Coconut Yogurt with Blood Oranges and Cacao Nibs
50 Comments
Updated Oct 15, 2019
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A dairy-free coconut milk yogurt that’s loaded with good probiotics and topped with blood oranges, cacao nibs, coconut flakes and almond slices.
It was my dad’s birthday on Sunday, so I made him an extra special breakfast. A breakfast of delicious, homemade coconut yogurt, blood oranges and cacao nibs (which, is sorta like chocolate for breakfast – don’t you think?!). But he deserved it. He turned 71 and with every health ailment he’s battled over the last eight years – Parkinson’s, Meningeal Coccidioidomycosis (aka – Valley Fever), Rheumatoid Arthritis, a broken hip and a slew of other related health issues – he absolutely deserves chocolate for breakfast.
And as you might imagine, he was a happy camper. Then again, he’s always a happy camper. It’s an ongoing family joke that my dad LOVES everyone and is positive to a fault. After every nurse or doctor visit, the first words out of my dad’s mouth are always, “Oh, he/she was so nice.” Which always makes my mom, brother and I seriously chuckle. Because after dozens and dozens of doctor visits, we know it’s coming.
I personally do enjoy homemade dairy yogurt, but I also tend to flip flop between dairy yogurt and coconut yogurt for variety. Homemade coconut yogurt is quite easy to make and very similar to how you’d make dairy yogurt. Heat the milk up to 180 degrees fahrenheit, cool it to 110-115 degrees fahrenheit, add your starter/probiotics, culture for 7-9 hours and refrigerate.
The only difference with coconut yogurt is that you need a little extra somethin’ somethin’ to help it firm up. It simply won’t firm up on it’s own. I use gelatin, because I love all the gut-healing properties of gelatin, but if you’re vegan, swap out the gelatin for agar powder. Just be sure to not add too much of either (a little goes a long way!), as you’re aiming for creamy yogurt and not a firm panna cotta.
If you’ve never had coconut yogurt before be forewarned that it’s typically more tart and tangy than dairy yogurt (think, more like sour cream). Dairy milk has quite a bit of natural sugar (lactose) that makes dairy yogurt sweet, which is lacking in coconut milk. Coconut yogurt, on the other hand, contains more fat and less protein than dairy yogurt.
Both types of yogurt are healthy – assuming the homemade variety and not store-bought versions – so it really just depends on you and your body. If you plan to make yogurt frequently, I highly recommend this yogurt maker. I’ve had it for years and it’s always produced fab results.
But all this talk of yogurt and I haven’t even gotten to the good part yet – the toppings! So what do we have? Sweet, vibrant blood oranges that are in season right now, raw cacao nibs that add a burst of intense chocolatey-ness and a little extra crunch from coconut flakes and sliced almonds.
After dad’s birthday, he and I had this breakfast again the next morning, because it was THAT good.
Enjoy!
Coconut Yogurt with Blood Oranges and Cacao Nibs
Description
Ingredients
Coconut Yogurt
- 1 tbsp grass-fed beef gelatin, or 1 tsp agar powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 40.5 oz full-fat coconut milk, from 3 (13.5oz) cans
- 1/4 tsp probiotics, approx 3 - 4 opened capsules
- 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
Toppings
- 5 blood oranges, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- 1/3 cup cacao nibs
- 1/3 cup almond slices
Instructions
- Pour the water in a wide, shallow bowl and sprinkle the gelatin or agar powder on top. Let it bloom for 5 minutes.
- Heat the coconut milk in a pot on medium-high heat. Gently simmer until the temperature reaches 180 degrees fahrenheit, then turn off the heat. Add the gelatin or agar powder to the pot and stir for several minutes, or until all the powder has dissolved.
- Let the pot cool to 110-115 degrees fahrenheit. This will take 30 minutes or more. Alternatively, place the pot in an ice-water bath to expedite the process.
- Once the coconut milk has cooled, pour 1 cup into a small bowl. Add the maple syrup and probiotic powder and whisk until there are no clumps of probiotic powder. Pour this cup back into the pot and whisk thoroughly.
- Pour the coconut milk yogurt into the jars of your yogurt machine. Turn the machine on and cook for 7-9 hours. The longer you cook, the more tangy the yogurt becomes.
- Once the coconut yogurt is done, it will still be fairly liquid at this stage. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to firm up.
- Before serving, stir the contents of the yogurt jar as a slight film may form on top. Add the yogurt to a bowl and top with blood oranges, coconut flakes, cacao nibs and almond slices.
