My
Shop
Wholesome Yum
Free: Healthy Freezer Meals Recipe Ebook
Get It NowEver since I published my keto yogurt recipe, people have been asking me for a high protein dairy free yogurt version. Well, here it is, and it’s super easy to do. This creamy coconut yogurt recipe has everything you love about the regular kind, without the dairy! Using coconut milk, the process is very similar to the regular kind. Let me show you how to make coconut yogurt below, plus get delicious topping ideas, and learn tips to make sure your coconut milk yogurt turns out perfectly every time.
What Is Coconut Yogurt?
Coconut milk yogurt is just what it sounds like: it’s yogurt made with coconut milk instead of dairy.
What does coconut milk yogurt taste like?
Like regular yogurts, coconut milk yogurt has a thick, creamy texture and slight tanginess from the probiotics. It will also usually have a slight coconut flavor, depending on which coconut milk you use and whether you add any toppings to it.
Ingredients in Coconut Yogurt
- Coconut milk – You must use full-fat coconut milk to get the thickest, creamiest, and overall best dairy free yogurt. Get the kind from a can, not the liquid coconut milk beverage from the dairy case.
- Gelatin powder – Creates a thick texture without fake stabilizers or starches. I prefer grass-fed gelatin, but conventional powders will work too. Make sure it’s unflavored.
- Probiotic capsules – Adds the tangy taste of traditional yogurts and creates a dairy free probiotic yogurt that supports a healthy gut. Avoid probiotics that have added prebiotics or additional enzymes, as it won’t create the same results. Also, make sure your probiotic is fresh, or it won’t work correctly.
The ingredient amounts are on the recipe card below.
How To Make Coconut Yogurt
- Sterilize jars. You can do so by running them through the dishwasher with hot, soapy water. Make sure they are completely dry afterward.
- Heat. Add coconut milk to a saucepan and heat gently until bubbling at the edges. (Do not boil!) Sprinkle gelatin over the milk and whisk to incorporate.
- Jar. Pour the homemade coconut yogurt base into sterilized jars. Allow to cool until its internal temperature is between 100-110 degrees F.
TIP: Keep close track of temperature – I use a meat thermometer. The temperature range between 100 and 110 degrees F is warm enough to activate the cultures, but not so hot that it will kill them.
- Add probiotics. Cut or open a probiotic capsule over each jar and dump the contents inside to create coconut probiotic yogurt. Stir, then cover.
- Incubate. With your oven light on (not the oven itself), place jars on a sheet pan and put in the oven. Leave the door closed for 12-24 hours (longer time will make a tangier coconut milk yogurt recipe). Stir, refrigerate to set, then stir again before serving.
Troubleshooting Dairy Free Yogurt
Why is my coconut yogurt runny?
A runny coconut milk yogurt recipe can happen for several reasons:
- Drastic temperature: The yogurt base may have been too warm or cold for the probiotics to activate. Use a thermometer to make sure the temperature is correct.
- Short refrigeration time: This dairy free sugar free yogurt needs at least 24 hours in the fridge to thicken.
- Thin coconut milk: This dairy free coconut yogurt needs full-fat coconut milk for optimal thickness. Light coconut milks are more likely to produce a runny consistency.
If you end up with runny coconut yogurt, it’s still safe to eat — and makes a great milk substitute for a protein smoothie!
Why does my dairy free yogurt look or smell bad?
Making coconut yogurt at home can cause some smelly results. If your dairy free yogurt recipe looks or smells bad, it may have happened because of poor sterilization, incubation at too high a temperature, a particularly smelly strain of bacteria, or leaving the yogurt to ferment for too long.
If your yogurt smells bad and has a gray or pink film on top, you should discard it. If your yogurt tastes tangy and has a little foam on top (with no color change), these are normal signs of fermentation.
Coconut Milk Yogurt FAQs
Does coconut yogurt have probiotics?
Does dairy free yogurt have probiotics? It does! This recipe includes probiotics to create the tangy flavor of conventional yogurt.
Can you make coconut yogurt without probiotics?
You can still make a dairy free yogurt recipe without probiotics, but you’ll either need to substitute with a yogurt starter or a few tablespoons of store-bought plain coconut yogurt.
Is coconut yogurt healthy?
