This easy Coconut Milk Yogurt has a thick, creamy consistency and a tangy taste for the best homemade vegan yogurt recipe. Made with a base of 2 simple ingredients, it’s easy to make, budget-friendly, and better than store-bought yogurts you find at your local grocery store. Keep a batch on hand for healthy gluten-free, dairy-free breakfasts and snacks throughout the week!
We love a good yogurt bowl in the morning! Loaded up with all our favorite toppings like fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, and granola, they’re the best way to start the day. That said, we know dairy is a common allergen and can contribute to inflammation. So, we try to always keep dairy-free yogurt on hand to meet everyone’s needs.
However, store-bought vegan yogurt options aren’t super budget-friendly and can contain undesirable ingredients. So, in true scrappy Cotter Crunch fashion, we decided to just make our own! Turns out, it’s super easy to do and only requires two basic ingredients.
You’ll never go back to pre-made coconut yogurt again!
What Is Coconut Milk Yogurt?
Regular dairy milk yogurt is made by fermenting cow’s milk with a probiotic starter. Coconut milk follows a similar fermentation process, combining canned coconut milk with a probiotic starter. At its core, coconut yogurt will contain just two ingredients. However, some recipes also contain a starter or thickener like cornstarch or gelatin such as agar-agar to replicate the thick, creamy texture of Greek yogurt.
Put simply, coconut milk yogurt is a type of vegan yogurt that possesses the same probiotic benefits as regular dairy yogurt without the dairy.
How to Make 2-Ingredient Vegan Yogurt
As mentioned, the process of making an easy coconut yogurt recipe requires a fermentation process, but it’s simple to do! We’ll walk you through all the steps below.
Basic Ingredients
- Coconut Milk – Use canned coconut milk, not refrigerated coconut from the refrigerated section! Full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream works best for a thick consistency and rich flavor.
- Probiotic Capsules – We recommend using 50 billion CFU lab-certified probiotic capsules or probiotic powder (without prebiotics)
Flavor Boosters:
The ingredients below will yield a plain, slightly tangy taste. However, you can easily include different mix-ins for a boost of flavor! For instance, some of our favorite options include vanilla extract, unsweetened vegan protein powder or collagen, and sweeteners like agave or maple syrup.
How to Make Vegan Coconut Yogurt
- Shake- Give the canned milk a good shake before opening.
- Whisk. Add the coconut milk to a clean glass jar or bowl, and whisk (with a non-metal utensil) until it’s smooth. You don’t want to see any clumps!
- Add the Probiotics. Sprinkle the probiotic powder on top, and stir it into the yogurt.
- Ferment. Loosely cover the jar or bowl with a cheesecloth or a breathable towel. Set it in a warm environment for 24-48 hours.
- Chill. Give it a stir, and transfer your coconut yogurt mixture to the fridge to thicken for a few hours before digging in. After that, add any mix-ins you want to include, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
With just two ingredients, the process for making this vegan coconut milk yogurt is admittedly pretty simple. However, there are a few extra tricks that guarantee your success.
- Avoid Reactive Tools like Metal – When mixing, fermenting, and storing, it’s important to use non-metal spoons, bowls, and utensils. This is because metal is self-sanitizing which can potentially deactivate the probiotics and interfere with the fermentation process.
- Whisk In a Glass Jar – For the best results, we recommend whisking and storing the yogurt in a clean sanitized glass jar like Weck jars. Bonus! They double as single-serving portions and are perfect for portable parfaits. To sanitize, first rinse with soapy water then run the jars through the dishwasher on hot and heat dry. Or rinse jars rinse again with boiling water and air dry.
- Ferment Correctly – When setting your yogurt aside to ferment, you want to make sure to place it in a warm area like on a kitchen counter. Then, cover it loosely with a cheesecloth or a light cloth to prevent debris from entering the bowl while allowing moisture to circulate.
Note: Ideal fermentation takes place in 10-12 hours when the yogurt is kept at temperatures around 104°F/40°C. We don’t want to turn our house up to 104° F, though! So, instead, we recommend fermenting your yogurt at 75° F and leaving it longer (up to 48 hours). Or, if your house is cold, like in the wintertime, place the lightly covered yogurt in a warm (not hot or turned on!) oven, and leave the light on to provide extra heat.
- Adjust the Taste -The longer your yogurt sits out the tangier its flavor. Give your yogurt a taste test after 24 hours. If you prefer a bolder, more Greek yogurt-like taste, leave it out a bit longer.
- Use the Right Coconut Milk – The type of coconut milk you use is crucial to the success of learning how to make coconut milk yogurt. You want to make sure it is a canned variety, and be sure to shake the can well. In addition, it should be full-fat but not clumpy. Whisk it well before combining the ingredients.
