Why Your Frozen Yogurt Is Turning Icy And Not Creamy – And How To Fix It

Frozen yogurt is a great way to sweeten up plain Greek yogurt into a decadent dessert, but if you've ever tried making it at home, you may have accidentally made crunchy, frozen dairy rather than a creamy, cold treat. Food Republic spoke to Chrys Kefala, founder and owner of Yala Greek Ice Cream in Washington D.C.'s Georgetown, to determine why frozen yogurt turns icy rather than creamy — and what to do about it.

"Greek frozen yogurt turns icy when there isn't enough structure to control the natural water in the yogurt," said Kefala. "Use natural thickeners and faster freezing to make creamier scoops." Thickeners help bind water, protein, and sugar together, creating a blend of all three that prevents the formation of large ice crystals. Freezing your mixture quickly is also a huge help, as slower freezing processes tend to form larger crystals that create a crunchy rather than creamy texture.

Kefala recommended using common, household thickeners like pectin and cornstarch to get the job done. Frozen yogurt is a fairly straightforward recipe that primarily benefits from its flavorings rather than any rare or expensive ingredients, so, provided you know what you're doing, it's easy to make something that tastes like it came straight from a store. Still, if it comes out a bit icy, it's an easy enough fix provided you're willing to churn it again. No machine? No problem. You can easily make frozen yogurt ice pops.

Unlike baked goods, you always have room to fix the texture of frozen desserts when they don't turn out quite right. While it's best to take the steps that prevent them from freezing improperly, don't toss out your recipe when Chrys Kefala has a quick fix that can revive it!

"If your frozen yogurt ices up, let it soften or churn again with a little cream, and it'll come back smoother," Kefala told us. By allowing the ice crystals to melt, then introducing more fat and protein, you help prevent those same crystals from coming back during the second freeze. Kefala also recommended using a strained, whole milk Greek yogurt to prevent this problem in the first place. Greek yogurt differs from regular because it's strained, giving it more richness and balance, creating something with less moisture and more body, which results in a far better texture.

While it may be tempting to use a flavored, sugary variety, these are often a bit thin with a higher water content. Instead, you should always opt for something thicker and then sweeten it as needed. It's more important that your yogurt has the appropriate fat and protein content, as these are far more difficult to add than sugar, which you can always dump in to your heart's content.