Crock Pot or Slow Cooker Yogurt
on Sep 17, 2017, Updated Oct 21, 2024
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Slow cooker yogurt is an easy, healthy and inexpensive way to make homemade yogurt without a yogurt maker. Prepare it in five minutes, go to bed, and wake up to a freshly made breakfast!
Yogurt can be expensive and often times it has a long list of artificial colors, flavors, and who knows what else. Here is a super easy recipe to make your own slow cooker yogurt. It is plain yogurt, but you can add honey, jams, fresh fruit, and just about anything else you like. I also use it in place of sour cream in most recipes. This is a great way to to get organic yogurt on the cheap. You can buy a carton of organic milk and turn it into yogurt for about half the price of organic yogurt.
The recipe is so easy that it practically makes itself. You just have to commit a little time to the process! You essentially just use your slow cooker to scald the milk and then the heavy warm crock radiates heat all night long to help culture your new batch of yogurt. The hands-on time is about 5 minutes, though the waiting time is about 15 hours. I like to start this in the afternoon so that it’s ready to sit for its long 8-12 hour warm resting period overnight. We then wake up to fresh yogurt and I’ll serve it with fresh fruit and some homemade granola.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Just 5 minutes of prep, and the slow cooker does the rest while you sleep.
- Homemade yogurt has live cultures, is fresh, preservative-free, and full of probiotics.
- Making your own yogurt is far cheaper than buying store-bought varieties.
- Customizable by adjusting thickness by straining for Greek yogurt, and flavor it however you like.
Recipe Ingredients
- Whole milk – You’ll get a thinner product with a lower fat content milk)
- Commercial plain yogurt – Must say “Live and Active Cultures” on the tub, I have great success with Mountain High yogurt for my culture
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Crock Pot or Slow Cooker Yogurt
Step #1. Pour milk into the slow cooker, cover, and heat on low for about 2 ½ hours.
Step #2. Unplug the slow cooker and let the milk sit for 3 hours to cool slightly.
Step #3. Stir in ½ cup of yogurt, cover with lid and towels, and let it rest for 8-12 hours.
Step #4. In the morning, transfer the yogurt to a jar and refrigerate or strain for thicker Greek yogurt.
Recipe FAQs
Homemade yogurt is generally good for eating for up to 2 weeks when properly stored in the refrigerator.
You don’t have to buy commercial plain yogurt every time. Just save 1/2 cup of your own yogurt for the starter for the next batch.
Use whole milk instead of 2% or skim. The higher milk fat lends to a thicker yogurt.
Stick it in the fridge. Your yogurt with thicken up some as it gets cold.
Strain your yogurt. By removing some of the whey, you are left with a thicker Greek style yogurt. Strain the yogurt through 3-4 layers of cheese cloth for a few hours, too. Simply set a large colander in a bowl, line it with cheese cloth, and then pour yogurt in from the slow cooker. Cover it with a clean dish towel and let it sit for a few hours until it’s the consistency that you like.
Expert Tips
- I’d highly recommend getting a little instant-read thermometer to make homemade yogurt – it’s all about the temperature! I use this $10 thermometer all the time.
- The goal is to scald the milk which takes place around 180 degrees. So you could check it with a thermometer the first time to see if the “warm” setting is warm enough or if maybe an hour and 45 minutes would work on low. Once you figure it out, I don’t think you would have to use the thermometer every time.
- After the milk is scalded, the waiting time is meant to bring the milk down to around 115-110 degrees so that it’s still warm but won’t kill your yogurt culture!
- You don’t have to buy commercial plain yogurt every time. Just save 1/2 cup of your own yogurt for the starter for the next batch.
- I really recommend straining this yogurt through 3-4 layers of cheese cloth for a few hours, too. This helps it to thicken up to a more “Greek yogurt” consistency which my kids prefer (and it’s easier to eat). Simply set a large colander in a bowl, line it with cheese cloth, and then pour my yogurt in from the slow cooker. Cover it with a clean dish towel and let it sit for a few hours until it’s the consistency that I like.
- Do note that the yogurt will also thicken some when refrigerated. Play around with it until you figure out how thick or how thin you prefer your yogurt and make notes.
How to Serve and Store Homemade Yogurt
Fresh fruit and granola make a wholesome breakfast, you can try my 5 Easy Healthy Yogurt Bowl Ideas, Homemade Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt Cups, or 4 Ingredient Healthy Strawberry Frozen Yogurt (5 minute recipe!). It also goes great in smoothies like my Key Lime Pie Smoothie, Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie, or Avocado Smoothie. You can bake with it in my Soft and Puffy Greek Yogurt Sugar Cookies!
Keep the yogurt in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It will continue to thicken as it chills. Homemade yogurt can be frozen for up to 2 months, but the texture may become grainy when thawed so use the frozen yogurt for smoothies or baking instead.
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Slow Cooker Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon (8 cups) whole milk (you'll get a thinner product with a lower fat content milk)
- 1/2 cup commercial plain yogurt that says “Live and Active Cultures” on the tub, I have great success with Mountain High yogurt for my culture
Instructions
- In a large crock pot, add the milk. Add the lid.Turn it on low for around 2 1/2 hours*.
- After that time has passed, unplug the crock pot and let it sit for 3 hours. I always set a timer for these or I don’t remember.
- After the 3 hours has passed, stir in the 1/2 cup of yogurt. Replace the lid of the crock pot and cover with 2 big towels or a blanket. Let rest for 8 to 12 hours (overnight works well). In the morning you’ll have yogurt!
- Place it in a 1/2 gallon mason jar and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. It will thicken up in the fridge. Keep a 1/2 cup of this yogurt for your next batch and say goodbye to buying yogurt!
