Instant Pot Yogurt is all the rage for a very good reason. The taste and texture of homemade is worlds better than store-bought and once you make it you will never go back!
The Yogurt Button is one of my absolute favorite functions of the Instant Pot. I use it to make Yogurt (obviously) Mozzarella, Burrata, Skyr, Crusty Bread, and Ricotta.
This post is going to dive deep into the ins and outs of making a perfect batch of yogurt. Trust me when I say, you have not tasted amazing yogurt until you've tasted this yogurt. My kids will eat a big bowl of this completely unsweetened, it's that good!
This post is loaded with Instant Pot Yogurt goodies! Included is a:
- STEP – BY – STEP YOGURT MAKING COLLAGE
- PRINTABLE RECIPE
- TIPS AND TRICKS GALORE
- ANSWERS TO ALL OF YOUR FAQS
- STEP – BY – STEP INSTANT POT YOGURT VIDEO
This is a One Stop Shop for all your Instant Pot Yogurt makin' needs! I also have another post here with more Yogurt Q&As. First, let me convince you of why you need this in your life.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE HEALTHY, HOMEMADE INSTANT POT YOGURT
- Homemade yogurt is CHEAP! For the price of one gallon of milk and a yogurt starter, you get up to 3 quarts of yogurt. Plus you can use the drained off whey as a buttermilk substitute. That's less than $5 for all of that!!! You would easily pay $20 for that in the store.
- It's made with only two ingredients: Milk and a yogurt starter, that's it! Have you ever looked at store bought? Cornstarch, gelatin, pectin, sugar, artificial sweeteners, etc. We don't need all of that! If you want it sweet, YOU choose how and what to sweeten it with – honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, sugar, date syrup, etc.
- EASY! The first couple times you make it, you may not describe it as “easy”. By the third time, you'll know what to expect, know the best time to start it, and won't even need to look at a recipe.
- Homemade yogurt TASTES A BAZILLION TIMES BETTER! It is creamy, mildly tangy, and has no chalky aftertaste. You will never settle for store bought again, I guarantee it! I've converted many yogurt eaters to eating unsweetened yogurt with this recipe. All you need is fruit, nuts, and/or granola. However, I'll admit, a honey or maple syrup drizzle pretty much makes it the best thing you've ever tasted.
- Homemade yogurt is so mild tasting that it can be used to make healthier sauces, dressings, and even homemade Frozen Yogurt Tubes.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE YOGURT IN THE INSTANT POT
Check out this video to get a quick idea of the process. Then click here to see the step by step collage below for all the details.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR FAILPROOF YOGURT
I haven't had a bad batch of yogurt in years and I want to make sure you get the same results. Here are some tips, tricks, and FAQs you'll want to read before getting started.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE HOMEMADE YOGURT
Here’s what to expect timewise: 1 hour for milk to warm to 185º F, about 1 ½-2 hours to cool to 110º F, 8 hours of incubation and then 4 hours or overnight refrigeration to chill yogurt in the pot before straining. The majority of this, of course, is inactive time on your part.
BEST TIME OF DAY TO START MAKING YOGURT
This will be different for everyone of course, but this is what that looks like for me. I start it at 5 a.m. (I'm an early riser). By 8 a.m. it has gone through the boil and cool down phases and is ready to incubate for 8 hours. My yogurt is done by about 4 p.m. at which point I cover it and refrigerate overnight.
The next day I pour it into the Euro Cuisine Strainers. Depending on how busy I am that day, I will let it strain for a few hours or more. There have even been a few times it strained for 2 days before I got to it. That's okay! Just add whey back into it to thin it out. So yes, it's a process, but very hands off and the chilling and straining parts are flexible.
Some people start it in the evening and let it incubate overnight, which works great too! Find the best time for you!
BEST MILK FOR MAKING YOGURT
This recipe is made with 2% milk. Lower to no fat milk may be used, but will result in a thinner, sometimes grainy, yogurt. Using whole milk results in a smooth, rich, and creamy yogurt that is so incredible it could double as dessert.
CAN I USE GOAT’S MILK OR SHEEP’S MILK TO MAKE YOGURT?
I have never tried this, so I can’t speak to the result, but I have read recipes for goat and sheep yogurt that use a very similar process. I suggest searching for those recipes specifically before attempting it.
WHY USE POWDERED MILK IN HOMEMADE YOGURT
Powdered milk can be used in homemade yogurt to add extra protein and help create a thicker end product. It is completely optional! I haven't used it in years, but if you'd like a higher percentage of protein, this is a great way to do it.
DO I NEED A THERMOMETER TO MAKE YOGURT
I'm going to say YES, a thermometer is a must! Ideally, the yogurt-boil function on the Instant Pot would warm the milk to 180-185º F every time, but this doesn't seem to be the case. This appears to differ from pot to pot and if the milk doesn't reach a high enough temperature, you will end up with warm milk after 8 hours.
Invest in a decent thermometer so you can ensure your milk is warmed and cooled to the proper temperatures. This is VERY important!
This Thermometer is the one I have and love because it alerts for the high and low temp. This thermometer is a popular one on Amazon.
HOW TO COOL THE MILK DOWN BEFORE ADDING THE YOGURT STARTER
It's vital that your milk is cooled to 110º F before adding your yogurt starter. If the milk is too hot, it will kill your starter, and again, you'll end up with a big pot of warm milk after 8 hours. I prefer to place the pot on a cooling rack and let the milk cool naturally, which takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I feel like my yogurt is smoother and thicker this way. In a pinch, the process can be hurried along by putting it in a sink full of ice water (this only takes about 20 minutes), or in the winter, I place the pot in a pile of snow which brings the temperature down very quickly.
WHAT IS A YOGURT STARTER?
A yogurt starter is a blend of bacteria that consume lactose which then converts to lactic acid. Lactic acid is what gives yogurt that tangy flavor and thicker texture.
BEST YOGURT STARTER/STARTER CULTURE
I've used kefir, probiotic capsules, my own yogurt, and just about every brand of yogurt at the grocery store as a starter. I've come to the conclusion that if you want the best tasting, smoothest, and thickest yogurt, use plain Fage 2% yogurt. It's the best, I can't say I know why, but it makes the best yogurt, every time.
If you want to experiment with other yogurts as your starter, stick with plain, unsweetened varieties. Avoid sweetened yogurt or yogurt with fruit mixed in and make sure the container says “Live Active Cultures.”
HOW MUCH YOGURT STARTER TO USE
A quick google search will reveal recipes that use anywhere from two tablespoons to 3/4 cup. I firmly believe that 1/4 cup of Fage 2% is the perfect amount. More or less of it leaves me with inconsistent results.
BEST LENGTH OF TIME TO INCUBATE YOGURT
The longer you incubate your yogurt, the more tangy it will become. Most people are happy with 8 hours. If you want it less tangy, try an hour or two less, however, this can result in more whey and less yogurt. If you want it extra tangy, let it incubate for an extra hour or so.
Another option to determine if your yogurt is ready is my son's method of “When my bike can hold a wheelie, it's done.” He snuck this in while I was taking pictures, haha!
BEST WAY TO STRAIN HOMEMADE YOGURT
Once the yogurt has incubated for 8 hours, place it undisturbed in the refrigerator. Chill it completely before straining, 6 hours or overnight. You will end up with more yogurt and less whey, if it's completely chilled before you strain it.
Strain yogurt with a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, or my favorite, the Euro Cuisine yogurt strainer. A full gallon of milk requires either two nut milk bags or two yogurt strainers to do it all at once. I strain mine for at least a few hours, and sometimes it ends up straining for a couple of days before I get to it. If it gets too thick, simply stir in some of the drained whey until it reaches the desired consistency.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE GREEK YOGURT THAT IS THICK, SMOOTH, AND CREAMY LIKE STORE BOUGHT
If you like your yogurt really thick, similar to store bought Greek yogurt, strain it overnight (or more). Once it gets that thick, it can be difficult to get it smooth using just a whisk. Solution: use a hand mixer! It works amazingly well at getting your yogurt smooth in seconds. Thanks to my little sis' Maegan for that tip!
HOW TO SWEETEN AND FLAVOR YOGURT
If using sweetener or vanilla extract, add it after the yogurt has incubated, cooled, and strained. If adding a liquid sweetener like honey or syrup, you may want to let the yogurt strain overnight until it's quite thick. This will ensure your yogurt remains thick and creamy instead of being thinned out too much by the liquid sweetener.
Always add pure vanilla extract after the 8 hour incubation period to avoid disturbing the yogurt making process (the alcohol can affect the bacteria needed to make yogurt). If using an imitation vanilla (that is alcohol-free) or fresh vanilla beans, it can be added at any time.
However, I suggest always adding vanilla and sweetener after your yogurt has strained. This way you are flavoring only the yogurt and not the whey that you strain, as well.
Use 2 – 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract or scrape 1 vanilla bean and about 1/3 – 1/2 cup sweetener like honey, pure maple syrup, agave, or white sugar for every gallon of milk.
HOW TO USE YOUR OWN YOGURT FOR YOUR STARTER
To use your own homemade yogurt as a starter, be sure to reserve one-quarter cup. Use within a week for best results. If you’re not going to be needing it that quickly, it can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it gradually in the fridge and it will work just as well as a fresh starter. From my personal experience, I feel like my yogurt is a bit more tart when I use my own yogurt starter vs a fresh Fage starter.
HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE YOGURT
I like to store mine in the Euro Cuisine Yogurt Strainers. Quart size Mason jars are a great option, but any clean, sealed container will do.
HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE YOGURT LAST
Homemade yogurt will store for at least a week, and up to two. Keep in mind, the longer it sits in your fridge, the more tart it will become.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT YOGURT WITHOUT THE YOGURT FUNCTION
I get asked often how to make yogurt without the Instant Pot yogurt function. First might I suggest, GET AN INSTANT POT WITH A YOGURT FUNCTION! With all the money you save making your own yogurt, you'll pay for that new pot. If that's not an option for you, check out this post, How to Make Pressure Cooker Yogurt When You Don't Have a Yogurt Button.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT YOGURT WITH ALMOND, SOY, COCONUT, OR RAW MILK
The process for making yogurt with other kinds of milk will be different than this recipe. Temperatures and cultures may vary. While I've tried my hand at almond and coconut milk yogurt, I haven't quite figured it out yet. A quick google search will supply you with many recipes to try. I'll post an update if I find one I love.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COLD START AND BOIL YOGURT?
