Homemade Yogurt has NEVER been easier than with this Cold Start Instant Pot Yogurt. Two ingredients and time is all you need to have perfect, creamy, thick yogurt.
If you are looking for making yogurt without ultra-pasteurized milk, be sure to grab my recipe for Instant Pot Yogurt. If you are looking for more Instant Pot Recipes, please check out all Instant Pot Recipes.
One of the biggest reasons I love my pressure cooker is for Homemade Yogurt.
It was one of the first recipes I mastered and I make it on a weekly basis.
But a lot of people have been asking how to make Cold Start Yogurt, and I am here to say, Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt is so much easier than my original Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe.
Cold Start Yogurt
It could not be easier to make yogurt using cold start yogurt, and it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to mess up–the same can not be said about my traditional Instant Pot Yogurt.
There are no thermometers needed, no boiling of milk, no wondering if your milk didn’t reach the right temperature to achieve perfect yogurt. Plus cold start yogurt comes out thick, just like Greek yogurt–no need for straining!
Just two simple ingredients and a pressure cooker is all that is needed for this cold start yogurt.
Ingredients for Cold Start Yogurt
- Ultra Pasteurized Milk
- Like Fairlife brand
- Most Organic Milks are Ultra-Pasteurized as well–but be sure it is labeled “ultra-pasteurized”
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with active cultures
How To Make Cold Start Yogurt
Step One: Clean your Instant Pot
- Be sure your pressure cooker is clean and you use a clean inner ring when making yogurt–no one wants yogurt tasting like Instant Pot Chili!
- I wipe my inner pot down with vinegar and then rinse well and dry.
- I also recommend a separate sealing ring to use for yogurt–not necessary but it does help!
Step Two: Add Milk and Starter to Pressure Cooker
- Pour milk into inner pot of pressure cooker.
- Whisk in starter/prepared yogurt.
Step Three: Incubate Yogurt
- Place lid on pressure cooker.
- Hit “Yogurt” and it should read 8:00.
- Let it begin to incubate.
Step Four: Refrigerate Yogurt
- After 8 hours, remove inner pot from pressure cooker.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for another 8 hours.
- Place yogurt in glass jars to store in refrigerator.
Tips for Making Cold Start Yogurt
- There is NO substitution for ultra pasteurized milk. If you do not use ultra pasteurized milk, you need to follow these instructions for Instant Pot Yogurt.
- Fairlife milk is also ultra-filtered, which means it has more protein and less sugar, meaning it will produce a thicker yogurt than just ultra pasteurized milk. If you use ultra pasteurized milk, no ultra-filtered milk, you may want to strain your yogurt for super thick yogurt.
- Cold start yogurt is lower in sugar and carbs than traditional yogurt. It is also higher in protein.
- Use any percentage fat milk you like for this cold start yogurt, the higher the fat percentage the creamier the yogurt. I prefer 2% Ultra Pasteurized Milk.
- You can cut this recipe in half, or if you have an 8 quart pressure cooker, you can also double this recipe for homemade yogurt.
- For homemade yogurt, you must, use either use a yogurt starter or plain yogurt with active live cultures. I like to use plain Greek yogurt–Chobani or the store brand.
- Feel free to sweeten yogurt with vanilla extract, honey, maple syrup, or fruit AFTER incubating.
- A huge tip for making yogurt in the future, is to FREEZE your starter immediately after fresh yogurt is made. I recommend using an ice cube tray. Each ice cube holds 1 tablespoon of yogurt so you will know exactly how much yogurt to defrost when making a new yogurt batch. Just be sure to thaw your yogurt cubes in the fridge to not alter the cultures in the yogurt.
- If you would like tangier yogurt, set incubation period to 10 hours instead of 8 hours.
- Homemade yogurt should last for up to 10-14 days in your refrigerator.
More Instant Pot Basic Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Stock
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
- Instant Pot Beans
- Perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt
Ingredients
- 52 ounces Ultra Pasteurized Milk
- 2 tablespoons prepare yogurt with live cultures or yogurt starter
Instructions
- Pour milk into inner pot of pressure cooker.
- Whisk in starter/prepared yogurt.
- Place lid on pressure cooker.
