How to Make Coconut Yogurt at Home (10-Minutes!)

May 14, 2019 (Last updated May 16, 2023) by Hannah Sunderani

How to Make Coconut Yogurt at Home (10-Minutes!)

Learn how to make delicious and oh-so creamy homemade coconut milk yogurt in this easy, 2-ingredient recipe that takes 10-minutes of your time. Using just coconut milk and probiotics, this plant-based yogurt is thick, tangy, and velvety. So good!

Vegan and gluten-free, this homemade coconut yogurt will change your breakfast game. And, it’s SO easy to make!

How do you make homemade coconut yogurt?

This post has been a long time coming, as many of you have expressed interest in making homemade coconut yogurt! And, after my recipe for how to make an Acai bowl was such a hit, I thought it time to share more how-to vegan breakfast recipes!

Coconut yogurt has become all the rage over the past few years, as people are turning to plant-based alternatives from classic animal-based yogurts. As per usual, my blog aims to bring you delicious plant-based recipes, and my recipe for coconut yogurt will not disappoint!

Personally, I find coconut yogurt the best alternative to traditional, as it’s rich and creamy. I also like that the ingredients in coconut yogurt are minimal, natural and unprocessed unlike other dairy-free yogurts on the market. In fact, I used to eat a lot of soy-yogurt, but found the processed soy to affect my skin, causing me to break out from hormone imbalance. See more about that in my Skincare blog post.

Coconut yogurt has a delicious taste. It’s slightly nutty, very creamy and rich. Like a greek yogurt, it’s delicious plain and can be sweetened as you want with a bit of maple syrup, agave, or honey (if you eat honey).

Watch the video for how to make coconut yogurt:

 

Why make homemade coconut yogurt?

My main reason for sharing this coconut milk yogurt recipe is because I’m often asked, “what’s my favourite coconut yogurt”?  And to be honest, I’m unsure the answer is helpful… Here in France my favourite brand of coconut yogurt is Happy Coco. However, it’s not so easy to find, and they only sell it in ONE organic grocers that I know of.

I’ve also received many messages from followers to inform me that it’s really hard to find coconut yogurt in their region. Not to mention, the quality of coconut yogurt can vary so much by brand. Many add in fillers and sweeteners, so in the end there is very little to do with coconut and yogurt at all. 

And so, here is a 2-ingredient, easy recipe for how to make homemade coconut yogurt. So that no matter where you are, or what brands are available to you, you can enjoy the delicious outcome of quality homemade coconut yogurt.

Homemade coconut yogurt vs. store bought

If I were to describe homemade coconut yogurt vs. store bought, I would say the following:

Homemade coconut yogurt is,

• more rich
• more tangy
• thicker
• fattier (in a good way)
• creamier!

Store bought yogurts can really range in thickness, consistency and even taste. Some are more creamy, while others are more watery. Brands vary on their ingredient list, some adding fillers, sweeteners and using blends (often with soy) so that it has very little to do with coconuts in the end.

Although there are great brands on the market, it’s sometimes hard to find. And you can pay a pretty penny for them. I find that this coconut milk yogurt recipes offers delicious taste and quality. And also offers a beautiful tanginess that you can’t find to the same degree in the store bought yogurts. (You’ll be thanking your gut for all those microbes!)

It’s important to note that making your own coconut yogurt takes more time than buying store bought. And it can be finicky (in terms of ingredient quality and prep time). It’s definitely more work than paying for store-bought coconut yogurt, which is why I’ve stamped it Foodie Approved. However, the taste and quality can’t be beat. So I urge you to give it a try. 

What’s inside homemade coconut yogurt?

This homemade coconut yogurt takes just two ingredients: full-fat canned coconut milk and probiotics. I know, it’s shocking that two ingredients can take on such gorgeous taste and texture! 

When combined together the probiotic ferments with the coconut milk for a thick scoopable yogurt with an ultra tangy taste. And, the longer you leave it to ferment the tangier it gets. Typically it takes 1-2 days in a warm, draft-free environment to become a delicious yogurt.

You’ll notice when tasting that it’s almost effervescent. As a result of the probiotics activated with the yogurt. It’s pretty cool! It’s ever so slight, but definitely shows that this is an active cultured yogurt, good for the gut. I love that!

I will mention that if you’re not used to eating fermented foods than you’ll want to introduce homemade coconut yogurt to your diet slowly (just as you would with other fermented foods). The yogurt is teeming with gut-friendly cultures, and so you don’t want to shock the system by overdoing it.

In fact, my husband loved this coconut yogurt so much he ate 1/2 of it in one sitting!  As a first-timer, it wasn’t the most ideal introduction. Let’s just say it got things moving and shaking…

So, take it easy if you’re new to fermented foods! I find 1/4 cup with fruits is the perfect amount without taking your digestion on a probiotic roller coaster ride. Plus, homemade coconut yogurt is quite rich. So small servings will keep you full and satiated.

