Instant Pot Yogurt: Step by step directions for making yogurt in an electric pressure cooker. Includes directions for nonfat, full fat and Greek yogurt. Also ways to naturally sweeten yogurt. This is EVERYTHING you need to know about making Instant Pot Yogurt.
I am all about making things at home when I can.
I prefer to make fruit roll-ups, chicken stock, granola bars and even rotisserie chicken.
However, making yogurt at home, never appealed to me–and frankly overwhelmed me.
I can purchase high quality yogurt with simple, wholesome ingredients at every grocery store around me.
But I was intrigued to try my hand at making yogurt shortly after getting my Instant Pot–and let me tell you, I am so glad I gave it a try.
Instant Pot Yogurt
There are two reasons that I will no longer purchase yogurt at the store and make yogurt in my Instant Pot.
- Taste
- Cost
You guys, homemade yogurt is so much creamier and less tangy than store bought yogurt. The first time my kids had homemade yogurt they asked if I put sugar in the yogurt. Nope just plain yogurt–just a less tangy. But man, they loved it. And so did I.
And the cost of making homemade yogurt is so much cheaper than store bought yogurt. By making homemade yogurt you cut the cost in at least half!!!
Now that you are intrigued, let’s get started.
Making yogurt at home is time consuming, but NOT at all hard. With an instant pot, it is nearly fail proof!
How to make Homemade Instant Pot Yogurt
Step One: Clean your Instant Pot.
- This sounds like a no-brainer. But I am not talking about simply washing your Instant Pot–you need to sanitize your inner pot.
- You can prepare your inner pot for making yogurt by pouring boiling water in the inner pot and then discard the water.
- This step can be skipped, but it helps drastically in the flavor of your yogurt–especially if you have been making a lot of Instant Pot Chili.
Step Two: Heat your Milk in your Instant Pot.
- Pour 1/2 gallon milk into your inner pot of your electric pressure cooker, put the lid on the Instant Pot (vent can be sealed or not sealed in this function). Hit yogurt function and then the adjust button until it says Boil.
- When the Instant Pot beeps that it is done, remove the lid and test the temperature to be sure the milk has reached 180 degrees.
- I like to leave the inner pot in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes before removing. This helps the yogurt thicken up a bit better.
Step Three: Cool the milk to approximately 105-115 degrees.
- Cooling the milk to this temperature takes about 1 hour if placed on counter.
- I like to speed the process up by placing the inner pot into a large mixing bowl in ice water. This take about 15-20 minutes.
Step Four: Remove the “skin” off the milk.
- Once your milk has reached the proper temperature, skim off the top layer of milk “skin” that has formed on top of the liquid.
- This helps to give you the creamiest of yogurts.
Step Five: Whisk in a yogurt starter.
- Use either prepared yogurt or a yogurt starter and whisk into your prepared milk.
- It is important to note that if using prepared yogurt you need to be sure it is plain yogurt with live and active cultures.
- If your starter is sweetened or does not have live cultures, making yogurt at home will NOT work!
Step Six: Allow your yogurt to Incubate.
- To finish making your yogurt, place your inner pot back in your Instant Pot with lid on (again, it doesn’t matter which way valve is set).
- Hit Yogurt again button again.
- Adjust until it reads 8:00 or 8 hours.
- Then let the Instant Pot do it’s thing.
Step Seven: Enjoy!
- Transfer to glass jars or a plastic container.
- Refrigerate and Enjoy!
How to Make Yogurt without a Yogurt Button
It is a bit harder to make yogurt without a yogurt button on a pressure cooker, but it is possible.
- It is a bit harder, but it is possible.
- Pour milk into inner pot of pressure cooker.
- Turn on the Sear/Saute function.
- Heat milk to 180°F. Use a thermometer to check the temp often and be sure to stir very often so milk does not scorch.
- Once the milk reaches 180°F, turn off your pressure cooker.
- Remove inner pot and cool to 108 degrees.
- Once your milk has reached 108 stir starter yogurt and whisk until incorporated.
- Put inner pot back in instant pot and place lid on pressure cooker.
- Wrap in a large towel, or two regular towels and incubate for at least 8 hours or 10 hours.
How to Make Greek Yogurt
- If you would like to make Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt, follow all the instructions for homemade yogurt.
- Once yogurt is prepared, place a large strainer lined with cheesecloth over a large mixing bowl.