Cold start yogurt requires an ultra pasteurized milk like the popular Fairlife brand which tends to be more expensive. With cold start yogurt you skip the heating and cooling steps. With the more traditional boil yogurt, you can use more affordable regular pasteurized milk and must follow the heating and cooling steps below. I personally MUCH prefer the taste of the more traditional version, but the cold start is fun to try!
HOW TO MAKE FAT FREE YOGURT
I’ve tried making fat free with this recipe, but my yogurt ends up grainy and it yields much less. So for me, it’s not worth it. Store bought, fat free yogurts have additives that fix these problems. If you want to make a fat free version, go with this Skyr recipe instead. It is gloriously thick and creamy and has more protein in it than even Greek yogurt.
HOW TO USE WHEY AS A BUTTERMILK SUBSTITUTE
On its own, I feel whey is too thin for pancakes, waffles, muffins, etc. I like to fill a quart jar with two-thirds whey, one-third yogurt, then shake shake shake. This substitutes for buttermilk perfectly every time.
MORE USES FOR WHEY
Aside from a buttermilk substitute, I've added it to smoothies, I've cooked pasta and rice in it, added it to homemade bread, and my garden. Here is a great article on Sixteen Uses for Whey.
REASONS WHY YOGURT DIDN'T WORK/”WHY IS MY YOGURT WARM MILK AFTER 8 HOURS!?”
Failed yogurt is so disappointing. Here are some reasons it may not have turned out well
- There may be a malfunction with the cooker. Make sure your milk is coming to 180-185°F degrees on the boil function and that your milk is staying in the safe zone of 110°-115° while incubating
- If you’re using your homemade yogurt as your starter, it can become weaker and weaker with each batch. You may want a new start
- If you get impatient and stir in the starter before it gets down to 110°, it will kill the bacteria needed to create yogurt
- Lower fat content in your milk, results in a thinner yogurt
- Alcohol in vanilla extract can affect the bacteria in your yogurt. If your yogurt isn’t turning out, try omitting the vanilla or using vanilla bean paste or scraping a vanilla bean pod to get that vanilla flavor. Or simply add your vanilla after the yogurt is done and has been strained
- Make sure you stir in the starter really well. One way to guarantee it’s mixed in well is to put a couple ladles of milk into a bowl, stir in your yogurt, and then add that back to the main bowl and stir
Hopefully, that covers all your questions, thoughts, and worries about making your own yogurt. Once you make it 2 or 3 times, you'll be a pro!
I’ve made a thousand batches of yogurt and can now offer this as my “fail-proof recipe”. I can confidently say, there is no store-bought yogurt that can hold a candle to this creation.
Enjoy!
Don't miss the other Yogurt Button Lovin' recipes!
- Instant Pot Mozzarella
- Instant Pot Burrata
- Instant Pot Skyr
- Instant Pot No Knead Crusty Bread
- Instant Pot Ricotta
Also be sure and check out this how to for an amazing Yogurt Parfait Bar.
For even more answers to FAQs, check out this Yogurt Q & A. Let me know in the comments below if you have other questions I didn't address.
TOOLS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT HOMEMADE YOGURT
- Instant Pot
- Euro Cuisine Yogurt Strainer (you'll need 2 for a full gallon of milk) or 2 Nut Milk Bags
- Thermometer
P.S. You'll notice in the comments below that there are several about favorite yogurt toppings. This was part of a past giveaway. I've decided to keep the comments because there are some amazing ideas from my readers. Take a look!
Instant Pot Yogurt – Step by Step Images
OTHER INSTANT POT DAIRY RECIPES
- Instant Pot Funfetti Cheesecake
- Instant Pot Yogurt Parfait Bar
- Pressure Cooker Blue Cheese Cheesecake
- Pressure Cooker White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
- All our Instant Pot Dairy recipes
Instant Pot Yogurt
Creamy, Dreamy Instant Pot Yogurt. So incredible you will never want store bought yogurt again!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 13 hours
- Yield: 3 quarts 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 gallon 2% milk or whole milk
- 3 tablespoons powdered milk (optional)
- ¼ cup plain yogurt with live and active cultures (I like Fage 2%)
- 2 –3 teaspoons vanilla (optional)
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup sweetener i.e. pure maple syrup, agave, honey, white sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Add milk to the pressure cooker pot. Whisk in powdered milk, if using.
- Secure the lid and press the yogurt function button (Note: it doesn’t matter what position the pressure release valve is in for yogurt making, but having it a sealed position will help hold the heat inside). Press adjust until the display reads “boil”.
- When boil cycle is complete, check the temperature of the milk. If milk is less than 180-185° F, select saute and continue to heat milk to 185° F, stirring often (see note below if you're having a hard time getting milk to the correct temperature).
- Remove pot from cooker and place on top of a cooling rack. Stir milk occasionally, until it cools to 110º F. As it cools, it will likely develop a skin on top. Use a spoon and remove this, don't stir it in, it can cause lumps in your yogurt
- Remove the yogurt starter from the fridge and allow it to sit on the counter, until ready to use.
- When milk is 110º F, ladle 2-3 scoops into a bowl, add the yogurt starter and whisk until smooth. Pour back into the pot, whisking until well incorporated.
- Place pot back inside the base, secure the lid, press the yogurt function and adjust to incubate on medium for 8 hours.
- When yogurt cycle is complete, place the pot of yogurt in the fridge to chill, about 6 hours (or overnight).
- When chilled, divide yogurt into two yogurt strainer bowls (like the EuroCuisine Greek Yogurt Maker) and place in the fridge. This can also be done with two nut milk bags by hanging bags over the top of a large bowl to collect the whey.
- Strain yogurt for 1 -3 hours or overnight until it reaches desired thickness.
- Return strained yogurt to a bowl and whisk until smooth if needed. Use a hand mixer if yogurt is especially thick.
- Add pure vanilla extract and sweetener at this point, if desired.
- Store in a yogurt strainer bowl (minus the strainer of course, like the Euro Cuisine bowl) or in quart size Mason jars topped with a white Mason jar lid. The yogurt will stay good in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Save one quarter cup of the yogurt to use as a starter for the next batch of yogurt.
- Serve cold. Topping possibilities are endless and include fruit, honey, pure maple syrup, granola, etc.
Notes
- Time Expectation
- Boil: 1 hour
- Cool: 1 1/2 – 2 hours
- Incubate: 8 hours
- Chill: 4 hours or overnight
- Strain: 1 – 3 hours or overnight
- For an extra thick and creamy yogurt, let strain overnight. Use a hand mixer to whisk yogurt until smooth, adding a splash of whey if needed.
- Don’t discard the whey! I like to fill quart-size Mason jars three-quarters full of whey, top off with yogurt and shake to combine, to make it thicker. Top with a Mason jar pour cap for easy pouring. Use the mixture as a buttermilk substitute in pancakes, waffles, muffins, etc.
- If you're having a hard time getting milk to 180° F using the yogurt-boil function, here is another option. Select the slow cook function and adjust to high. Milk will be between 180 – 185° F within 45 – 60 minutes
Keywords: homemade yogurt, pressure cooker yogurt
My Instant Pot doesn’t have a Yogurt Setting.
I have looked all over my city for animal rennet and can’t find. I can order it from Amazon.ca but it costs $33 for a small bottle. I did find vegetable rennet in one and only one, store. Can I use this instead? If yes, would I have to adjust the quantity? Thank you.
Elsie, yep, I’ve used both and they work!
I used the old method years back that did incorporate the vanilla during boil…your current method does not. I never had an issue using the older method with the powdered milk. I’ve tried the Fairlife method which is good but for some reason this ALWAYS turns out the best.
★★★★★
Hi Marci. I have made this so many times in the past and just love it but NOW I have different instant pot without the adjust button. I am having a lot of difficulty finding out how to get to the boil setting. I’m just not finding it. I am set to go this minute so I”m going to try a 4 min pressure cook on med and see what the temp gets too. I do not want to waste my fresh milk but my guess it will not be hot enough. Anyway do you know about this type of IP and how I would get that setting? Thanks
★★★★★
Well that was hot mess. It came out to 210 and when taking the pressure out milk went all over. Any suggestions? Thanks
Well I went ahead and tried it even though the temp had been to hot. I’m so excited to say it works. Whew. I think next time I will try 2 minutes rather than 4.
Bonnie, I’m so glad you reported back! So happy to hear it worked and hopefully you can avoid that headache again.
Bonnie, so you pressure cooked the milk to get it to the right temp? Which model is it?
Hello! Thanks for sharing this recipe and tips and tricks. When incubating the yogurt, is the vent on seal or venting? I don’t know if this makes a difference. I made perfect yogurt once using basically the same method as yours but three times after that it’s failed; just warm milk after 8 hours. Fage is my go to yogurt starter as well. Very frustrating! I’ve tried having thr vent in both positions, but no difference. I’m beginning to wonder if there’s something wrong with my machine. Thanks!
Diane, I don’t think it makes a difference either, but I always have mine on seal. That’s so frustrating! Are you checking your milk temperatures? If your Fage is fresh and your temperatures are right, I would wonder about the pot.
I make IP yogurt with 4% powered milk.
What I do is put water filled pint jars on the trivet in the IP and set the pressure cook for 0 (zero) minutes, which means that as soon as the pressure reaches the high point, it stops. I let the water cool a little and then mix in the powered milk. Then, let that milk cool down to 110º to stir in yogurt starter and set the IP to Yogurt setting for 8 hours.
I like the fewer dishes to wash and this technique seems to be quite efficient.
Thomas, you just blew my mind! That is a fantastic idea! Have you compared the taste of powdered vs using a gallon of milk?
I have made this more times than I can count. I love it! But the past five or six times, it’s been ending up with a gluey consistency. I can’t tell what’s different. I’ve been using the same brand of milk and yogurt, and my pot usually needs a few minutes longer to get up to temperature (sometimes scalding the bottom, but many times it’s already scalded a bit by the time the boil cycle is done). Any idea why it’s gluey now?
