This almond milk yogurt is thick, creamy, and slightly tart. You can serve it plain, but it’s also delicious with maple syrup and vanilla, or fruit. Just about any flavor combination works here. I usually add it to my smoothies, pair it with grain-free granola, or make a parfait out of it.
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You’ve heard me talk about how much I love yogurt before. But you have never heard me talk about how much my 4-year old daughter (Katie) loves yogurt. I mean I used to think that I eat a lot of dairy-free yogurt, but at the rate she eats non-dairy yogurt, I’ve seriously considered planting a few coconut trees in our backyard.
Unfortunately, our climate isn’t ideal for coconut trees. So, instead I’ve cleared a fridge shelf for large batches of dairy-free yogurt.
The amount of dairy-free yogurt our family goes through was actually the number one reason I started making almond milk yogurt. Homemade almond milk yogurt is cheaper than store-bought almond milk yogurt, and it’s also more cost-effective than homemade coconut yogurt.
Most importantly though, Katie thinks that homemade almond milk yogurt “is the best thing ever!”.
Tips for Making Homemade Almond Milk Yogurt
Ingredients
The first ingredient you will need to make almond milk yogurt is homemade almond milk. I have tried a few different brands of store-bought almond milk but never got the results I was after. I wonder if the additives in store-bought almond milk somehow interfere with the culturing process. The cultures never really survive in store-bought almond milk.
The only problem with homemade almond milk is that it tends to separate as it sits in the fridge. To avoid this problem, I use sunflower lecithin, which is not only an emulsifier, but also a supplement with many health benefits.
Actually, there is one more problem with using almond milk as a base for dairy-free yogurt – it never thickens. Without a thickener, the almond milk yogurt very thin and runny. The thickeners I use for vegan yogurt are kuzu root and agar powder. Kuzu thickens the almond milk, providing a creamy texture, while agar contributes to more of a pudding-like texture. Chances are you can use other thickeners to make almond milk yogurt, but I’ve never tried it. I love using kuzu and agar because, compared to other thickeners, they are considered superfoods. Kuzu is actually regarded as the healthiest cooking starch in the culinary world as well as the medicinal world.
To get the tangy flavor you expect from yogurt, you’ll need either some high-quality probiotics or a plant-based yogurt starter. The advantage of using a yogurt starter is that it contains cultures specifically found in yogurt. If you go with probiotics, look out for probiotics with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles strains.
Technique
Let’s assume you have your homemade homogenized almond milk ready. Add a tiny bit of the milk into a small bowl and mix in the kuzu and agar powder. (If you add the thickeners into the entire amount of milk, the thickeners will kind of just float on top and won’t mix in properly). Once the thickeners are dissolved in the milk, add all the ingredients into a medium saucepan, and whisk until everything is well combined.
Heat the almond milk over medium heat until it begins to boil. Heat will not only activate the kuzu and agar powder, but it will also sterilize the milk and prevent bad bacteria from cultivating. Continue to whisk the almond milk for about 5 minutes.
Remove the thickened almond milk from the heat and let it cool. (I like to transfer the almond milk into a sterilized bowl, so it cools down faster). Once the milk reaches 110°F (43°C), you’re safe to add the yogurt starter or the probiotics. Anywhere between 100°F (38°C) and 110°F (43°C) is the sweet spot. Just like with the thickeners, add the cultures only into a tiny bit of the thickened milk first (so they mix in properly).
Cover the almond milk yogurt with a piece of cheesecloth, and let it culture or 5-6 hours at 105-115°F (40-45°C). You can use a yogurt maker or your oven with the light on. The longer you incubate the almond milk yogurt, the tarter it will be.
After about 6 hours, taste the yogurt. If it’s tangy enough for your taste, place the yogurt in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. The yogurt will set as it cools.
Tools You’ll Need
1. Cookware Set (Calphalon, Stainless Steel) | 2. Mixing Bowls (Set of 3, Pyrex, Glass) | 3. Measuring Cup (1 Cup, Pyrex, Glass) | 4. Measuring Spoons (Set of 6, 1Easylife, Stainless Steel) | 9. Tongs (2 Pieces, Dragonn, Stainless Steel)
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This almond milk yogurt is thick, creamy, and slightly tart. You can serve it plain, but it's also delicious with maple syrup and vanilla, or fruit. Just about any flavor combination works here. I usually add it to my smoothies, pair it with grain-free granola, or make a parfait out of it.
- 2 1/2 cups homemade almond milk
- 2 Tbsp. kuzu root
- 1/16 tsp. agar agar powder
- 1 probiotic capsule, open*
- flavorings, optional**
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Before you proceed with the recipe, sterilize all your kitchen equipment. I like to use a dishwasher, but regular soap and hot water work just fine.
