Can You Freeze Yogurt?
Yes, you can freeze yogurt for up to 2 months, but the texture changes significantly. Frozen yogurt separates and becomes grainy or watery when thawed. It works best in smoothies or as a frozen treat rather than eaten like fresh yogurt. Freezing also reduces probiotic effectiveness.
Key Takeaways
- Yogurt's texture suffers during freezing because the water content separates from the proteins and fats.
- Probiotic cultures become dormant when frozen and some may not survive; do not rely on frozen yogurt for probiotic benefits.
- Flavored and sweetened yogurts freeze with similar results to plain varieties.
Explanation
Yogurt's texture suffers during freezing because the water content separates from the proteins and fats. When thawed, it often appears curdled or watery. Stirring can help somewhat, but it will not fully restore the original creamy texture.
Greek yogurt freezes slightly better than regular yogurt due to its thicker consistency and lower water content, but still experiences texture changes. For smoothies, frozen yogurt works excellently and adds creaminess and chill.
Freezing yogurt into popsicles, bark, or dollops for smoothies are popular uses that work with the changed texture rather than against it. Many people freeze yogurt in ice cube trays for convenient smoothie additions.
Things to Know
- Probiotic cultures become dormant when frozen and some may not survive; do not rely on frozen yogurt for probiotic benefits.
- Flavored and sweetened yogurts freeze with similar results to plain varieties.
- Yogurt tubes and pouches marketed for kids are designed to be frozen and eaten as treats.