🥛 Homemade Yogurt
8 Months, No Store-Bought, Pure Perfection!
📌 In This Article
🥛 The Yogurt Story
"8 months of making my own yogurt, my family has no desire to go back to store bought. Finding the right recipe for your taste and outstanding compotes for flavoring makes all the difference."
Eight months ago, I started making homemade yogurt. It wasn't long before my family refused to go back to store-bought. The difference is night and day — creamy, perfectly sweet, and so much better for you.
The secret is finding the right recipe for your taste, and outstanding compotes for flavoring. That's where this recipe comes in.
💬 The verdict: "8 months of making my own yogurt, my family has no desire to go back to store bought."
📦 Ingredients
🥛 For the Yogurt
- 🥛 1 carton Fairlife milk – Or Organic Valley Ultra
- 🌿 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
- 🍬 1 can sweetened condensed milk (SCM)
- 🥄 2-3 heaping tbsp yogurt starter – Whatever flavor you like or from previous batch
💡 Pro tip: "I use one carton of Fairlife unless I can find Organic Valley Ultra, which I prefer."
🍓 For the Compote
- 🍓 2 cups strawberries – Fresh or frozen
- 🍬 Sugar – To taste (I don't use much)
- 🍊 Orange juice – A splash
💡 Pro tip: "This can be done with any berry you like."
📝 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Prepare Your Equipment
- Make sure your Instant Pot is clean.
- Have your glass jars ready (Amazon jars work great).
- Gather all ingredients.
💡 Pro tip: "Jars are from Amazon."
Step 2 – Mix the Ingredients
- In a large bowl or directly in the jars, combine milk, vanilla extract, sweetened condensed milk, and starter.
- Whisk well until fully combined.
💡 Pro tip: "This is the perfect sweetness and thickness that I like, but you can tweak to your own personal taste."
Step 3 – Pour into Jars
- Pour the mixture into glass jars.
- Leave about 1/2 inch headspace.
- Seal with lids.
💡 Pro tip: "Do not strain, just dump any excess whey on top."
Step 4 – Incubate
- Place jars in the Instant Pot.
- Add water to the pot (about halfway up the jars).
- Press the Yogurt button.
- Set incubation time to 8 hours.
💡 Pro tip: "8 hours incubation, 8 hours to chill in the fridge."
Step 5 – Chill
- After incubation, remove the jars from the Instant Pot.
- Place them in the refrigerator.
- Chill for 8 hours.
💡 Pro tip: "The yogurt will set as it chills."
Step 6 – Make the Compote
- In a saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, and orange juice.
- Mash with a potato masher.
- Cook down on the stovetop until thickened.
- Cool completely before adding to yogurt.
💡 Pro tip: "Compote is 2 cups strawberries mixed with sugar (to taste, I don't use much) and OJ, mashed with potato masher and cooked down on stovetop, then cooled."
Step 7 – Enjoy!
- Open a jar of yogurt.
- Top with compote.
- Enjoy your creamy, homemade yogurt!
💡 Pro tip: "I have used both whole and 2%, both turn out delicious, one is slightly thicker."
🍓 Berry Compote – The Perfect Flavoring
How to Make Berry Compote
- 🍓 Strawberry: 2 cups strawberries + sugar + OJ
- 🫐 Blueberry: 2 cups blueberries + sugar + lemon juice
- 🍑 Peach: 2 cups peaches + sugar + cinnamon
- 🍒 Cherry: 2 cups cherries + sugar + almond extract
- 🍓🫐 Mixed Berry: Any combination!
💡 Pro tip: "This can be done with any berry you like."
🥫 How to Store
- 🧊 Refrigerator: Up to 2 weeks
- 🥄 Save starter: Reserve 2-3 tbsp for next batch
- 🍓 Compote: Store separately for up to 1 week
💡 Pro tip: "Save some yogurt as starter for your next batch!"
💡 Pro Tips for Perfect Yogurt
- 🥛 Use Ultra-filtered milk: Fairlife or Organic Valley Ultra gives the best texture.
- 🍬 Sweetened condensed milk: Adds the perfect sweetness.
- ⏱️ Don't rush: 8 hours incubation is key.
- 🧊 Chill completely: 8 hours in the fridge sets the texture.
- 🍓 Make compote: It makes all the difference!
- 🥄 Save starter: You'll never need to buy yogurt again.
- 🫙 Use jars: Perfect for portion control.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Can I use a different milk?
Yes! Whole and 2% both work great — one is slightly thicker.
❓ What starter should I use?
Any plain yogurt with live cultures or from your previous batch.
❓ How long does this last?
Up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
❓ Can I make this without an Instant Pot?
Yes — you can use a yogurt maker or oven method.
❓ Why is my yogurt runny?
You may not have incubated long enough or used enough starter.
❓ Can I use frozen fruit for compote?
Yes! Frozen berries work perfectly.
❓ Do I need to strain the yogurt?
No — just dump any excess whey on top.
❓ Is this better than store-bought?
YES! My family has no desire to go back.
❓ Can I make this sugar-free?
Use sugar-free sweetened condensed milk and skip the sugar in compote.
❓ Will I ever buy store-bought yogurt again?
Probably not! Homemade is so much better!
📄 Printable Recipe Card
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║ HOMEMADE YOGURT ║
║ 8 Months, No Store-Bought, Pure Perfection! ║
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YIELD: 4-5 jars | TIME: 8 hrs incubation + 8 hrs chill
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INGREDIENTS
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YOGURT:
- 1 carton Fairlife milk (or Organic Valley Ultra)
- 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 2-3 heaping tbsp yogurt starter
COMPOTE:
- 2 cups strawberries (or any berry)
- Sugar to taste
- Splash of orange juice
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INSTRUCTIONS
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1. Combine milk, vanilla, SCM, and starter. Whisk well.
2. Pour into glass jars. Leave 1/2" headspace. Seal.
3. Place jars in Instant Pot with water halfway up.
4. Incubate on Yogurt setting for 8 hours.
5. Remove jars and refrigerate for 8 hours.
6. For compote: Mash berries with sugar and OJ.
Cook down on stovetop. Cool.
7. Top yogurt with compote and enjoy!
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8 MONTHS AND COUNTING! 🥛
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"8 months of making my own yogurt, my family has
no desire to go back to store bought. Finding the
right recipe for your taste and outstanding compotes
for flavoring makes all the difference." ❤️
© CanningRebels — Homemade Yogurt
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