Homemade Yogurt Recipe: Thick, Creamy, and Foolproof

I used to make homemade yogurt all the time. There was always a special pleasure in stirring a bowl of freshly set yogurt and putting it in the fridge to chill while I waited impatiently. The smiles on the faces of family and children as they tasted it made the effort worthwhile. I thought making yogurt at home was difficult until my friends Meggy and Akwi showed me how simple and rewarding it can be.

Meggy taught me how to make the thick, drinkable yogurt known as Kossam in Cameroon. Often made by Hausa vendors, Kossam is sold in chilled plastic bottles and has a creamy, irresistible quality. She explained that you only need natural yogurt as a starter and whole milk. The live bacteria in the starter culture incubate the milk, turning it into yogurt. No special machine is necessary — just a warm place and proper technique.

Akwi showed me how to achieve a perfectly smooth, thick yogurt at home. She shared the exact proportions and the tip to sieve the mixture for extra smoothness. After my first imperfect attempt, she taught me to mix the starter with a portion of the milk before combining it with the rest and then to strain it. My next batch was much better — so good that Akwi joked, “Precious don turn professional.”

Thanks to Meggy and Akwi, I rediscovered a love for homemade yogurt. After moving to the United States I stopped making it for a while, but a message from my brother asking for the recipe nudged me back into it. Store-bought yogurts rarely satisfied me — they often looked elastic and artificial. Then I found a brand labeled with “live and active cultures,” which made it a suitable starter to recreate the real homemade texture and taste.

In Cameroon I often used brands like Camlait Naturel or Dolait Naturel. Any plain, unsweetened or lightly sweetened natural yogurt will work as long as it lists live cultures and no added colors, fruit, or flavors. Common bacterial cultures to look for include Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, or Lactobacillus casei.

This homemade yogurt is:

You only need two main ingredients: milk and a yogurt starter. Once the yogurt is set you can sweeten it with sugar, honey, fruit, or any flavorings you prefer.

Prep: 10 mins
Inactive time: 8 hours
Cook: 0 mins

1 cup whole powdered milk

2 1/2 cups water

1 cup plain commercial yogurt containing active cultures (you can use 1/2 cup if preferred)

Warm the water so it is comfortably warm to the touch — not hot and not cold.

Mix the powdered milk with half a cup of the warm water until smooth, then pour this into the remaining warm water and stir well to combine.

Make sure the starter yogurt is at room temperature. Stir the yogurt into a bit of the milk first, then add this mixture to the rest of the milk and mix thoroughly for even distribution of the cultures. Sieve if you want an extra-smooth texture.

Mix until well combined and smooth.

Cover the container with plastic wrap and wrap it in a blanket for extra insulation.

Keep the mixture in a consistently warm place for about 8 hours to set. I often cover it with a blanket and then place it in a warm oven or an oven that has just been used, or even in a large insulated flask. If the temperature is too low, the cultures will not activate and the yogurt will not set properly.

After the incubation period, check whether the yogurt has set. If it hasn’t fully set, return it to a warm spot for a few more hours. The surface may look firm or slightly caked — stir gently if you prefer a creamier texture.

I stirred a little with a spoon to show the texture.

Sweeten to taste with sugar or honey, chill in the fridge, and enjoy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and consume within a few days for best flavor and freshness.

If you have any questions, leave a comment and I’ll reply as soon as I can.

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