I have made this more times than I can count. I love it! But the past five or six times, it’s been ending up with a gluey consistency. I can’t tell what’s different. I’ve been using the same brand of milk and yogurt, and my pot usually needs a few minutes longer to get up to temperature (sometimes scalding the bottom, but many times it’s already scalded a bit by the time the boil cycle is done). Any idea why it’s gluey now?
Jeni, Hmmm…What I’m thinking is that the milk is getting too hot. Is that possible? I’ve done that a couple of times and my yogurt was slimy and really yeasty smelling.
I love this recipe. It is easy to follow and answers many questions that I would have had. I am now making homemade yogurt at least once a week. I sweeten it with my maple syrup. Delicious and no preservatives. My question. I use the Euro cuisine strainer. Can I put the strainer part in the dishwasher?
Colette, Isn’t Homemade yogurt incredible?! I can’t even stand storebought now, it’s so bitter and sour. If I remember right, I think the package said not to put it in the dishwasher, but I’ve been washing it in the dishwasher weekly for years now and I haven’t ever needed to replace them. One thing though, I always make sure the other dishes are rinsed off well because the strainers end up with food residue on them if I don’t. However, if they do get food on them, I just do a quick rinse in the sink. It’s still a lot easier than washing them after straining the yogurt.
Fantastic. Thanks
My yogurt never gets to 180 degrees with the boil setting on the yogurt function in the instant pot. I usually put it on saute mode after, with the lid off, and heat it until it reaches 180. With whole milk it works fine. But with 2% I can go 1 hour on this setting and it only gets to 175 and burns the bottom of the milk in the pot. I saw you suggested using the slow cooker setting on low for 45-60 minutes. I’m curious if you’ve actually tried this, only because I’m always afraid of milk boiling over and ruining my instant pot. My instant pot doesn’t let me run any function other than saute without the lid on. I’m willing to try it if you can confirm the milk won’t boil over. Thanks in advance!
Erika, I have done it this way several times, it was my sister who gave me the idea. I’ve never had it simmer over.
Of my 3 pots, one will get it up to the 180 and the others won’t. It’s so frustrating when you have to simmer it longer!
I’ve made yogurt for the first time. Is it really necessary to strain it?
Kyle, Only if you want it thick.
Hi Marci. Thank you very much for this yogurt recipe. I’ve tried another recipe but like this one much better. It is more time consuming but worth the wait. Yours is more creamy. I used 2% milk and for the starter I used Yoplait French Vanilla yogurt. I recently bought a yogurt strainer that can hold a gallon of yogurt instead of using 2 strainers. It worked out great. I’ll be using your recipe from now on and I make it every 2 weeks. I never thought I’d be eating so much yogurt! I really can’t go back to the store bought stuff!
★★★★★
Gayle, I agree, you just can’t go back to store bought! What strainer to you have? I’ve tried a few times over the years to find one that would hold the whole batch, but have never found one.
It’s the Hatrigo 1 gallon Greek yogurt maker from Amazon. It’s rectangle shaped so it fits better in the fridge. After straining the yogurt, if I don’t save the whey to make something else, I turn the strainer over into the container and it just plops out. Then I scoop it out to a smaller container to store in the fridge. I’ve learned and read from another reviewer not to scoop out the yogurt from the strainer. It was pretty hard to clean when I did it this way. I’ve used it twice and loved it from the second time more so due to easier clean up.
Gayle, Great! Thank you, I’ve wanted a rectangle one that wouldn’t take up so much space like the round ones do.
Hi Marci
I forgot to tell you I also made your homemade vanilla extract twice and gave one bottle away as a birthday gift. Love it!
★★★★★
I make my own, and have gotten pretty quick with it. I use the whey as my starter each week, and it seems to work well. I will also let mine chill overnight, then move to a collander lined with the super duper large coffee filters and strain for another day b/c I really like it thick and creamy – almost like a cheese. I typically have it with a chopped up apple, walnuts and honey. I love the mixture of textures and sweet and nutty flavors. My question is about the dry milk powder. A friend of a friend had commented once about how he used the dry powder to make his thicker and they ended up with more yogurt and less whey – when do you add the powder? During the initial boil, or during the incubation? I added it during the incubation (because that’s when I remembered I’d actually bought the milk powder for this purpose) and didn’t seem any thicker at the end.
Rebecca, I haven’t used the powdered milk for a long time, but I actually do think it helped to thicken it more and I liked that it added extra protein. When I did it, I added 3 tablespoons of powdered milk right in the beginning. So basically I poured in my gallon of milk, whisked in the powdered milk than heated my milk to 180. Give it a try and see what you think. I think I’ll do it on my next batch to see what I think. It’s been a few years since I’ve added it, let me know your experience!
Thanks – I will try it during the initial bringing the milk to 180F on my next batch.
Love this recipe! I could only find Chobani brand cinnamon vanilla yogurt today. No plain. No Fage brand. Do you think it would work?
★★★★★
Wendy, yep, I think it’ll work great!
You didn’t address the question of “what if I’m very forgetful and left it sitting out until it cooled to almost room temp? I hope it’s not ruined. Now it’s late enough in the day that I’m going to heat it again so it can incubate overnight. 😬
Kami, or how about my dilemma, “What if I forget I’m making yogurt and it sits out overnight?” which tends to be my problem! In your situation, I think I would have just stirred in the starter yogurt and set it to incubate. How did it go?
Well I had also missed the beep when it was supposed to be 185 degrees…so I didn’t verify that it got hot enough. After rereading how important that is, I heated and cooled it again before moving on. It turned out delicious! The texture is more creamy than I expected, which is fine but my daughter called it “stringy”…like when you scoop it, it strings off your spoon like caramel or something. I did use whole milk and 2%. Maybe I strained it too long?
Kami, Hmm, the texture might be related to the double heating. Have you made it before or is this the first time?
Help! Tried this the first time and it didn’t thicken much overnight in fridge. Can you please help me problem solve? More like kefir with a little thin yogurt at the bottom. Thanks!
Jenessa, If it doesn’t thicken, it’s typically an issue with the starter not being strong enough (or old), or it wasn’t heated and cooled to the correct temperatures. Are either of those a possibility?
Absolutely delicious! And I do not like plain yogurt, but this is amazingly good all by itself! I’m blown away. Last recipe I used did not taste quite as I had hoped. In my search for something new, I found this one. I followed this recipe exactly and chose to strain it for 8 hours to have thicker yogurt. I was going to eat some ice cream for dessert but have since opted for some plain yogurt! Mmm. Thank you!
★★★★★
Katie, I’ve never been able to go back to store-bought, it’s just not nearly as good. I’m so happy you’ve discovered the wonder of homemade yogurt!
Do you have to let the steam release or switch to the quick release before you open after you boil the yogurt? I switched it to quick release and waited for the pin to drop – about 45 minutes. It never did so I just opened it (hesitantly, this is my first time using the IP), and checked the temp. It was only 167, so I’m turning it back onto sautee for a little while like you recommended. I’m nervous!
Angela, It doesn’t really matter what position the switch is when you’re heating it up since we’re not pressure cooking. Sometimes I leave it in a sealed position thinking it might help the milk heat up quicker. I hope everything works out for you! It’s so good. I’m making some as we speak!
Is it possible to make the yogurt using lactose-free milk such as 2% Lactaid Brand Milk or is lactose needed?
Robin, I’ve never actually tried it. I know people with lactose sensitivity use Fairlife and it works great.
I did it!
And the yogurt is incredibly smooth and silky – and that was immediately after it was done (still warm) – and tasted fantastic!
I left it overnight and it got firmer, which is nice, now straining some for a more Greek style yogurt.
For the cost of two 2 litre jugs of milk I now have four litres of yogurt!! (my MacDonald genes are lovin’ it!!)
Best thing I have done since learning to bake bread!
Scott, I’m so excited for you! I love homemade yogurt so much. Even after making it for several years, I still get excited to see the end result. Enjoy it!
This was far easier than I expected! I am a fan of Fage Greek yogurt and am still trying to get mine to be thicker like theirs. Guess need to leave even longer to strain?
Besides texture it tastes great and I love not having to buy it as much I eat it almost every day. I haven’t used my own as the culture yet but will try that now that not getting to store as often.
Marci, yes, to get it greek yogurt thick, you’ll just need to strain it longer. It really does save a lot of money. My kids eat a ton of yogurt and I love that it’s not loaded with sugar too.
Hi!
I e-mailed you with this problem too (because I didn’t see how to enter a comment until now! HA) so hope for an answer one way or another!
Instruction #2 says: “Press adjust until the display reads “boil”. ”
My IP doesn’t have an “adjust” button – am I missing something?
Thanks!
Mine doesn’t either 🙁
Hope to see an answer to this.
Marci replied to me right away and suggested I check the manual for my model – a Viva 80 – here are the instructions to get to the “Boil”:
1. Press Yogurt
2. Press Yogurt again to cycle to the More option. The display indicates boiL.
Happy yogurting!
Scott
Thanks so much for jumping in here Scott!
Does the powdered milk from food storage cans work in this recipe?on
Sharon, are you talking about the optional “powdered milk” ingredient in the recipe? If so, yes, that works great.
I thought it was time to pop in and let you know that I have been following your instructions since I found this post in 2018 and have never had any problems with my yogurt. I see people posting in IP groups all the time that they had trouble, but your thorough guide has kept me from any of the most common problems.
I was trying to find this post to share with someone, but I wrote down some spark notes for myself a long time ago without citation. There are so many posts about this now, I thought I might not be able to find it. You should have seen me just now Googling “instant pot yogurt guide”. “instant pot yogurt beginners” “instant pot yogurt motorcycle toy” LOL For the record, “Instant pot motorcycle stand up” did the trick. 😉 This is going into my recipe book WITH citation now, so I will always be able to find and share! Thank you!
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I have a quick question. When the yogurt is incubating, will my IP pot feel warm? Mine doesn’t and so, am worried. Thanks.
Judy, No, I wouldn’t say the outside of the pot feels very warm. The inner pot that has the milk in it will feel warm. How did it turn out?
Melissa, Thank you for that kind message, it warmed me right up! I still get excited every time I open the pot to discover beautiful, thick yogurt. And I’m dying right now over the “instant pot motorcycle stand up” hahaha!!! That is absolutely hilarious!
