Homemade slow cooker greek yogurt is easy to make, delicous and also budget-friendly! This recipe takes minimal hands on time and shares how to use your crockpot.
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Our family enjoys yogurt on a daily basis. It is a staple for snacks and breakfast as well as a great protein and healthy fat source. With all that said, I wanted to find a way to make it more economical for our family. What better way than making a slow cooker greek yogurt that my family enjoys.
Finding a good quality yogurt can come at a pretty high cost and can contain added ingredients that I do not prefer to serve my family. I can now use my raw milk and make a batch of yogurt for my family that I feel good about!
Why make yogurt
There are many benefits of making your own yogurt. Here’s just a few.
- Yogurt is a good source of protein, vitamins and calcium.
- It is a probiotic, which is great for gut health.
- The cost of making yogurt is a fraction of buying store bought yogurt.
- With homemade yogurt, we know what ingredients are put into it.
- Making yogurt can be a fun experience with adding different flavors and textures.
Tips
I like to use organic raw milk, however you can use store bought milk, and it works fine too.
Even though this recipe is pretty hands off, it is still a good idea to be home for the warming and cooling stages. Letting the temperature get too high or too low for these steps can make the yogurt not turn out properly.
Tools you may need
Sow cooker, 2.5 quart for half gallon batch or 6 quart for whole gallon batch
Strainer/colander
Tea towel or cheesecloth
Pot for catching whey if straining yogurt
Air tight container for storage -a mason jar or two works great!
Ingredients
Whole milk (organic raw milk is my preference)
Greek yogurt – I use some from my previous batch I made. You can use a good quality yogurt from the store to start off with.
How to make slow cooker greek yogurt
In a 2.5 quart slow cooker, pour a half gallon of milk (organic, raw milk is my preferred). Turn your slow cooker on high. After approximately 2-3 hours the milk temperature should be at 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Turn the crock pot off and let cool until the milk temperature reaches 110 degrees fahrenheit, which takes about 2 hours.
Once the milk has reached the desired temperature, add the half cup of room temperature greek yogurt to the slow cooker. Stir or wisk the yogurt in until well combined.
Put the lid back on the slow cooker and wrap it in a bath towel. Let the crock pot sit over night or about 12 hours.
The next morning or after the 12 hours, you can strain the whey off the yogurt. Dump or scoop the yogurt into a tea towel or cheesecloth lined strainer that is over a large bowl or pot. Strain the yogurt in the frig for several hours until you get the desired consistency. 4 hours seems to be ideal for me.
Spoon out the yogurt that is in the tea towel or cheesecloth into a storage container. Don’t forget to also save the whey that is left in the bowl/pot. (That makes a great addition to smoothies or for baking!)
How to Store
Store the yogurt in a well sealed container such as a mason jar or glass storage container. The yogurt will last 7-10 days refrigerated (unless eaten before!).
More Breakfast and snack ideas
Sourdough French Toast Casserole
Delicious and Nutritious Homemade Protein Bars
Easy Slow Cooker Greek Yogurt
Equipment
- crock pot
- colander
- spoon or whisk
- large bowl
- cheesecloth or tea towel
- Instant read thermometer
Ingredients
- ½ gallon milk whole
- ½ cup greek yogurt plain, whole milk, room temperature
Instructions
- In a 2.5 quart slow cooker or larger, pour a half gallon of milk (organic, raw milk is my preferred). Turn your slow cooker on high. After approximately 2-3 hours the milk temperature should be at 180° F.
- Turn the crock pot off and let cool until the milk temperature reaches 110° F, which takes about 2 hours.
- Once the milk has reached the desired temperature, add the half cup of room temperature greek yogurt to the slow cooker. Gently stir or wisk the yogurt in until well combined.
- Put the lid back on the slow cooker and wrap it in a bath towel. Let the crock pot sit, wrapped, over night or about 12 hours.
- The next morning or after the 12 hours, strain the whey off the yogurt. Dump or scoop the yogurt into a tea towel or cheesecloth lined strainer that is over a large bowl or pot. Strain the yogurt in the frig for several hours until you get the desired consistency. 4 hours seems to be ideal for me.
- Spoon out the yogurt that is in the tea towel or cheesecloth into a storage container.
- Store the yogurt in a well sealed container such as a mason jar or glass storage container. The yogurt will last 7-10 days refrigerated (unless eaten before!).
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