This homemade Instant Pot yogurt recipe is the easiest way to make yogurt. Top this recipe with crunchy granola and fresh fruit for a healthy and delicious snack.
Yogurt making has been more of a saga over the last ten years than something I could say I confidently mastered within the last five years.
First, I tried the crock pot method. It went something like this. Get the milk super hot in the crock pot. Then after it cools back down, wrap it up in five towels to trap the heat in.
Ask me how many milk-soaked towels it took for me to quit that method.
Next, I tried something similar with heating pads and a cooler. My results were inconsistent at best.
In 2016, my family went on the GAPs diet, a gut-healing protocol, which is when I learned about 24-hour yogurt. The premise behind this is that the gut can’t easily digest lactose, but when yogurt is fermented for at least 24 hours, the good bacteria consume all the lactose.
I might be reporting the science a little wrong, but it is definitely somewhere in the neighborhood of right. Basically, yogurt that has been fermented for 24 hours is suitable for a gut-healing protocol.
Now, do you think my crock pot or cooler method can keep milk at a constant and correct temperature for 24 hours? Not a chance.
Because of this, we stopped consuming yogurt and dairy products altogether while we were on the GAPS protocol.
Enter Instant Pot Yogurt
November 2016, I finally tried out the Instant Pot everyone was talking about. And boy, oh boy, my yogurt dreams came true!
Here there was this magical little machine that could effortlessly convert a gallon of milk into gut-healthy whole milk yogurt. You have to be sure to get an Instant Pot that has the yogurt function, because they don’t all have it! (This one does.)
I have tried raw milk yogurt, as well as regular yogurt that is comparable to store-bought. I’ve fermented it anywhere from 8 hours up to 24. All with great success!
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Why you will love this recipe:
Easy: There is very little hands-on time with this recipe. The Instant Pot does all the work and keeps it at a steady temperature for however long you desire.
Delicious: There is nothing quite like a healthy bowl of yogurt, drizzled with honey, and sprinkled with berries.
Inexpensive: You can make a full gallon of yogurt for about the same price as one quart at the store.
Control over the ingredients: I love that we have control over the quality of the ingredients.
Tips
- Use a culture from another batch of yogurt or buy a starter culture.
- If using yogurt from a previous batch of yogurt, only use about 4-5 times before replacing the culture entirely and using store-bought yogurt to culture your homemade yogurt.
- If you have a little issue digesting dairy, try fermenting the yogurt for 24 hours.
- For the kids, I will ferment it for 8 hours, but any longer and they will say it is too sour.
- Serve it with some homemade granola and fruit for a delicious breakfast.
- Don’t use the silicon ring in the Instant Pot, since it tends to harbor smells.
- Instant Pot Models will differ on the process. See below for older models and new models.
- Reserve some starter yogurt for the next batch of yogurt.
Supplies You May Need
- My Instant Pot with Yogurt Function. The newer version
- Pocket Thermometer
- Half Gallon Mason Jar
- Wide Mouth Plastic Lid
Ingredients:
Milk: Whole, 2%, skim, and even non-dairy milk like almond milk and coconut milk will work. Whole milk will give you a thicker and creamier yogurt compared to skim milk.
Yogurt Culture: You can use a store-bought yogurt from the grocery store that has live cultures, yogurt starter cultures, or your own yogurt from a previous batch. If you are using yogurt from a previous batch, eventually you will want to start with new cultures again.
How to Make Yogurt in the Instant Pot: Older Model
Pour a half gallon of milk into the Instant Pot and press sauté. Whisking constantly, allow the milk to rise to 180 degrees. I use a small pocket thermometer to test the temp. After coming to temperature, press “cancel” to turn it off.
Allow the milk temperature to cool back down to 115 degrees.
Whisk in 1/4 cup of plain yogurt. You can either use store-bought or start with a starter culture. I started with these cultures, and now I make the next batch with a little yogurt from a previous batch. I don’t like to get too far removed from the original starter, so after four or five rounds of using the yogurt from a previous batch, I will return to another starter packet.
Press the yogurt button on the Instant Pot and set for 8-24 hours. For a tangier yogurt, allow the IP to run for a full 24 hours.
