Use Greek Yogurt For Extra Creamy Homemade Froyo

Going out for froyo is arguably more fun than going out for ice cream. You can mix and match a plethora of flavors, sneak in free samples, and pile on as many toppings as your wallet will allow for a delicious, colorful concoction. But since you're already making your own bowl at the store, why not try making it at home?

It may sound complicated to whip up your own frozen yogurt, but it's not any more difficult than making homemade ice cream. In fact, the process is pretty similar — a typical recipe for homemade froyo involves combining yogurt with heavy cream and a sweetener, thickening the mixture in an ice cream maker, then freezing it until it becomes hard. Yogurt is obviously a key ingredient here, but it creates challenges as its water content can turn into ice when frozen, resulting in a less-than-creamy froyo.

Luckily, there are a few ways to get around this. Adding more sugar is one, as the sugar molecules can block ice crystals from forming. You can also try using full-fat, whole milk yogurt, which will make a thicker froyo. But for an even creamier option, try using Greek yogurt instead.

Since the water in regular yogurt is, well, watering down our homemade froyo, it's a strategic move to switch to Greek yogurt. The Greek version has less water because it's strained three or more times, which filters out the whey. If you need a refresher on the various elements that make up a dairy product, whey is the liquid that's removed when making thicker foods like cheese and yogurt. Regular yogurt is only strained twice, so there is usually still some water in the end result.

But that's not the only benefit of using Greek yogurt in your homemade froyo. Not only is it less watery, but it also has more fat and protein than regular yogurt. In fact, even the low-fat stuff has about twice as much protein. And for you, that means a denser froyo ingredient, as the proteins thicken during the yogurt-making process and the fat keeps the proteins clustered together.

When combined with heavy cream and granulated sugar, Greek yogurt is an unstoppable creamy force. You don't even have to use an ice cream maker to whip up this frozen treat — try blending your fruit of choice with Greek yogurt, heavy cream, sugar, and a flavoring extract like vanilla or almond. Then let the mixture sit in the freezer like you would with ice cream, and enjoy a richer, denser homemade froyo.