My Insignia pressure cooker does not have a yogurt button. Is there any other way to make it?
Pam, I’m sorry, I wish I knew! I haven’t experimented with it any other way.
She has posted a link to an another recipe above if you don’t have a yogurt button. My Instant Pot doesn’t have a yogurt button. I followed the directions on the linked recipe, and my yogurt came out great! You will need a thermometer to make sure you’re doing it right.
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Help! I’ve made a mistake! I’ve made this several times now – yesterday I completed everything to a T, including incubating for 8 hours. The timer went off last night and my instant pot said YOGT – and then I forgot about it and went to bed! HA! So here’s my question – did my instant pot keep it at a safe temperature AFTER the yogurt was done incubating? Can I just pop it in my fridge this morning like normal? I’m so sad 🙁
Alyssa, Oh man, I’ve done this! I wouldn’t eat it. I did some research after doing it one time and everything I read said it wouldn’t be safe. Ugh, I’ve probably done this 4 times.
So two questions for you…
1) I had to buy a 32 oz package of yogurt for my starter. After using the 1/4 c in the recipe, could I freeze the rest in 1/4 c portions to use as a starter when needed? Will the bacteria still be active after freezing?
2) I live in the same valley as you do and I’m curious if you’ve ever tried this with gossner’s shelf stable milk. I got some 32 oz packages to experiment with, but I’m wondering if you’ve ever tried it or know anyone who has.
Jen, Yes, you can freeze the rest in 1/4 cup portions and use it for your starter on other batches. However, from my experience, my yogurt seemed to come out more tart than usual. But there are a lot of people that do this and love it!
I’ve never tried it with shelf-stable milk…you have me curious now though. Let me know how it goes!
I make this every couple of weeks. Thank you for the easy to follow recipe. I generally have yogurt for breakfast and lunch. MUCH cheaper than buying in the store and tastes much better than store-bought. I add my own berry compote and some Kashi berry crisp cereal and enjoy! Makes dieting a little easier.
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I don’t even understand how I stopped up right here,but I thought this
post was great. I do not realize who you are however certainly
you’re going to a famous bloigger should you aren’t already 😉
Cheers!
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Haha, well Thank you, what triggered you to say that?
My Instant Pot (6 Qt) does not have a yogurt “button”. What would you do?
Crispin, this should help! https://www.theferventmama.com/pressure-cooker-yogurt/
I just made my first batch of yogurt, and am so excited to try it! My question is: why is the amount of protein (per your nutrition facts) so much less than greek yogurt I can buy at the store? Typically, the kind I buy has 15 grams per 2/3 cup! Your nutrition facts state that it only has 6 grams in 1 cup. Why would it be so different?
Amy, It’s wonderful, right!? Regarding the protein, the amount is going to vary quite a bit depending on how much you strain it. If you strain it until it’s very thick, it will be a lot more protein-dense than a thinner yogurt. So if you want to get the amount of protein similar to greek yogurt in the store, I suggest straining it quite a bit or try this Skyr yogurt recipe https://tidbits-marci.com/instant-pot-skyr-yogurt/
Would coconut milk work?
Wendy, No, I’ve tried it but Coconut Yogurt is a whole other procedure!
So I make this yogurt weekly (it’s great!!!!). I’m wondering how long I can keep “recycling” my starter? Do I need to just finish off a batch and start with a fresh starter after a while? Or can I keep on making new batches with a starter from the most recent batch?
Jen, some people say they always use a starter from their last batch. My experience though is that after 3 or 4 times my yogurt seems grainy and sour. These days I always start with a fresh Fage 2% starter. It makes every batch more consistent.
Can you make half of this recipe with the same results? We live in an RV with a small fridge. I just got my IP and am so glad I found your website!
Peggy, An Instant Pot is wonderful for RV living! My sister did that for the spring/summer. I’ve never halved it myself, but I know a lot of people do so go for it!
I used 6 cups milk bc that’s all I had. I adjusted the amount of starter yogurt, about 1 1/2 T instead of 2 T. It worked fine. Drained it to make Greek yogurt and was surprised at how it reduced the amount of yogurt. I had about 3 1/2 cups of whey, so it left about 2 1/2 cups of yogurt.
This recipe is the same as the way I make it but I don’t refrigerate it to cool before I strain it. I have always strained as soon as it is done incubating. Do you know what the chilling does? I am curious! 🙂
I am incubating mine right now. I do not have anything to strain the yogurt. Do I have to strain it or is that for thicker yogurt? Thank you.
Janet, you don’t HAVE to strain it. It will be on the thin side, but still delicious.
My yogurt was thick without draining, not Greek yogurt thick, but not thin. I use whole milk instead of 2%. For straining out the whey to make Greek yogurt, I used a thin cloth in my Tupperware colander set inside another bowl. A diaper-like dish towel or other smooth towel would work. Keep in mind you will be scraping the yogurt off the material.
I have had my IP for a few years already and have been wanting to make yogurt as I am tired of buying store bought brands loaded with junk. I have been told by others how wonderful and easy it is to make, but for some reason just felt intimidated. I am overjoyed that I found this recipe and lucky it was the first one I tried. I will look no further. It is absolutely delicious and really wasn’t difficult.
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Stacie, there is no better yogurt, am I right!? Homemade is the best, I’m glad it worked well for you too!
I have made IP yogurt 3 times now and this is the first time my yogurt came out runny. I incubated it originally for 9 hours and then when I saw it was still runny, I added 2 more hours. Any thoughts on how to thicken it up?
Caroline, are you doing anything different from the recipe? Mine always comes out very thick. Are you checking your temperatures? What starter are you using? I love Fage 2% for my starter.
Thanks for your insights Marci! Today when I made my yogurt, I checked the temp after the boil cycle was 2% fage instead of the whey from my last batch of yogurt .
Caroline, I hope it works perfectly for you!
Do you have to close the valve on the instant pot during incubation? Also if the power goes out during the incubation time would that effect the yogurt in any way? I just opened mine up this morning after noticing the power went out in the middle of the night. Went to strain it and it was completely liquid still. ☹️
Jennifer, I close the valve to keep as much heat in as possible, but it’s not absolutely necessary. And sadly, I would dump that milk. It’s hard to know if it remained at a safe temperature.
I’m very impatiently waiting for my second batch of yogurt to incubate. I made my first batch last week and it’s gone! The kids and I loved it! I added Mexican vanilla and a tiny bit of powdered sugar to some and it was divine. Some I used as sour cream in my chili. I strained mine to have a thick Greek yogurt.
I got over 64 ounces of whey off of it. Is that normal? That’s half a gallon. It seemed like a lot to me, but I have no previous experience for a frame of reference.
The first thing they asked me was if I could use a gallon of chocolate milk next time. If it didn’t scorch in the boil process, would it affect the incubation process to use chocolate milk? I didn’t know if the sugar would upset the balance of the cultures…
I foresee a weekly batch of yogurt being made henceforth. Thank you for a fantastic guide to yogurt making. I felt very comfortable with the process and chance for success after reading everything you said.
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Kayla, that does sound like a lot of whey, my yogurt would be like cream cheese if I got that much whey off of it. I’m curious if your next batch will be the same. I also use mine in place of sour cream, I love it!
I’ve heard of people using chocolate milk and they say it works, but I’m afraid I don’t have any experience with this. I’m extremely curious though!
I am still making yogurt weekly! It’s so good!
I did make a batch with premade chocolate milk (I used HEB brand). It didn’t scorch and it did turn to yogurt. So it does work! That said, the chocolate flavor was very faint and the cultures ate most of the sugar…so it wasn’t sweet. I think my kids were imagining the chocolate flavor of frozen yogurt. That was NOT what we achieved. We decided that making plain yogurt and adding our own sweetener and cocoa gave a closer flavor to what they wanted.
I played with the recipe a bit and added a quart of whipping cream to a batch one day. OMG! It’s amazingly decadent, velvety, creamy, and delicious!
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Marci , can you cut the recipe in half or do the proportions have to be adjusted? Roughly what is the Greek yogurt yield from a gallon of milk. I will be using goat’s milk.
What do you think about using half priced milk, sold on it’s best before date? I’m going to give it a try when I bump into some.
Marci, thank you for your wonderful, down to earth recipes and explanations. They save me so much effort. Do you have a cookbook published?
Kathy, yes, you can half the recipe! I get about 3 quarts of thick yogurt from a gallon of milk. I usually buy the freshest milk I can find so that the life of my yogurt is longer too. For sure buy fresh yogurt starter though! Thank you Kathy for such a nice comment! Yes I do have a cookbook on Amazon called Master the Electric Pressure Cooker. Here’s a link if you’d like https://amzn.to/2IZuM9T
Hi! Just wanted to make sure I got this right to cut the half of the recipe, I used half a gallon of milk and how many cup of plain yogurt?
This will be my first time making homemade yogurt.
Thanks!
Grace
Grace, Use 2 tablespoons of yogurt starter for a half gallon of milk. You’ll love it!
I’m making yogurt in my Instant Pot for the second time now, and this recipe has been great! I really appreciate the detail of this recipe/post. Thank you!!
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Jessica, good to hear! It’s still one of my favorite things to make. It’s so rewarding to open the pot and see it’s full of yogurt 🙂
I just got my IP and would like to make flavored yogurt. Have you ever flavored the yogurt with lemon or coconut. I’d like to do that, but not sure how without making the yogurt too thin.
Love your post! It has so much good info.
Becky, I’ve put lemon zest and coconut extract in my yogurt before and it worked great! It was a mild flavor though. Just make sure and do it after it has been strained. How were you thinking to do it that would thin it out?
I guess I was imagining adding coconut milk or lemon juice after the yogurt was finished and the extra liquid would make the yogurt soupier. As I said, I am new to this. I’ve only made three things in my IP so far. I really want to make yogurt soon. I’m just trying to get educated about it before I try it. 🙂
Becky, I see, that’s an option too. If you did that I would let it strain for 24 hours, then add the lemon juice or coconut milk to thin it back out a bit. It will be very thick at that point so adding extra liquid of some kind should be just fine.
Is there a reason why you recommend storing in mason jars? Wouldn’t plastic storage containers also work? I just made my first batch. It’s chilling right now!