After the fermentation has finished, remove the inner pot of the Instant Pot, cover and store it in the refrigerator for at least 12-24 hours before serving. You can also pour the fresh yogurt into individual glass jars like mason jars, then cover, and place in the fridge.
Instant Pot Yogurt: Newer Models
Add milk to the Instant Pot, place on the lid, and press the yogurt button. Adjust until the screen says “boil”.
When the Instant Pot beeps, the milk should be nice and hot.
Allow the milk to cool down to about 110-115 degrees.
Whisk in the yogurt culture or plain yogurt to the warm milk.
Place the lid back on and press the yogurt button again. Adjust the time to 8-24 hours. The longer the yogurt ferments, the thicker and tangier it is.
Once the time is up, stir, and refrigerate.
Recipes with yogurt:
Strawberry Popsicles
Greek Yogurt Cream Cheese
Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake
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What to serve with yogurt:
- Granola
- Fresh fruit. I especially love fresh berries.
- Turn it into vanilla yogurt with a little vanilla extract.
- Frozen fruit
- Chia seeds
- Honey or maple syrup
- Nut butter
- Add it to smoothies
- Nuts or seeds
- Jam
- Mix in pumpkin puree
FAQ
Milk is heated to destroy bacteria that are present in milk and could compete with the yogurt cultures, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.
Heating changes the structure of the proteins in milk that gel, causing the finished yogurt to have a thick consistency.
You don’t have to heat the milk, but if you want to eat the finished yogurt with a bowl and spoon, you might want to. There is a way to make raw milk yogurt with the help of gelatin and some different cultures.
As far as fermenting time goes, for bowls of yogurt I like to ferment 8 hours. Any longer and my kids say it’s too sour. For smoothies, they can tolerate the 24-hour tangy yogurt. I sweeten it up by blending it with frozen bananas and strawberries.
When my yogurt is all done, I store it in a half gallon mason jar with a plastic lid. It will keep for two weeks.
While you can use store-bought yogurt to make homemade yogurt, I find that commercial freeze-dried starter cultures give better, more consistent results.
You can technically use any kind of milk, but I think whole milk gives the best results.
If properly stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, it will last 10-14 days.
Typically, I recommend about 4-5 times. While you technically can continue to reuse a yogurt starter indefinitely, I find that the results are not consistent and I like to start with a fresh culture after a handful of uses.
Absolutely. It is the easiest way to make creamy yogurt. The Instant Pot does all of the work, and the results are delicious, healthy, and affordable.
To make a Greek-style yogurt, place a strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with cheese cloth or a tea towel. Transfer the yogurt to the strainer, then allow the whey to strain from the yogurt until the desired thickness is achieved.
Check out some of my other favorite Instant Pot Recipes:
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Bone Broth
- Beef Carnitas
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- How To Cook Pumpkin
- Whole Chicken
- Raw Milk Yogurt
If you try this recipe, let me know by leaving a comment. Love it? Give it a 5 star rating!
Instant Pot Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon milk, we prefer whole milk
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt , or you can use a yogurt starter culture
Instructions
- Pour a half gallon of milk into the Instant Pot, and press the "sauté" button. Whisking constantly, allow the milk to rise to 180 degrees. I use a small pocket thermometer to test the temp.
- Press "cancel" to turn it off.
- Allow the milk to cool back down to 115 degrees.
- Whisk in 1/4 cup of plain yogurt. You can either use store bought, or start with a starter culture.
- Set Instant Pot for 8-24 hours on the yogurt setting.
- When the timer goes off the yogurt is ready.
- Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate.
Notes
- Use a culture from another batch of yogurt or buy a starter culture.
- If using yogurt from a previous batch of yogurt, only use about 4-5 times before replacing the culture entirely and using store-bought yogurt to culture your homemade yogurt.
- If you have a little issue digesting dairy, try fermenting the yogurt for 24 hours.
- For the kids, I will ferment it for 8 hours, any longer they will say it is too sour.
- Serve it with some homemade granola and fruit for a delicious breakfast.
- Don’t use the silicon ring in the Instant Pot since it tends to harbor smells.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was updated March 25, 2024
Can I use kiefer instead of yogurt for the fermentation?