Buying quality ingredients

It’s important when making homemade coconut yogurt to use quality ingredients. I cannot stress this point enough! The recipe is a bit finicky that way. (I know it’s a bit annoying, but it’s just the way it is).

Buying quality canned coconut milk:

For the coconut milk, you want to make sure it’s full-fat, organic, and canned.

I experimented using a cheap can of coconut milk and it didn’t work. So it’s worth spending a tad more to get the good stuff. 

In terms of knowing which canned coconut milks are “quality” and which are not, look for the following when choosing:

• Organic
• full-fat
• in a can.

For my recipe I used a brand called “Autour du Riz.” If you are in Canada or the U.S., Whole Foods 365 Canned Coconut Milk and Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk works well.

I’ve found a good way to tell whether canned coconut milk is good quality is by shaking the can. There shouldn’t be much movement when you shake it. (If its super liquid when shaking it might not work). Apart from that it might be a little trial and error to finding which brands in your region are best. 

I use canned coconut milk to make lots of delicious coconut-y recipes like my Creamy Quinoa Porridge (which uses canned coconut milk and can be made and enjoyed instantly. It’s a great one if you’re pressed for time). I’d also recommend it if you’re experimenting with coconut milk brands to find the perfect one for making coconut yogurt. Any “discarded cans” can be used to make my Creamy Quinoa Porridge.

Buying Quality Probiotic:

For the probiotic, I’ve used a dosage of 30 billion active cultures in capsules form. Again, you’ll want to be sure you’re picking a quality probiotic otherwise the recipe might not work.

I used a brand called BIOHM. I really like their probiotics. Other great brands are Genuine Health’s probiotics and Renew Life Probiotics – they also work well for making this coconut milk yogurt recipe.

You might notice when buying capsules that the amount of cultures vary. Some are 50 billion, others 30b and 15b. If you can’t find 30 billion that’s okay. I recommend buying 15 billion and using twice the amount recommended for this recipe, or buying the 50 billion and only using two capsules.

Recipe FAQ’s

A few more tips for Homemade Coconut Yogurt:

In addition to ensuring that you buy quality canned coconut yogurt and probiotics, (see “Buying Quality Ingredients” above), I have a few more tips to ensure this recipe is a success.

1. Make sure that you are buying full fat, organic and canned coconut milk.

Although I haven’t tried the tetra-pack, or using low-fat coconut milk for this recipe, I’ve read multiple sites that stress the importance of full fat and canned coconut milk. If you opt in for tetra-pack or low-fat coconut milk it’s possible the recipe won’t work.

I’d also recommend to use organic coconut milk, as typically they are higher quality. I tested this recipe using a quality organic can of coconut milk vs. a cheaper non-organic can and the cheaper one didn’t work. (See below which brands I recommend).

2. Use a glass mixing bowl, and ensure that it’s sterilized (i.e. washed well in very hot water).

That’s because we don’t want any substances or metals to affect the fermentation process. Therefore I also suggest to use a wooden spoon to mix the coconut yogurt instead of a metal one. (See “Shop my Kitchen” below for which bowl and spoon I used).

The fermentation process:

The fermentation time for turning this coconut milk into homemade coconut yogurt is typically 1-2 days. Depending on how warm or cold your house is, and whether it’s winter or summer can speed up or slow down the process. I find 36-48 hours (i.e. 1.5-2 days) is the sweet spot for a thick, tangy coconut yogurt. After this, you can place the yogurt in the fridge. It will keep for up to one week.

If you find the coconut milk is not thickening or taking on a yogurt consistency after two days than unfortunately the recipe didn’t work for you. Try again with one of the coconut milk brands and probiotics recommended below. Ensure you’re using a clean glass bowl and wooden spoon for mixing, and keeping in a warm draft-free space for the fermentation process. And don’t get down on yourself! Sometimes it takes a bit of trail and error to know which coconut milk and probiotic brands in your region work best. 

If for any reason your coconut yogurt develops mould, it smells off, or goes a funny colour – than discard and try again using one of the coconut milk brands and probiotics recommended below.

What are good flavorings for coconut yogurt?

I love to make this coconut yogurt plain, and then add my favourite flavouring with fruits.

Some of my favourite combos are:

• fresh fruits like berries, peaches, or mango
• canned fruits like pears or apricots
• strawberry chia jam
• crunchy granola (like my Detox Granola)
• vegan lemon curd

How long will this coconut yogurt keep?

This coconut yogurt will keep for up to one week. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container.

Other recipes you might like:

If you’re digging this Homemade Coconut Yogurt, you might also like to try these recipes:

• How to make Easy Chia Pudding
• 10 Minute Almond Milk
• How to make the Ultimate Fruit Platter

So there we have it: how to make homemade coconut yogurt! For those of you who have trouble finding quality coconut yogurt where you live, or want to enjoy the quality and taste of the homemade coconut yogurt – this recipe is for you. 

And, if you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I love hearing from you. And if you have any tips and tricks please do share! I love to hear your experience and what worked for you. And of course, tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.

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