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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 to make 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 every week.
But a lot of people have been asking how to make Cold Start Yogurt, and I am here to say, that 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, and 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 are all that is needed for this cold start yogurt.
Ingredients for Cold Start Yogurt
- Ultra Pasteurized Milk or Ultra-Filtered Milk
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with active cultures or a yogurt starter
Ultra Filtered or Ultra Pasteurized?
Cold start yogurt works using milk that is ultra-pasteurized. That said, for the creamiest, thickest yogurt, ultra-filtered milk works best.
Ultra-Filtered milk is still pasteurized, but it also goes through a special filtration process. The result is ultra-filtered milk with 50% more protein, 30% more calcium and half the sugar of regular milk and lactose free. Which yields a yogurt that is creamier and thicker. It also is higher in protein and calcium and lower in sugar--perfect for anyone watching their sugars.
You can look for a brand, like Fairlife brand for ultra-filtered milk.
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
- Whisk 1 cup of the milk with the starter until well combined.
- Pour remaining milk into inner pot of pressure cooker.
- Whisk in starter mixture.
Step Three: Incubate Yogurt
- Place lid on pressure cooker.
- Hit "Yogurt" and it should read 8:00. Be sure NORMAL is lit up. If LOW is let up, you must change to normal heat for incubation to occur, by hitting yogurt again until normal is lit up.
- 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. Most Organic Milks are Ultra-Pasteurized as well--but be sure it is labeled "ultra-pasteurized"
- Use any percentage of 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 the 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 Chicken Breasts
- Instant Pot Beans
- Perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt
Video
Ingredients
- 52 ounces Ultra Pasteurized Milk, Ultra-Filtered is BEST--see notes
- 2 tablespoons prepared yogurt with live cultures, or yogurt starter
Instructions
- Whisk 1 cup of milk with 2 tablespoons prepared yogurt with live cultures (or starter) until well combined.
- Pour the remaining amount of 52 ounces Ultra Pasteurized Milk into the inner pot of pressure cooker and then whisk in starter mixture.
- Place lid on the pressure cooker. There is no need to seal.
- To set the incubation time, hit yogurt function and then adjust function until the time reads 8:00 (be sure pressure is at normal and not low--if at low hit yogurt again.) *See recipe notes on using a Duo Plus Model.
- 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This instant pot yogurt method was named "Cold Start" by Freida Loves Bread to the best of my knowledge.
Hi! Trying this recipe soon and it'll be my first time making yogurt in the IP. Does the yogurt starter have to be Greek yogurt, or is regular yogurt fine? I wanted to try Stonyfield Organic Organic Plain Whole Milk Probiotic Yogurt but it's not Greek- will that make it thinner? I'm already buying the Fairlife Whole Ultra-Filtered Milk.
Hi Lisa! Regular yogurt is fine to use and won't change the final consistency 🙂 Enjoy!
What about if you don’t have a yogurt button? I have an 8qt Lux. Really want to make cold start but not sure what setting to use... any idea?
Hi Brittney! It is not impossible to make yogurt without a yogurt button, but quite difficult and temperamental and the results vary--therefore, if you are interested in making yogurt on a regular basis, I would suggest getting a model with a yogurt function. If you do want to give it a try, I have detailed instructions on how to do so if you want to look it over.
Just made with the Fairlife 2% and the yogurt was so creamy and super easy to make! Thanks Kristen! Question: when you say I can freeze the starter for my next batch, does that mean from the one I just made in my instant pot? Or freeze some tablespoons from the prepared store bought container?
So happy you had great success. You can freeze yogurt from your homemade batch for the starter and technically if you would like to freeze some of the pre-bought yogurt as a starter, that will work as well.
we use fairlife skim milk. would the calories for the yogurt just match the milk? or does the process change the numbers at all?
Hi Mike! The process does not change the nutritional qualities unless you strain the yogurt, then it does increase protein and calories per ounce slightly as the water is drained away.
I have an ‘Instant Pot Duo EVO Plus’ and when I press the yogurt button I can choose ‘Custom’, ‘Pasteurize’, and ‘Ferment’. If I choose custom I can set a timer but I have to manually set a temperature. There is no low/normal/high.
Should I be choosing something other than custom, if not, what temperature should I set as ‘normal’ isn’t an option?
Hi Josh! You would set the temperature to 110 degrees. I will add that to the notes as that may help others as well.
Can I use the lunch sized boxed milk from Costco, Horizon organic whole milk ? It’s labeled UHT and doesn’t require refrigeration. Thanks Kristen ! Also, I don’t have a separate sealing ring for my instant pot. Can I make the yogurt without a sealing ring ?
Hi Erica! You can absolutely make the yogurt without a sealing ring, I just find it helps protect against excess condensation. As for Hoirzon organic milk, technically it works, but I find it does set up as well as the ultra-filtered milk.
Thanks Kristen for the info and quick response! I have a huge box of the horizon milk that my daughter doesn’t want to drink anymore, so I’m going to give it a try!
Totally worth a try. If it does not set up, use the unset milk to make yogurt using the traditional method.
Hi Kristen, gave it a try and was super easy with your directions. The yogurt wasn’t as thick as I’d like. If I followed your advice to thicken with your traditional method, what step would I start the process? Thanks
I tried A2 milk. It snells like yogurt but it did not thicken. Has anyone else had success with A2 milk? Any tips? Is there anything I can do with this or is it just not usable? Thank you!
Hi Nikki. You can try it again using the traditional yogurt method or you can use in smoothies, oatmeal, etc. It is totally safe to eat, just not thick. I personally have not had success with A2.
Thank you! I haven't had luck with ultra pasteurized milk and the traditional method but I might give it a shot.
I will say, ultra-filtered (AKA Fairlife) works like a charm for this method.
Why don't these recipes ever state what SIZE Instant Pot? I have a 3 qt mini Duo. Can I use the entire 52 oz. Of Fairlife milk?
Also, do you mean that the blue ultra-filtered is better to use that the red ultrapasturized ?
Thanks!
Hi Patricia. I test all of my recipes in both a 6 and 8 quart. This method does work in a 3 quart and you can prepare the full batch 🙂 As for the milk, ultra-filtered (any fat percentage) is more fail-proof than milk that is just ultrapasteurized. I hope that helps clarify.
I am trying the cold method now, for the first time, after doing the other way a few times. I have enjoyed the hot one, but had some difficulty with it firming enough so I would add some dry milk and set it for a longer time. My question is, do I need to put the whole inner pot in the fridge to get it firmed up? Mine is an 8 qt one so rather a tight fit. Will it be affected much to go ahead and put it in glass jars right away?
Thanks so much!
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie! Personally, I do prefer putting the whole inner pot in, but in a bind, I have placed immediately into jars. Another option is to put 2 cups of warm water in bottom of your pot and put your mixture into heat-safe jars on the trivet and incubate for the same amount of time. I hope that helps.