Absolutely. This yogurt is rich in healthy plant fats, contains no dairy, and (if you do it at home) you can make coconut based yogurt without added sugar, colors, or harsh stabilizers.
Can you eat coconut yogurt on keto?
Not all conventional coconut yogurt brands are keto friendly. Many contain added sugar and starches that bump up the carb count.
It’s best to make unsweetened coconut yogurt at home to stick to your macros, since you know exactly what goes in it.
Can you make it without gelatin?
You could substitute agar agar powder to make this a vegan coconut yogurt, but it would require different amounts and increase the carb count.
Can you make different flavors?
Yes! Instead of enjoying just plain coconut yogurt, it’s easy to add flavors — but do it after making the full recipe first. Create vanilla coconut yogurt with 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or stir in 1-2 tablespoons of sugar-free maple syrup for natural sweetness.
Storage Instructions
How long does dairy free yogurt last?
This dairy free yogurt recipe will last 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator. Store in tightly covered jars or containers.
Can coconut yogurt be frozen?
Avoid freezing your dairy free yogurt recipe, as it won’t have the best consistency after thawing.
Dairy Free Yogurt Toppings
With lots of probiotics, this yogurt would be a nutritious component to a detox smoothie, fruity acai smoothie, or any smoothie for that matter, but I like to eat it with simple toppings. Here are some delicious ideas:
- Nuts & seeds – Try with hemp hearts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, or your favorite nuts!
- Berries – Sprinkle on some fresh strawberries or blueberries, or even unsweetened dried cranberries.
- Coconut chips – Unsweetened coconut chips or toasted vanilla coconut chips (from The Easy Keto Cookbook) add delicious crunch.
- Jam – Strawberry jam or blackberry jelly would both taste delicious with this coconut milk yogurt.
- Granola – Homemade grain-free granola adds classic crunch!
- Chocolate – Add chocolate chips (or sugar-free chocolate chips) or for a chocolatey twist, mix in some chocolate hummus.
Tools To Make Homemade Coconut Yogurt Recipes
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Wide mouth mason jars – These jars are easy to store, and 2 jars are the perfect size to hold this recipe.
- Cast iron saucepan – This pan ensures even heating and makes the process super fast.
- Thermometer – This is crucial to make sure that you add the probiotics at the right time, when the yogurt is not too hot or too cold.
How To Make Coconut Milk Yogurt
Coconut Yogurt (So Easy!)
This homemade coconut yogurt recipe is so easy! Learn how to make coconut milk yogurt (aka dairy free yogurt) that turns out rich and creamy.
Remove Ads
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
-
Sterilize 2 12-oz or 16-oz jars in the dishwasher or with hot, soapy water. Dry and set aside.
-
Pour the coconut milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat gently, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until bubbles form around the edges. (Time can vary significantly depending on your pan material - mine was a cast iron saucepan like this.) Do not simmer or boil.
-
Sprinkle (don’t dump) the gelatin over the saucepan and whisk until dissolved.
-
Pour the cream mixture into the sterilized jars. Let the jars sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is below 110 degrees F (43 degrees C), but still above 100 degrees F (37 degrees C). This is critical - a temperature that is too high will kill the probiotic cultures, but one that’s too low won’t activate them.
-
Open or cut one probiotic capsule over each jar and stir in the powder. Cover with lids.
-
To incubate your yogurt, turn on your oven light (not the oven). Place the jars on a sheet pan and place in the oven, with the door closed and light on, for 12-24 hours, depending on how sour you want your yogurt to be. (Alternatively, you can wrap the jars in a warm blanket to keep them warm.)
-
When the yogurt is done, it will be liquid. Stir, then refrigerate for 24 hours to set the texture. Stir well again before serving (some lumps are normal, but they will disappear after stirring).
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
This helps other readers and also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site.
Related Easy Recipes
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
Want to save this recipe?
Save This Recipe Now© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We'd LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
36 Comments
Sue
0I followed this recipe diligently..and it didn’t work out. Fresh ingredients, check. Temp check. Incubation, check. It separated and there was nothing to do about it, but either start over or forget.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Sue, It’s hard to say what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you. To me, it sounds like the yogurt might have gotten too hot, and that could cause it to separate.
Kris
0I have an electric yogurt machine and am wondering if I could use that to make this recipe. Have you ever experimented with this? Thank you
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kris, I have never tried that with this recipe.
