying again, try a different coconut milk brand and double-check your fermentation temps — that can make all the difference.
I’ve had the most consistent results using a powdered yogurt starter. Plain coconut yogurt (with live cultures and no additives) also works well as a backup. Probiotic capsules can do the job too, but they’re a bit more unpredictable — it might take some trial and error to find one that works for you.
Choose a probiotic with at least 30 billion CFUs total — I usually use two capsules with 15B each. Make sure it contains live active cultures and no added prebiotics or enzymes, which can interfere with fermentation. Look for strains like Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, or other yogurt-friendly blends.
More Yogurt Recipes
Looking for more homemade yogurt ideas? Try these next:
Tried this coconut yogurt recipe? Let me know how it went in the comments below — and don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card! I’d love to see your yogurt creations too, so tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Homemade Coconut Yogurt (Dairy-Free)
Equipment
- 3 Small jars 6 fl oz/180 ml each, or 1 larger (18 fl oz/500 ml)
- Silicone spatula or wooden spoon avoid metal
Ingredients
- 1 can full fat coconut milk high-quality coconut milk is best, like Whole Foods 365 or Aroy-D (13.5 oz/400 ml)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch or 2 Tbsp tapioca starch/arrow root
- 1 tsp powder yogurt starter OR 2 Tbsp store-bought unsweetened coconut yogurt (with live cultures)
Instructions
- Sterilize jars and utensils by washing in hot, soapy water. Dry in a 325ºF (160ºC) oven for 10–15 minutes or boil for 10 minutes.
- Shake the can of coconut milk. In a small bowl, whisk 1–2 tablespoons of it with cornstarch until smooth. Strain to remove lumps if needed.
- Combine the rest of the coconut milk with the cornstarch slurry in a saucepan. Heat over medium until it reaches 180ºF (82ºC), about 5–10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Cool the mixture to 108–111ºF (42–44ºC).
- Add starter: – Powder or capsules: dissolve in 1 tbsp of cooled milk, then stir in. – Coconut yogurt: add directly and whisk to combine.
- Transfer to sterilized jars and cover loosely.
- Incubate using one of the following: – Room temp (warm spot): 24–48 hours – Oven (off + light on): 10–12 hours – Instant Pot (YOGURT mode): 16–24 hours – Yogurt maker: 10–12 hours at 104ºF (40ºC)
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set. Stir before serving if separated.
Video
Notes
Store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Use small jars to help unopened portions stay fresher longer. Tips:
- Use a probiotic or starter with live active cultures and no added enzymes.
- Avoid metal utensils — stick with wood, silicone, or ceramic.
-
Results may vary slightly depending on your milk, starter, and incubation time.
See the full post for more helpful tips.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi,
I can’t wait to try out your recipe. It seems so straightforward, yet fun!
I’m not sure if you’ve experimented with this yet, but can you freeze this yogurt to extend the shelf-life? I know this may change the texture when thawed, but I’m okay with that since I’ll be using it for other recipes.
Thank you for your help!
Hi Anna,
I would not recommend freezing it, but if you do – let me know what you think 🙂
Hello.
I only have regular yogurt Starter, not non-dairy yogurt starter .
Do you think there is a problem ? Or it works?
Thank you!
Hi Isabel,
If you don’t mind using the non-dairy starter, there is no problem at all! I will work. I hope you give it a try.
I’ve tried quite a few times to make coconut yogurt, the idea of thick and fluffy coyo like your pictures really entices me. Each time my yogurt has turned runny, your recipe has brought the perfect taste but it’s still runny. Is it my coconut milk? I used tapioca starch.
Hi Yumna,
Yes, it could be your coconut milk. What brand did you use? Try to use organic coconut milk with few ingredients (2-3) and no additives for the best results. It may also thicken up in the fridge after a few hours if the incubation period was a success. Also, how much tapioca starch did you use? You need 2 Tbsp for 2 cups of milk. Please also refer to the note section on the blog for troubleshooting.
Great recipe, I can’t wait to try. Can we use coconut cream instead of milk? It’s only a bit more expensive and so much creamier, so I’m wondering if it would make an even better yogurt, or if there’s some reason why it wouldn’t work. Thanks!
Hi Mei-Ling,
Thank you! Yes, you can, it will just make it more creamy, but should still be delicious. I hope you give it a try! 🙂
Hey there! I was thinking of trying this but was wondering if I could use the “thai kitchen” brand coconut milk. It’s pretty thick so would I need cornstarch? And would anything else in the recipe change?
Hi there,
Thai Kitchen or any coconut milk that has very basic ingredients and no additives should work just fine. You will still need cornstarch and everything else in the recipe will remain the same, it will just make it more creamy. I hope this helps.
I tried making it and it didn’t thicken at all…I even used a thermometer and was very careful with the amounts. Is there a trick?
Hi Melisa,
What kind of coconut milk did you use? If it has many additives, it won’t thicken as it should with pure coconut milk.
Could you use canned coconut cream?
Hi Elle,
Yes, you can use canned coconut cream – it will make very creamy yogurt. I have added more information on the post.
Maria
Can I made coconut milk for this recipe with grated coconut that we buy in packages from the supermarket to make cakes ?
and with almond milk? Does it work?
Hi Maria,
Yes, you can make coconut milk with store-bought grated coconut. I recommend looking for unsweetened grated coconut. Also, you may need to adjust the ratio of water to coconut to achieve the desired consistency – as store-boight grated coconut might be drier than freshly homemade.
If you use almond milk, you can make almond yogurt – here’s the recipe: https://www.alphafoodie.com/homemade-dairy-free-almond-yogurt/
Can you use coconut milk in the 1/2 gallon like Silk or others? Or does it half to be full fat from a can? I tried make it from the 1/2 gallon 4 times with probiotics, yogurt starter powder, and using a base made with yogurt already made, in a yogurt maker. No luck. Please help.
Hi Arlina, it’s best if you use a high in fat brand, canned ones work perfectly if you don’t want to make your own from scratch. Please read the instructions I have, I use the powder vegan starter and it always works. I add also corn starch or flour sometimes, read the notes about the almond yogurt, I have more notes there. Please remember to put the starter when the mixture is about 45/50 degrees or so and make sure when you ferment it, it’s a nice warm place. Some people use the oven (switch off but with light is on). Hope these help! I will be making it on my instagram stories next week showing behind the scenes step by step again in case you can watch that!
Hi,
I just made this, it’s really good. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Do you have the caloric data for this recipe?
Thanks,
Sabine
Hi Sabine,
The nutritional information has been added but please keep in mind that these are only estimates provided via an online database.
Hello,
I tried this recipe with my homemade coconut milk and probiotics. I left it for around 18 hours to incubate. The taste is amazing but it didn’t thicken. As a thickener I used tapioca flour. Any idea where I went wrong?
Hi Dhruti,
How much tapioca flour did you use? For 2 cups of milk, you should use 2 Tbsp tapioca flour.
Is the yogurt supposed to be thick after incubating for the 10-12 hours or does it thicken in the fridge for the 6 hours?
Hi Ailin,
Thank you for your comment.
The yogurt should already be thick after the incubating period. Placing it in the fridge after that allows it to thicken even further. I hope this helps.