Coconut Milk Yogurt
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Wondering how to make a homemade coconut yogurt recipe? I was, too, since my love for yogurt met my daughter’s dairy intolerance. So that’s why I got to work, figuring out the most foolproof way to make a delicious dairy-free yogurt – my recipe uses just TWO ingredients, and I’ll include 5 expert tips for coconut yogurt success!
Bonus: I’ll show you how to make homemade strawberry jam that goes perfectly with the coconut yogurt recipe!
I first decided to learn the best ways to make a coconut yogurt recipe years ago when I started to cut back on dairy. I’m glad I did, because years later, my daughter developed a dairy allergy, and relying on this recipe became even more essential in our home.
I remember it took some experimentation at first – I figured out what coconut milk and probiotics to use and discovered that you shouldn’t use a metal spoon when making it. My years of experimenting mean I have the best recipe for you. Let me show you how to make the most delicious, tangy recipe with just two ingredients.
4 reasons why this is the only coconut yogurt recipe you’ll ever need
Before developing this recipe, I tried just about ALL the store-bought coconut yogurts, but none of them quite hit the mark. That’s why I think THIS coconut yogurt recipe is the best: it’s thick, creamy, packed with gut-friendly probiotics, and easy to make.
Why you should make this coconut yogurt:
- Just TWO ingredients: That’s right – two! It doesn’t get simpler than that.
- Friendly: This coconut yogurt recipe is naturally vegan + gluten-free + paleo + Whole30 + all the goodness that we love.
- Impressive, but easy: Crafting this levels up your badass kitchen status. Yet, it’s also so easy that 5-year-old you could have pulled it off (but we don’t have to tell anyone that).
- Taste: It’s everything you love about tangy, delicious yogurt, but with a little tropical flavor twist.
Which probiotics to use for coconut yogurt recipe
So you don’t need a yogurt start culture, just probiotics! So which ones to use is the question most new-comers to this dairy-free coconut yogurt recipe will have, and that’s fair – while lots of people take them orally, probiotics are not a common ingredient in most kitchens. Here are some things to consider:
- Freshness: I’ve found freshness plays a bit role, so I like to get probiotic capsules that are kept in the fridge, and always check the expiration date before making your yogurt.
- Strains: Avoid probiotics that also contain PREbiotics, as they won’t get you the same texture. You want lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum.
- Strength: I’ve had great success using Progressive HCP70 (70 billion CFU), but I’ve also made fantastic yogurt with other brands.
- Vegan probiotics: If you need a vegan option, I recommend Genuine Health Vegan Probiotics (50 billion CFU).
5 essential tips for nailing coconut yogurt recipes
Whether you’re a first time fermenter or a seasoned pro, it’s always handy to have some tips in your back pocket. Here are some key things I’ve learned while making this coconut yogurt recipe:
- Ingredients selection: For the coconut milk, full-fat is key. Ensure there are no additives, like guar gum. You want coconut extract that’s 60% or higher and water. My go-to brand is Aroy-D. When it comes to the probiotics, refrigerated capsules work best. Ensure they’re not expired!
- Temperature: Fermentation thrives at around 73 degrees Fahrenheit. If it gets too hot, the coconut yogurt may spoil, yet if it gets too cold, it won’t ferment. If your home is chilly, place the jar in the oven with the oven light on (but don’t turn the oven on), and in hotter climates, keep it in a cool spot.
- Cover it right: The goal with covering your coconut yogurt is to let air in, but keep bugs out. So, use a cheesecloth, or if you don’t have cheesecloth, you can use paper towel or a clean, thin dishtowel. Secure it with rubber bands.
- Stirring: Two things to note here: first, metal can react with probiotics, so stick to wooden or porcelain. Next, if the mix separates, it’s normal. Simply stir it back together or scoop off the creamy top layer after refrigerating.
- If in doubt, throw it out: When fermenting foods, it’s crucial to take extra care with the cleanliness as bad bacteria can grow easily alongside good bacteria. So, wash your hands first and ensure your jar is squeaky clean. If you see mold, the yogurt turns yellowish or pinkish, or smells off in a not-so-yummy-yogurt way, throw it out.
Coconut milk yogurt recipes
This coconut yogurt recipe is versatile enough that you can use it in so many recipes. My favorite way is to portion it out in little glass jars with some homemade strawberry jam – so I’ve included the bonus recipe of my jam for you.
Here are some other ways to serve it:
- Dessert: As a tasty dessert. Creamy coconut yogurt + berries or banana = the perfect light treat. Add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey!
- Grab-and-go breakfast / snacks: Portion it out in little jars with some maple peach compote or cherry sauce, chai seeds, and granola for your own little dairy-free parfait.
- On pancakes: Make a dairy-free version of these walnut banana protein pancakes or waffles and dollop some yogurt overtop for a serious brunch!
- Mother’s Day brunch: Seriously, how impressed would your mom be if you told her you made your own vegan yogurt? She’d know she’d done well.
Homemade Coconut Yogurt Recipe
Ingredients
Homemade Coconut Yogurt
- 15 ounce can full-fat coconut milk (see notes)
- 3 probiotic capsules (dairy-free, if needed)
Simple Strawberry Jam
- 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- Optional: 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Shake the can of coconut milk and then open it and pour it into a 2-cup glass jar. Twist open the probiotic capsules and empty the powder into the coconut milk. Discard the capsules.15 ounce can full-fat coconut milk, 3 probiotic capsules
- Stir the probiotic into the coconut milk using a plastic, ceramic, or wooden spoon, ensuring the probiotics are completely mixed with the coconut milk.
