How to Make Coconut Yogurt

Last Updated: March 17, 2023 Tested

Coconut yogurt is a tasty, dairy-free and vegan-friendly alternative to regular yogurt. Traditional preparation requires a fermentation period, but if you're in a hurry, you can take a few shortcuts and prepare "cheater's" coconut yogurt instead.

Ingredients

Traditional Coconut Yogurt

Makes 1 qt (1 L) of yogurt

2 cans, 14-oz (400-g) each, full-fat coconut milk
2 probiotic capsules
1 to 2 Tbsp (15 to 30 ml) raw sugar (optional)

Thickened Coconut Yogurt

Makes 1 qt (1 L) of yogurt

2 cans, 14-oz (400-g) each, full-fat coconut milk
4 probiotic capsules
2 tsp (10 ml) agar agar flakes OR 2 Tbsp (30 ml) tapioca starch
1 to 2 Tbsp (15 to 30 ml) raw sugar (optional)

Shortcut Coconut Yogurt

Makes 1 qt (1 L) of yogurt

2 cans, 14-oz (400-g) each, full-fat coconut milk
1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
2 probiotic capsules
Pinch sea salt
1 Tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup, agave, or liquid cane sugar (optional)

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Method One: Traditional Coconut Yogurt

1
Refrigerate the coconut milk. Place the cans of coconut milk in your refrigerator and let them chill overnight, or for a minimum of 8 hours.
- Refrigeration helps separate the thick cream from the coconut water. Do not shake the cans of coconut milk at any time since doing so could combine these two components again.
2
Combine the cream and other ingredients. Scoop out the cool, thick coconut cream and place it in a large bowl. Add the probiotics and sweetener, then whisk until well-combined and smooth.
- Do not use the watery portion of the coconut milk sitting at the bottom of the can. Using it would result in very thin yogurt.
- If using probiotic capsules, open the capsules and use the powder inside. You could also use 2 tsp (10 ml) probiotic powder, 2 Tbsp (30 ml) store-bought coconut yogurt, or 2 Tbsp (30 ml) fermented coconut water probiotic kefir.
- Raw sugar works well as a sweetener, but you could easily use the same amount of maple sugar, raw honey, or agave. If you prefer less-sweet yogurt, you can omit the sweetener altogether.
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3
Transfer the mixture to sterilized jars. Pour the coconut mixture into a clean, sterilized glass jar. Tightly seal the jar with a lid.
- It's important to use sterilized jars since bad bacteria will ruin the yogurt if it creeps inside. You can sterilize the jars using a dishwasher or boiling water.
4
Ferment the yogurt for 24 hours. Place the sealed jars of yogurt into your oven. Leave the oven off, but turn the oven light on. Allow the yogurt to sit in the oven for 12 to 24 hours.
- A closed oven with the light on will maintain a stable temperature between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit (40 to 43 degrees Celsius), which is ideal for the fermentation process. Do not turn the oven on since doing so will make the interior too hot, which will likely kill the probiotics.^{[1]
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- The yogurt will become thicker with a longer incubation period. You should give it a minimum of 12 hours, but 24 hours would be ideal.
5
Refrigerate until cool. Remove the thick, fermented yogurt from the oven and transfer it to your refrigerator. Chill the yogurt for approximately 6 hours, or until it becomes thoroughly cool.
- If the yogurt separates during this period, you can recombine the layers by stirring them together. You can also make the yogurt thicker by pouring off the liquid layer and using only the thickened layer beneath it.
6
Enjoy. The coconut yogurt is now finished and ready to serve.
- Refrigerate any leftover yogurt in an airtight container. Use it within two weeks.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Method Two: Thickened Coconut Yogurt