Jim, oh yes, you can store it in any clean, closed container. Homemade yogurt is the best!
Great blog! I am loving it!! Willl be back lateer to read some more.
I aam bookmarking your feeds also
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I really like youur writing style, superb info, thanks for putting up :
D.
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Have followed your recipe and have exceptional yogurt. Strained it overnight as we like thicker, very Greek yogurt consistency. But I now have a small yield and equal part yogurt to whey. Does that seem right?
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Amy, That seems less than what I usually get. How fresh was your starter?
I’m in Europe and have a 6-liter Instant Pot Duo. How many liters of milk can I boil in the IP safely to make yogurt as per your recipe?
Marta, 6 liter or 6 quart?
generally, 1 litre = 1 quart 🙂
The yogurt turned out great! Very creamy yet light. So glad I used this recipe first time making yogurt.
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Wow, what a fantastic recipe. So creamy and delicious! It was my first time making yogurt in the instant pot – in fact, my first time making yogurt ever – and the recipe was so nicely laid out and easy to follow. I used ordinary 2% milk, nothing special, and strained until it was between regular and greek yogurt, and it was more than creamy enough – better than anything I’ve bought, including the premium brands. I prefer my yogurt unsweetened, topped with blueberries, nuts and a little bit of granola, and this was just perfect. My husband likes his with a drizzle of maple syrup (also delicious)! Can’t wait to try it with whole milk, or (total decadence) with light cream. YUM!!
Susan, with cream?! What a fantastic idea! This homemade version really is better than the most expensive brands, I’m so glad you got to enjoy it!
Hey, I use oikos plain Greek yogurt as my starter. This yogurt contains 17g of protein per 3/4 cup. How come this homemade yogurt has so much less protein?
Roselina, It’s honestly quite difficult to measure the exact amount of protein in the yogurt since it will vary quite a bit depending on how much you strain it. Also, with storebought yogurt, there are oftentimes additives that will contribute to the protein amount. I’m not sure if that applies to the Oikos brand though.
Trying this out today, looks like a great recipe. Is 1 gallon equal to 16 cups? Canadian (Imperial) gallon is different volume than U.S. gallon.
Hi Linda – the 1 gallon US milk jug is the same as our Canadian 4-litre milk jug. That’s what I used, and it turned out perfectly.
So far it is working out great! Just finished the 8 hour yogurt cycle, it looks good. Refrigerating overnight before straining. Very easy recipe to follow.
Linda, Yogurt is still one of my most favorite things to make! I hope you love it!
Marci,
I have enjoyed all your recipes, but there is an easier way to make greek yogurt. I use one half gallon of organic whole milk and two heaping tablespoons of plain greek yogurt. (which is left from my last batch). Put it in the instant pot, stir it up, and put on the lid, press the yogurt button and set it for 11 hours. I usually do it overnight. In the morning I put the stainless pot, covered, in my refrigerator for the day. that afternoon I spoon the yogurt into the strainer basket and leave that in the fridge overnight. The next morning I have beautiful thick greek yogurt. No need to boil the milk as it is already pasteurized and that is what the boiling is for.
Christine, This is the cold start method, correct? While I love the ease, I prefer the taste/texture of the boil method and the milk I had to buy for the cold start was more than twice the cost. Do you use special milk when you do it this way?
THANK YOU for making my first attempt at yogurt a complete success! I was so overwhelmed by the idea and everything you’ve put out here made it so straight forward. I used what I had in my fridge, which meant 0% Fage instead of 2%, but it still worked so well. I look forward to making lots of yogurt. Seriously, thank you 🙂
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Alyssa, I’m so glad you jumped in and tried it. It really is the best yogurt ever and once you do the process a couple of times, it becomes so simple. Enjoy your incredibly cheap yogurt!
Can you freeze the rest of a container of Fage 2% since you don’t use the whole thing for one batch? Will it work just as well after being frozen?
Allison, Yep, you can. My sister plops 1/4 cup scoops onto a sheet pan, freezes it, then puts it in bags. My experience using the yogurt from frozen was that my homemade yogurt was grainy, but I know a lot of people do this, so I should probably give it another try.
Good morning – have you ever made a diary free yogurt in the IP? I tried one dairy free recipe and it did not set.
My granddaughter has a dairy allergy and I would love to make her some yogurt.
Have a great day.
Sandi, I’ve had the same issues. I’ve tried almond and coconut and neither were very good. If you find the perfect recipe, let me know!
Hello, I am wondering if using raw milk would also work?
Shelley, I’ve never used raw milk, but my neighbor who buys raw milk says she doesn’t think it would be good to warm it up that much. I’m wondering if there would be a health risk with it as well since it is raw. In short, I’m not sure! But I’m leaning towards no.
Most of my IP friends use Raw milk. We lose some “raw” benefits but otherwise its fine. Just make sure your raw milk is safe. Ours is from Organic farm and routinely tested. Makes great yogurt so far.
Sam, so you don’t need to make any adjustments to the recipe when you use your raw milk?
I don’t. I just disbursed a batch this morning. I know this is terribly embarrassing but I don’t like yogurt. I’m trying to find a method that I like! But my kids eat this without issue. We were buying raw milk yogurt from our local farm but they discontinued vanilla (😩Why😩)! I assume it’s because so many are making their own? Anyway, it works fabulously and I am straining half for Greek and half is staying thinniner for the toddlers squeeze packs!
Sam, you don’t like homemade either!? Then I would say you’re hopeless, haha!
Yes. I’m hopeless. I have not found the perfect yogurt for me. My kids love IP yogurt. For me it’s texture or sourness? I don’t like mayo or Italian dressing either, it’s jusy too much for me. 😉
This was the very first recipe I made with my brand new Instant Pot. I thought maybe I was crazy to take on something so complex, at least more so than just making beans. But I followed your directions, and holy heck, this stuff is magical. MAGICAL! I can’t wait to make more recipes from your site. Thank you for making them so easy to follow!!!
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Melissa, Holy heck is right ;). I’m glad you found your way here, lots of treasures to find!
I’m just wondering, once I mix in the honey wont it become hard and clump up?
Sara, I’ve never had that issue! If you’re worried about it you can always use maple syrup, but honey works great.
Can the recipe be cut in half and work as well?
Cheryl, yes, that works great!
Would it hurt to use cooking spray?
Cindy, for yogurt? I’m not sure why, what’s your thought?
I made this today, Although it was an acceptable consistency of a regular yogurt, now that I am straining it is not getting thicker. Additionally, the whey in the bottom of the bowl that is straining out looks like yogurt and is about the consistency of the yogurt left in the main bowl. I noticed in the photo you posted that your whey is yellow. Mine is white just like yogurt. I was hoping to have a yogurt more like Greek. Do you have any ideas what causes this?
Julie, hmm, doesn’t sound quite right. Did you use a fresh starter? Chill it before straining it? Incubate for at least 8 hours? Use 2% or higher fat milk? Make sure the temperatures were reached correctly?
Marci, Yes to all of your questions. I followed your instructions exactly with one exception. The only thing I can think it could be is the starter. I used Fage 0% fat yogurt. Could that make a difference? The milk did come to the proper boil temperature and I put the starter in after it cooled to 110 degrees.
Julie, It definitely could be. I stopped using the 0% years ago because I felt like it made thin, chalky, grainy yogurt. Not quite as thin as you were describing, but that may have been it. Try again with the 2% and I’ll bet it’s perfect!
Marci,
Thought I would check back in and let you know that I did change the starter to Fage 2% and it came out perfectly! I have now made two batches. Oh, my, it is the best yogurt I have ever had in my life. I have a smoothie every morning with 1/2 cup yogurt and now that I have switched to homemade yogurt it is so much better. Now I am also having what I call a yogurt parfait at night. I layer blueberries, yogurt and add a few chopped pecans on top. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Julie, Yay! I’m so glad to hear that! It’s so hard to go back to storebought once you’ve had homemade. Storebought tastes so chalky to me now. I’ve found with homemade yogurt I can swap out sour cream and mayo in recipes without a weird, off taste. Sounds like a great night time treat 🙂
I have been scouring the internet to find a yogurt recipe for my IP-LUX Instant pot. This recipe looked promising in til I read the directions where it said to press the yogurt button which mine does not have one. Maybe you should let people know in the beginning of the recipe which Instant pot you’re using because not all of them have that button!
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Hellena, Google Search “Instant Pot Yogurt recipes without the yogurt button” and you’ll see many recipes come up. Good luck!
Have you ever made dairy free yogurt with coconut milk or almond milk? I do low carb so whole milk is a negative
Katie, I’ve tried many times and have never quite figured it out, unfortunately. Mine always tastes funny and never gets very thick. I’m still on the hunt for the best dairy free yogurt!
Have you compared this method to the cold start method using ultra filtered milk?
This is how I have been doing it and love the resulting yogurt.
Just curious if the boil method is even better?
Probably cheaper?
Lori, I prefer the taste of the boil method, and yes it’s cheaper so I’ve stuck with the boil method. My kids will eat a quart of yogurt in one sitting so I like to make the cheaper yogurt. What are your thoughts on the taste comparison?
What do you do with your leftover Fage yogurt? Can that be frozen to use in the future for starters?
Ellie, I use it in my breakfast cakes, throw it in smoothies, etc. If you buy a big one and have leftover, put 1/4 cup scoops on a sheet pan and freeze it, then you can put your scoops of yogurt in a ziplock and pull one out when you make yogurt. Works great!
Once I make the yogurt in this recipe, can I use some as the starter for my next batch or do I always need to buy a store bought container?
Mary, you can absolutely use your own yogurt as a starter. Personally, I prefer using Fage 2% every time. The handful of times I used my own starter, I felt like it was more tart than usual and slightly grainy. But there are lots of people that always use their own starters so I’d say go ahead and try it, see what you think.
Wondering if you have a dairy free yogurt recipe alternative for those that can’t do milk?
Thank you.
Carrie, I wish! I’ve tried both almond and coconut milk recipes and can’t find one I like. They always turn out so grainy and thin for me.
My pot never heats to 185°. I hit the sauté but then i find I get brown scalded milk on bottom.
Tips?
