Making 2-ingredient coconut yogurt at home is so ridiculously easy it’s making me rethink my entire life.

Why do we overcomplicate things that are so simple?!

All you need is a little probiotic packet, a few cans of coconut milk, an oven with a light, and a little bit of patience.

This homemade coconut yogurt recipe is healthy, vegan*, dairy-free, paleo, gluten-free, no-sugar-added, simple-to-make, and delicious.

You’ll pour the water off 2 cans of full-fat coconut milk, stir the thick cream together with 2 grams of probiotic powder in a clean pint jar, and set the jar in the oven with the oven off and only the light on. After 24 hours it should taste tangy (let it go up to 36 hours if you like it tangier). Let it cool, then chill it for at least 2 hours to thicken. That’s about 2 cups of creamy, dairy-free coconut yogurt.

How to Use Homemade Coconut Yogurt

This homemade coconut yogurt makes a great snack, or you can use it as a substitute for regular yogurt in recipes.

I love it in my Healthy Curry Quinoa Salad as a substitute for the Greek Yogurt in the dressing. You’ll love it if you’re trying to cut back on dairy, or just want to try something new. It’s fun to make with kids, too!

Homemade Coconut Yogurt Video Tutorial

While making yogurt at home is super easy, there are a few nuances to it. I made you this video to show you all of the small details that make a difference:

Fermenting Yogurt at Home

Fermenting foods at home seems tricky but it’s actually quite simple—you just need to learn the right method.

In this case, we use a little probiotic powder with lactobacillus bacteria to ferment the yogurt because coconut milk won’t just ferment itself.

On the flip side, homemade fermented veggies (like my 2-ingredient homemade sauerkraut) are a little different in that the naturally occurring bacteria on the cabbage will ferment it when given the right environment (science is fun!).

Homemade Coconut Yogurt FAQs

Is coconut yogurt fermented?

Real coconut yogurt is. Coconut milk won’t ferment on its own, so the probiotic powder supplies the live lactobacillus bacteria that ferment the coconut cream while it sits in the warm oven. That’s where the tang comes from, and the tang is how you know it worked.

Can I make coconut yogurt without probiotics?

You need some kind of starter. If you don’t have probiotic powder, a few spoonfuls of store-bought coconut yogurt labeled with live and active cultures can do the same job. Without live bacteria, the coconut cream just sits there and never turns into yogurt.

Why is my coconut yogurt runny?

It’s always thin when it first comes out of the oven because it’s warm. Let it come to room temperature, then chill it for at least 2 hours and it will set up nicely. Using only the thick cream from 2 cans (instead of one whole can of coconut milk) also gives you a thicker yogurt.

How long does homemade coconut yogurt last?

It keeps for 1 to 2 weeks in a covered jar in the refrigerator. Use a clean spoon every time you dip in.

Curious about other fermented foods? Here’s my guide to fermented foods and why you need them. And this yogurt is so good topped with a handful of my healthy homemade granola.

2-Ingredient Homemade Coconut Yogurt (Dairy-Free)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

• Author: Elizabeth Rider
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 24 hours
• Total Time: 24 hours 5 mins
• Yield: 2 cups
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Ferment
• Cuisine: Healthy

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Description

You only need 2 ingredients to make this delicious coconut yogurt at home! Watch the video tutorial above to learn the fine nuances of making yogurt at home.

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Ingredients

Units MUS

• 2 cans full-fat coconut milk (I use Native Forest), separated
• 2 grams lactobacillus-containing probiotic powder (I use this one)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. Start with a clean pint-sized jar.
2. Open the coconut milk cans and pour off the water, then scoop out the coconut cream that’s separated in the can. The best way to do this is flip the cans of coconut milk over from how they were stored—usually the coconut water and coconut cream will separate with the cream on top. Open the cans and pour off the coconut water. Reserve the coconut water for a smoothie or other recipe.
3. Combine the coconut cream and probiotic powder in the clean, pint-size mason jar.
4. Place in the oven, with the oven OFF, but the oven light on for 24 hours (up to 36 hours if you like it tangier). The probiotics will ferment the coconut cream and turn it into yogurt in the slightly warmed oven. Again, the oven should remain off but the oven light should be on. If you live in a warm climate, then you can leave it on the counter out of direct sunlight.
5. After 24 hours (or up to 36 for tangier yogurt), remove from oven and let sit 10-15 minutes at room temperature to cool off before you taste it.
6. Taste for tanginess; tanginess indicates that it fermented properly. It will be a little thin and runny because it is warm but will set and thicken as it cools. It will become even thicker in the refrigerator.
7. Refrigerate after it comes to room temperature (about an hour after you remove from the oven). Let chill in the refrigerator at least two hours before serving to allow it to thicken. It will keep 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

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Notes

• 1. For the coconut cream:
  • Use full-fat coconut milk in a can (preferably BPA-free)
  • To ensure separation of the coconut water and cream in the can you can refrigerate the can overnight
  • If your can of coconut milk doesn’t separate you can use one whole can of coconut milk instead of the cream from two cans—your yogurt just won’t be as thick.
• 2. Make sure to use a probiotic powder that contains lactobacillus bacteria.
  • *This recipe is vegan if your probiotic is dairy-free. Bacteria is technically alive but all foods, including fruits and vegetables, are full of bacteria—that’s the way nature intended it.
• 3. Leave the oven OFF with the light on to slightly heat the oven.
  • If your climate is extra cold (e.g. Montana in the middle of winter), preheat the oven for just 5-10 seconds to give it a slight lift of warm air, then turn it off and turn the light on.
  • If you live in a warm climate you may be able to leave this on the counter out of direct sunlight. Every day is different, so when in doubt use the “light on in the oven method” to ensure you have a warm space for it to ferment.

Get the USANA Probiotic

You can purchase the USANA Probiotic I use here. I also put these packets in my smoothies a few times per week, and I take one every day when I travel. It’s important to use a high-quality probiotic because the bacteria are delicate and can die during manufacturing if mishandled.

I only recommend products and brands I personally use and believe in and all opinions are my own. When I make a recommendation, I may receive a referral fee.

Did you make this recipe? If you make it let us know how it turns out in the comments below!