Lisa's Tips
- This recipe makes seven 6-ounce servings for this yogurt maker. The yogurt will remain good for up to two weeks in the fridge.
Nutrition
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Do you use any brand of probiotic capsules?
Yes, you can choose your favorite.
Thank you for all the recipies and instruction you provide. My wife and I have made so many of them and love everyone.
I wondered if I could make this recipe with homemade oat milk, and if there would be any changes that would need to be made in order to make it using oat milk vs coconut milk? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Bill – so happy you and your wife are loving my recipes! Yes, this recipe should work with oat milk as well. It might be slightly thinner (as it’s naturally less creamy), so you can always add a bit more thickener if you’d like. Enjoy!
Hello Lisa,
I enjoy your site and recipes consistently. Thank you for all your efforts and using to get the recipes foolproof. I have a question about the maple syrup. Why is it in the recipe?
Warm regards, Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth – so glad you’re enjoying my recipes! It’s just used as a sweetener in this recipe. You can omit it if you’d like.
Lisa, I’d like to attempt this but don’t see links to the brands of coconut milk and probiotics you used. HELP! Thank you 🙏🏻
Hi Lana – I typically use Native Forest coconut milk, but you can use any full-fat coconut milk. And any full spectrum probiotic capsules work as well. Hope you enjoy it!
Are there any ways to make dairy free yogurt without using canned coconut milk? My kids don’t do well with the gums and canned stuff in general. Can you make this with other homemade milks? Homemade coconut milk? Oat milk? Seed milk? Thank you so much for all of the great info you share!
Hi Stephanie – I’ve only ever made it with coconut milk, but you should be able to make it with any dairy-free milk. You might just need more agar agar to thicken up a slightly thinner milk. :)
Hi Lisa, I love your site and have made several of your recipes with great success! I’m a bit confused with this yogurt recipe. It calls for one 13.5 oz can of coconut milk (plus 1/2 cup of water). How do you get seven 6 oz servings from this? I ended up opening another can after I realized I only had 4 of the little jars filled :). Just wondering if I’m missing something?
Hi Faith – it does look like something wonky happened to the recipe ingredients. Thanks for the catch! That should be 3 (13.5 oz) cans of coconut milk. I’ve just fixed the recipe card. Sorry for the mistake! :) x
No worries :). I had a bit too much gelatin and it separated, but I just whipped it up with my stick blender and it was awesome!
Perfect! :) x
Dear Lisa
Have you ever tried to make yogurt’s with your homemade Cashew milk?
If yes any Tips? Does it work with “only” agar agar or does it require other “gelifier”?
Thanks so much ;)
Olivia
Hi Olivia – Yes, you can certainly make it with my homemade Cashew Milk and I have only tried making this with agar agar.
What can I use instead of a yogurt maker?
Hi Lisa,
Looks yummy! Is it coconut milk from the can, or from the tetra pack box?
thanks!
Hi Linda – it’s the coconut milk from the can. :)
I Am lactose intolerant can you show more recipes that help with that.
You can sort my recipe by “dairy-free” on the recipe index page. :)
Hey. When I’ve got the yogurt in the yogurt maker, are the lids on the little jars? Or just the big dome lid?
No, cook the yogurt with just the dome on. Once the yogurt is fully cooked, add the lids and then place in the fridge to cool. :)
Can I use almond milk
Or almondcoconut milk
Yes, absolutely. But certain store-bought brands of almond milk or nut-milk blends will use stabilizers and emulsifiers which can impact how firm the yogurt gets. So you may need to adjust the level of agar to thicken it to your liking. :)
Hello, so I tried the receipt for the first time, and infortunaly it didn’t work. :( I used coconut milk, gelatin, and also bought the yogart maker. Instead of being a consistent yogart consistency, the coconut milk thickened, rose to the top, and
separated from the liquid. I tried to stir, and eat it, but it then turned into a kefir runny texture… tricky! Lol Do you have an idea of what I might have done wrong… I’m super excited for this to work! Thanks :)
Sorry to hear that! What type of coconut milk did you use?
Hi! I don’t remember the brand but I bought it from Whole Foods. Maybe I’ll make sure to purchase the brand that you suggested. Also, do you heat your coconut milk over the stove or in the microwave, similar to your regular yogurt? I’ll keep trying. I’m sure it will all come together eventually! Lol Thanks for the awesome receipts!
I heat the coconut milk in the microwave, similar to my regular video, but either way should work. The reason I ask about the coconut milk is because if you used a “light” version with less fat, it would’ve been thinner and maybe just needed more gelatin. And sometimes different gums used in canned coconut milk can create differences as well. So the best way to thicken it up next time would be to just add a little more gelatin. :) Hope that helps!