Beatrix, Mine has the same problem! Drives me crazy! I added to the recipe notes my new method. I use the slow cook setting on high and in 50-60 minutes, I’m at 180-185 ish
Thanks. Will give that a try this week. I didn’t see the note, but that makes sense. I’ve never used the slow cooker option on my pot.
Beatrix, It’s in the notes of the recipe if you need to refer to it. Good luck!
That’s a good reason. Just wondered if there were some safety concerns that I was/am not aware of with the cold start method.
Why is this preferable to the cold start method–assuming one has access to ultrapasteurized milk & an IP with the yogurt button? It is so simple to pour in the ultra-pasteurized milk into the IP pot, mix appropriate yogurt starter with a little milk & add to the milk in the pot & push the “Yogurt” button & 8-9 hrs later the display announces “Yogurt”. Love it.
Sally, definitely advantages to that method! I’ve stuck with this version because ultimately it’s cheaper for me and I prefer the taste and texture.
I have a Power Pressure Cooker XL which does not have a yogurt setting…can you suggest a modified recipe?
Brenda, I added a link in the text that goes to directions on how to do this. Maybe try that route?
It’s really a great and helpful piece of information. I am glad
thqt you simply shared this useful information with us.
Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
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I made two batches of yogurt using this recipe and they were delicious but the third batch was a disaster because it never thickened. Do you have any idea what might have caused this?
Eleanor, there are a lot of factors that could have gone wrong. Wrong temperatures, old starter, contamination, etc. Were you using your own yogurt as the starter?
Unfortunately, my new Instant Pot Duo no longer has an ‘adjust’ button. I THOUGHT that I was making yogurt today but am not sure now! How to boil the milk???
Maureen, which pot is it? Does it have a yogurt function?
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! It works every time!!!
I can’t even tell you how many times I have mentioned your instructions or shared the link to this page on the Instant Pot Facebook Community! 😄
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OH Paula, thank you so much. That means so much to me. It was my first recipe I ever created in the Instant Pot and it holds a kind of special place in my heart. Storebought yogurt will never taste right again!
First time i used instant pot for yogurt was a disaster. So glad I stumbled upon your recipe. I learned what I did wrong, and it’s true this yogurt is amazing! Thank you!
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Theresa, I’m so glad it worked for you! The yogurt alone is worth owning an Instant Pot.
Hi! I am so late to the party but I’m borrowing an Instant Pot from my friend just to give yogurt a try! I have my yogurt cooking in the IP, so when it is done and I take it out and put it in the fridge to cool do I need to cover it? Thanks!!
Kate, Yay! You’re gonna love this party! You don’t HAVE to cover it necessarily, but I usually do just because I took a microbiology course in college and now I imagine bacteria everywhere 🙂
It Worked!!!! I am so happy to find such an easy way to make a large batch of yogurt. I used whole milk and had to heat it on saute but that didn’t take long. Thanks for the tip on how to heat it a little more. Looking forward to lunch. It will be cool by then and ready for eating. Trying to up my calcium intake via diet rather than supplements so I will be eating yogurt every day. Having a large batch recipe will really help. Thank you so much for figuring out this great recipe and sharing it.
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Jeanne, Whole milk yogurt is glorious! You should have no trouble getting your calcium intake with this amazing yogurt in your fridge. I’m working on some ways to get the milk to heat up better. Hopefully I’ll figure out a fool proof method because I swear the temperature is different every time lately after the first boil cycle. Thanks for reporting back!
Marci, I don’t understand step 6: “Place pot back inside the base, secure the lid, press the yogurt function and adjust to incubate for 8 hours”. What do you adjust it to? Thanks.
Nancy, When you press the yogurt function it will either say 8:00 right away or you’ll need to press adjust until it says 8:00. It’s a bit different if you have the model with the dial though.
Do you have a nutritional breakdown for your yogurt recipe? Have you tried using Fairlife brand milk which is ultra-pasturized and has a higher protein content and fewer lactose sugars than most brands of cow’s milk?
Traci, Sorry I don’t currently include nutritional info on my recipes but I’m working on it. I have used Fairlife and it was really good, but tasted similar to the cheaper milk I buy so I’ve only done it a couple of times.
I was so excited about this, but I must have done something wrong. My yogurt looked nice and thick in the strainer and plopped out thick, but this morning when I whipped it up it turned into a runny mess. ???? any ideas on what I did wrong? I’m going to try putting it back In the strainer? Who knows. But it smelled and looked good!
Melissa, That is strange. So it broke after it had strained? Did you add anything to it like honey or syrup?
I don’t drink regular milk, so I always have cans of evaporated milk in the cupboard for when I want to make yogurt. I use the canned milk, (plus water of course), powered milk, and plain Greek yogurt as my starter. Even though it was a little tricky figuring it out on the Ultra, by hit or miss I finally figured it out and always get very good yogurt. I never add sweetener to it since I never know what I might want to use it for. Plus, that’s one of the reasons I make it myself, I have control.
Karen, What a great tip! Thank you. I still have to break out the manual every time I make yogurt in the Ultra! It’s a bit more confusing with the dial but it still makes amazing yogurt!
I have a question, which yogurt is good for probiotics, Is it regular yogurt or greek?
All yogurt has probiotics in it, but if you’re talking about which one I like for the starter, I always always use Fage 2%. It’s my favorite!
Hello Marci,
My first visit to your blog and really enjoyed.
Started blogging.
thanks
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Welcome! Thank you!
Can I make yogurt in my instant pot even though it doesn’t have the yogurt setting
Ella, Yes! It is possible. I’ve never done it however and I believe it’s done in mason jars. A quick google search will find you a recipe. I hope to post on it one day.
Oops! I accidentally overheated my milk to 220 degrees or so. ???? How will it affect my yogurt? Should I throw it out and start over?
Yvette, This response is obviously coming a little late, but I would have gone for it and hoped it worked. I did heat it over 200 on accident before and it turned out amazing.
Thank you for taking the time to reply! My husband convinced me to do it and it was great. Your recipe has given me excellent results every time. ????
Yvette, Yay! I was pretty sure it would work, I’m so glad it did!
I love your recipe, Marci! Yours is the only homemade yogurt my hubby will eat.
What I would like to know is what the calories and number of settings and what size for the servings this translates to. I use myfitnesspal app and tried to add the recipe without success because of this information.
Thank you so much!
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Wendy, I’m sorry, I’m not really sure on that. But I would say it’s very comparable to regular Fage 2% yogurt. If you use 2% milk that is. Homemade yogurt is the best, right?!
I was wondering what kind of 2% milk to use? I am going to make this yogurt this weekend!! Thank you for your recipe! I can’t wait to try it!
Kristy, Do you mean brand? Any brand of 2% will work for yogurt. Whole Milk is absolutely dreamy!
Thank you! I made the yogurt last weekend and fell in love with it!! I did use whole milk, with the Fage starter culture. This weekend I am making some yogurt using my starter culture from last week, so hopefully that one will turn out too.
Kristy, Yay! I’m so glad you’ve joined the club :). Whole milk makes such a creamy yogurt. I sometimes feel like my yogurt ends up more tart when I use my own starter, but lots of people do it that way and think it’s perfect, so I’d say go for it and see what you think.
Hey Marci! I am wondering how to flavor it fruity. My little is so darn picky. Ok, well we all are haha, but she only likes peach, strawberry and raspberry yogurts. Suggestions?
Hey Chalet! I was excited to see your name pop up! I’ve seen people sprinkle in flavored jello powder, but if you want to keep it healthier, I would just top it with those fruits, or puree those fruits with a squeeze of honey, and stir it into individual servings. You’ll be surprised how much better it is than store bought though!
Do you ever use whey as your starter? If not, why not. My first whey batch is incubating now. I hope it works!
Mary, I only tried once at it seemed more sour than usual, so I never tried it again. Let me know how yours comes out!
I’m excited to try making yogurt, but I’m wondering how this compares to Greek vs non Greek yogurt? My family prefers non Greek yogurt for smoothness. We aren’t really fans of the pasty like texture of Greek yogurt. Should I even try this recipe or do you think my family will not enjoy because of it’s thickness? Picky eaters 🙂 I appreciate any feedback!
Michele, That is why homemade yogurt is so perfect! You can absolutely adjust the thickness to how you like it. If you like it loose, only strain it for an hour or 2. I oftentimes let mine strain over night, but then end up adding in some extra whey to loosen it up a bit. My family prefers it a little thinner than your standard Greek Yogurt as well. Try it! You’ll love it!
Any ideas on how to make yogurt if your IP doesn’t have the “yogurt” setting? Thanks for your help!
Amanda, There is a way to make it inside jars inside the Instant Pot. There are a few recipes around, google it and you should be able to find it pretty easy.
I have been using a yogurt maker for years. I got an instant pot for Christmas and tried yogurt. I did it the way I’m used to – heating milk in the microwave, cooled in ice water bath. Added powdered yogurt starter and then put it in the instant pot and pressed “yogurt”. It went the 8 hours, came out still liquid. The only thing I can think that I did wrong is that my recipe says to cool the milk to 95 degrees.
Any ideas?
Thanks for your help!
Micki, I’m not sure what happened, but if you follow my recipe it should be the most perfect yogurt you’ve ever had! We love it around here!
I tried this over the weekend with my Lux Instant Pot (no Yogurt button) and the milk seemed to burn the bottom of the pot when on saute mode to get it to boil. Do you ever stir it at this set or just leave it and deal with the little bit of burn at the bottom? Thanks!
Kristi
Kristi, I do my best to stir it, but sometimes I just don’t want to and it ends up with a layer of brown on the bottom. To clean that off, add about 1 cup water, a squirt of dish soap, a teaspoon or 2 of baking soda, then pressure cook it for 4 minutes. You’ll be amazed how it come off!
The recipe looks good (and simple enough) I’ll try it out as soon as I receive my strainer. I assume if I use half of the ingredients it should fit in the strainer you recommend in one go. (I live alone so 1 gallon is too much anyways.)
BTW, you misspelled “Voilà” at the end of the pictorial recipe, the way you wrote it is a musical instrument in English and a unpleasant word in French (viola = violin or violated, voilà = ta dam).
Antoine, Oh wow! Thanks a lot auto correct! Yes, 1/2 gallon will fit perfectly in one strainer. You will love IP yogurt!
