How to Make Homemade Yoghurt in a Dehydrator . BenchFoods 10 Tray Guide for Busy, Health-Conscious Families

How to Make Yoghurt in a BenchFoods Dehydrator at Home

Making homemade yoghurt in a dehydrator is one of the easiest ways to turn everyday milk into a thick, creamy, probiotic-rich snack. Instead of buying tubs of yoghurt every week, you can use your Benchfoods 10 tray dehydrator as a gentle yoghurt incubator and make big batches in one go, and the health benifits are unmatched!

Research has shown that yoghurt isn’t just a convenient snack – it’s also nutrient-dense and linked with several health benefits, including better bone health, gut health, and potential support for heart and metabolic health. A 2022 review on the beneficial effects of yoghurts and probiotic fermented milks highlights that yoghurt provides calcium, protein, B vitamins and beneficial bacteria, and may help reduce the risk of conditions like osteoporosis, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

You can read the full review here:Beneficial Effects of Yoghurts and Probiotic Fermented Milks.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to make yoghurt in a dehydrator, which temperature to use, how long to incubate, and simple tips for getting consistent results at home.

Why make yoghurt in a dehydrator?

Most yoghurt recipes tell you to use an oven light, a slow cooker, or a special yoghurt maker. However a Benchfoods food dehydrator gives you some big advantages:

• Precise 1 degree low-temperature control – perfect for keeping yoghurt at an exact stable incubation temperature.
• Even airflow across trays – helps every jar set evenly, not just the ones in the “sweet spot”.
• Large batch capacity – you can fill multiple shelves with jars and make a week’s worth of yoghurt in one run.

If you already own a dehydrator for dried fruit, jerky or herbs, this is an easy way to get even more value from it.

Why homemade yoghurt is better (for busy mums and health-conscious eaters)

Whether you’re juggling school runs and after-school activities, or you’re someone who really cares about what goes into your body, homemade yoghurt is a simple swap that makes a big difference.

Here’s why it works so well for both busy mums and health-focused individuals:

1. Cleaner ingredients you can trust

When you make yoghurt at home, you’re in charge of every ingredient.
You choose the milk. You choose the starter. That’s it.
No hidden sugars, no gums or thickeners, no artificial flavours or colours, just real food you can actually pronounce. For anyone who reads labels or avoids unnecessary additives, this alone is a huge win.

2. Total control over taste and texture

Homemade yoghurt is customisable:

• Want it less sweet for everyday snacks or kids’ lunchboxes? Easy.
• Prefer it thick and creamy for desserts or smoothies? Extend the incubation time or strain it.
• Need dairy that’s full-fat, low-fat, A2 or lactose-reduced? You decide.

You control the fat level, fermentation time, flavours and toppings. It’s your yoghurt, your way.

3. Batch-friendly for busy schedules

If you’re time-poor, a 10 tray dehydrator is your secret weapon.
Set up a big batch at night, let it incubate while you sleep, and wake up to jars of yoghurt ready to chill. One mostly hands-off session gives you:

• Breakfasts for the week
• Lunchbox fillers
• After-school snacks
• Easy bases for smoothies and desserts

It quietly does the work in the background so you don’t have to!!

4. Better options for kids and families

For mums, yoghurt is often a go-to snack – but supermarket tubs can be loaded with sugar and additives. With homemade yoghurt, you can:

• Stir through real fruit, honey or maple syrup instead of refined sugar
• Add granola, seeds or dehydrated fruit for crunch and variety
• Serve it plain for toddlers or lightly sweetened for older kids

You know exactly what your kids are eating, and you can adjust flavours to suit even the fussiest little taste buds.

5. Budget-friendly and less waste

Yoghurt can be surprisingly expensive, especially for families or people who eat it daily. Turning simple milk into yoghurt at home:

• Saves money over time
• Lets you buy milk in bulk
• Reduces plastic packaging waste from single-serve tubs

For anyone trying to eat well on a budget and be a bit kinder to the planet, homemade yoghurt is a smart move.

What you need to make yoghurt in a dehydrator

To make homemade yoghurt in a dehydrator, you only need a few basics:

Ingredients

• 1–4 litres of full-cream milk (for the creamiest yoghurt)
• 3–6 tablespoons of plain yoghurt with live cultures (your “starter”)

Equipment

• A Benchfoods 10 tray dehydrator with adjustable temperature
• Clean glass jars or food-safe containers with lids
• A saucepan
• A whisk or spoon
• (Optional) A kitchen thermometer

Step 1: Heat the milk

Heating the milk helps your yoghurt set thicker and more reliably.

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan.
2. Gently heat over medium heat until it reaches about 80–85°C.
   • If you don’t have a thermometer, look for steam rising and small bubbles around the edge, but do not boil.
3. Once it reaches temperature, turn off the heat.

This step changes the milk proteins and gives you a smoother, creamier yoghurt.

Step 2: Cool the milk to incubation temperature

Next, let the milk cool down to the temperature that yoghurt cultures love.

• Aim for around 40–45°C/104-113°F

• Without a thermometer, think “warm bath water” – warm to the touch but not hot enough to burn.

Let the milk sit until it reaches this warm stage. Stir occasionally to help it cool evenly.

Step 3: Add the yoghurt starter

Now you’ll turn warm milk into yoghurt-in-the-making.

1. In a small bowl, add your 2–3 tablespoons of plain yoghurt with live cultures. (*Ratio is 2/3 tablespoons to 1 litre of milk)
2. Spoon in a little of the warm milk and whisk until smooth.
3. Pour this mixture back into the pot of warm milk.
4. Stir gently to combine, without whipping in too much air.

You’ve just inoculated the milk with live yoghurt cultures that will thicken and ferment it in the dehydrator.

Step 4: Fill your jars for the dehydrator

1. Pour the milk–starter mix into clean jars or containers.
2. Leave a little space at the top of each jar.
3. Put the lids on loosely.

Arrange the jars on the shelves of your dehydrator – use a single tray for larger jars or spread smaller jars across multiple trays. With the removable, flexible trays, you can set it up in whatever way works best for you and your family.