Crock Pot or Slow Cooker Yogurt
on Sep 17, 2017, Updated Feb 24, 2022
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Slow cooker yogurt is an easy, healthy and inexpensive way to make homemade yogurt without a yogurt maker. Prepare it in five minutes, go to bed, and wake up to a freshly made breakfast!
I have a few more yogurt recipes that you will enjoy. 4 Ingredient Healthy Strawberry Frozen Yogurt (5 minute recipe!), Homemade Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt Cups and 5 Easy Healthy Yogurt Bowl Ideas are all winners.
How to Make Slow Cooker Yogurt
Yogurt can be expensive and often times it has a long list of artificial colors, flavors, and who knows what else. So here is a super easy recipe to make your own slow cooker yogurt. It is plain yogurt, but you can add honey, jams, fresh fruit, and just about anything else you like. I also use it in place of sour cream in most recipes. This is a great way to to get organic yogurt on the cheap. You can buy a carton of organic milk and turn it into yogurt for about half the price of organic yogurt.
The recipe is so easy that it practically makes itself. You just have to commit a little time to the process! You essentially just use your slow cooker to scald the milk and then the heavy warm crock radiates heat all night long to help culture your new batch of yogurt. The hands-on time is about 5 minutes, though the waiting time is about 15 hours. I like to start this in the afternoon so that it’s ready to sit for its long 8-12 hour warm resting period overnight. We then wake up to fresh yogurt and I’ll serve it with fresh fruit and some homemade granola.
I really recommend straining this yogurt through 3-4 layers of cheese cloth for a few hours too. This helps it to thicken up to a more “Greek yogurt” consistency which my kids prefer (and it’s easier to eat). I explained more of how I do that in the tips and tricks section. Before you know it, you’ll know how to make homemade yogurt with your eyes closed.
Tips and Tricks for making Slow Cooker Yogurt
- I’d highly recommend getting a little instant-read thermometer to make homemade yogurt – it’s all about the temperature! I use this $10 thermometer all the time.
- The goal is to scald the milk which takes place around 180 degrees. So you could check it with a thermometer the first time to see if the “warm” setting is warm enough or if maybe an hour and 45 minutes would work on low. Once you figure it out, I don’t think you would have to use the thermometer every time.
- After the milk is scalded, the waiting time is meant to bring the milk down to around 115-110 degrees so that it’s still warm but won’t kill your yogurt culture!
- You don’t have to buy commercial plain yogurt every time. Just save 1/2 cup of your own yogurt for the starter for the next batch.
- I really recommend straining this yogurt through 3-4 layers of cheese cloth for a few hours, too. This helps it to thicken up to a more “Greek yogurt” consistency which my kids prefer (and it’s easier to eat). I simply set a large colander in a bowl, line it with cheese cloth, and then pour my yogurt in from the slow cooker. I cover it with a clean dish towel and let it sit for a few hours until it’s the consistency that I like. Do note that the yogurt will also thicken some when refrigerated. Play around with it until you figure out how thick or how thin you prefer your yogurt and make notes. That’s the perk of cooking from scratch – you get a product that is truly customized to your preferences.
How long does homemade yogurt last?
Homemade yogurt is generally good for eating for up to 2 weeks when properly stored in the refrigerator.
Do I have to buy store bought yogurt every time in order to make homemade yogurt?
You don’t have to buy commercial plain yogurt every time. Just save 1/2 cup of your own yogurt for the starter for the next batch.
How can I make homemade yogurt thicker:
There’s a few ways to make your yogurt thicker!
- Use whole milk instead of 2% or skim. The higher milk fat lends to a thicker yogurt.
- Stick it in the fridge. Your yogurt with thicken up some as it gets cold.
- Strain your yogurt. By removing some of the whey, you are left with a thicker Greek style yogurt.
- I strain my yogurt 2 ways, one is by straining the yogurt through 3-4 layers of cheese cloth for a few hours, too. Simply set a large colander in a bowl, line it with cheese cloth, and then pour yogurt in from the slow cooker. Cover it with a clean dish towel and let it sit for a few hours until it’s the consistency that you like. Do note that the yogurt will also thicken some when refrigerated. Play around with it until you figure out how thick or how thin you prefer your yogurt and make notes. That’s the perk of cooking from scratch – you get a product that is truly customized to your preferences.
- The second way I strain my yogurt is new to me, but I’m loving it. I just got a stainless steel yogurt strainer and it’s awesome. I just stick the tube in my yogurt after the incubation time and let it rest about 2 hours. Then the middle fills with the whey and you ladle it out. I normally do this a in three spots down the middle of the slow cooker (over the course of the morning or so) before placing it in the fridge and it works so great. The tube I just rinse off or you can stick it in the dishwasher. It’s a cool thing that if you make yogurt a lot, it’s great to have (it works in the 6 and 8 quart Instant Pots too!).