- You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your strainer.
- Allow the yogurt to drain in the strainer overnight.
- Scoop out the thick yogurt into containers to store and discard the cheesecloth.
What to do with the extra whey from the yogurt?
- You can either discard the whey or you can use it in smoothies, oatmeal, protein shakes, etc. It will be filled with protein and probiotics.
How to make Instant Pot Fat Free Yogurt
Can you use skim milk to make yogurt in your electric pressure cooker?
Yes you can, with a few important tips.
- I have found for nonfat yogurt, 3 tablespoons of yogurt added to 1/2 gallon milk works best.
- Nonfat yogurt will have quite a bit more liquid on the top than yogurt made with full or reduced fat milk.
- Just carefully drain off the layer of liquid that forms on the yogurt and discard.
- As nonfat yogurt sits, liquid will begin to separate again, just mix into yogurt before serving.
How long does Homemade Yogurt last?
- Homemade yogurt should last for up to 10-14 days in your refrigerator.
- Be sure to save 2 tablespoons of your homemade yogurt to make your next batch.
How to Sweeten Homemade Yogurt
I have found homemade yogurt to be so much smoother and a bit sweeter than store bought yogurt and simply enjoy it topped with fresh berries or homemade granola.
Homemade Vanilla Yogurt
- Make yogurt as directed.
- Mix in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract into prepared yogurt.
- This will flavor the yogurt without any added sweeteners.
**If you like your yogurt to be sweet, you can add in honey, maple syrup or sugar adjusted to your desired level of sweetness. I would start with no more than 1/4 cup, and increase by a tablespoon at a time.
A few tips for making yogurt at home
- I use 1 tablespoon prepared yogurt for every quart of milk. Therefore for 1/2 gallon of milk, I whisk in 2 tablespoons of already prepared yogurt into my milk.
- You can cut this recipe in half if you would like. If you have an 8 quart pressure cooker, you can also double this recipe for homemade yogurt.
- Do NOT try to make homemade yogurt with flavored yogurt as your starter. You need to either use a yogurt starter or plain yogurt with active live cultures. How do you know if you store-bought yogurt has live cultures? The label on the yogurt will say Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Streptococcus thermophilus.
- 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.
- If you need more tips on how to use your instant pot or are confused about some of the functions or pieces I mentioned, check out my Instant Pot 101.
- Get more easy, healthy instant pot recipes here.
Homemade Yogurt is great in:
- Yogurt Peanut Butter Dip
- 2 Ingredient Homemade Gogurts
- Peanut Butter Power Smoothie
- Skinny Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Skinny Spinach Artichoke Dip
How to make yogurt at home in an Instant Pot:
Homemade Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon milk
- 2 tablespoons prepared yogurt with cultures
Instructions
- Pour milk into inner pot of Instant Pot. Push yogurt button until the screen reads "boil." (Usually you will need to hit the yogurt button two times) This will take about an hour.
- Once the Instant Pot beebs that the boil cycle is complete, carefully remove the lid and test the temperature. It should be around 180 degrees. Let inner pot sit in instant pot for 5 minutes and then remove inner pot.
- Allow the milk to cool to 105-115 degrees. This will take an hour on the countertop or about 15 minutes if you place your inner pot into an ice bath.
- Gently skim off the "skin" on the yogurt and discard.
- Whisk in the prepared yogurt.
- Place inner pot (be sure to dry off well if you had in ice bath),put lid on and press yogurt button again and then adjust until screen reads 8:00. (The pressure should also read normal--if it reads less, hit adjust again until normal is lit up.)
- Once yogurt beeps that it is complete, store in glass jars or a large plastic container in the fridge.
- This is a great time to freeze some yogurt for future yogurt making.
Notes
- Instead of prepared yogurt as your starter, you can use a yogurt starter. Just follow directions to determine how much starter to add to 1/2 gallon milk (each brand is a bit different.)
- You can use any percentage of fat to make homemade yogurt.
- To make Greek yogurt, strain the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth overnight in the fridge (be sure to place over large mixing bowl while draining.)
- Homemade yogurt should last for about 10-14 days.
- If sweetening yogurt, I have found it is best to add in sweeteners/vanilla after yogurt has set up in fridge for at least 8 hours, or after straining.
