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Ask the Readers! | Non-dairy Homemade Yogurt

Every now and again, a reader emails me with a question that I’m not equipped to answer. I’m in the lovely position of having all of you at my disposal, though, so I just send these kinds of questions on to you!

Dear Frugal Girl,

I have read your blog on making homemade yogurt and am interested in trying it. However, my daughter has food allergies and cannot drink cow’s milk, so I was wondering if you know of any other type of milk that I could try to make yogurt from (she likes coconut milk yogurt, or perhaps almond milk could be used).

Thanks,

-Valerie

A black bowl of yogurt topped with strawberries.

Since all of us at Chez Frugal Girl can tolerate cow’s milk, I have not personally tried making yogurt with anything other than cow’s milk. However, I’ve hearda few stories of yogurt gone terribly wrong when it’s made with non-dairy milk.

I know that goat’s milk makes good yogurt (you can use the same exact method I use for cow’s milk) and I found an article on soy milk yogurt at the Hillbilly Housewife and another one that looks a little overwhelming but pretty thorough.

Here’s a how-to on coconut milk yogurt and one on making almond milk yogurt.

So, it would appear that you can indeed make yogurt from non-dairy milks, but the methods need to be tweaked a little bit (for instance, if you make it out of soy, you need to add some sugar for the yogurt cultures to feed on).

I hope that some of my readers have non-dairy yogurt knowledge to pass on as well.

So readers, please share your tips with Valerie in the comments. Not only will you help her, but you’ll also be compiling a nice little resource section where I can direct people who email me with this question (Valerie’s definitely not the first who’s asked!).

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Lois

Saturday 20th of June 2015

To make traditional yogurt you don't need a crock pot or a yogurt maker. I use a heavy Dutch oven. I heat the milk to 180 degrees then cool it down to 110 and add my yogurt starter. If I use skim milk then I add a few TLBS of powdered milk but if I use whole or 2% I don't add powdered milk. I whisk the starter in well and then place the lid on the Dutch oven and wrap it up in a heavy towel and place it in the oven with the oven light on and go to bed. In the morning I have wonderful yogurt which I strain while in the fridge. I then have Greek style thick plain yogurt. I like fruit in mine which I add after I Whip it up with a hand held beater. It makes it incredibly creamy. So there it is no need for any special equipment. Enjoy

Peter Jones

Monday 17th of March 2014

Do any of your readers have a Deva Bridge non electric yoghurt maker ? I invented the product in 1964 and sold in many countries. The company no longer exists but I note it is still talked about on many sites. Peter Jones,Director and founder of Deva Bridge Ltd

Lucia Harris

Saturday 21st of November 2020

I have the yogart and soft cheese makers. Found few years back at yard sale. I am looking for the booklets for them and thermometer. I need booklets the most. I don't know how to make the cheese. Cant believe people would rid of these.

Dr Marguerite Wells

Tuesday 2nd of June 2020

Dear Peter

Yes here I am in Wollongong, Australia, 80 km south of Sydney and I have a Deva Bridge yoghurt maker that I bought in Oxford in 1986 to 1987. It has always worked, whether with soya milk or cow's milk. . I am about to lend it to a friend who has to go on a diet because of gastrointestinal illness. Are you able to send a copy of the instructions?

Many thanks

Dr Marguerite Wells

John

Tuesday 16th of September 2014

Hi Peter I continue to use the excellent Deva Bridge yoghurt maker after many years. Congratulations on such an efficient, simple and classic design kitchen aid. It is a great shame they are no longer available. I would like to buy another one to assist in continuity of production. I don't suppose you still have the odd one tucked away?

Tara

Saturday 30th of July 2011

I don't have any experience to share, but I am seriously tempted to try making the coconut milk yogurt; I can't seem to find it around my neighborhood. I'm dairy free for a while as my baby seems to have a sensitivity to cow's milk, but I miss it! Been drinking coconut & almond milks, but my thought is that coconut milk would be better for this...I don't have a yogurt maker, but I wonder if I can fake it... Thanks!

Kimberly

Friday 10th of August 2012

Tara, you don't need a yogurt maker, a crockpot will do the trick. I have made fat free yogurt with skim milk in my crockpot...This week I am going to try store bought coconut milk and see what happens.

Kathleen

Thursday 28th of July 2011

I have no experience with non-dairy yogurt but tons with the traditional type. If a person has a true dairy *allergy* changing dairy types; i.e. to a goat's milk or sheep's milk, is still going to trigger an allergic reaction. If it a dairy *intolerance* it is typically only associated to cow's milk and they have very good luck switching milk types to goat or sheep. This simple switch can eliminate or greatly reduce the gastric distress that cow's milk can cause.

It looks like coconut milk can be used to make yogurt but it is really gelatin that sets the milk, not a culture like diary yogurt uses. http://www.ehow.com has a good step-by-step article online.

Faith

Sunday 25th of September 2016

I have a dairy intolerance due to one of the proteins in milk so I cannot have cow, sheep, or goat's milk. Dairy can be problematic because of the lactose or one of the many proteins in it. Therefore, I would encourage people with a dairy allergy or intolerance to exercise caution with all types of dairy. If possible it might be good to speak with your health care provider to find out what might be safe for you.

Mairsydoats

Thursday 28th of July 2011

No advice on non-dairy. But I made cows-milk yogurt with my previous yogurt for starter for the first time last night! Very excited to see it'd turned out this morning... I was afraid that since it's just me, and it took me awhile to eat up my previous batch, the starter my not be good anymore, but really thick and wonderful yogurt has been made, and will last much better than the milk while I'm out of town on vacation! I made vanilla once, but since sometimes I need it for savory stuff, and also because mostly I put homemade jam in it if I'm snacking on it, I'm just leaving all of it plain now. (And truth be told, I may be getting used to the flavor of unsweetened a bit more...) Also i left off draining it - too much effort and it works plenty fine just the way it is!

Note - homemade apple butter in plain yogurt is REALLY yummy. Not a flavor ya see a lot commercially, but really, super-duper good!

ann

Friday 29th of July 2011

That does sound good. How do you make apple butter? I like to sweeten plain yogurt with a little honey.

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