Homemade coconut yogurt is creamy, gently tangy, and naturally dairy-free!
Homemade coconut yogurt is easy, fun, super delicious, and dairy-free. The texture is even creamier than regular yogurt (thanks to canned coconut milk), and it combines the natural sweetness of coconut with the tang of live probiotic cultures. I think coconut yogurt has the most appealing flavor of all the dairy-free yogurts I’ve tried ~ but it’s often pricey (and comes in teeny tiny jars!) Time for a homemade version!
let’s dig in
what you need to make coconut yogurt
- canned full fat coconut milk
- Be sure to use unsweetened canned coconut milk, not the refrigerated kind in a carton.
- probiotics (you have 3 choices)
- A powdered vegan yogurt starter, I used this brand
- or probiotic capsules, I used this brand
- or commercial coconut yogurt, I used this brand
tips for making coconut yogurt
Be sure to start with full fat canned coconut milk, and whisk it thoroughly until it has a uniform creamy consistency.
For a thicker result, drain off some of the water from your coconut milk before fermenting.
Make sure your jar is super clean before adding your yogurt mixture. Any unwanted bacteria can interfere with your yogurt.
Make sure you’ve got a warm (@110F) spot for your yogurt to ferment.
what to expect from non-dairy coconut yogurt
THE PLUSES: As I said above, coconut yogurt has a wonderful flavor, the natural sweetness of the coconut comes through. When I dipped my little tasting spoon into the finished batch, the bells went off. The taste was velvety smooth and pure coconut. It had none of the cloying sweetness or gelatinous texture of the commercial brand.
THE DRAWBACKS: Coconut yogurt can struggle to thicken compared to other vegan yogurts. It’s low in protein, naturally higher in water, and doesn’t firm up the way dairy yogurt does during fermentation.
On the bright side, it makes a great drinkable yogurt, and the looser texture works beautifully with granola and muesli.
5 ways to ferment yogurt at home
When you ferment yogurt you ideally want a temperature of around 110°F. This is warm enough to activate the cultures without killing them with too much heat. Note this is higher than warm room temperature, and lower than the “keep warm” function on your oven.
A yogurt maker
- If you love to make yogurt this is a great appliance to have. I highly recommend getting a yogurt maker like this one, but there are many on the market. Follow your machine’s instructions for the proofing period. (There’s no need to pre-heat the yogurt for this recipe.)
A proofing box
- I have a collapsable proofing box with a thermostat. I set it to 110°F. This is the one I use and I love it. I use it for breads and yogurt.
Your oven set to 110F
- If your oven doesn’t go that low, but has a 60 watt or higher bulb in it, you may be able to store your yogurt in the oven (no heat) with the light on. Wrap it with a towel. You can experiment with different wattage bulbs to get your desired temperature.
Instant Pot
- Ferment the yogurt using the yogurt function on your IP. Again, no need to boil the milk first.
An electric heating throw or pad
- In a pinch an electric heating pad or small electric throw blanket wrapped around the yogurt and set on low to medium will do the trick. If you use a heating pad, cover the whole thing with a towel.
homemade coconut yogurt faqs
Canned coconut milk is already pasteurized, a process that uses heat to eliminate harmful bacteria. This pre-heating step eliminates the need to heat it again for yogurt making.
You can make or store your yogurt in one jar, or several individual jars, just be sure they are squeaky clean.
Homemade yogurts and coconut yogurt in particular is more runny than commercial yogurts, especially if you’re used to Greek style yogurts which often contain thickeners and stabilizers. There are a couple of things you can do to thicken your yogurt further:
Strain the Yogurt: after fermentation, strain the yogurt through cheesecloth to remove whey. The longer you strain, the thicker the yogurt will get.
Add Thickening Agents: you can incorporate thickeners like gelatin, agar agar, or even powdered milk to enhance the body of the yogurt.
Coconut yogurt has a natural affinity for fruits, as well as granolas and mueslis. I’m especially looking forward to using it alongside a hot curry.
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How to make Coconut Yogurt
Ingredients
- 40 oz canned full-fat coconut milk, (this is 3 13.5-ounce cans)
- 1 Tbsp powdered gelatin
- 1 direct-set yogurt starter* or 6 oz coconut milk yogurt with live cultures
Instructions
- Pour the coconut milk into a saucepan and heat to 180°F — hot but not boiling.
- Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the hot milk and whisk until completely dissolved.
- Let the mixture cool to 110°F. This temperature is key: warm enough for the cultures to activate, but not so hot that they’re destroyed.
- Whisk in the yogurt starter (or coconut yogurt) until fully blended.
- Transfer the mixture to a yogurt maker and incubate at 105–110°F for 10–12 hours. Overnight works perfectly.
- Refrigerate the yogurt for several hours to fully set.
- For thicker yogurt, line a colander with two layers of cheesecloth, set it over a bowl, and drain the yogurt for about 1 hour.
Notes
- This coconut yogurt is dairy-free but not vegan, as it uses gelatin for structure. For a vegan option, use a plant-based thickener such as agar-agar instead.
- Full-fat canned coconut milk is essential for good texture.
- Gelatin gives coconut yogurt structure that fermentation alone can’t provide.
- For the most consistent results, a direct-set starter is more reliable than reusing yogurt batch to batch.
I doubled the recipe, put it in the fridge, and in a few hours the textured turned into a jello like consistency. I was thinking maybe I should not have doubled the gelatin? What do you think? 🙃
Hmmmm, I’ve never had that happen but it could be too much gelatin.