To Make Instant Pot Yogurt You May Need
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Kristen Chidsey
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How do I convert this to strawberry yogurt? How many strawberries? Or do you just stir in cut up strawberries to vanilla, or plain yogurt?
Hi Laurie! I would wait until after the yogurt has set up and then add in strawberries, strawberry puree or strawberry jam as desired. Enjoyed
Hi, I made this yogurt for the first time about a week ago and decided to ask a question. The yogurt tasted good but for some reason I had little chunks I think of the top skin in it. What is the best way to make sure I get all the skin off the top? Also how do I save some yogurt for the starter for next batch?
Thanks so much!
Hi Sherri! You can use a spoon to gently skim off the skin if some forms then whisk the yogurt well after it has fully set up. For your starter, I set aside 2 tablespoon measurements and stored in the fridge for 5 days or freeze in an ice cube tray (each ice cube is about 1 tablespoon) and then freeze until solid. Pop out the cubes and store in a freezer safe bag for 1 to 3 months. Defrost before making a new batch of yogurt. Hope that helps.
Hi, I made this yogurt a few weeks ago and it came out perfectly (first time making instant pot yogurt though have made it on the stove before), so thank you!!
I do have a question – I live at about 6500ft and because things boil at a lower temp, the milk is not 180 when it’s done boiling. I can’t quite remember what I did to heat it more last but today, the same issue. And did boil again but still only 175. I saw your hi altitude adjustments say none needed, so are you saying 175 temp is ok or are you believing it will still get to 180? Recipe states to check that temp is 180 but doesn’t tell you what to do if it is not.
Sorry this is lengthy, just haven’t been able to figure this out. 🤔. Thanks!
Hi Karen! There is no change to the incubation period if living at high altitude. But you are correct that it is harder to get the milk to reach 180 degrees using the boil function. Try turning onto saute and stir carefully. Glad you have enjoyed this before😍
I also live at high elevation. I use the boil button with my lid on and not vented which allows it to heat up. I usually do it for 10 minutes then open, skim, stir, and check temp. Then depending on what it’s at I do another 8-10 minutes. It takes me usually 20-25 minutes but it works
Love this recipe, I’ve lost count how many times I’ve made it! This last time it turned it a little different though. The top layer was “crackly” looking, but below was typical smooth. Also found what looked like random bits of hardened milk bubbles? No weird smells, tastes fine. Do you have any theories on what happened to my yogurt? 😆
Hi Kristin! I am so glad you have made this so many times and enjoyed! Did you happen to use a powdered starter? It could be that it was not whisked in well. It also could be that you scorched your milk a bit when boiling and those hard bits were incorporated.
HI there. I have had great success with this recipe many times. But yesterday, it didn’t seem to set, so now I have two jars of sour chunky milk. Maybe I did something wrong with the temperature?
Any thought what I can do with my sour milk now or should it be tossed?
Hi Gab, it does sound like your yogurt went bad and I would discard. SORRY! My guess is that you accidentally had the incubation temperature set to low not normal, or your milk went bad. I am glad this recipe has been successful in the past though!
I used this for my very first try at Instant Pot yogurt. The instructions were easy to follow, thank you! I do have one question. How do you ‘carefully drain’ off the liquid when making non-fat yogurt? You were absolutely right about lots of liquid. I am not a Greek yogurt fan so I used a sieve to remove a lot of the liquid, but it wasn’t clear and the remaining yogurt is lumpy. It tastes fine and is just for me, but I would like it smoother. Is there a better way? Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Kathy, how you removed the liquid is fine. It does help to wait 8 hours to strain at times, but you should be able to whisk the remaining yogurt well to remove lumps. So glad you found the instructions clear and easy to follow 🙂
Do you mean I can put the pot in the fridge for 8 hours, then strain? I have another question – when it is sitting there for the 8 hour incubation, is the IP actually heating the milk? It was very cool when I started straining. I didn’t take the temperature, but I am assuming I won’t be getting food poisoning?
Hi Kathy! Yes, you would put the pot in the fridge for 8 hours and then strain. And your incubation period the instant pot should be at 110-115 degrees. If it felt cool, I would check to be sure when you set incubation time your yogurt was on normal not low setting.
It was on normal. I had to reset it when I noticed it was on low after the beep. Should I just toss this batch since I don’t know what the temperature actually was, or is there a way to tell it is OK to eat? I started straining immediately after the 8 hours were reached. The outside of the IP felt room temperature. There was moisture on my glass lid, if that means anything! Thank you for your help.
