How to Make Coconut Milk Yogurt
If you have given up dairy products and miss having a creamy yogurt, you are in the right place! I’m going to share with you a recipe to prepare a delicious homemade Coconut Milk Yogurt.
Table of Contents
It’s dairy-free, keto-friendly, paleo, probiotic, prebiotic, very thick, and very satisfying. What more could you want? Good gluten-free and keto-friendly coconut granola and fresh berries to go with it, of course!
Before I start, I would like to comment that a homemade yogurt will hardly have the texture of commercial yogurt. It has no emulsifiers, so that the result could be somewhat less homogeneous, and you will know 100% what is in each and every spoonful.
After my trip to Bali and enjoying fresh, homemade coconut yogurt at Soulshine Hotel, I was craving it once I got home. I quickly sourced Pinterest, looking for the perfect recipe. I found many. I tried them all.
The recipe is a result of trial and error and trying different recipes — seven variations to be exact. The result in this recipe is perfect and just what I was looking for!
Tart, but not as thick as traditional dairy-based Greek yogurt.
Ready to dive in? Keep reading!
Is coconut milk yogurt healthy?
Many people are surprised to learn that the answer is yes! Coconut milk yogurt is a delicious and nutritious alternative to traditional dairy yogurt. Coconut milk is a good source of dietary fiber and healthy fats, both of which help to promote digestive health. Additionally, research has shown that coconut milk can help to lower cholesterol levels and improve heart health. And thanks to its high content of vitamins and minerals, coconut milk yogurt is a great way to boost your immune system. So next time you're looking for a healthy snack, reach for a cup of coconut milk yogurt!
Probiotics
First, you’re going to need some probiotics. Probiotics are fundamental in this recipe. It uses high-quality probiotics, with a good variety of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. I recommend that the probiotic you choose has several of the following strains in its composition:
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus brevis
Lactobacillus bulgaricus
Lactobacillus casei
Lactobacillus paracasei
Lactobacillus gasseri
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacillus salivarus
Lactobacillus thermophilus
Bifidobaterium lactis
Bifidobaterium bifidum
Bifidobaterium infantis
Bifidobaterium longum
Bifidobaterium breve
It is essential that you also take into account the expiration date of the probiotics, if they have been at home for a long time, if they have been subjected to high temperatures, etc. If the bacteria are not alive, the fermentation will not work.
It is not necessary to buy any particular probiotic for yogurt (although you could do it if you wish), the probiotics that are sold in herbal shops, pharmacies, and supplement stores work perfectly. You will also find them on Amazon, below you will see some links.
They are the same probiotics that you would take after a course of antibiotics or simply to improve your microbiota. And do not think you're 'wasting' them; just the opposite: when you enjoy your yogurt, they will remain active, eager to reach your intestine and enrich your own microbiota.
For myself, I was looking for one that was soy-free. Here is the one that I used to ferment yogurt: Renew Life Ultimate Flora 50 billion. You can find it on Amazon, your local health food store, or Whole Foods.
Coconut Milk from a can vs Coconut Milk from a carton
The next element you’re going to need is coconut milk from a can. This is the one that has full-fat. Don’t get this confused for coconut milk that comes in a carton.
What is the difference?
Coconut Milk from a carton is watered down and not 100% coconut milk. And it probably has a ton of fillers in it.
Coconut Milk and guar gum
Coconut Milk from a can is full-fat and more so like coconut cream. The milk must contain all its fat, and the ingredients listed will be coconut, water, guar gum. Guar gum is a natural thickening agent that is derived from guar beans. It is often used as a vegetarian alternative to gelatin, and it can also be used to thicken sauces and soups. In addition, guar gum is commonly used in cosmetic products such as shampoo and lotion.
One of the most surprising uses for guar gum is in coconut yogurt. Coconut yogurt is notorious for being thin and runny, but the addition of guar gum helps to give it a thick, creamy consistency. In addition, guar gum helps to stabilize the yogurt, preventing separation and keeping it fresh for longer. As a result, guar gum is an essential ingredient in many brands of coconut yogurt.
I personally love Whole Foods 365’s Coconut Milk over other brands but feel free to experiment with other brands. The result will be as thick as the tin you can use, and that depends on the amount of fat it contains. The quality of the ingredients here is essential.
If you are making a more runny yogurt, Organic Coconut Milk by Nature’s Greatest Foods is a great guar gum free coconut milk. Alterniavatly, you can make it from scratch using coconut shavings.
How to make Coconut Milk from coconut shavings?
You will need 1 cup of coconut shavings, 1 cup of water, and a blender. Add the coconut shavings and water to the blender, and blend on high for 30 seconds. Pour the milk into a glass or container, and enjoy!
Full fat coconut milk is a delicious and nutritious way to add some extra flavor to your favorite recipes. It's also a great way to get in some healthy fats if you are following a ketogenic diet. Thanks for watching, and be sure to subscribe for more videos like this one!
This particular recipe will make a more runny yogurt since it does not have guar gum. If you’d like a thicker yogurt using homemade coconut milk, you’ll need to add in guar gum.
Coconut Milk Yogurt
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Keto, Paleo
What You’ll Need
2 cans of coconut milk (400 ml each)*
4 and 6 capsules of probiotics (if you use capsules, add only the powder content, not the entire capsule)
1/4 cup coconut water**
1 Weck Jar
A pinch of sea salt
Optional:
1/4 tsp Vanilla bean powder
honey, to sweeten to taste
* the milk has to be very thick, think that the fermentation will not change the texture, it is not like the animal milk yogurt that curdles. The coconut milk that you have to use to make this method work is liquid at room temperature and solid in cold temps.
**Ok, to omit. The coconut yogurt will simply turn out a bit thicker, almost the consistency of Greek yogurt.
What You’ll Need To Know
Pour the coconut milk, coconut water, and salt in a glass jar. Add the probiotic. Remember that if you use a probiotic in capsules you must open them carefully and add only the content, not the entire capsule.
Place the lid of the jar, close it tight and shake the jar with force
Release the lid a little and leave the jar in a cabinet at room temperature for 18-24 hours, depending on the acidity you want to achieve and according to the ambient temperature. In summer it will be enough with 16 hours, in winter better 24.
You can try it until it's your taste. After a while, stir well again and put the jar in the fridge to thicken. It is possible that the fat and water separate again, mix well before serving and it will remain fully emulsified.
Did something go wrong?
My Yogurt Has Not Fermented
Considering that we only use coconut milk and probiotics, it is clear that the problem lies in one of these two ingredients.
Possible problems with coconut milk: it contained some strange ingredient (guar gum, xanthan gum, etc.).
Possible problems with the probiotic:
It does not contain lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.
The strains are not active because the probiotic is in poor condition or expired.
My Yogurt Taste Weird
Let's define weird...
It is sour and the milk seems cut? Throw it away, it has not fermented (check the previous point above).
It is very acidic? The next time, reduce the fermentation time.
The liquid part and the fat part are separated? This is because when putting it in the fridge the two parts were also separated. Looking back at the recipe, it is important to shake the jar well before putting it in the fridge. To do this, close the lid tightly and shake it for about 15 or 20 seconds. Put it in the fridge.
It tastes like yogurt but very little:
If you have left it fermenting less than 24 hours, next time let it ferment a little more.
If you have left it fermenting for 24 hours, increase the amount of probiotic or change the brand.
SAVE FOR LATER & PIN THESE!
This article was first published June 2018 and updated October 2022 by our editors.