Note: If you prefer a thicker yogurt, add unsweetened plant-based protein powder or a starch like cornstarch or tapioca starch after fermenting, as needed.
Serving Suggestions
As mentioned, we love to eat this homemade coconut yogurt in a bowl with toppings like fresh fruit, granola, orange or lemon zest, chopped nuts, coconut flakes, or dairy-free chocolate chips! However, it’s also great with smoothies, oatmeal, used in dips, and in any recipe that calls for yogurt.
Common Questions About Vegan Coconut Yogurt
Yes! Coconut milk is an excellent source of medium-chain fatty acids and has anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, probiotics help feed the good bacteria in your gut assisting with digestion and improving overall gut health. When combined with coconut yogurt, the two are a powerful combination, creating a super healthy recipe!Â
Yes, when kept plain, this coconut milk yogurt recipe has a similar tangy flavor as Greek yogurt.Â
When stored in a glass container covered with a lid, this vegan yogurt will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 7 days.Â
The easiest way to tell if your coconut milk yogurt has gone bad is to look for mold or signs of an unusual texture. Separation is normal (It should be easy to mix the yogurt together), curdling after fermentation is not. If your yogurt smells or looks off, discard it. It could be because you fermented it too long or improper sterilization processes occurred.Â
More of Our Favorite
Basic Vegan Recipes
Looking for more homemade gluten-free, dairy-free recipes? Try out more of our staple recipes below!
Vegan Coconut Yogurt Recipe
- Total Time: 24 to 48 hours
- Yield: 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Skip the store-bought varieties, & make this easy vegan coconut yogurt at home with a base of just 2 ingredients and endless flavor options!
Ingredients
- 1 (13.66 -ounce) can full-fat coconut milk (full fat is best for thicker yogurt)
- 2 probiotic capsules 50 billion CFU- lab certified *see notes – capsules will need to be pulled apart to access powder inside
Optional Mix-ins:
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Protein booster – 15-20 grams unsweetened vegan protein powder or collagen
- Sweeteners – maple syrup, agave, etc.
Toppings:
- Fresh fruit, granola, orange or lemon zest, toasted nuts, etc.
Instructions
- Place the coconut milk in a clean glass jar or bowl. Mix/whisk thoroughly until smooth, removing all clumps.
- Open the probiotic capsules and pour the powder into the coconut milk yogurt. Using a non-metal utensil*, thoroughly mix the probiotic powder into the coconut milk.
- Lightly cover the jar/bowl with cheese cloth or a breathable towel and let it sit in a warm environment for 24 to 48 hours. The longer it ferments, the tangier the yogurt will taste.
- Stir in any mix-ins, if desired. Transfer the yogurt to the fridge to chill and thicken for a couple hours or longer. The longer it chills, the thicker it gets.
- Serve with toppings of choice. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Notes
Prep Tips – This recipe makes 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups, depending on the thickness of the coconut milk. We recommend using a 50 Billion Live Cultures with 24 Strains Vegan Probiotic capsules that DOES NOT contain prebiotics. So be sure to check the label. Using a non-metal spoon avoids adverse reactions with probiotics. Metal is self-sanitizing and will kill good bacteria (aka probiotics).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Rest Time: 24 to 48 hours
- Category: Breakfast, Snack
- Method: Ferment
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: â…“ to /2 cup
- Calories: 186
- Sugar:
- Sodium: 12.2 mg
- Fat: 20.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 17.8 g
- Trans Fat:
- Carbohydrates: 2.6 g
- Fiber:
- Protein: 1.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: coconut yogurt, coconut milk yogurt, vegan yogurt
Do you have questions, feedback, or tips about this recipe? Leave a comment below with any questions or feedback you’d like to share!
I am using inner health vegan probiotic powder to make yoghurt with a 400ml can of coconut cream – can you tell me how much powder I need to use please as I don’t have the capsules
Hi Kat! The probiotic capsules I used held about 500 mg of powder. Can you send the link to your probiotic?
I have the 2 qt refrigerated coconut milk, so wondered if this would work. I put pectin in it, but then realized that the recipe was saying to use the canned coconut milk. I hate to waste it.
Are you talking about the drinking milk? If so, I don’t think it will solidify into a yogurt texture. You’d need chilled coconut milk or cream from a can for that, unfortunately.
What a great idea! Got everything to make this but never dawned on us to make it homemade with probiotics. Going to try it out this weekend.
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Oh I think you’d love the different types of flavors you could make as well! And soo good to hear from you friend!
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Your cookbooks are a staple in my kitchen! I’m excited to try this new product you mentioned. Thanks for the recommendation
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