The Best Low Carb Keto Yogurt Recipe

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This (almost) sugar-free yogurt is smooth, creamy, and totally keto! Skip the store-bought versions that can hide artificial ingredients or sugar, and make this keto yogurt recipe instead. I’ll also cover all of the burning questions around low carb yogurt: Is yogurt keto? How many carbs in yogurt? What is the best yogurt for keto? …and more.

I’m so happy to partner with my friends at Eaton Hemp to bring you this recipe for the best keto yogurt! It’s thick and creamy, and makes a delicious and healthy breakfast or snack. Try it topped with my topping ideas below for a keto yogurt parfait. Hemp hearts make a delicious addition to recipes when you need a boost of healthy fats — and keto yogurt is no exception!

Because this yogurt is unsweetened, you can also use it in recipes that call for plain yogurt, like my keto butter chicken, Greek tzatziki sauce, keto frozen yogurt, or even keto naan!

But, I highly recommend you try it this way first. It makes a filling breakfast that you can customize with so many good-for-you toppings (like delicious hemp hearts)!

Is Yogurt Keto Friendly?

No, yogurt is not really keto — at least, most store-bought varieties are not considered keto approved yogurt, as they are made with a base of milk and many are also sweetened with sugar, both of which crank up the carbs fast.

The closest store-bought natural yogurt that falls in line with keto would be full-fat Greek yogurt — but even the plain, unsweetened variety can add up very fast in your macros.

There are more low carb yogurt options popping up in stores, though…

Can you have yogurt on keto if it’s labeled as “keto”?

Maybe, but you’ll want to check the nutrition facts closely as the amount of carbs will vary between brands. Plus, some brands labeled “keto” have a lot of artificial ingredients… not a great thing when you’re trying to eat better.

Luckily, even though yogurt is usually off the table for keto breakfast recipes, there is still a way for you to enjoy it on a keto diet! Much like making some swaps to make keto oatmeal, making your own is easy and much lower in carbs. And since many of you prefer to make your own low carb alternatives, I created this homemade keto friendly yogurt recipe.

Why is yogurt good for you?

Yogurt contains protein, but more importantly, it’s a great source of probiotics, which can help improve gut health and flora [*]. It’s a creamy, delicious, fermented food — and this one is even healthier because it’s not loaded with sugar.

How Many Carbs In Yogurt?

While carbs in most yogurt brands are too high to be considered keto, the exact number of carbs is up for debate. It may be lower than what is on the label.

Why? Food brands are required by law to provide nutrition information based on their listed ingredients [*] — and not based on how their macros can change during a complex process like fermentation.

Similar to other fermented foods, the bacteria in yogurt consume some of the lactose (a kind of sugar) in milk and convert it to lactic acid. (A similar process happens in my keto soft pretzel recipe, where the bacteria in the yeast “eat” the sugar source in the recipe and reduce its carb impact.) Since fermentation is a process with so much room for variation, it’s difficult to dial in how many carbs your yogurt could truly have.

Counting the number on the label would be the safest number to go by, but in reality, the carbs in yogurt you consume could be less.

Fortunately, if you make my keto yogurt recipe below, the carbs are very low even if you count all the carbs in the listed ingredients (and my nutrition info below does just that, because I have no way to know how much to list otherwise).

While this recipe is not quite a no carb yogurt (I don’t think that exists!), it’s very close: only 2 grams net carbs per serving.

What Is The Best Yogurt For Keto?

When you’re looking for the best keto yogurt from the store, you could do it 2 ways:

• For plain yogurt: Simply look for full-fat Greek yogurt (4% or 5% fat), or if you’re less strict (more low carb than keto), full-fat regular yogurt will be okay as well.
• For flavored yogurt: These are normally high in sugar, so be sure that is labeled low carb or keto. There are a few keto brands available now, but take a look at the carb count and ingredients. Some versions may have added sugar or artificial sweeteners such as sucralose… which is also why you may just want to make your own!

In my book? The recipe below is the best keto yogurt. It’s thick and creamy, way lower in carbs than store bought versions, and makes a healthy meal when topped with nutritious ingredients like hemp hearts, berries, and almonds.

Homemade Keto Yogurt Ingredients

This low carb yogurt is made with simple ingredients, and you may already have many of them on-hand, if you’re used to keto cooking and baking!

• Almonds – see below for nut-free alternatives
• Water
• Heavy cream
• Gelatin powder – natural thickener
• Liquid sunflower lecithin – optional, but helps with texture and to reduce separation
• Probiotic capsules – this is the source of active cultures

How To Make Keto Friendly Yogurt

Making homemade yogurt doesn’t have to be complicated! Here’s how we prepare it, without any special equipment (you don’t need a yogurt maker!):

• Sterilize jars. Heat jars in the dishwasher, or with hot, soapy water, to sterilize.
• Make almond milk. Blend the almonds and water to make almond milk.

TIP: Do not use store-bought almond milk – the preservatives will prevent the yogurt from fermenting.

• Strain. Strain the nut milk through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth, into a saucepan.