Hi Kathy! Honestly, I think it will be fine–the moisture means there was heat inside the instant pot. The outside rarely gets hot for me either. That said, do what makes you feel safe.
My lumpy yogurt is just fine! Can’t wait for my next batch tomorrow and chilling for 8 hours before daining. Love the flavor, even if it does look funny! Thanks again.
So glad you are enjoying Kathy!
Putting the entire pot in the fridge overnight was perfect! I ladled some of the liquid out prior to putting it in and got the rest out easily this morning. Perfectly smooth and creamy! It is slightly thicker, too, but not Greek style, so I got a little less, volume wise, but will make it in my 8 qt, double the recipe the next time. I assume 6 T starter for a gallon of non-fat milk?
What type of milk do u use?
I personally prefer 2% milk, but you can use whole milk, 1% or skim milk (skim will thinner). Organic or traditional work.
The temperature only reached 170 after only 30 minutes in the instant pot. It beeped and said yogurt. Will it still be ok?
I adjusted mine to “saute” and brought to the correct temp.
My Instant Pot doesn’t have the ‘yogurt’ function, but does have the sous vide…so I can set the temperature and time. Just what IS the temperature for ‘yogurt’.
Hi EssDee! The temperature is 115 degrees.
Can you leave the yogurt in instant pot for 8h after the incubation period?
Hi Precy, you can set incubation time for up to 24 hours–the yogurt will get tangier and sometimes thicker the longer it incubates. But incubation time elapses, you need to remove fairly prompts so no bacteria forms as the temperature drops.
First time making the yogurt without the yogurt button. It didn’t work. I was so looking forward to having good yogurt for breakfast.
Hi Diane. I am sorry you are disappointed, but I did state it is really finicky and temperamental to try without a yogurt button. So many variables and things can go wrong, it is not impossible, but takes patience and careful attention.
Great recipe and it taste awesome!!! And so cost effective! I’m always leary of food borne pathogens when working with dairy. Is this just an irrational concern of mine?
Hi Megan! As am I! I have a very weak stomach! As long as you are using the yogurt function, this is safe.
Can you use soy milk?
I have not had success using soy milk Victoria–but keep working on perfecting!
I accidentally allowed the boiled milk to cool down to 80F in the instant pot. Will this affect the incubation time?
Hi Cathy. It should be okay–a friend just told me she had success after making that same error.
Great success! I used 7 cup of lactose free milk and 1 cup of whipping cream with 2 packets of yogurt culture. The cooler temperature for mixing in the culture didn’t matter. After 9 hours I placed the Instant Pot directly in the fridge and we had wonderful tasting yogurt. I have a yogurt strainer which made for delicious Greek yogurt that you can stand a spoon up in.
Ps I tasted the milk skin produced when boiling the milk. It tasted very good so I looked it up on the Internet and discovered it is considered a delicacy in many cultures and there are even recipes for it.
I did the exact same thing! I put it to boil again and heated back to 110 and my yogurt turned out perfect!
Hi Kristen, thank very much for your detailed instructions, I made yogurt on my instant pot yesterday and although thetaste is really nice, the texture is a bit grainy. Do you know what could have caused it?
Hi Irene! I am glad you found my directions to be well written and enjoyed the taste of the yogurt. I would whisk it well now that it has set up and see if that helps with the texture. It may have been that you did not incorporate your starter into your milk well.
We wanted to make yogurt but the only stuff in the store was 49 cent sweetened peach yogurt with nothing on the label about active cultures. Knowing that food bloggers just repeat information without fact checking, we tried it anyway. It worked fine with a very faint peach flavor that disappeared completely when we strained the yogurt and made tzatziki. Some 5 culture organic stuff that we tried later turned out nicer but in a pinch don’t be afraid to use whatever you can get.
Hi James. I am glad you had success using the peach yogurt. I do in fact do my own testing and research and never repeat information without thoroughly testing. I recommend not using flavored or yogurt with fruit for 2 reasons. One is the flavor. The second is the fact there are many yogurts on the market and the ones with fruit whole in them have messed with the results of yogurt in my experiments. You also do need active live cultures. If you look closely at the ingredients you may have seen L. Acidophilus, which is a live culture.