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Add a tiny bit of the homemade almond milk into a small bowl. Add the kuzu root and agar agar powder. Mix the thickeners into the almond milk until dissolved.
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Add the almond milk with the thickeners and the rest of the almond milk into a medium saucepan. Heat the milk over medium heat until it reaches a gentle boil, whisking constantly to make sure both thickeners are fully dissolved and don’t stay at the bottom. Continue stirring the almond milk for 5 minutes (to activate the kuzu and agar).
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Remove the almond milk from the heat and transfer it to a medium bowl. Let the almond milk cool down to 110°F (43°C). This is important. If the milk is too hot, it will kill the cultures. Using a thermometer is strongly recommended.
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When the milk is at the right temperature, stir in the probiotics (or the yogurt starter). Cover the almond milk yogurt with a piece of cheesecloth and let the yogurt culture for 6 hours at 105°F. You can use a yogurt maker or your oven with the light on.
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After about 6 hours, taste the yogurt. If the yogurt is tart enough for your taste, place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours to chill. If it's not tart enough, let it culture for a few more hours, checking on it periodically.
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Store the yogurt in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.Â
*You can also use vegan yogurt starter (if you use the brand that I use, you will need 1/4 cup packet for 2 1/2 cups of almond milk).
**My favorite is a vanilla flavor (maple syrup, vanilla bean, and vanilla bean paste). You could also try a chocolate flavor (maple syrup and cocoa powder), or strawberry flavor (strawberry jam).
***Prep time does not include culturing (~6 hours).
What brand of probiotics do you use?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah – I linked the probiotics I use in the ingredients section (in the recipe box). The brand is called Renew Life (50 billion).
Hi Petra,
Can you use homemade cashew milk instead of almond milk? Love your site!
Thank you
Kay
Hi Kay – I haven’t tried it but think that homemade cashew milk would work just as well. Thank you for the kind words 🙂
At what stage do you add the flavourings? Thank you.
Hi Alice – right at the end, before I put the yogurt in the refrigerator.
Hey!
Do you think this could work with homemade oat milk as well?
Also, at this moment I only have soy lecithin granules at home, could that work and do you know how much I should use?
Very informative and useful site! Thank you.
Hi Julie – a great question! I think that it would work just fine, but you might need to adjust the amount of thickeners (kuzu root and agar powder) you use. The reason is that your milk will most likely have a slightly different consistency. Yes, soy lecithin works just like sunflower lecithin. Personally, I don’t use soy lecithin because it can potentially be harmful (as opposed to sunflower lecithin which has plenty of health benefits) but it does work as an alternative. Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂
Here um Mozambique i wont be able do find kuzu. Can i use corn starch as a thickener?
Hi Claudia – I wouldn’t recommend using cornstarch because it gives the yogurt a slimy texture. The best alternative I have found is locust bean gum (for this recipe, you would need 1 tsp.). To be honest though, locust bean gum doesn’t have as many health benefits as kuzu (and has been shown to interfere with absorption of some nutrients, specifically iron, calcium, and zinc: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7148039), so I don’t tend to use it in my recipes.
Hey! I wonder how strong the probiotics must be?
I bought 5 billion instead of 50. Do I need to add more capsules?
Sincerely
Louisa
Hi Louisa – I have had the most success with 50 billion probiotics, but if you only have 5 billion, I would add more capsules. The advantage of starting with lots of good bacteria is that the bad bacteria have smaller chance of taking over. (The stronger the probiotic, the more good bacteria you’re introducing).
I have yet to make this recipe but I have a question: before I was vegan, I made my own dairy yogurt all the time, using a starter for the first batch, but other batches using some of the yogurt just made previously. Is this possible? Or do you need yogurt starter/probiotics each time?
A great question, Catherine. For some reason, I haven’t had success reusing the yogurt culture, so I use a new culture each time. (I used to make my own dairy yogurt as well, and used the previous yogurt as the starter with no problem. Reusing the almond milk yogurt doesn’t seem to work for me).
Thanks! That’s all I needed to know. I’m making this tomorrow!
Made this recipe three times and it came out runny each time. Not getting the consistency your getting in your video. I’m using the same ingredients. But I was wondering if once the gentle boiling temperature is reached should I continue stirring the milk at this temperature or lower the heat??
Hi, When you say, “If you go with probiotics, look out for probiotics with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles strains” do you mean avoid them or look for them? If you mean to avoid them do you mind telling me why? I am new to this and want to make a non-dairy yogurt. Thank you so much!
I have the same question….