Hello;
Thank you for sharing the recipe; it looks so yummy!
Actually, i live in France, and in the most of the shops milk is pasteurized. So do i need to need to make the first step of your recipe ? and if not how can i adopt the recipe to pateurized milk?
Thanks for taking time o answer me 🙂
Meryem
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Meryem, I’m assuming you’re talking about the first step where you warm the milk to 180 Degrees? If so, yes, you would still do that first step. Enjoy!
So excited to try this. Can I make with a half gallon of Milne to start? Would the recipe change at all?
Nichole, yep a half gallon works great! Same times, just half all the ingredients.
HI Marci,
I posted this question someplace else on your site but can’t seem to find it to see if there was a response so I’m reposting.
Just wondering if you have experimented making yogurt with almond milk? My daughter is unable to have any dairy and misses yogurt.
Thanks, Debbie
Debbie, you posted it with the yogurt parfait recipe, but I’ll repost my answer here for you. I’ve tried and tried to figure out almond milk yogurt and it ends up gloppy and a bit strange tasting every time. I’ve tried coconut milk as well and still can’t seem to get the texture right. There are quite a few recipes out there though! If I ever master it, I’ll be sure and post it!
I successfully made this recipe last week. However, when I emptied the yogurt into my strainer, I discovered scorched milk on the bottom. Thoughts on preventing this?
Anne, Ugh, my worst nightmare! This still happens to me occasionally. There seems to be a day here and there when my instant pot really struggles to warm up the milk. Stirring occasionally will of course prevent this. I also like to let my milk sit on the counter for 30 minutes or so before I start the boil cycle and this seems to help it get to temperature without scorching as well.
I love mixing in lemon curd and topping the yogurt with cherry or vanilla granola
I typically sweeten with liquid stevia and add some chia seeds 🙂
You have made the process so easy! I’m making my first IP yogurt tonight…my brain has a problem with understanding written directions, and I get so frustrated with recipes and ANY directions that aren’t as clear s possible. Thank you for your work!
As for the on my yogurt – I adore crunchy granola, but I can’t eat oatmeal (I’m diabetic, and sadly, it raises my blood glucose). I adore vanilla, so I if I don’t eat it plain, I just add real vanilla extract and a dash of stevia. But I plan to try to make a sugar-free lemon curd…if I am successful, then THAT would be my dessert. Maybe melt a square of Lily’s dark chocolate and drizzle that on top, or simply shave some pieces.
Homemade yogurt, topped with lemon curd, and some dark chocolate. Could eat that for the rest of my life!!!
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Wow, this looks awesome! Peaches, berries and homemade PB granola!
Gotta love that crunchy granola and some fruit on yogurt. ♥
I love nuts or granola and a drizzle of honey. Or any fresh berry.
I love berries and granola on my yogurt. Can’t wait to try your recipe! Thanks!
Fresh compote or curd recipes. Cherry and lemon are two of my favorites. I also love a good granola to give it something crunch. My kids enjoy it plain.
How long will the yogurt keep in the fridge? Also, how much yogurt does a gallon of milk make?
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It’ll keep up to 2 weeks. 1 gallon makes about 3 quarts depending on how much you strain it.
Strawberries with honey.
I never made homemade yogurt before until I found your recipe for making it in the IP. I’ve made it several times now and I shared it on the IP Facebook community!
I like fresh fruit like peaches or raspberries with homemade yogurt. Thanks for the great post with all the pictures with the instructions! 🙂
My fav toppings are granola or crushed gingersnaps!
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I’m in the discovery phase of the instant pot world and I’m truly fascinated! This was a great article and I’m excited to try it. Do you know if you can use almond milk instead of regular milk?
I think strawberries would have to be my favorite topping. Great article!
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Kim, Almond milk yogurt is a whole other beast and requires a different type of culture. I tried it once a long time ago and it was a major fail that I haven’t revisited yet. I’m not a fan of store bought almond milk yogurt so I would really love to figure out a homemade version. If you figure it out before me, let me know!
I haven’t eaten yogurt for the past several years, but I am almost convinced I need to try it again with the homemade version! The granola looks awesome, I do make my own version of that!
If I only use half a gallon of milk, what changes?
Thanks!
Jane, you can just half the entire recipe, keep the cooking times the same.
My favorite is granola and strawberries.
Fruit!… any kind – I am not picky 🙂
I love fruit & granola on top of yogurt.
It’s not a topping but I love dipping spicy jalapeno potato chips into unsweetened tangy yogurt instead of into sour cream 🙂
I love flax seed and blueberries in my yogurt! So yummy!!
Fresh in-season peaches and a dash of cinnamon…
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Banana slices, strawberry slices and a few dark chocolate chips!
Love fresh berries & granola. But frozen fruit works too!
My current fave toppings are homemade granola and roasted pears.
Granola and strawberries
I like a good pure plain yogurt but, sometimes I like to dress it up with a handful of fresh blueberries.
I would LOVE an Instant Pot. I am pregnant and ill and have had friends drop off meals they made in their instant pot. Delicious and so fast.
I love fresh peaches and granola on my yogurt.
Love adding chopped pecans and homemade chunky applesauce to mine
I love to put Maple Pecan Granola on my homemade yogurt.
My favorite toppings are blueberry compote or honey.
Honey and blueberries = Love
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Blueberry compote with just a touch of honey! MMMM
Berries and a touch of honey.
I love fresh raspberries and dark chocolate chips.
Granola
My favorite toppings are fresh strawberries and vanilla granola.
Yogurt & Young Living granola
I like Ezekiel sprouted cereal on mine or just a tsp of natural pb.
My fav toppings vary on type of yogurt. cinnamon for vanilla. pecans, walnuts, almonds
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I LOVE Blueberries and Granola…nothing better!
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Lately, my favorite toppings have been granola, gapes and maple syrup!
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I love homemade yogurt I love adding fruits (mainly berries) and granola. If feeling adventurous then I’ll add chocolate or coffee for an extra kick!
Honey makes everything better 🙂
My favorite topping are raspberries, strawberries, oats and apples. Sometimes I make yogurt parfaits with oats apples and cantaloupe
I love adding fresh fruit, pure maple syrup and homemade coconut granola. I love your recipes! Thank you for sharing them!!!
My fave toppings are honey and homemade coconut granola!
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Berries!
I love fresh raspberries and granola in my yogurt.
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I love to use apple butter and granola on my yogurt!!! Love your website!!!
My favorite topping for yogurt is dark chocolate granola. I cannot have yogurt without something crunchy!!!
Love adding organic blueberries, homemade granola and a drizzle of raw honey! ????
Favorite topping… I enjoy yogurt (and oatmeal!) with some wild blueberries, sprinkle of cinnamon, and a drizzle of raw honey. Mmm! PS wonderful site!
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I tried this yogurt recipe and it was a hit with my family. Any berries and granola on top are the favourite.
Homemade granola and strawberries????
I love peaches but when I want something special some shaved chocolate is also amazing!
I love fruit with my yogurt. Fresh berries, if I have them or a compote. I love making yogurt in my pot, it really is some of the best I have ever tasted.
Fresh strawberries or fresh mango
My favorite toppings are fresh berries (separate or mixed) with almonds! So yummy!
Granola, strawberries and honey
Coconut chia granola, fresh picked berries, our own maple syrup!
I love to put an assortment of berries, cinnamon, and honey. Sometimes add Grape Nuts for that crunchy factor.
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I am sugar free and love to add 2-3 boxes of Jello sugar free cheesecake flavor pudding to 2 qts of unstrained fresh yogurt.
I can have cheesecake without added sugar. I put a blueberry lemon compote or syrup I make without added sugar or strawberry sauce and live it up…..
Honey and granola
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I confess that the Yogurt function is the main reason I would like to have an Instant Pot in addition to my current electric pressure cooker. I use a simple one-quart yogurt maker, which requires heating the milk on the stovetop in a separate pan. I love my homemade yogurt, and my favorite way to eat it is with honey and fresh berries or peaches stirred in. I also love baking with it.
I love mixing honey in with my yogurt then topping it with strawberries and kiwi ????
Honey and bananas are my toppings of choice!
A mix of berries and granola!
quality fruit preserves or berries with slivered almonds and maple syrup
I love my IP but have yet to make yogurt, everyone says it’s super easy but I’ve been tentative. This recipe has given me the push I needed, I’m going to make my first attempt asap!
I love topping my yogurt with my own lower carb granola blend, usually a mix of nuts, seeds, a little dried fruit, coconut flakes, mixed with maple syrup and coconut oil and toasted lightly in the oven. It’s delish, and I know I’ll love it more with homemade yogurt! ????
I like fresh berries, bananas and a little granola on my yogurt. Love this recipe and will be trying it soon! Thanks!
mangoes or bananas
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I love adding a variety of fresh fruits.
Question: Do know what the calories and protein count is on the yogurt that you make?
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I prefer granola, frozen blueberries & a drizzle of honey.
Strawberries and almonds. 🙂
Blueberries and walnuts are my favorite yogurt toppings
I use different jam/preserves on my yogurt, but I think my favorite is lemon curd.
I love Fresh Raspberries and Blueberries with granola on top of my yogurt. Thanks for the chance to win.
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I like to buy a can of cherry or blueberry pie filling and use that or sometimes I just like to eat it plain. I use a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture with mayo and yogurt with spices and make a salad dressing with it as well.
I like savory yogurt. Minced garlic, fresh herbs, a bit of olive oil, and a pinch of red pepper flake are a great combo for dipping fresh veggies and bread.
I have recently been introduced to savory yogurts and I am sold! I just ordered my Instapot. Can you give me some advise on how much spices to use. I had a sundrie tomato and garlic yogurt in mind but I have no idea how much to use for such a large amount. Also if you have any savory recipe recommendations I would love them!
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I would also love savory recipes! I have yet to try it, but for a short while there was a brand that had 3 savory flavors and I’m dying that I can’t find it anymore. My favorite was a sundried tomato pesto topped with almonds. Yum!
Peaches or raspberry topping.
Coconut is by far my favorite topping
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I love berries and granola!
I like fresh berries. Thanks for the chance to win!
No sugar fruit sauce.
I love fresh fruit (especially mango and papaya), and raw honey.