Delicious yogurt! Turned out good my first time! How big would you say a serving size is?
Hi Erica! A serving is about 4 ounces 🙂 I am so glad you had success.
Your instructions are clear and concise and filled with tips for rookies like me. I just got my first Instant Pot and my first project will be making yogurt following your recipe. I just have to go buy some milk and Chobani plain yogurt. Thank you very very much!
I am so glad you found these tips helpful! I hope you enjoy the yogurt.
The next time I make this do I just use 1T of my start (from the first batch) per half gallon?
That is correct Natalie 🙂
Hey! I made this recipe, and I decided to ferment for longer than 10 hours. When my instant pot hit its time, I took the lid off and tested the temperature and it’s 88°. I don’t see anywhere on the recipe for what temp it should be when it is immediately finished, but online says 110. I’m panicking that I just ruined a gallon of milk. Can you help me figure out if I should dump it? It smells fine, tastes fine. Thank you!
Hi Kimberly, I believe I answered your questions above regarding why the lower temperature. If your milk/yogurt tastes fine and smells fine, my gut says it would be okay, but I can not say with certainty. And yes, it should be held at 110 degrees.
Love love love this. Yes, so much better than the upper brands of store yogurt. Thank you so much for walking us through this.
I am so glad you enjoy making this yogurt recipe as much as I do! Thanks for leaving a review Sherri!
I tried this with 2 tbsp of sweetened yogurt as starter in 1 quart of milk….and it worked just fine. Perhaps just need more if it’s sweetened so that you get enough cultures. It was vanilla yogurt though I probably wouldn’t try with any other flavor.
I tried this recipe today and it worked!! I must confess I used Lactaid whole milk and vanilla yogurt because that’s what I had but it turned out great! I was so excited that it worked so I will definitely do it again. Thank you so much!!!
Hi Jackie! I am so glad it worked! And it is so helpful that you shared you used Lactaid milk–that way people will know it works! Thanks for taking the time to share.
This morning I am making my fifth batch of yogurt since I first found this recipe. My family loves the taste and better cost and ingredients. One challenge is bringing the temp down after the boil function. It happens just very fast and even though I am checking the temperature every few seconds with my digital thermometer sometimes it can drop from 120 to under 100 F in seconds. At that point do I need to sautée to bring UP temp again or am I safe to proceed with adding starter etc??
You are fine at 100 degrees! I would not let it get below 100 degrees though. One thing that may help is once your milk reaches 120, take it out of the ice bath. It will still cool quickly, but may slow down just enough for you 🙂
Been making this for a few weeks now and I really enjoy this simple method! I strain it after the time of incubation is over for Greek style yogurt. I wonder how you might go about making this vanilla flavored yogurt, like what you would buy in the store? Just add vanilla extract you think? But love how easy this is.
I am so glad you love this recipe Felishia. I add in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract after incubation and setting up in the fridge. Store bought vanilla yogurt has a lot of added sugar, so you may need to add 1/4-1/3 cup maple syrup or honey or sugar to the yogurt. Some people like to add in 1 can sweetened condensed milk with the milk before incubating to sweeten. Hope that helps.
I just made this recipe. It’s a bit lumpy. Someone added tips below that I did not see above – could this be the reason? After I finished incubating the batch (I used whole milk), I immediately scooped it out into the strainer. Was I supposed to let it set in the fridge, then once it set, strain it? Not sure where I went wrong. Tastes and smells like yogurt, just not as creamy as I had hoped for.
Hi Trisha, yes, I would leave undisturbed for 8 hours before straining. Whisking the starter in well also helps prevent lumps. But for now, you can whisk it or blend the yogurt to get out the lumps 🙂 Enjoy!
Came out perfect first time. Just followed instructions. I had to buy new instant pot rings before I made it. Could not get the food smells out on the silicone ring. So I have a ring just for yogurt. Also saw you can just remove the ring when making yogurt.
I am so glad you had success Joseph!
I followed the instructions; however, the yogurt is very runny. It tastes good and is creamy, but would need to drink it. Where did I go wrong?
Hi Jennifer. It could have been several things. If you used skim milk, if you added your starter before the milk cooled to 115 degrees, or if your starter was bad. You can either strain the liquid or use the thin liquid to try to make yogurt again. I hope that helps.
