Make Icelandic Yogurt (Skyr)

By
Kari Diehl
Kari Diehl
Freelance food writer who specializes in Scandinavian cuisine and is the author of "The Everything Nordic Cookbook."
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/27/21
Make Icelandic Yogurt (Skyr) in a bowl

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Draining: 12 hrs
Total: 12 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
517 Calories
19g Fat
51g Carbs
35g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 517
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 25%
Saturated Fat 12g 62%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 475mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 51g 19%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 53g
Protein 35g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 1209mg 93%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 1413mg 30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Try this recipe for homemade skyr. Anyone lucky enough to visit or live in Iceland knows all about skyr, the traditional Icelandic yogurt that has been made since the ninth-century Viking era. Much thicker than American or even Greek yogurt, skyr is quite possibly the healthiest of yogurts, skyr is low in fat but typically high in protein.

Skyr was introduced to America in 2005 by enterprising Icelandic expatriate Siggi Hilmarsson (under the brand name of Siggi's Icelandic Style Skyr). It was hard to find at first, but now can be found at many grocery stores, with ease. So long as you can find a single container of Siggi's plain or vanilla yogurt, you can use it as a culture to make your own ​skyr.

For this recipe, you will need the appropriate equipment: bowls, whisks, measuring cup, spoon, thermometer probe, and a mesh straining bag.

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon non-fat ​milk

  • 1 (5.5-ounce) container plain or vanilla skyr

  • 7 drops liquid animal rennet, or 4 drops liquid vegetable rennet

  • 1/4 cup warm non-chlorinated water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Make Icelandic Yogurt (Skyr) ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Thoroughly sanitize your equipment (bowls, whisks, measuring spoon) either by rinsing it in boiling water or by removing from a hot dishwasher.

    Sanitized equipment for making yogurt

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring milk to a slow and steady simmer over a medium-high burner, heating it until it reaches the scalding point (use a thermometer to ensure it reaches 185 F to 190 F). This will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

    Milk in a red pot with a thermometer

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Stir frequently to prevent scalding. If, toward the very end of the heating process, you notice that the milk at the bottom of the pot has begun to scald, reduce the heat to medium-low and stop stirring. A small bit of scalding is OK, but you don't want to release the scalded bits into the mixture.

    Milk in a red pot with a metal spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Turn burner off immediately when milk reaches scalding point. Remove from burner and allow to cool to 110 F.

    Milk in a red pot with a thermometer

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of cooled milk with skyr, then return mixture to the pot, stirring to incorporate.

    Cooled milk with skyr in a bowl with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Whisk liquid rennet into warm water, then stir immediately into milk (the rennet will lose its effectiveness if prepared more than 30 minutes before using).

    Liquid rennet and milk in a red pot with a whisk

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Cover pot with a thick towel and keep in a warm, draft-free place (an oven or an insulated cooler) for 12 hours.

    Milk mixture in a pot, covered with a towel

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  9. After the allotted time, curds will have formed. Spoon curds into a fine-meshed bag (nylon vegetable bags work great for this) or a double-layer of cheesecloth.

    Curds in a red pot

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  10. Suspend bag over a dripping tray in a cool room or the refrigerator and allow to drain until skyr is thick.

    Curds in a double-layer of cheesecloth in a colander

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  11. Serve skyr and enjoy. Skyr will keep for three or four weeks, covered, in the refrigerator.

    Make Icelandic Yogurt (Skyr) in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Tips

  • To serve as breakfast or a snack, top with the skyr with milk, fresh berries, and sugar, maple syrup, or honey to taste. Skyr is far sourer than overly sweetened American yogurts.
  • Use the skyr to make tangy and refreshing desserts such as frozen strawberry skyr or use it as a base for smoothies.