- You can also let the yogurt strain in cheese cloth in the fridge for a few hours and you’ll get a thicker Greek yogurt!
Video
Notes
- *The goal is to scald the milk which takes place around 180 degrees. So you could check it with a thermometer the first time to see if the “warm” setting is warm enough or if maybe an hour and 45 minutes would work on low. Once you figure it out, I don’t think you would have to use the thermometer every time.
- After the milk is scalded the waiting time is menat to bring the milk down to around 115-110 degrees so that it’s still warm but won’t kill your yogurt culture!
I have made this eight times and will continue making it. I think I get a better, thicker (I drain mine) tastier yogurt. If I were to buy the price stuff at the grocery I’d pay $6 and I make it for less than $2.50 (I always buy a 5.3 oz store brand for a starter.) That means I am saving $3.50 or more every time I make it. I have started experimenting using yogurt in other recipes, blue cheese dressing on a salad is awesome and you don’t have to skimp since it is healthy.
Hi Melissa, thank you so much for sharing this recipe! Good quality yogurt without all the added junk has gotten so expensive! I’ve tried this in me and my daughter absolutely love it. I was curious though how long can I expect it to keep? I’d like to make it a week ahead of time.
It’s a really similar time frame as commercial yogurt, about a week in the fridge but most of the time if it starts to grow stuff I just scrape off the top and continue… but that might just be me.
It took my crock pot 5.5 hours to scald the milk to 180° on low. Not sure if anyone else has ever had this issue. My crock pot does not have a warm setting, just low and high. I will be setting a very late alarm tonight to mix the yogurt in lol
You can always try to scald it on high next time to see if it goes faster…
I usually don’t leave comments….. This is absolutely the best yogurt ever! I have been wanting to try making yogurt but all the timing and temps were intimidating. The crockpot rocks! Thank you for this delicious recipe. NO more store bought yogurt!!
I’m so happy at how easy this yogurt was to make! I’ve seen recipes using an instant pot but didn’t want to buy one. I used 2% milk and a individual cup of Great Value brand non fat, plain Greek yogurt (close to a 1/2 cup). I’m glad I read through the comments first! Using my crock liner (with lid) I left it in the oven with the light on over night. The yogurt was super thick and creamy. I strained the whey out with a cheese cloth lined colander over a bowl, left it for an hour that way in the oven with the light on. I got a quart of whey and over 32 oz of Greek style yogurt! I’m looking forward to using it in smoothies for a protein boost!
Update: to cut time you can heat the milk on the stove top to 180°, pre-heat your crock pot on warm with the lid on. Once milk cools to 100°, pour into crockpot and monitor the temperature. Once steady at 100°c, move crock (with the lid on) to oven with the light on overnight (12-15 hours). I’ve also had success with using the whey from my first batch of yogurt to culture the next two batches, it makes for a more sour/tangy yogurt. If you prefer a more mild “zing” use the homemade yogurt or store bought to culture.
I just finished making this for the fourth time. I am hooked. I have NEVER seen such creamy, I mean really creamy yogurt. Not solid and gelatinous looking. You don’t have to stir it just scoop it. The taste is the best. (FYI for 30+ years I lived in NY about twenty five minutes from Chobani Yogurt was born. I’ve eaten some yogurt.)
That’s awesome! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
I’m so excited about this recipe. Thanks for sharing. I made this last night, and I awoke to great tasting yogurt! I immediately put it to strain for thicker greek version. After a couple of hours, my yogurt was so creamily and “fluffy” even. The texture is really nice, Thanks to the people that suggested putting it in the oven with the light on overnight. I never knew the light would give off such heat (I never use it really). I think that made the difference. I haven’t acquired a taste yet for plain yogurt, so I did add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and a couple tsp of vanilla in when I added my yogurt starter. I’ve made yogurt in the instant pot and I really like this way better. Seems easier to me. I think because my instant pot (Pampered Chef) only goes to 6 hr timer and you need it to go to at least 8 hours. Plus, I really need to watch it during the scald portion or it forms a skim. I didn’t need to do anything extra here except to set a timer to complete the next step. I have made notes on my copy of the recipe to remind myself I need to start this at 4:30 pm in order to put it in the oven by 10:00 pm (when I usually go to bed). I do believe this is my new way of making my yogurt from here on out. Question to others- do you think I need to wrap it in the towels if I put in the oven with the light? I’m thinking no, but appreciate the wisdom of others.
I don’t think you’d need to towels if you are putting it in the oven!
Can I use coconut or almond milk for a dairy free yogurt? And stevia to sweeten it so it’s keto?
I haven’t tried it with alternative milks, you’ll have to let us know. And once it’s made you can sweeten it with whatever you’d like!
Not sure what I did wrong but followed all directions and times using my digital thermometer. Just as liquid as when i started. Smells like yogurt but nithing whatsoever to strain. Do you have to use organic milk? Can I use whole milk from the store? I used plain yogurt without sugar but can’t find anything about live culture on it. I bet this is the problem. Guess i could freeze this for treats for the dog.
You can use a variety of milks and you do have to use a yogurt with a live and active culture in it or it won’t have what it needs to make yogurt.
Chris, I bet it was the yogurt you used. You need LIVE cultures. Your yogurt didn’t “grow”. Try FAGE yogurt. Or look at a nature food store. Good Luck! Homemade yogurt is well-worth the effort.
Jessica, when did you add the heavy cream? Before or after scalding the milk?
I add heavy cream after I have strained my yogurt. I put it in my stand alone mixer, add some heavy cream and whip it up. It turns out very creamy. Hope it helps.