I think it needs to be yogurt for this recipe.
I don’t have an instapot but I’ve been making my yogurt in a crockpot via this recipe:
https://maysatro.blogspot.com/2024/02/creamy-delight-how-to-make-homemade.html?fbclid=IwAR3BoOZF9nSy15dDzFIlt-vOsgKjiPsgGhJ7PddhGZsXbIvJ0vuA7IbUT3c_aem_AS7BdFzrQOolK3q4iuee0cqkhwZndUd1KWlRmYjoMaeV-Vo4wlkmk_L9zs6jYsNLssw&m=1
after the incubation period I strain it using a cheesecloth lined strainer and let it sit in the fridge for another day… then after, the bulk of the yogurt falls out of the cheesecloth easily but there is still A LOT of yogurt still stuck and I have a really hard time getting all of it off.
I’m not very used to using cheesecloth so I didn’t know if there’s a trick to it or not.
Also… my yogurt is a pretty good consistency but I would definitely like it to be thicker.
I find that after sitting in the fridge for a little the top layer thickens up but the bottom is more soupy… is this normal?
Thank you for all your knowledge… I find it very helpful!
Liz Cutler
I’ve made this recipe several times and always get a great result, I love it! But this last time something must have gone wrong. My milk never turned into yogurt! I used the same method, heated my fresh raw milk, cooled it back down, added my started culture (I used a ¼ cup of store bought yogurt that has no additives), and let it incubate for 14 hours. When I pulled it out of the instant pot it was just the same consistency as regular milk. The only thing I can think of is I used a little more than ½ a gallon but used the same amount of yogurt starter. Could this have caused my flop? Any input is welcome! Thanks in advance!
Hi Lisa,
I’ve made this recipe several times and always get a great result! Except for this last time…something must have gone wrong. My milk never turned into yogurt! I used the same method, heated my fresh raw milk, cooled it back down, added my started culture (I used a ¼ cup of store bought yogurt that has no additives), and let it incubate for 14 hours. When I pulled it out of the instant pot it was just the same consistency as regular milk. The only thing I can think of is I used a little more than ½ a gallon but used the same amount of yogurt starter. Could this have caused my flop? Any input is welcome! Thanks in advance!
Did you use a greek yogurt as your starter? Homemade yogurt does have a tendency to be a little thinner, but it shouldn’t come back out looking like milk still!
Hi Lisa,
I’ve made this recipe several times and love it. But this last time, my yogurt did not thicken. I used the same method, fresh milk, fresh store bought yogurt as my starter culture, and I let it incubate for 14 hours. When I went to strain it to turn it into Greek yogurt it just went straight through my cheesecloth, just like plain milk. Any ideas? The only thing I can think of is maybe I used too much milk? I used a little over ½ a gallon but kept the starter amount the same. Could that have caused the issue?
Thanks in advance!
Can I use plain Greek yogurt as my culture?
Yes, as long as it is plain.
If I use store bought yogurt, can I use a vanilla flavored one?
I
Hi Lisa
I assume these temperatures are in Fahrenheit? I am in South Africa and we use Celsius. I believe the first temp is to pasteurise the milk and that is because you want to kill certain bacteria which would interfere with the yoghurt bacteria, am I right? If you want to preserve as much of the nutritional benefits of the raw milk as possible, can you use a lower temp so that some enzymes and vitamins don’t get killed off, would it still work? According to an article on Scientific American, you could either use low temp, long time at 145F for 30 min or high temp, short time at 160F for 15 seconds. I assume you are using the latter in this recipe. (For South Africa and UK the temps are: 180F = 82C, 160F = 71C, 145F = 62C, 115F = 46C, according to my calculator).
Yes, they are in Fahrenheit.
I am assuming I can use pastured whole milk?
Organic and grass feed, of course.
Yes, that is fine.
Do you know what temperature the yogurt setting is?
I do not have a yogurt setting on my IP.
I make my own yogurt but the “fermentation” process takes place in a 110° oven.
Is that a good temp for a 24hr ferment?
Yes, 110 is what it should be at in your instant pot too.