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For the longest time, I thought making my own yogurt would be way too hard. Boy was I wrong! It’s not hard to make yogurt (a bit finicky, but not hard).
The 5 Best Yogurt Makers includes a dedicated yogurt machine, how to make yogurt in your oven, how to use a slow cooker to make yogurt, and making yogurt in an instant pot.
 | Cuisinart CYM-100 Electronic Yogurt Maker Best Yogurt Maker Machine Buy Now |
 | Euro Cuisine GY50 Greek Yogurt Maker Best Greek Yogurt Maker Buy Now |
 | Pyrex 2Qt Batter Bowl Best Cup for Oven Yogurt Buy Now |
 | Elite Gourmet 8.5Qt Digital Slow Cooker Best Yogurt Slowcooker Buy Now |
 | Instant Pot 7-in-1 Best Yogurt Instant Pot Buy Now |
Our Yogurt Maker Picks & How to Use Each to Make Yogurt
Check out the best 5 yogurt makers (with instructions for how to make yogurt). We’re featuring a dedicated yogurt maker, a greek yogurt maker (hint: you’re just straining regular yogurt), a bowl & oven, a slow cooker, and an instant pot. Which one is right for you?
Best Yogurt Machine: Cuisinart CYM-100
The Cuisinart Yogurt Maker is the easiest thing ever for making yogurt. You just pour in your recipe, set it, and go. Several hours later, you’ll have delicious homemade yogurt.
There are a lot of yogurt makers on the market. I like this one because it has a large yogurt pot (1.5L / 50 oz), it’s easy to clean, and it has a built-in cooling feature.
If you have the storage/counter space and want a dedicated yogurt making machine, this is an excellent choice.
Pros
- Large capacity (makes more than six 8-ounce servings of yogurt at a time)
- Easy to use (and clean)
- Comes with a great recipe book
Cons
- A dedicated yogurt machine will take up extra space in your kitchen.
- It’s fairly expensive.
How to Make Yogurt with a Machine
Add 4 cups whole milk and 3/4 cup high-fat plain yogurt to yogurt maker container. Mix well. Close the lid. Set the fermentation time for 6 hours & press start.
Store uneaten yogurt in the fridge.
Best Greek Yogurt Maker: Euro Cuisine GY50 Greek Yogurt Maker
Greek yogurt is just thick yogurt. The way to make it? Strain regular yogurt (homemade or store bought).
You’ll end up with liquid whey and Greek Yogurt.
You can use cheesecloth or coffee filters or cobble together your own DIY method of straining, but the easiest is to buy the Euro Cuisine Greek Yogurt Maker.
Pros
- Dump your yogurt in, toss it in the fridge, and wait. Couldn’t be easier!
- Strain until you get the thickness you like.
- Inexpensive
Cons
- the mesh is very fine and can break easily if you don’t take excellent care of it.
How to Make Greek Yogurt
Add regular yogurt to the strainer. Put in fridge. Wait 2 – 12 hours (the longer you wait, the more straining will occur and the thicker your greek yogurt will be). Store yogurt in airtight container & discard (or use in a recipe) the whey liquid.
Best Cup for Oven Yogurt: Pyrex 2Qt Batter Bowl
You’ll need an oven and a bowl.
I like glass bowls for yogurt making because they retain their heat better than other materials which helps the yogurt set better. They’re microwavable which is great for heating milk.
This one has a spout for easier pouring (if you want to transfer your yogurt to another container) and a lid (if you want to store your yogurt in this container).
Pros
- Spout, lid, and handle make it great for all situations.
- Glass holds heat better than metal. It’s also clear so you can see what’s happening with your yogurt.
- Useful in the kitchen for more than just yogurt making.
Cons
- it’s expensive for a mixing bowl. You can get much cheaper (but not as nice) mixing bowls.
How to Make Yogurt in the Oven
Fill your jar with milk (see note1). Heat to 170-200°F (do not exceed 200!). Let milk cool to 100-110°F. Add 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (see note2). Heat your oven to 100-115°F (see note3). Turn the heat off. Put your jar into the oven. Close. Leave alone for 6-10 hours (this is really going to depend on how warm your oven stays, see note4).
Note1: I heat my milk in the microwave. It takes about 15 minutes to heat 2 quarts, stirring every 90-120 seconds. You could heat your milk on the stove.
Note2: You can use homemade plain yogurt that’s less than 10 days old, unexpired store bought yogurt, or a yogurt starter (follow the directions).
