TheKitchn.com

I remember a time, raising my children, when I was never without one of those zip-top bags of frozen yogurt bites. If they needed something while we waited for dinner to arrive at the table, or a quiet snack at library story time, there they were. And while I loved making baby food for them and freezing yogurt for snacks, there was just no beating the commercial yogurt bites; even I enjoyed my fair share of the sweet, tangy, melt-in-your mouth texture of those bites.

When I discovered I could turn a kitchen staple's leftovers into tender snack bites, I knew I needed to share this splendid secret.

What are dried yogurt bites?

Commercial yogurt bites go by a few names: yogurt puffs, yogurt melts and yogurt bites. The premise is the same: Dots of yogurt are dehydrated, creating a melting bite that is also shelf-stable. The internet is full of claims that frozen yogurt bites are a cheap alternative to these commercial products, and while they are brilliant and delicious (and great for teething babies), you can't plop them in your purse for the park. Unless you buy a super-expensive dehydrator.

How to hack dried yogurt bites at home

The short story: Use aquafaba, the liquid left over from a can of chickpeas, to make a lightly sweetened meringue, and flavor it with yogurt powder and fruit powder if desired. Then dry the resulting dots in a low oven for an hour. This discovery happened by chance when I was testing vegan meringues at home during the same time I discovered that yogurt powder was easily available online.

These bites are best eaten within a week, especially by early eaters, as they become stickier and harder as they age. Store the cooked and cooled drops in an airtight container or a zip-top bag for stashing in your purse or diaper bag.

Yogurt Bites

Makes 3 ounces; about 8 dozen dime-sized drops

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