- Hit "Yogurt" and it should read 8:00 (If not, hit ADJUST until screen reads 8:00). Let the pressure cooker do it's thing!
- After the 8 hour incubation period, remove inner pot from pressure cooker. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 8 hours.
- After refrigeration, store yogurt in glass containers for 10-14 days.
Notes
- Fairlife milk is also ultra-filtered, which means it has more protein and less sugar, meaning it will produce a thicker yogurt than just ultra pasteurized milk. If you use ultra pasteurized milk, no ultra-filtered milk, you may want to strain your yogurt for super thick yogurt.
To Make Cold Start Yogurt You May Need
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This instant pot yogurt method was named “Cold Start” by Freida Loves Bread to the best of my knowledge.
Kristen Chidsey
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Very easy recipe, yogurt tastes delicious. Mine came out a bit chunky, not a creamy consistency. I used low-fat fairlife, could this be why? Thanks in advance
Hi Danielle! I am glad you enjoyed the taste of this yogurt. As for chunkiness, you can blend this batch. In the future, be sure to whisk your starter in well to your milk 🙂
Will Organic Valley work for cold method? It’s ultra pasteurized and organic.
Hi Anne, yes in theory it will work. I have found that brand to not set up as well using the cold start method (I have try it many times!)
If I have an 8qt IP, can I use another bowl placed inside the IP insert to make the yogurt instead?
Yes you can! Just be sure to put 1 cup of warm water in the bottom of the inner pot and then place the bowl on the trivet.
Hello! Thank you for your recipe. Unfortunately mine came out completely watery. The only thing I think I did differently was forgot to put the ring back on the lid. Do you think that could’ve caused this problem? I used organic ultra pasteurized milk and Bulgarian White Mountain yogurt as a starter which was recommended by a friend.
Hi there! Leaving the ring off will account for a bit of condensation, but not that much. I do find that using the Fairlife milk is best for this method.
Question: Why do you use 56 oz. of Fairlife Milk for the Cold Start Yogurt Method (when the containers hold only 52 oz., causing one to buy a second container)? …just curious…thanks.
Sorry Cyndee, that was a typo on my part. I will fix to say 52 ounces 🙂
I thought I saw something on your website where Evaporated Milk could be added in the process of making the yogurt…Can this be done for the ‘cold method’, or was it for the regular Instant Pot Yogurt method only?
Hi Cyndee! I do not use evaporated milk to any of my yogurt recipes. Some people like to add sweetened condensed milk to sweeten, but I do not personally do so. (Which sweetened condensed milk is pasteurized so is safe for the cold milk start yogurt recipe)
This is the best yogurt I have ever had. But I can’t use a half gallon’s worth of yogurt before it spoils. If I make a quart in a pot-in-pot method, should I put some water in the outer pot or just let the smaller container sit in the machine with or without trivet?
Hi Ellen! I am so glad you enjoy this recipe so much😊 I would pour in 1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees) and then place jar/container on top of trivet to incubate.
Easy, delicious and fool proof! 😋
I am so glad you had success Susan! And thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
this was my first shot at making yogurt and it passed the kid test. Ha! THANK YOU
That is the ultimate test Madra 😉 Glad they approved.
I love this yogurt and made my life do easy for a mom busy with kids and work. I can’t thank you enuf for the recipe.
I absolutely LOVE making people’s life easier. So glad this recipe has helped you Sowmya.
Hello,
I am borrowing an instant pot for my friend to see if I like it. I was excited to make yogurt but it didn’t turn out. It was still liquid after the eight hours in instant pot using the “ Yogurt“ button. Are used the Fairlife ultrafiltered whole milk (52 oz red container) and one package of the cultures for life traditional yogurt starter (The same you have pictured). I wonder if my mistake was not to have used an actual 2 tablespoons of the powdered starter. It was not clear as to how much starter to use if not using actual yogurt with cultures. The box comes with four packets of yogurt starter, but even if I used all four packets I am sure it wouldn’t of even equaled 1 tablespoon… Do you think this was the issue in my case (not enough starter)?