1
Combine the coconut milk and thickener. Shake the coconut milk, then open the cans and pour them into a medium saucepan. Add your thickener of choice to the coconut milk.
- Unlike coconut yogurt prepared without a thickener, you'll need to use the full can of coconut milk. Thoroughly shaking the cans before opening them should help combine any separated cream and water.
- If you use agar agar, sprinkle the flakes over the coconut milk without stirring them.
- If you use tapioca starch, whisk 1/3 cup (80 ml) of coconut milk with the tapioca until the starch dissolves. Pour this mixture back into the rest of the coconut milk and stir to combine.
2
Heat the coconut mixture. Place the saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Allow the coconut milk to reach a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.^{[2]
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- After the coconut milk begins simmering, you should periodically whisk the mixture to incorporate the thickener into the milk.
- Continue heating the coconut milk until the agar agar fully dissolves or the tapioca fully thickens the milk.
3
Let the mixture cool. Remove the coconut mixture from the heat and allow it to cool to a temperature between 100 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit (38 and 46 degrees Celsius).^{[3]
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- Use a food thermometer to test the temperature of the mixture. It's crucial to let it drop adequately low. If you add the probiotics while the temperature remains too hot, the beneficial bacteria will die and the yogurt won't ferment properly.
4
Add the probiotics and sweetener. Sprinkle the probiotics and sweetener over the surface of the milk, then whisk well to combine.
- If you use probiotic capsules, you should open the capsules and only use the powder inside. Alternatively, you could use 4 tsp (20 ml) of probiotic powder, 4 Tbsp (60 ml) store-bought coconut yogurt, or 4 Tbsp (60 ml) fermented coconut water probiotic kefir.
- You can swap out the raw sugar for another sweetener, like maple syrup or agave, or omit it altogether if desired.
5
Pour the yogurt into sterilized jars. Pour the coconut mixture into sterilized glass jars. Seal the jars with tight lids.
- The jars must be sterilized before use; otherwise, bad bacteria could get into the mixture and spoil your yogurt. Sterilize the jars by running them through the hottest cycle of your dishwasher or by soaking them in boiling water for several minutes.
6
Ferment the yogurt for 12 to 24 hours. Place the yogurt in an empty oven. Turn the oven light on, but leave the oven itself off. Allow the yogurt to ferment in this warm environment for 12 to 24 hours.
- Do not turn the oven on since extremely hot temperatures can kill the probiotics. A closed oven with the light on should maintain temperatures between 105 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit (40 and 43 degrees Celsius), which is ideal for the culturing period.
- Allowing the coconut yogurt to sit for 24 hours will produce thicker yogurt, but most should be ready after 8 to 12 hours.
7
Refrigerate the yogurt. Transfer the jars of yogurt to the refrigerator and let them chill for approximately 6 hours.
- During this time, the yogurt should continue thickening and the fermentation process should cease.
- If the yogurt separates, you can stir it to combine the layers. For thicker yogurt, however, strain the liquid and use only the thickened bottom layer.
8
Enjoy. The coconut yogurt should be done and ready to eat at this time.
- Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight jar or container and kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Method Three: Shortcut Coconut Yogurt

1
Chill the coconut milk. Place the cans of coconut milk in your refrigerator and allow them to sit overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
- Refrigeration will help separate the coconut cream from the water.
- If you prefer working with fresher ingredients, you can use fresh coconut meat instead of canned coconut milk. Combine 2 cups (500 ml) fresh coconut meat with 1/2 cup (125 ml) coconut water or filtered water, blending until smooth. You can use this blend immediately; no refrigeration is required.^{[4]
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2
Scoop out the solidified cream. Open the cans of coconut milk and scoop out the solidified cream sitting on top. Discard the watery portion sitting in the bottom of the can.
- Do not shake the cans before opening them since doing so will combine the cream and water, resulting in watery yogurt.
3
Blend the ingredients together. Place the solidified coconut milk in your blender or food processor. Add the lemon juice, probiotic, and salt. Blend the ingredients together until well-combined and very smooth.
- Open and empty the probiotic capsules; do not add whole capsules to the blender.
- If you don't have probiotic capsules, you could use 1 tsp (5 ml) probiotic powder or 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut water probiotic kefir.
4
Adjust as desired. Taste the yogurt. Add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of liquid sweetener, if desired, and blend the yogurt again until the sweetener is evenly distributed.
- Maple syrup, agave, coconut nectar, and natural liquid cane sugar are all good choices.
- If the yogurt is too thick for your preferences, you could also add 1 to 2 Tbsp (15 to 30 ml) of coconut water or purified water to thin it out.
5
Chill until cool. Transfer the yogurt to an airtight plastic container and place it in your refrigerator. Allow the yogurt to chill for approximately 2 or 3 hours.
- This step isn't strictly necessary, but if you eat the yogurt immediately, it will be lukewarm and may seem less palatable.
6
Enjoy. Remove the yogurt from the refrigerator and serve it while it's still cool.
- Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container and use them within two weeks.

Warnings

Check the coconut yogurt before consuming it. If the surface looks pink or gray, bad bacteria likely got into the yogurt, making it unsafe to eat.

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Things You'll Need

Traditional Coconut Yogurt

Large mixing bowl
Whisk or spoon
Sterilized glass jars with lids; one 1-qt (1-L) jar, two 1-pint (500-ml) jars, or four 1/2-pint (250-ml) jars
Refrigerator
Oven

Thickened Coconut Yogurt

Medium saucepan
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk
Food thermometer
Sterilized glass jars with lids; one 1-qt (1-L) jar, two 1-pint (500-ml) jars, or four 1/2-pint (250-ml) jars
Oven
Refrigerator