Hi Maria – I just replied to Stacy, so I’m just gonna copy and paste the reply here for your convenience. “You do want the two species of bacteria. Those are the ones found in regular (dairy-based) yogurt. Yogurt can also include other bacteria, but those two are essential.” Please, let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Stacy – I am so sorry for the late reply. For some reason I completely missed your comment. I usually respond within 24 hours, so my apologies once again!! (I just saw your comment because someone else commented on your comment …). Anyway, you do want the two species of bacteria. Those are the ones found in regular (dairy-based) yogurt. Yogurt can also include other bacteria, but those two are essential. Please, let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi, when I don’t have kuzu kuzu just guar gum/agar agar is it also possible do it with? I wanna do yoghurt of 1L homemade almond milk. Thanks
Hi Merita – hmmm, I am not sure. I have never tried using guar gum (I am not really fan of gums in general). I know a mix of locust bean gum, xantham gum, and agar is often used in yogurt making (I can share the ratio of the ingredients if you’d like). Unfortunately, guar gum doesn’t act the same as locust gum, so I am not sure if that would work. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful!
Hi, I stumbled on your videos and blog and LOVE all of it.
My question is how much vanilla should I add to the yogurt?
Thank you for all the wonderful information and videos.
(I want to offer vegan cookies and need to practice making the milk and butter. I love almond milk yogurt, but it’s expensive. )
Thank you so much for the kind words, Suzie! For 2 cups of yogurt, I used 1/4 tsp. vanilla bean paste (you could scrape 1/2 pod of vanilla bean instead) and 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract. Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Thank you so much! So a funny thing happened when I made the yogurt yesterday. I started a bit too late and had to wake up at 1 AM to take it from the 105 degrees to the refrigerator. I had used my warming oven set to 105° not knowing that it turns itself off after a certain amount of time. I have no idea how long the yogurt was in the warmth. I ended up putting it in the refrigerator and going back to bed. Is it salvageable?
Hi Suzie – Yes, totally! If the yogurt didn’t culture properly (because you didn’t leave it at the optimal temperature for long enough), it won’t really taste like yogurt. However, you can kind of “make” it taste like yogurt, but adding lemon juice (for acidity and tanginess). You will still benefit from the probiotics in the yogurt although not as much as if you let the yogurt culture. Please, let me know if you have any questions.
Hello Petra, love all your recipes! How long does the yoghurt keep in the fridge? Would you say a week, or just a couple of days? Was thinking to make a big batch. Thank you!
Hi Cheska – mine usually lasts for up to 5 days. (It really depends on the freshness of your almond milk. The fresher the milk, the longer the yogurt will last. Homemade almond milk usually doesn’t last longer than 5 days).
So if I made almond milk today, and also made the yoghurt today, will it keep for a bit longer?
It definitely should, but it depends on so many things – how well your equipment was sterilized, what temperature your fridge is held at, what airborne bacteria were introduced during normal yogurt making processes, etc. My yogurt usually lasts ~ 7 days. If ever in doubt, err on the side of caution 🙂
Hi Petra,
You talk of using Sunflower lecithin,but you don’t actually put it in your recipe or say how much per litre to use,or when to add it???
Love the yogurt,but agree,it tends to separate. I’ve also made hazlenut yogurt with you recipe.Works a treat.
As far as the locust bean gum,it is a completely different texture,which I personally didn’t like.
My yogurt has been in the fridge for over a week,and still delicious.Not sure why you say it won’t last longer. Its like milk yogurt in the sense that it lasts for ages,yet the milk as milk,doesn’t….like my fresh almond milk only lasts a few days. In principle,yogurt should last a lot longer….and I’ve tested it. Do the good bacteria die or something.
Thanks for your wonderful recipe.
Hi Paola = here is the recipe for homemade almond milk (which contains sunflower lecithin): https://nutritionrefined.com/homemade-almond-milk/ I use 1 tsp. sunflower lecithin for 4 cups almond milk. The bacteria will begin to die when the food source runs out. My yogurt usually lasts for ~ 7 days. Food safety is really tricky because there are a lot of variables – how old the milk is, if there have been bacteria introduced to the milk by, for example, drinking the milk ahead of time, what temperature the fridge is held at, what airborne bacteria might be introduced during normal yogurt making processes, etc. So, I always err on the side of caution when it comes to food safety.
Thanks Petra. Sunflower lecithin is hard to find in Australiawhich I’m surprised by as here in Melbourne we have loads of organics and alternative foods. I might have to go online.
Also,for your (what look to be divine) almond tortillas, almond flour is also hard to find,unlike almond meal which is plentiful. I can’t imagine almond meal doing the trick no?
Again, thanks for your yummy recipes.
Yea, sunflower lecithin isn’t all that common here either. I get it in health food stores (regular grocery stores don’t carry it here either). Online is always a safe bet 🙂 I use finely ground almond flour for the almond flour tortillas. The recipe does work with almond meal, but the color of the tortillas is brown-ish. Whether you use almond flour or almond meal, you want to make sure that it’s finely ground, so the tortillas aren’t grainy.