By far, granola is my favorite yogurt topping! Whenever I want dessert at night, that Is my go to. I can’t wait to make the granola recipie you listed. THANks for sharing!
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Honey on thick Greek yogurt
Blue berries, oats and slivered almonds are what I would prefer with my yogurt.
Ohhhhh, this recipe is so dear to me as it is my first Instant Pot recipe that I ever tried. I googled “homemade yogurt” and found TIDBITS and have never looked back! What a great find for me! 😀
I flavor my homemade yogurt lemon and my favorite topping is fresh blueberries! YUM! Strawberries and raspberries are great too, but blueberries are my favorite.
I like my yogurt topped with honey and nuts.
I love fresh red raspberries on my yogurt!
Some of my favorite toppings are Granola, peanut butter, honey . Thanks for the recipes.
granola and fresh fruit
Love blueberries on my yogurt!
Love homemade yogurt! Granola and berries are the best toppings!
My favorite yogurt topping is fresh fruit and granola. I am inspired by your recipe to try my hand at making yogurt.
I love any kind of fruit on yogurt. I haven’t tried making yogort yet, but plan on using Fairlife milk with a small cup of Green Valley Lactose Free low fat yogurt as starter.
My favourite toppings for homemade yogurt, are for sure a nutty homemade granola, or buckwheat honey, or cinnamon… OR all three!
Throw on some fresh seasonal berries too, why not?!
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My favorite toppings: granola, bananas, strawberries, and honey. All as organic as possible 🙂
Frozen blueberries and granola. Some maple syrup.
I love to put fresh berries in my yogurt occasionally I will put granola in it some days I just eat it plain
I love chocolate and strawberries best in my yogurt with a little granola for crunch!
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Maple syrup
My favorite topping is just vanilla and honey, but once in a while, I like to add some triple berry jam!
I love any berries or fruit. But my favorite use of this homemade yogurt isn’t just eating it. It’s the fact I now and sour cream too. I love adding a little ranch seasoning to have homemade veggie dip.
My favorite yogurt toppings are pineapple and strawberry.
I love fresh blueberries with granola on my yogurt!
My quick topping is oatmeal. But I love granola, nuts, and fruit!!!!!
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My favorite toppings for yogurt are fresh fruit or granola. LOVE your blog!
I love fresh fruit compote on my yogurt. Cherry is my absolute favorite along with some granola occasionally. ????
I keep a bag of frozen mixed berries or blueberries for topping my yogurt. I don’t bother to defrost.
Thank you for these clear instructions! I can’t wait to get started!
I pack 2% Greek yogurt with frozen berries for work… the berries keep the yogurt cold and thaw just in time for my 10 am hunger attack!
Frozen mixed berries and homemade granola. Until your question of the day, I didn’t think there were other things you could put on yogurt, but now I think I’ll try some!
Granola and boysenberry spread is amazing on yogurt. I have been looking at getting an instant pot but have been a little overwhelmed. Your directions made it so much more accessible. I’m going to go snoop through all of your other recipes 🙂
Love blueberries, cherries and granola on yogurt:). Great instructions!
I’ve been straining plain yogurt for years, both to be “greek style” and to substitute for sour cream, cream cheese, and more. Only just “joined the Instant Pot club” very recently, still gathering recipes.
I like to put in fresh fruit – whatever I can buy. Bananas most often, strawberry and kiwi when in season. Sometimes sweet melon.
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Honey and berries… yum!!
I love raspberries or peaches with a little bit of honey and cinnamon with homemade granola on my yogurt! I need to get an instapot so I can make this yogurt.
Homemade yogurt is SOOOOO good! I love the fruity toppings like strawberry and raspberry, but just a touch, with some honey. I’m not complicated. =) lol
Bought my IP just for the yogurt button. your directions are so easy to follow. Cant wait to get started.
I like granola and homemade kahlua on my homemade yogurt. I don’t eat that for breakfast, but it makes a mighty fine evening snack or dessert. 🙂
Frozen blueberries, lightly thawed, and a little bit of sugar. Yum!
I like fruit and maple syrup
My favorite: honey and cocoa powder mixed into the yogurt, then top with raw oats, unsweetened coconut, and chopped unsalted pecans! Mmm-mmm
SaraAnne, Oh my gosh that sounds amazing! I might add some cacao nibs to that combo!
I love granola on yogurt, and should try making some soon!
My favorite is vanilla pecan granola ????
I enjoy giant blackberries on top of my yogurt.
I love cashews and raspberries!!
My favourite is cinnamon … just a light sprinkle on top and then stir 🙂
I love fruit and granola in my yogurt!
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Favorite topping for yogurt is always fresh blueberries or peaches! To be honest this is the one aspect of Instant Pot that I’m a little hesitant about. I think because making a cold dish in the same place I would make hot dish is a little disconcerting.
Don’t be afraid….. It is easy and DELICIOUS! I’ve only had my InstantPot for 5 days and I’ve made yogurt twice already and some lemon curd and strawberry compote in it too!!
Colleen, That’s so awesome! My kids will eat through a quart of yogurt in one sitting. I have yet to make lemon curd though. I’m so glad you just jumped right in!
Freezer Jam!!!
L love berries, fresh or frozen, and granola on my yogurt.
I like to sprinkle a few chocolate chips on yogurt and it feels like a decadent treat.
Granola!….and a little bit of maple syrup 🙂
My Favorite parfait is using frozen fruit and then sprinkling with granola. I haven’t tried homemade granola yet but am excited to try.
My favorite toppings on yogurt are granola, fresh fruit, or jam.
I love this yogurt recipe!! My favorite toppings are fresh fruit (peaches, strawberry and /or bananas) and unsweetened carob chips. Yum!
Lacey, I Love carob chips! I just found some unsweetened carob covered almonds recently and they are amazing. I’m gonna chop them up and put them on my yogurt! Great idea!
I love yogurt and honey for my pancakes but just to eat a bowl of it, I smother it in lemon curd and whipped cream. Ha! Ha!
Laurel, whoa wait, you put whipped cream on your yogurt? Why haven’t I thought of this 😉
Where do you get the yogurt starter?
Patsy, just at local grocery store. Fage 2% is what I use and it’s typically not hard to find
Fage 2% starter, or just Fage 2% plain yogurt is the starter?
Ginna, I use Fage 2% yogurt as my starter. Does that clarify?
My favorite toppings on yougert are blueberries, raspberries and strawberries and some granolas
I have also made my own granola for years, but must step it up apparently???? hers looks so yummy! I love granola with my yogurt!
Leah, It’s incredible. The flavor is so unique, I’m assuming it’s the date syrup? I’m not sure, but it’s amazing!
Alton Brown makes a really great granola as well. Or, to be more accurate, my brother-in-law makes the BEST granola using Alton’s recipe. 🙂
My favorite toppings at the moment are Nature’s Path Pumpkin and Flax granola, raw sliced almonds and cinnamon.
I love to top mine with lemon curd or raspberry curd, both made in the Instant Pot!
Nancy, I haven’t tried making fruit curd yet, but I bet it’s amazing on yogurt!
Yum! Marci I love greek yogurt with any fresh fruit but Nancy I now need to try with lemon zest and fresh lemon curd. Unfortunately I can’t do things this way yet. A few purchases to make it seems.
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Love yogurt with a touch of honey and loaded with blueberries! YUM
Love the updated post with all the great step by step pictures and tips!
I like it with granola – my kids like to stir in a little honey, and that’s it!
Granola or pecans!
Figs and Honey. A sprinkle of granola sometimes.
Sara, I love figs! Do you use dried or fresh?
Thanks for all your tips! They have really helped as I am making my first IP yogurt. As I was going through all my canned preserves, I came across my figs and wondered how they would pair with yogurt….well, it’s amazing! Can’t wait for my family to try it. Yogurt was sweetened with honey & vanilla. Paired perfect with all the different preserves.
Cindy, Please share what you did! I love figs! The fig jam in our cookbook is my favorite topper for biscuits ever. Did you just chop them up and stir them in?
Top mine with fresh lemon curd made in IP!
Home made coconut granola
I love any kind of berries on my yogurt. I can’t wait to try making your yogurt recipe!
Jennifer, You will just die. It’s the best yogurt ever!
Instant Pot yogurt is the best! I like to top mine with cinnamon-flavored cereal and/or fresh berries.
Any fresh fruit, especially blueberries, strawberries and/or raspberries with (or without) a sprinkle of granola makes a wonderful snack – bigger bowl, a meal!
I love granola as a topping! ????
Your recipes are wonderful…however, need to have recipes that incorporate the IP Ultra 60 modes…i.e., yogurt…different process than other models…thanks
Would love to get your new cookbook, but, the gray print doesn’t work well…sorry.
Also, where do you find all the ingredients for mozzarella/burrata? – Sounds like I should be a chemist or professional cheese-maker.
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Elaine, I debated whether to include directions for those because the buttons are a bit different. Ultimately I decided to try and keep it more simple by writing it for the most common model. I’ll probably have to update it through the years.
My sister and I were a bit upset about that as well 🙁
You can find them on Amazon of course, but I found them cheaper at a speciality kitchen supply store in my hometown. They had everything I needed. The recipe really is fun, I’ve never been much of a science type, but food science I love!
Fresh berries and granola are my favorite toppings for yogurt!
I’m excited to start making yogurt! So for this recipe can we use regular store milk? I know in another post you said regular store pasteurized milk was heated too high.
I love eating yogurt with my favorite vanilla like cereal. Mmmm. I also love feeding it to my little kids. So healthy.
Hi Tara – I’ve been making yogurt for years with regular store milk, no problems. The only issue I ever had was when I didn’t get the milk heated up enough to start with. Good luck!!
I love Banana and homemade granola in my yogurt.
I’ve been making my own yogurt for years and do without using any expensive equipment . It’s simple and so healthy, I do not use any sugar except what naturally occurs in the milk. I suggest trying a basic way of making yogurt and soft cheese that most people can easily accomplish simply because slot of us cannot buy pressure cookers nor do we want a kitchen full of extra equipment .
Gayle, Agreed! There are other ways to make these types of food, I stick with the Instant Pot versions for the ease and time saving aspects and where many come to my blog for pressure cooking recipes, that’s what I love to post! I’d love to learn how to make other cheeses, where do you suggest I start?