Charles Whealton
0OK, I tried this twice – not from your page’s recipe. Once it was edible but not enjoyable. We won’t discuss the other time (LoL!).
1) I’ve read that we should keep metal away from coconut yogurt though I didn’t read it on your page. It was the same deal for making kefir. If I put this in jars, would it be reasonable to place them in my instant pot in yogurt mode, which should be about 110 degrees?
2) You mention coconut milk. How about coconut cream? Can that be used also?
Thanks in advance!
Chuck
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Charles, Unfortunately, I have never placed glass into my Instant Pot so I’m not sure that would work. I also have not tried coconut cream, but please let me know your results if you do try!
Kellie
0What can I do to make it not tangy?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kellie, There isn’t much you can do about that, but you could try my other yogurt recipe.
Sue S
0Hi Maya, How much Agar Agar would I use in place of the gelatin powder and how much starter would I use in place of the probiotics? I have those on hand and not the others and can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Sue, You can substitute powdered agar for gelatin in equal amounts. Unfortunately, I have never used a starter so I can’t give you any advice on that.
Dianne J
0Do I always need to start with the probiotic capsules or can I use the formerly made yogurt like in dairy yogurt? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Dianne, Yes, you can start with dairy yogurt.
Navika
0How much of dairy yoghurt would you recommend for one 400ml can of coconut milk? Ta
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Navika, I am not exactly sure what you are wanting to know.
Pat Cummings
0My local stores no longer carry a good tasting coconut yogurt so I am happy to try this recipe! IS there a particular brand of probiotic that you recommend?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Pat, You can find these probiotic capsules on Amazon.
Matt
0Very easy and very easy to make… Coconut yogurt is great and dairy free!
Isabella
0Hi Maya,
I have just read some comments below about using instant pot.
What temperature range should be used for making the coconut yogurt in the instant pot?
I do not have the manual for the instant pot, but I can measure the temperature.
Where can I buy probiotic culture. Can I use kefir grains I use for making milk kefir at room temperature or it must be specific probiotic culture for coconut cream?
Thanks,
Isabella
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Isabella, Using kefir grains will make a different product – milk kefir. You will need probiotics or a yogurt starter base for making yogurt. If you want to use an Instant Pot, make sure the temperature doesn’t rise above 110 degrees F, which can destroy the culture.
Isabella
0Hello Maya. When I close the oven door, the lights automatic goes off. When I wrap the jars in a warm blanket to keep them warm, the jars will have no light. Is the light necessary ?
Thanks,
Isabella
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Isabella, A warm blanket should be sufficient. Enjoy!
EAP
0I make regular Greek Yogurt in the Instant Pot – going to try this the same way . . .
Amy L Huntley
0I was always so intimidated by making yogurt. It really is not difficult to make at all. Especially if you use the instant pot. The coconut flavor of this yogurt is so amazing. I would even make this as a dessert!
Jen
0How do you ferment the coconut milk without adding sugar for the bacteria to feed on? Seems impossible!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jen, Coconut milk contains some natural sugars. It’s definitely not impossible – the pictures are of the yogurt I actually made (as always with my recipes). There are plenty of store-bought coconut yogurts that are unsweetened, too.
Pam D.
0Have you tried making your coconut milk yogurt in an instant pot?
What changes could be made to this recipe to allow for instant pot?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Pam, Please check the manual on your Instant Pot to make sure the yogurt setting isn’t too hot for the recipe. It should work just the same without any changes needed to the recipe.
Kristyn
0I could eat this every morning!! Love berries with coconut & can’t believe how easy it is to make!
Natalie
0I think this is my new favorite yogurt! Love the coconut flavor with some granola!
Barbara sthilaire
0CAN I DO THIS IN AN INSTANT POT?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Barbara, Possibly. Check the manual for your Instant Pot to make sure the yogurt setting won’t get too hot for this recipe.
Toni
0I really loved how creamy it is! Homemade is really the best!
Beth
0This is perfect for my daughter! We are always looking for new recipes that dairy-free.
Jess
0I make homemade yogurt every week but I have one child who cannot eat it. Until now! Love that I can now make a dairy-free option for her.
Beth Sachs
0I love coconut flavour yogurt. This one is so creamy and delicious.
Caitlyn Erhardt
0MHMMM! I love coconut and this yogurt is so smooth and creamy.