If the things mentioned above aren’t the problem–or even if they are –there are a few other things you can do to thicken yogurt.
1. Let it sit in the IP for 5 min after boiling as stated above.
2. Some people say adding powdered milk helps to thicken it a lot. One site said it doesn’t help. I haven’t tried that yet. If I weren’t always making it Greek, I would.
3. Incubate longer. That slightly increases tanginess, but does make it thicker. I do 10.5 hours.
4. After incubation, turn off the IP and let it sit there for about an hour. Then carefully (without jostling it) take the inner pot out and let it sit on the counter for an hour or two until it reaches room temp.
5. Then–still without stirring the yogurt–carefully place the inner pot in your fridge for several hours. I shoot for 6 hours here.
6. Finally, straining it after all this to make Greek yogurt will thicken it a lot. If it ends up too thick, you can add some of that whey back in. If I strain 2% milk yogurt for 12 hours, I lose half the volume to whey. The good news is, that whey makes a great starter, and it’s good for other things too.
You can do some of these things, or all of them if you really want it thick. All are optional. They add time to the process, but no real effort.
Thank you for the additional tips!
Can you use less milk than the 1/2 gallon in the recipe, say a pint or a quart? I’d like to make a small batch first to make sure I really like it. 🙂
Hi Michelle! Yes a smaller amount works! I still find that using 1 tablespoon starter is smart though!
Thank you! I also love using FAGE plain yogurt as a starter.
I’m glad you mentioned this as I was just wondering if I could use Fage as a starter. Thanks!
Could you add fruit to this or add to finished product?
Hi Jess! Yes, after the yogurt is incubated, feel free to add in fruit.
If you want to keep it unmixed (I find it’s smoother and thicker that way, with out straining it to make Greek – why throw away whey goodness) – leave it in the pot (I have an extra one) and put it in the refrigerator. Take what you need and add the fruit when you’re about to eat it.
And – OMG! I’ve had an Instant Pot for years. And I’ve been making yogurt for years. I never thought the Instant Pot would make it as good as doing it the 5 step way. But it does! And it’s easier and quicker. And you can make a LOT of it at one time. My dash incubator only holds a quart.
Question – Can you put some water in the pot, then put individual glasses of mix in for the incubation? I don’t like to disturb it buy scooping it or handling it after it’s made.
Hi Karen! Isn’t Instant Pot yogurt SO MUCH easier? I love it as well! As for incubating in jars, you absolutely can. Pour your yogurt mixture into a heat safe glass jar(s) and place on the trivet of the Instant Pot. Just be sure to add 1 cup warm water to the inner pot as well–I like to make keep the water at 110-115 to match temperature of Instant Pot during incubation.
I usually do the yogurt in glass jars method because: 1) I use whole milk and 1/2 & 1/2 plus dried milk to make a Greek yogurt without having to strain. This scorches easily and I’m afraid it will scorch in the IP. So I just use the IP for incubating and it does an awesome job. I use three quart canning jars. It is yummy.
I tried regular yogurt in my IP once and I couldn’t get the milk up to 180° F. It got close, but no banana.
I’ve been making yogurt since the 1970s and am almost always disappointed with commercial yogurt. Homemade is so much better!
What is not in the instructions and I didn’t notice on the pot until it was too late is that the yogurt button needs to be pressed twice when it’s ready for the long haul. If it’s only pressed once, it is set to “less”. It should read “normal”. That’s why I’m giving this 2 stars. My first batch was drinkable because of that. Second batch was vastly better. All else in your instructions is fine.
Hi Linda! I updated the recipe to include that note so that no one will have that issue. 8 hour incubation is set to normal by default, but it may have been your pot had been reset. Sorry for that issue.
Thanks for the comment about the “Less” vs “normal” thing.
I tried yogurt for the first time yesterday and it turned out very chunky and runny.
After reading this comment I realized my pot was set on “Less”, even though set to 8 hours.
And that was WITH the edited recipe, lol, I just missed it.
I tried it again today , making sure it was set to 8 hrs on Normal, and I also added a little more starter yogurt, and it just finished and the finished yogurt is much thicker. I’ve just put the inner pot as is in the fridge, so I haven’t scooped any out to try it or check the consistency, but it seems better than the first time.
