Creamy Lemon Greek Yogurt (Easy Homemade Recipe)

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Refreshing and tangy, this creamy lemon yogurt is a great way to brighten up plain Greek yogurt. Whether you’re enjoying it for breakfast, a midday snack, or a healthy dessert, this yogurt is simple to make and packed with protein for a satisfying treat!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Easy

This lemon yogurt recipe can be made in minutes. Simply combine ingredients in the bottom of the bowl and combine with a whisk or hand mixer, and it’s ready to serve! You don’t need any special equipment 

Healthy 

Greek yogurt is such a great snack to boost protein intake, but unfortunately most flavored yogurt products at the store are filled with unhealthy ingredients like thickeners, and are loaded with refined sugar. This yogurt on the other hand is made with just a handful of all natural, basic ingredients like fresh lemon juice and maple syrup!

Delicious

This creamy yogurt has the perfect balance of tanginess and sweetness. The bright lemon flavor pairs perfectly with the natural sweetness of maple syrup and vanilla extract, making a perfect dessert or snack that tastes almost like no bake cheesecake!

Simple Ingredients That Make This Recipe Amazing

Greek Yogurt: thick, strained plain yogurt like Greek yogurt or Icelandic skyr is essential for the proper texture in this recipe. If a regular yogurt is used, the texture will not be thick and creamy but instead more like a yogurt drink. I prefer to make my own yogurt with non-homogenized, pasture raised whole milk – you can learn how to easily make strained yogurt at home here! Make sure to use plain yogurt, not vanilla yogurt or other pre-flavored yogurt products. 

Fresh Lemon Juice: lemon juice is the star in this recipe, giving that strong lemony flavor. Make sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than bottled lemon juice in this recipe. 

Maple Syrup: instead of regular sugar, maple syrup provides a gentle, natural sweetness to this recipe that pairs wonderfully with the lemon flavor profile. 

Vanilla Extract: vanilla brings this lemony treat to the next level, turning a simple lemon yogurt into an elegant refreshment. It rounds out the tartness of the lemon flavor and marries all the flavors together beautifully.  

Salt: salt acts as a flavor enhancer, making the delicate flavors stand out in this simple recipe. 

No Lemon Zest?

Many lemon yogurt recipes include lemon zest in the recipe, but I find lemon zest unnecessary in creating a delicious lemon yogurt. I believe the zest would have a negative effect on the creaminess of the texture if simply added in. Feel free to add lemon zest to this recipe if you want extra lemon flavors from lemon oil, but I would recommend blending the lemon juice, maple syrup, and zest together in a blender before adding it to the yogurt, so the zest pieces aren’t as big. Since I find adding zest unnecessary, this step is not included in the recipe below.

How to Serve Lemon Yogurt

​Other than enjoying this treat as-is, there are more ways to enjoy!

• Top it with fresh fruit: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and more work wonderfully on top!
• Turn in into a healthy cheesecake: serve it over a homemade cheesecake crust or sprinkle with coconut sugar (it has a slight graham cracker crust flavor!)
• Top it with healthy granola: add your favorite healthy granola on top for some crunch!
• Freeze it into popsicles: use silicone or stainless steel popsicle molds to make lemon-cream popsicles!
• Churn it into ice cream: throw it in your ice cream maker to make lemon cheesecake ice cream!

How to Store Lemon Greek Yogurt

Use a rubber spatula to transfer to a storage container.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

Tips and Tricks

1. Add more or less maple syrup to taste: you may like your yogurt a little more or a little less sweet. This yogurt is recipe is on the sweeter side, so if you are sensitive to sweets I recommend adding a little less maple syrup. 
2. Add more lemon juice to taste: you can add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice if you want even more lemon flavor! 
3. Use a hand mixer or whisk: I have the best results using a whisk, but you can also use a hand mixer. I don’t recommend using an immersion blender or high speed blender, as this may thin out the yogurt and you may end up with less thick and creamy results. 

How to Make Creamy Lemon Greek Yogurt

Add yogurt, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt to a medium bowl. 

Combine ingredients well with a whisk or handheld mixer. 

Transfer to serving bowls or airtight yogurt container. 

Enjoy!

​Looking for More Yogurt Recipes?

Check out this Espresso yogurt recipe, and learn how to make your own strained yogurt here!

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