Hello, can I use Collagen Peptides instead of Gelatin?
Hi Diana – collagen doesn’t “gel” and firm up like gelatin, which is what gives this coconut yogurt that thicker texture. You can add collagen in addition to the gelatin, but I wouldn’t recommend replacing it. :)
I don’t know if you are going to read this, but I was just wondering. Probiotics seem way to expensive for a student’s budget. Could I change it up for something more reachable for me?
Hi Clare – unfortunately you can’t make yogurt without probiotics or healthy bacteria. For the probiotics I linked above (which, you can find cheaper brands as well), it’s $35 for 60 capsules. You only need to use 3-4 capsules for this recipe, which equates to about 30 cents per yogurt serving. :) As a student, probiotics would provide much benefit as well in keeping you healthy, so I’d say they’re worth the splurge! :)
Hi there! I realise this is years later and I’m assuming you’re no longer a student, but instead of probiotics you can use some storebought yogurt that you like, they all contain live bacteria! I would say about 2 tbsp per can of coconut milk, mixed in at the same time as the probiotics, hope this helps!
Can you share the probiotic you use? The link doesn’t appear to lead to it any longer.
Thanks so much for catching that! I just updated it in the recipe, but here it is as well: http://amzn.to/2q4tq5E :)
Hi, I have tried to make this recipe 3xs and it just won’t firm up. I have followed the directions to the very T and I’m frustrated in what I am doing wrong. I a using the Agar instead of gelatin. Is that why? I also bought the yogurt maker and let it cook for 8 hours. There is also a weird taste that I think the Agar powder goes off. Maybe I’m not letting it “bloom” properly? I sprinkle the powder on top of water for about 5 minsthen pour it in after I turn off heat when it gets to 180. I don’t know what “bloom” means but it looks the same when I pour it in. Anyways I have put the in the fridge for over 12 hours and they are still liquid. Do I throw away this batch too and start over? Or can I try again with this batch. If so, what do I need to redo or CA. I just put them in yogurt maker again?
Hi Stefani – you may need to add more agar powder to your yogurt mix. Sometimes different brands can behave differently. If you’re okay eating gelatin, you may want to try that as well (it’s my preferred method). And even if it hasn’t firmed up, as long as it’s incubated with the probiotics, it’s still got loads of good bacteria in the mix. So drink it like a kefir! :) x PS – here’s more info to help you with the agar powder: http://notenoughcinnamon.com/2012/08/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-agar/
I can’t wait to make this coconut yogurt! I love it so much and I believe it will be even better when its homemade!! And those toppings are perfect!!
Oh, it is! And the toppings are YUM! ;) x
Just had coconut yogurt (store bought) for the first time and can’t wait to try making it myself! Delicious brekkie here.
You’ll love homemade Christine! It won’t be as sweet as store bought, so you’ll have to tinker with how sweet you like it – but it’ll be far healthier. Enjoy! :) x
What a wonderful, nourishing, delicious birthday breakfast for your Dad. I commend him for his strength through his life occurrences, and I hope he continues to heal.
So greatly appreciated Liz! Big hugs! xo
Hope your Dad’s Parkinson’s improves. My husband was diagnosed three months ago but we started the Rock Steady Boxing program for him then and now he’s a poster boy. That with bike riding vigorously for 30 minutes at the gym 3 days week, was what the Neurologist said had been tested and helpful for PD. The combination of both for previously non-exercise guy was key. Also, I am looking into the role of fats in the diet on brain health, of course. Another guy in his class (not doing too well) is still HCLF vegan (which we were until October). So just my thoughts here.
Hi Adrienne – Thanks so much for your kind words about my dad! And that’s awesome that you’ve found success with the exercise treatment for your husband. My dad was very athletic when he was younger (which I’m sure has helped) and did do some of those exercises, but he also contracted meningeal coccidioidomycosis (aka Valley Fever) soon after his Parkinson’s diagnosis which greatly complicated matters. The good news is that the cocci is now managed. And while, after 10 years his Parkinson’s has progressed, he’s mentally still 100%. Unfortunately, it’s his body that’s not doing so well and he’s broken both hips after falls. But I do think healthy fats and nutrition is critical. In fact, I suspect he was undiagnosed celiac (or other autoimmune GI disease) for most of his life. So 6 years ago when I was diagnosed celiac we put him on a GF diet (and moderately dairy-free diet) and really focused on gut health. I think it’s made all the difference in the world. :) Best wishes to you and your husband!