Crock Pot Yogurt

Yogurt is one of my favorite foods. In addition to its nutritional value, it's also a probiotic. There are as many varieties of yogurt as you could want to choose from. My favorites are unsweetened, tangy, yogurts like Bulgarian and Greek. While these are nice for a special treat, they are a little too pricey to be relied upon for daily use.

I had heard of making yogurt at home, but the prospect of buying yet another appliance, like a yogurt maker, for my small kitchen (and an expensive one, at that) squelched my initiative. Discouraging, no? But, rejoice! It turns out that yogurt can be made in a crock pot.


This easy recipe is one shared with me by a friend, who got it from a blog, who got it from another blog... eh, so much for credit. It really is easy, and saves money, so go for it!

1. Turn your crock pot on to LOW heat.

2. Put 1/2 gallon of old milk in it (I try to use milk that's been open for a week or a little more).

3. Cook for 2 1/2 hours. Turn OFF, and allow it to cool for 3 hours.

4. After 3 hours, temper about 1/2 Cup fresh "seed" yogurt with the warm milk. Then mix the tempered yogurt into the crock pot. Whisk thoroughly.

5. Wrap the crock pot in a thick towel, or place the bowl of the crock pot in an unheated oven, and forget about it until tomorrow morning. Then take it out, whisk it, and refrigerate.

Notes: If you want a thicker yogurt, you can strain it with cheesecloth. Also, older milk will make the yogurt thicker. The fresh yogurt I have started using for "seed" is a very thick, Greek style. It makes a milder, thicker product than the acidic Bulgarian I used at first.

After this first batch, you can use your homemade yogurt as the "seed".