How to Make French Style Yogurt with Whole Milk

French style yogurt is a creamy and light dessert-like yogurt with a mild tang, and is cultured in the serving containers which are usually small individual glass jars. This method of yogurt-making creates a deliciously smooth cultured treat!

I was first inspired to make yogurt at home many years ago, when reading the book “French Women Don’t Get Fat”. This book about the healthy French lifestyle sparked the beginning of my fascination with the culinary and lifestyle habits of  different cultures.

The French are big fans of yogurt. In France, yogurt is consumed much more than in the U.S….They eat on average at least one serving of yogurt per day, while Americans only average one serving per week! 

The Many Different Types of Yogurt

Yogurt can be a little confusing. There are many varieties, as well soft cheeses that are a lot like yogurt!

​Here are some examples:

Greek Yogurt is a thick yogurt, the liquid whey is strained and this creates a very thick and tart variety. 

Bulgarian Yogurt is an unstrained yogurt that is very tangy and gelatinous due in part to a long fermentation time.

Icelandic Skyr is actually not considered a yogurt in Iceland, but a kind of fresh cheese. It is very thick, having even more protein than Greek yogurt. 

European Yogurt is an unstrained yogurt type that is mild and creamy with a slight tang.

What Makes a Yogurt French?

French store-bought yogurt in the U.S. often has fewer ingredients and is made without artificial flavors, making it more natural and healthy than some other types of flavored yogurt. A popular brand you may have seen at the grocery store is called “Oui” by Yoplait. What makes French yogurt unique from many other yogurt types is that a method called “pot-setting” is used, in which the product is cultured  in individual glass pots or jars. This creates a perfect texture for serving, since the yogurt is undisturbed before enjoying.

Why I Love French Yogurt

While I love strained yogurt types like Greek yogurt and skyr, the pot-set method of yogurt making is the ideal option for an unstrained homemade yogurt in my opinion, especially for cream-top yogurt! It makes such a fresh tasting yogurt with a unique texture that is nice and smooth. This is because it is not being transferred from one container to another before enjoying, so the yogurt does not separate and become less thick and smooth in the process.

I always use non-homogenized milk for health reasons, and when culturing yogurt, the cream floats to the top. One of my favorite things in life is a spoonful of yogurt with a thick layer of rich, cultured cream on top…yum! 

​Why Make Your Own Yogurt? 

There are so many reasons to make homemade yogurt! First of all, it can be a lot cheaper than buying store bought yogurt. By making yogurt at home you have more control of the quality of the dairy products you are consuming. Most yogurt types at the store include flavorings and additives such as gums that can be irritating to the gut over time, but you can avoid this by making your own yogurt! You can also control the culturing process, adding the types of cultures you desire for extra gut health benefits.

What Kind of Milk to Use?

Most types of milk on the market are homogenized. Homogenization breaks up the natural proteins and leads to gut irritation, reduces the ability to absorb nutrients, and has been linked to heart disease. That being said, for health reasons it’s ideal to buy local pasture raised raw milk or non-homogenized milk from a store that is low-heat pasteurized instead of ultra-pasteurized. My favorite milk product available in many Whole Foods and Sprouts markets is called Supernatural by Kalona. 

​Do You Need a Yogurt Maker?

I used to own a yogurt maker, but I am not a fan of having extra equipment that I don’t need! 

It’s so simple to make yogurt on the stove or in an instant pot. My favorite way to heat up the milk is in my pressure cooker because I just press the yogurt button and it heats the milk to the perfect temperature, without me having to worry about milk burning on the bottom of a pot or bubbling over. To culture the yogurt, I simply place my containers of milk with added live cultures in my oven with the oven light on. Eight hours later, you have delicious, creamy yogurt!

What Kind of Starter Culture to Use?

You can use store-bought yogurt as a culture for French yogurt! It is preferable to use a plain and mild tasting yogurt with no added ingredients. You can also buy a starter culture online for more specific combinations of cultures. I linked an organic French yogurt starter culture below to see as an example – I have not tried this starter myself but it appears to be of high quality.

Sometimes, I also like to add particular strains of bacteria from a probiotic pill for extra gut biodiversity!

How to Serve French Yogurt

With its delicate and mild flavor, many different flavors and even plain yogurt can be enjoyed with this traditional French recipe. It can be served as a sweet treat, with fresh fruits, or even to replace sour cream in your favorite dishes!

How to Make French Style Yogurt (No Yogurt Maker Required)

1. Heat and Cool the Milk

If using pressure cooker:

 Add milk to pressure cooker pot and follow instructions to heat milk on the yogurt setting. Place a plate on top (don’t use the pressure cooker lid as yogurt will absorb flavors from the silicone ring).

Once the pressure cooker has signaled that the milk is heated, remove the plate from the top and place the inner pot into the refrigerator, allowing the milk to cool. Cool milk until it has reached between 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit with a thermometer.  

If using stovetop:

Add milk to large pot and turn heat to medium-low.

Slowly heat milk until it has reached between 180-190 degrees Fahrenheit with a thermometer. 

Move pot to the refrigerator to cool until it has reached between 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit with a thermometer. 

2. Add the starter culture

With a fork, gently remove the milk skin from the top of the warm milk. This is the top layer of film that has formed on the milk. If you don’t remove it you will have clumps in your yogurt.

Add yogurt starter culture and thoroughly combine with milk using a whisk. 

3. Transfer to Individual Jars

Prepare clean glass jars of your preferred size, ensuring they have lids that match them. I like to have a variety of jar sizes on hand for different portion amount options.

Pour cultured warm milk into jars, ensuring there is ample space at the top so that the yogurt will not touch the jar lid. 

Cover Jars with lids.

4. Culture

Place jars in the oven and turn the oven light on. If using small jars it is helpful to place them on a tray of some sort. 

Culture for 8-10 hours. 

After cultured, store jars in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Enjoy!

*This post does not contain medical advice

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Organic French yogurt starter (I have not personally used this product)