Note3: If your oven does not heat that low (mine doesn’t), turn it on to it’s lowest setting for 1 to 2 minutes. Then turn it off. An oven temperature gauge will be helpful. If your oven is super new/fancy, it might have a bread proofing setting which would be ideal to use.
Note4: Some ovens retain their heat better than others. The more you open your oven, the less heat it will retain (longer setting time). If you have a bread proofing setting, your oven will maintain a consistent temperature (shorter setting time).
Best Yogurt Slowcooker: Elite Gourmet 8.5Qt Digital Slow Cooker
I love my slow cooker but, honestly, I’ve never used it to make yogurt. It’s possible, many people do it, and supposedly it works. BUT, I’ve had success with my dedicated yogurt maker (and before that with my oven).
If you’re going to make yogurt in a slow cooker, you should definitely use the largest slow cooker you have (or can afford).
The Elite Gourmet slow cooker is 8.5 Qt (which is BIG for a slow cooker). It’s digital, has a warm function (that should work for yogurt), and can be used for a lot more than just yogurt.
Pros
- Large size
- Multipurpose
- Easy to use
Cons
- doesn’t seem like the easiest way to make yogurt.
How to Make Yogurt in a Slow Cooker
Step 1: Prepare slow cooker
Put your (empty) yogurt container into into your slow cooker. Fill slow cooker with water. Remove yogurt jar. Turn on the slow cooker & heat until water reaches about 115°F. Turn off slow cooker (or, on some models, switch to warm, see note).
Step 2: Prepare your yogurt
Fill a container (that will fit inside your slow cooker with extra space around it) with milk (see note1). Heat to 170-200°F (do not exceed 200!). Let milk cool to 100-110°F. Add 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (see note2).
Step 3: Let your yogurt set in the slow cooker
Put your yogurt jar into your slow cooker. Put on lid. If turned off, wrap with towels (to insulate). If on warm, do nothing. Wait 6 to 10 hours (time varies).
Note: you’ll have to test your own “keep warm” setting. Some slow cookers keep the water a nice consistent 110-115°F, but some are hotter/colder which is not okay!
Best Yogurt Instant Pot: Instant Pot Duo Plus
Do you have an instant pot? If not, get one! Even if you don’t use it for yogurt, it’s good for SO MUCH!
Instant Pot is a brand name for a multicooker. You don’t have to stick with the Instant Pot brand (although I’m totally happy with mine).
There are a variety of Instant Pots available – the Duo, Duo Nova, or the Duo Plus. Each one has some differing functions but they’ll all make yogurt.
Pros
- The most basic instant pot (the Duo) can work as 7 appliances (pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, saute pan, yogurt maker and warmer).
- Affordable price
- Faster cooking times for many things
- Easy yogurt making
Cons
- it’s not quite as easy as the Cuisinart Yogurt Maker I recommended above (although it’s pretty easy).
How to Make Yogurt in an Instant Pot
Add 2 quarts (1/2 gallon) of milk to instant pot. Press “yogurt” button (usually twice) until screen reads boil. Once complete (about an hour), remove inner pot and let milk cool to 110-115°F. If a skin forms, gently remove it. Add in 2 tbsp plain yogurt and mix well. Return inner pot to machine, put the lid on and press “yogurt.” Adjust until the screen reads 8:00 & the pressure is normal. Refrigerate when complete.
How to Make Yogurt FAQs
Have yogurt making questions? Find the answers here!
Do I have to heat the milk before making yogurt?
Yes.
Your yogurt might look like yogurt when it’s done if you don’t (although it might not), but it won’t have the right taste and it will be less nutritious.
Can I use homemade yogurt to make new yogurt?
Yes, if it’s fresh. You want to stick to homemade yogurt that’s less than 10 days old (although less than a week old is better).
What is yogurt starter?
Think of it as freeze-dried plain yogurt. It’s a great option instead of using store bought yogurt.
What can I do with yogurt?
I like to eat it with a variety of toppings but you can also use it in your cooking. Check out my Guide to Greek Yogurt which includes some great topping ideas and some recipes that use yogurt.
Yummy Yogurt!
I love yogurt! I strain mine thick so it’s greek yogurt but you can eat it at any consistency you like.
Ask me your yogurt questions in the comments and I’ll be sure to answer!
Ready for more? Check out the best Meal Prep Tools for Your Kitchen next.
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