Slow Cooker Yogurt
- Total Time: 12 hrs 5min
- Yield: Makes 8 Cups 1x
Description
Slow cooker yogurt is an easy, healthy and inexpensive way to make homemade yogurt without a yogurt maker. Prepare in five minutes, go to bed, and wake up to a freshly made breakfast!
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon (8 cups) whole milk (you’ll get a thinner product with a lower fat content milk)
- 1/2 cup commercial plain yogurt that says “Live and Active Cultures” on the tub (I have great success with Mountain High yogurt for my culture)
Instructions
- In a large crock pot, add the milk. Add the lid.Turn it on low for around 2 1/2 hours*.
- After that time has passed, unplug the crock pot and let it sit for 3 hours. I always set a timer for these or I don’t remember.
- After the 3 hours has passed, stir in the 1/2 cup of yogurt. Replace the lid of the crock pot and cover with 2 big towels or a blanket. Let rest for 8 to 12 hours (overnight works well). In the morning you’ll have yogurt!
- Place it in a 1/2 gallon mason jar and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. It will thicken up in the fridge. Keep a 1/2 cup of this yogurt for your next batch and say goodbye to buying yogurt!
- You can also let the yogurt strain in cheese cloth in the fridge for a few hours and you’ll get a thicker Greek yogurt!
Notes
- *The goal is to scald the milk which takes place around 180 degrees. So you could check it with a thermometer the first time to see if the “warm” setting is warm enough or if maybe an hour and 45 minutes would work on low. Once you figure it out, I don’t think you would have to use the thermometer every time.
- After the milk is scalded the waiting time is menat to bring the milk down to around 115-110 degrees so that it’s still warm but won’t kill your yogurt culture!
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 12 hrs
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Yogurt recipes that are worth a try:
- Soft and Puffy Greek Yogurt Sugar Cookies
- 5 Easy Healthy Yogurt Bowl Ideas
- 4 Ingredient Healthy Strawberry Frozen Yogurt (5 minute recipe!)
- Homemade Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt Cups
I do this frequently, then strain it with cheesecloth for a thicker, richer yogurt. I also strain a smaller amount longer for an even richer cream cheese like spread.
Yes! Me too, my kids and husband like it nice and thick too.
I made this. I set my crockpot on high to scald the milk, because my crockpot has a thermometer that inserts through the lid, so I can keep an eye on the temp. It took about 11/2 hrs to reach 180 degrees. I did not have cheesecloth but I had a new pack of flour sack towels, so I used one of those. Cheesecloth would be better, though. When it was sitting wrapped in towels, I placed a heating pad on the lid, then covered with towels. Air conditioning was keeping the kitchen pretty cool, so this may have helped. I left it for 12 hours. The only part of the process I did not like was clearing a big space in my refrigerator for the yogurt to drain. Lol! I made a gallon, so it took up space! Now to the best part! This is the best yogurt I have ever eaten. The texture is like homemade pudding, as opposed to jello pudding, like most commercial yogurts. It wasn’t really cheap, because I used grassfed organic whole milk. It was the only kind I found that was not ultrapasteurized. Even though this will be a lot of yogurt for one person, I can sub it for sour cream in recipes. This is one staple in my diet that is worth making from scratch!
Thank you for the lovely review! Love hearing other people’s tips, tricks, and successes!
Amazing recipe!! Thank you so much! I recently moved back to the US after having spent quite a few years in the UK. Turns out I got very used to the UK’s VERY cheap plain yogurt and was shocked by the price in the US when I moved back (3 times the price!). Making it from scratch is so much cheaper! Thank you 🙂
Horray for a successful batch of yogurt! Isn’t it crazy how much less it costs to make it at home. Is yogurt in the UK thick? Did you strain your homemade yogurt at all?
How do you know when the yogurt expires?
This turned out so good!! Followed the temp (180&110F) rather than times. Really thick and creamy when strained. Thank u!
Yes! I think I’ll update the actual recipe with the temps, I’ve found it the best way too. Thank you for letting me know it worked out well. ENJOY!
This is a fool proof recipe and so very delicious!
Just wanted to say thank you for this recipe! I was nervous to try homemade yogurt but your recipe gave me an awesome batch on the first try. Appreciate making you making it simple for the rest of us. 🙂
I’m so glad it was helpful friend and that it worked out well for you on your very first try.
Can I just heat the milk in the crock pot, cool it to 110, add the yogurt starter and put in oven with the light on for 12 hours. I don’t have good luck with letting my yogurt mature on the counter.
I think that’s a great idea! Let me know if it works!
It is really a nice and helpful piece of information. I happy that you just shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
I really like this Crock-Pot yogurt recipe. I use my Crock-Pot a lot and it’s fun to make yogurt this way and tuck a blanket around it for the night.