• Heat. Heat almond milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat, until bubbles form on the edges. Do not simmer or boil!

• Add gelatin and lecithin. Sprinkle gelatin over the milk mixture and whisk until completely dissolved, then remove from heat and whisk in sunflower lecithin.
• Cool. Pour cream mixture into sterilized jars and let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes, until it’s between 100-110 degrees F.

TIP: Use an instant read thermometer to be sure! The temperature is important. If it’s too high, the probiotic cultures can die, but if it’s too low, they won’t activate.

• Ferment yogurt. Cut open one probiotic capsule over each jar and stir in powder until combined. Cover with lids.

• Incubate. Turn oven light on (not actual oven, just the light!) Place jars on a sheet pan in the oven and close the door for 12-24 hours.

TIP: The longer you incubate, the more sour your yogurt will be. If you’re like me and tend to forget about it, stick a post-it note on your oven door. 😉

• Chill, then stir or blend. Refrigerate until cold. Then, you can stir with a spoon, but I usually prefer to do a quick blend in a blender to get it extra smooth. This is optional!

• Enjoy! Pile high with your favorite toppings (ideas below) and dig in!

Troubleshooting Keto Yogurt

Why is my yogurt watery?

If your yogurt ends up watery, it could be because of a couple of reasons:

1. It may have separated. This recipe is naturally very thick, so this doesn’t usually happen, but if it does, it’s easy to fix. Simply strain it, pour off the liquid, or blend it.
2. It needs more time to ferment. Your keto yogurt mixture will be liquid when you first set it out, and will firm up as it ferments. If it’s still very thin overall, you can continue to ferment for longer, or just use what you have in smoothies (try my low carb green smoothie bowl or add it to a strawberry avocado smoothie).

Why does my yogurt look or smell bad?

If the yogurt looks or smells bad, it sat out too long and has spoiled. Sorry, discard it and start over!

Substitutions For Low Carb Yogurt Ingredients

Can you make keto yogurt dairy-free?

Yes, you can swap out the heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free keto yogurt.

Can you make nut-free low carb yogurt?

Yes! You can make a nut-free low carb yogurt by using hemp milk made with Eaton Hemp hearts, instead of almonds. I have a hemp milk recipe coming soon!

Can you make it without gelatin?

Yes, but it will not be as thick. You only need a small amount, but you’ll like the gelatin for other keto recipes, like sugar-free marshmallows, keto banana pudding, or even some unusual uses (I add to almond flour pie crust to make it work as a top crust!).

Can you make different flavors?

Absolutely! Here is how to make flavored keto yogurt:

• For fruit flavors: Be sure to use only keto fruit! Simmer fruit with your favorite alternative to sugar (I recommend powdered Besti for the best taste!) until it gets soft and releases juices, then blend. You can stir the fruit puree directly into your low carb yogurt, or strain it first if you prefer.
• For other flavors: If you want to add spices or cocoa powder, simply stir those in, to taste.

Storage Instructions For Low Carb Yogurt

Can you make it ahead?

Yes, you need to make this yogurt ahead. The incubation time will take 12-24 hours, plus some time to chill in the refrigerator.

How to store low carb yogurt:

Store this yogurt right in the glass jars in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Can yogurt be frozen?

No, I don’t recommend freezing yogurt. The texture will change and it won’t be smooth and creamy.

The Best Low Carb Yogurt Toppings

Once you’ve made your keto friendly yogurt, it’s time for the fun part – the toppings! I like to top my yogurt with a mix of flavors:

Hemp Hearts

Buttery, nutty hemp hearts are a great way to add healthy omega-3 fatty acids to your parfait, and they add delicious texture!

I love Eaton Hemp Hearts because they are organic, grown in the US, and farmer-owned. Plus, they taste delicious and I’m happy to know that I’m getting a boost of healthy fat with barely any extra net carbs (just 1 net carb per generous serving)!

Berries

Fresh berries (or frozen!) will give your yogurt sweet and fruity flavor. Raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries are all great options, and if you’re interested in carb counts, check my keto fruit list.

Nuts

Nuts are a great way to add both crunch and healthy fats. Use sliced almonds, or choose one from my keto nut list for specific carb counts, as they do vary.

Coconut Chips

Another great way to add some flavorful fat to your carb free yogurt parfait. Be sure to find the unsweetened variety, as many shredded coconut or coconut chips are sweetened with sugar.

Sugar-Free Jam

Sure, berries are delicious, but adding a dollop of sugar-free strawberry jam will really take this up a notch.

Low Carb Granola

If you miss crunchy cereal, this granola is a must! And it’s also delicious sprinkled on this yogurt, too.

• Eaton Hemp Hearts – These are the best hemp hearts. Super-fresh, organic, and grown here in the U.S. Use code WHOLESOMEYUM for 30% off!
• Glass Jars – Ferment and store the yogurt in these glass jars that fit well in the fridge.
• Instant Read Thermometer – I use this thermometer for so much more than chicken breasts and steak, it’s also a great way to tell when your yogurt has cooled to the proper temperature.