Do you know what the difference is between “Less” and “normal” on the yogurt setting? I’d have thought it only had to do with preset times, and that 8 hrs was 8 hrs, regardless of “less” or “normal”… but maybe normal is a higher temperature or something?
Hi Shawn, well glad after you caught your error, it turned out better 🙂 As for the low setting on the yogurt function, it is not for yogurt at all but used for a type of fermented pudding called Jiu Niang.
I have a duo evo plus and I CANNOT figure out how to get the boil feature with the yogurt button. It only has “custom” “pressurize” and ferment options…. Helppp lol
Do you mean pasteurize, not pressurize…that would be the same as boil function…heats the milk to a high temp to kill off bacteria.
I did mean pasteurize! Woops lol. So then would the ferment be the next stage? It doesn’t have a “normal” option. It is only high or low for fermentation..
Hi Carrie! Yes, pasteurize first, and then the high for fermentation. I am going to have to update the recipe card to reflect this newer model 🙂
Just read the comment that you have to hit the yogurt button twice to see boil on the screen. Just did it now. Hope it wasn’t in there too long before I did that. We’ll see. I think it should be in the instructions. I didn’t know it was that simple.
Hi Barbara. The directions stated to hit yogurt until it read boil, I updated to add this is usually two times. I hope that helps 🙂
Can I make yogurt with goats milks in the instant pot ?
Hi Cristy! I have personally not tried using goat milk. If you give it a try, report back to let others know 🙂
Hi there, yoghurt made in an instant pot vesus yoghurt made in mason jars in an instant pot? Do i have to make any adjustment in the recipes? Thank you so much for reading:-)
Hi Florence, I actually walk you through how to use mason jars for yogurt in this new Dairy Free Yogurt Post. Once you have heated and cooled your milk and added in your starter, divide the yogurt between mason jars. Place the trivet in the inner pot and then pour in 1 cup of water that is about 110 degrees and then place your jars on the trivet and incubate for 8-10 hours.
Question. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I can’t find anywhere what size pot you used. Can this be done in a 3 quartz instant pot? thanks.
Hi Ann! This recipe was made in a 6 quart instant pot, but you can make it in any size with a yogurt button (it will fit in 3 quarts!)
This is very new to me. Want to try it in my instant pot for the first time. What kind of prepared yogurt do you recommend to start with? Brand? Or if i decide to try a starter. What do you recommend? There are so many brands out there, reg and freeze dried…i have no idea!
TIA
Hi Aubrey! I personally prefer FAGE or Chobani plain Greek yogurt as my starter. You can purchase a small 4 ounce cup to get started. Enjoy!
Can nonfat yogurt be strained into Greek yogurt, or will it be too watery?
I strain it all the time Erin! You will be left with a smaller amount of Greek yogurt, as more water content will drain off, but totally doable.
So I was so excited after I made my first batch because it worked!! Wrote lots of notes for next time. Today was the second time I made it and was unsuccessful. I was so sure I REMEMBERED all the directions, I literally forgot one step. After the Boil function was completed, yogurt had reached the perfect 180 degrees. I stirred in my starter which was frozen. I can t remember if it was this website that i read you could freeze it for next time but that’s what i did. Anyway I whisked it in & then I FORGOT to do the cool down step. I set the Yogt function for 9 hours which worked well last time(we like it tangier), locked & sealed the lid. just opened after 9 hours & it was liquid not thick. I assume this was because i did not cool it down. but want to know if I can use that same milk again by any chance?? so to re-iterate the milk has been ‘cooking’ in the yogt function for 9 hours with the yogurt starter. Any thoughts?
Hi Joyce! First, yes you can use frozen starter. BUT you need to defrost it first. That is very important. So that may be the cause. You can try to repeat the process with the same milk, but I would add another batch of defrosted starter and be sure to let cool down as well.
You actually kill your starter bacteria if you add it to hot milk. It’s best if you let it not just thaw, but get it to room temp before adding it. I freeze mine flat in plastic bags so it thaws quickly, and bring it out at the beginning of the yogurt making process so it can get to room temp by the time it’s needed. I’ll hold it between my hands to speed this up if necessary.
Need to cool down your boiled milk to 108-110 before you blend in the the starter. I ladle some of the cooled milk to a bowl, add the starter and blend until smooth. Once that’s blended I add that to the rest of the cooled milk and blend. I then incubate 8-12 hours depending on tanginess flavor desired.