- Cover the jar with cheesecloth or a piece of paper towel (it needs to breathe) and secure it with an elastic band.
- Set the jar aside in a warm spot out of direct sunlight. It will take 24-48 hours to thicken and develop a tangy flavor. Once it's tangy to your liking, give it a good stir, cover the jar with a lid, and put it into your fridge. It will thicken further as it cools.
- Serve your coconut yogurt on its own, with a little maple syrup, or with the chia strawberry jam.
Chia Strawberry Jam
- Place the chopped strawberries, lemon juice, chia seeds, and (if using) the maple syrup in a small pot. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the jam cool.1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon chia seeds, Optional: 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Store in a clean jar in your fridge for up to one week.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
What type or brand of probiotic should I purchase
The ones that I usually buy are called Progressive HCP70. But I have used other brands successfully, too. 🙂
Wonderful, easy recipe! Was delicious!!
I’m happy to hear it was a hit!
24 hours…should it be seoerating while sitting on counter? Top looks thicker & bottom looks runny….
The top can sometimes thicken first. 🙂
Hi. If you make your own coconut milk what should the consistency then be? I use 1 cup coconut flakes with 2 cups water, blend it and then use a nut milk bag to squish the milk out. After its cooled can I use the milk or should my consistency be 1 cup flakes with 1 cup water or thicker for the yoghurt?
I’ve never tried making this with homemade nut milk but I would think you would want it to be the same consistency as canned coconut milk.
How did it go with the homemade coconut milk? I was going to ask the same question about using homemade milk so I’m glad to see someone else may have tried it!
Love making this yoghurt and even better I love to eat it! I was never a dairy yoghurt eater and when I became gf and df for digestive reasons, I saw this easy recipe and wanted to give it a go and it is so easy to make and very easy to eat! So, yum.. thank you for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!!
Hi! Love your recipe! Just curious, I know it’s better to have a higher strain of probiotic and I see you’ve used around 100 billion in your yogurt. I already take a probiotic and it’s 15 billion, would I be able to just use 7 pills to have the right amount or will that mess with the consistency? Just thought, if I already have them might as well use what I got. Thanks!
To be honest, I haven’t tried this recipe with multiple types of probiotics. I would guess that if you added extra capsules (like you’ve said) that it should work. 🙂
I’ve been trying to make coconut yogurt for about a year now with absolutely no luck. I’ve tried different types of coconut milk and no matter which brand I use, i always have a thick hard layer of coconut oil that never mixes with the rest of the coconut milk. And although my “yogurt” smells and tastes like yogurt, it’s just a hard rock of coconut oil floating in a yogurt liquid. My home is above 75º and I keep it in the warmest part of my home. I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong.
By oil do you mean the harder layer of coconut cream that is often at the top of a can of coconut if it is cold? If you are, I bet you could simply mix it into the coconut yogurt.
Hi-I haven’t tried your recipe but I am forever in search of the easiest and least amount of ingredients. I have watched scores of videos and have decided I only want to use full fat coconut milk, not have to boil it and put it in a mason jar. The only confusion on all of the videos are the probiotics. I do not want to use store bought yogurt as my starter, and I would like for my yogurt not to be greek but regular thickness and less tang. I bought some yogurt starter packs half a gram each packet-do I use one packet with one can of coconut milk or is that too much or too little. I did try two cans with 8 capsules of one billion each and my yogurt was runny. 30 billion, 50 billion, 100 billion yikes, very expensive. I just want to make yogurt and add some vanilla flavoring. Thanks for your input.
You might want to leave your yogurt a little longer if it is still runny. Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with yogurt starter packets so I can’t give you suggestions about using them.
Do you use the probiotics from fridge compartment as I’ve heard & it makes sense that they are the only ones that are alive
I do keep my probiotics in the fridge. 🙂
What strength probiotic capsules do you use?
The ones I currently have on hand and have used in this recipe are called Progressive HCP70. I have used others successfully before but unfortunately I don’t remember the brand names of the others I’ve tried.
How long will the yougrt last in the fridge?
I’ve never kept mine more than a couple of days cause I always eat it quickly. It’s so good. I would think a week but quite possibly more.
Hi. What brand probiotics do you use? Why does the yoghurt have a yeasty smell but doesn’t look like it’s bad?
I’ve used a few different brands and they’ve all worked. It will take on a fermented smell. If it smells bad to you I would start over again. 🙂
Hi Kristen, I have some yogurt starter capsules. Are they basically the same thing as the probiotics? Can I use them 1 for 1 here? Excited to make this! Trying to stay away from dairy and the dairy free yogurts in the stores are too expensive. I’m hoping this is a cheaper route. And tastes better too. ?
I suspect they will work very well!
Can we keep the yogurt in the oven with the light on for 8 hours? No drafts or cold air
I would think that would work to speed things up but I haven’t tried it myself to see if it works. If you do, let us know!
I have made milk yogurt for years. I always heat the milk and use my handy yogurt maker.
Why do you not heat the coconut milk?
Do you think using the yogurt maker would work with the coconut milk?
Looking forward to trying your recipe.
I don’t heat the milk when I make yogurt even when I make regular dairy yogurt and it always works well for me. I do like to keep my house pretty warm so that may be the reason it still works.
If you try this recipe in your yogurt maker I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi! I have made this recipe several times, using Aroy-D coconut milk, and while it certainly ferments and sours, it does not thicken. Any thoughts on what I am doing wrong? Thanks so much.
Fermenting can be finicky! It could be due to the brand of probiotics. Have you tried different brands?
Where do you get your probiotic capsules?
Some larger supermarkets or pharmacies should carry them. 🙂