Thanks,
Renee
Hi Renee!! When using starter, you need to follow the package instructions. Which for this brand, it would require 2 packets of starter. So that would be the issue. I will say, using plain yogurt is cheaper–and for that you would need 2 tablespoons 🙂
Many thanks for this recipe! I’m new to Instant Pot and this could’t have been easier (and more delicious). I used 1 gallon of 2% Organic milk, specifically the WF 365 brand and 4tbs of 5% Fage yogurt for the starter. A couple of things I had to trouble shoot for were getting the “boil” button to come on. I have the Duo 60 TEAL 6 Qt and found if I pressed “yogurt” quickly several times in a row it would come on. After the boil cycle, I found that the temp was only at 160. I’m not sure if I waited to long to take the temp, so to make sure, I poured it into a pot on the stove and brought it up to 181. After it cooled to 115 I put it back in the instant pot. I will be curious for next time if this was really necessary and be ready to read the temp asap. Additionally, I let it incubate for 9 hrs. instead of 8. I wanted greek style so I strained it using a rectangle restaurant supply food storage container (link below) with cheese cloth draped over it secured with about 12 plastic clothes pins. The contents barely fit and had to give it a 1/2 hr or so for some of the whey to pass through the cheese cloth, finally pouring in the rest. Our fridge is super narrow, so I don’t think a large bowl would have worked, plus I feel that here was more stability having “sides” on the container in which to clip the clothes pins. After leaving it in the fridge overnight I was so excited to find this beautiful, luxurious, silky, tasty yogurt in the morning!
https://www.restaurantsupply.com/cambro-4sfscw135?keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIq4CkxqWP5QIVBNvACh20IAaAEAQYASABEgJKJPD_BwE
Hi Jean! Yogurt is a bit of a science, so yes, taking the temperatures is crucial for it to turn out correctly. And some pressure cookers have a hard time getting the milk to 180 degrees. In those instances, I suggest bringing to a simmer on the stove (just as you did) or using the saute function–but this has to be watched VERY closely. And so glad you enjoyed the yogurt 🙂
I am so glad I found your website, I was actually going to return my instant pot. I reached out to a well known instant potter and the only advice I got was to buy his book and follow his recipes. After reading your step by step instructions I finally realized what I had been doing wrong and I now love my pot. I just finished making your recipe for cold-start yogurt, it looks perfect. Thank you for your posts, recipes and keeping it simple. Maria
Hi Maria! I am so glad you have found my site and are enjoying my recipes! Enjoy the yogurt!
So glad I found your site and this recipe! I’ve been making yogurt for decades, using a variety of methods and recipes, and this is the best! One question: you say to put the entire pot, covered, in the refrigerator for 8 hours after the incubation period, and then put it in individual smaller containers. Can I put the yogurt in the small containers after incubating and THEN refrigerate? (I use pint-sized mason jars.) Thanks!
Hi Carol! First, I am so glad you have found my site as well. Second, it is best to leave the yogurt completely undisturbed to set up, before transferring out of your mason jars for best results. Another option would be to prepare your yogurt right in mason jars. You would divide the milk/starter mixture between jars . Place a trivet in the inner pot, 1 cup of luke warm water, and then place the jars on the trivet and incubate as directed 🙂
This is the best yogurt I have ever tasted and it was so easy to make!
I am so glad to hear that Sally! I love this recipe myself!
Hi! What is the serving size for the nutrition facts?
Hi Ondina! It is just about 6 ounces.
I love your recipes. I have just one question regarding the cold start yogurt. You have the nutrition facts at the bottom of the recipe, but not the quantity. Is it 4 oz., or 6 oz. ? Thanks.
Thanks Pat! It is actually about 5.8 ounces 🙂
You don’t say whether the lid should be set to venting or sealing. I believe it’s should be venting otherwise the yogurt turns out very watery.
Hi Jen! Because pressure is not reached for yogurt, no need to worry about whether your lid is open or not, you can even use a glass lid. And because no steam will occur, so no extra moisture will form in pressure cooker.
I’ve used this method many times but I incubate my yogurt in pint sized Mason jars. I just put warm water in the bottom of my IP, use the rack that comes with it and set the jars on top. I just cut this recipe in half (basically) and it makes about 3 pints. I also put the lids on the jars while incubating.
I love doing this as well Jo! Thank you so much for sharing your method with us all!