This 3-ingredient homemade coconut yogurt is thick, creamy, super easy to make, and a delicious dairy-free yogurt alternative! It's gluten-free, plant-based, low-carb, keto, whole30, vegan, contains gut-friendly probiotics, and has no added sugar!
Sterilize all the tools (refer to the FAQs on the blog post for the method).
Combine the cornstarch with 1-2 Tbsp coconut milk in a small bowl and whisk until lump-free. Use a sieve if needed to remove the lumps.If the coconut milk is separated, just whisk it well to bring it back together. Shaking it thoroughly before opening the can should help.
Transfer the cornstarch slurry and the remaining coconut milk to a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the mixture reaches 180ºF/82ºC, stirring occasionally. It's should take 5-10 minutes.
Leave the milk to cool down until it reaches 108-111ºF/42-44ºC. This is warm enough to encourage fermentation without killing the starter.
Once cool, combine the yogurt powder starter/probiotic capsule contents with a tablespoon of milk and stir until lump-free. Then, pour that into the remaining warm coconut milk and stir. -OR-If you are using store-bought coconut yogurt, just add it directly to the heated coconut milk and stir well.
Transfer the warm coconut milk mixture to your desired glass jar/s and then leave them to incubate in a warm, draft-free area. The conditions of your fermentation will affect how long this process takes. For example, ideal fermentation takes place at around 104ºF/40ºC for 10-12 hours. However, simply leaving the jars in a warm area of the kitchen can take 24-48 hours. The longer it ferments, the tangier the DIY coconut yogurt will become.I like to wrap mine in a large, warm blanket and keep it in my oven (switched off, but with the oven light on). If you do this overnight, you shouldn't need to use the oven during this time. You may also use a yogurt maker. Likewise, an Instant Pot on the YOGURT function should work (for between 16-24 hrs.).
Once the incubation period is over, transfer it to the fridge to set for a further 6 hours minimum to become a thick, creamy plant-based yogurt.If there is some separation, that's okay. The thick yogurt should rise to the top while chilling, so you can just scoop it off and enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Homemade coconut yogurt will last between 7-10 days in the fridge. I recommend storing it in several smaller jars rather than one larger one, as the shelf life on the sealed containers will last longer. You may also be able to freeze the coconut milk yogurt for up to a month, though I haven't tried it. If you plan to make another batch of this coconut yogurt recipe, you can optionally set aside 2-3 tablespoons of the yogurt to use as the starter for your next batch. You can repeat this over 2-3 batches until the starter weakens.
Video
Notes
If you use probiotics, ensure they don’t contain any pre-biotics or other enzymes. Otherwise, the process won’t work. When selecting yogurt, ensure it doesn’t contain unnecessary additives. You could also use plain natural yogurt if you aren't bothered about making a dairy-free yogurt recipe.
Results will vary: Depending on the culture/starter used, fermentation process and duration, the brand of coconut milk used, etc.
The brand of coconut milk matters: The brand you use to make this coconut milk yogurt will affect the results. If it doesn’t work at first, try another brand. Of course, you can also make your own coconut milk.
For flavored yogurt: Only add any flavorings (like vanilla, maple syrup, or fruit purees) to the yogurt when it's ready to eat, and consume the flavored coconut milk yogurt within 3-4 days.
Sterilize everything: (Method in the FAQs) To avoid bacteria competing with the yogurt cultures and causing the fermentation to fail.
Avoid reactive tools: i.e., metal spoons, as these can deactivate the yogurt starter/probiotics. Instead, use wooden, ceramic, or plastic/silicone.
For a thicker Greek coconut yogurt: For a thicker consistency, you can leave the yogurt to strain through layers of cheesecloth into a bowl for several hours to drain away excess liquid and just leave behind the thick vegan yogurt.Alternatively, make a super thick vegan coconut yogurt with just the thick coconut cream layer in your canned coconut milk. To do so, leave the can in the refrigerator overnight, and the cream and liquid should separate. You can then scoop off the thick cream. You can reserve the liquid from the can to add back in at a later point if you find you want it a little thinner.Check the blog post for more tips and answers to top FAQs!