How to Make Coconut Yogurt

I know that making your own homemade yogurt may sound scary, but I promise you it is so much easier than it sounds. Trust me, it really doesn’t get any easier than this!

All you need is TWO ingredients: full fat coconut milk and a good quality probiotic supplement. Seriously, that’s it – no tricks or fancy equipment!

Just two ingredients and around 24 hours of activation time, and that’s all you need to make thick, creamy, healthy plant-based yoghurt with no additives or preservatives.

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How is Coconut Yogurt Made?

Because coconut milk has a very different structure to cow’s milk, we have to use different methods to turn it into a creamy, tangy, delicious spoonable yogurt. But don’t worry. It’s super easy!

Here’s how to make coconut yogurt in 3 simple steps:

1. Empty full-fat coconut milk into a clean glass jar. Easy enough, right?
2. Top with a high-quality probiotic and stir with a wooden spoon (more on this in a moment). So far, still easy.
3. Cover with a cheesecloth (or a very thin, breathable dish towel), and wait. That’s it! In fact, waiting really is the hardest part.

For the full instructions, see the recipe card below!

What Does the Probiotic Do?

Cow’s milk yogurt relies on bacteria to thicken the yogurt, give it a tangy flavor, and add beneficial probiotics.

As mentioned above, coconut milk has a very different structure to cow’s milk, so it’s only to be expected that we have to use different methods to turn it into a spoonable yogurt.

Probiotic powder is how we do that. Not only does it add health benefits, but it also helps add flavor, tang, and texture.

How to Thicken Coconut Yogurt

In my experience, thickening agents are not necessary when making coconut yogurt, providing you are using the right full-fat coconut milk and a high-quality probiotic.

Note: The fridge is really where the thickening happens.

Having said that, there are a couple of things you can do to make it even more Greek-yogurt-like!

Option 1: You can use a thickening agent. While I haven’t personally tried this, the most recommended thickeners for making coconut yogurt are: agar agar or tapioca starch. If you try either of these, let me know how it goes in the comments!

Option 2: Once the yogurt is ready to be refrigerated, you can add a few tablespoons of chia seeds into the yogurt, and let it chill until thickened.

Option 3: When the yogurt has been refrigerated and is thickened and ready, you can strain it through a cheesecloth overnight. This one’s the most tedious, but can yield great results!

Again, none of these are necessary to achieve a thick, creamy yogurt, but they can definitely help.

What Do You Need to Know?

There are a few tips I recommend you read over before making this recipe:

• You must use a high-quality probiotic. Believe it or not, many of the probiotic supplements you see at your local grocery store are probably not even live! I use Puradyme Probiotics, but there are many out there.
• Not all full-fat coconut milk brands will yield the same results, as they all contain different ingredients. I’ve had the most success with: Native Forest and 365 Whole Foods Full Fat Coconut Milk. If you decide to use other brands, they definitely can work, but I can’t guarantee good results. 
• Be sure not to use the coconut milks available in the cereal aisle. These kinds of coconut milks usually contain many additives and are far too watered down to make thick coconut yogurt. You need full-fat for this!
• Use a wooden spoon to stir! Do not use metal because it can react badly to the probiotics.
• Separation is ok! It’s normal. You can either stir it in, or transfer to the fridge separated, and scoop off the top layer once it’s firm. 
• It’s important to know the difference between tangy and off. If your yogurt develops strange smells or colors, something has gone wrong. I haven’t personally experienced this, but it can happen! If this is the case, throw it out.

What Should You Eat Coconut Yogurt With?

I personally love to eat this coconut yogurt plain, but some optional add-ins are: maple syrup, lemon, vanilla extract or powder, and cacao powder.

For serving, you can also add in fruits, nuts, maple almond granola, or whatever else you’re craving! I made some raspberry chia jam, and WOW – it was a great pairing.

This yogurt would also be delicious on top of things like these Banana Waffles, Fluffy Vegan Buckwheat Pancakes, Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes and Easy Gluten-free Pancakes.

How Long Does Coconut Yogurt Last?

Normally, this coconut yogurt is consumed within a couple of days in my house. It doesn’t usually last longer than that!

The longest I’ve left it stored in the refrigerator (covered) was one week, and it still kept.

Most blogs say it can stay up to 2 weeks refrigerated, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving it for longer than one week.

Which Store-Bought Coconut Yogurt is Best?

If you’re feeling lazy, I feel you!

Sometimes it’s just easier to grab a coconut yogurt pack off the shelf at the grocery store and call it a day.

The thing is, though, that many “healthy” store-bought plant-based yogurts are still packed with sugar and other unnecessary additives.

If today is one of those lazy days for you, here are my two favorite store-bought plant-based yogurts that are actually healthy:

Coyo Probiotic Yogurt. Ingredients (Natural flavor): Organic Coconut Milk (97%), Organic Tapioca Starch, Live Vegan Cultures (Inc. Bifidobacterium, L. Acidophilus).

Lavva Yogurt. Ingredients (Original flavor): Organic Coconut Water, Organic Coconut Cream, Plantains, Organic Pili Nuts, Organic Coconut Powder, Organic Cassava Root, Organic Lime Juice, Organic Himalayan Salt, Live Vegan Cultures.

For more creamy plant-based dessert recipes, try the following:

Vegan Flan

Vegan Tiramisu

Easy Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Lemon Tarts

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag your photos with @healthiir on Instagram so I can see!