What to Know About “Stretchy Yogurt”—Including How to Make It at Home

You’re likely familiar with regular yogurt, but have you heard of its elastic counterpart? Stretchy yogurt is among the latest viral food trends to circulate on TikTok, and many people are curious about the hype surrounding it. We‘re here to answer all your burning questions about the mesmerizing foodstuff.

1. What Is Stretchy Yogurt?
2. How to Make Stretchy Yogurt at Home

What Is Stretchy Yogurt?

As the name suggests, stretchy yogurt is the stickier, more viscous form of the dairy product you know. Its consistency resembles that of maple syrup. Famous shops like Mamie’s Yogurt in Flushing, New York, offer a variety of flavors, including mango, lychee, and peach, among others. The topping options are just as diverse; you can choose nearly anything from coconut jelly to tapioca pearls to fresh fruit.

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While most sticky yogurt shops are keen on keeping their recipes secret, the food’s texture likely comes from using a starch like tapioca, rice, or potato. Starch grains absorb liquid, and the concentration and absorption level of each starch grain contribute to a food item‘s final consistency. Heat is needed to activate the starch grains’ absorption; otherwise, they‘ll sink to the bottom of the mixture. When the liquid heats up, its molecules bounce around and bump into the starch grains, causing them to take in water and acquire the slimy texture that sticky yogurt is famous for.

The stretchy yogurt trend originated in China and expanded to other countries. Some prominent stretchy yogurt shops, like Mamie’s Yogurt, have brought the trend to the U.S. Stretchy yogurt has also made its way to Singapore and Indonesia.

How to Make Stretchy Yogurt at Home

You can make stretchy yogurt yourself by following a few steps from Kat Lieu (@subtleasian.baking on TikTok).

To make it, you’ll need three ingredients:

• Greek yogurt
• Milk
• Tapioca starch

Start by adding a half cup of Greek yogurt, a half cup of milk, and a quarter cup of tapioca starch to a microwaveable bowl. Stir the ingredients until they’re combined, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes into the plastic with a fork and microwave the ingredients for two minutes. After the timer is up, you can stir the ingredients again to combine everything.

Now you can try the sticky yogurt trend without making a trip to a yogurt shop.