Thick, creamy homemade Instant Pot cold start yogurt. Endless possibilities of add ins for this easy breakfast staple.
Looking for a grab and go breakfast? Make this the night before and pack in containers for a great quick on the go breakfast item.
Looking for other sweet recipes? Check this one out.
Instant Pot yogurt has been a popular recipe on the internet. Many of the recipes called for boiling the milk and multiple steps to get to your finished product. As a busy mom I wanted to find a quicker and easier way to do it. I did some research online and found just that. In comes Freida of Freida Loves Bread. She has a super simple recipe for cold start yogurt.
What is Instant Pot cold start yogurt?
Yogurt is made from the fermentation of milk. Traditionally, you would heat the milk to denature the proteins to prevent curdling. However, this recipe made it much simpler. Cold start refers to just that, using cold milk to start this yogurt. No boiling required. WINNER!
I tried Freida’s recipe and loved it. I make a pot of this at least every other week. I will make a plain batch, then let my kids add all the fixings. They love to add granola, honey, fresh fruit, and vanilla extract.
Let’s talk about the benefits of homemade yogurt
- It’s CHEAPER, that in and of itself would be enough for me
- You can control how much sugar is added in
- Less preservatives
- And I actually prefer the taste of this homemade yogurt recipe
What type of milk can I use?
Since this method is a cold start you need to be sure to use an ultra filtered milk. I like using Fairlife. Fairlife milk uses a cold filtration with five different filters. This helps concentrate the milk and remove impurities. There is 50% more protein, 30% more calcium, and less sugar than normal milk. This makes it perfect for a cold start yogurt.
My first attempt at cold start yogurt I just used regular 2% milk. This did not set up well and was very watery. I highly recommend sticking with the ultra filtered milks.
Is Fairlife lactose free?
YES!
What type of of ultra filtered milk can I use?
- Whole milk
- 2%
- 1%
- Skim
- And even chocolate
What ingredients do I need to make Instant Pot cold start yogurt?
- Yogurt or yogurt starter
- Ultra filtered milk
- (Yes that’s it!)
What is a yogurt starter?
Yogurt starters are made of a live blend of bacteria that are used to convert milk into yogurt. In this recipe you can use either a yogurt starter or a couple tablespoons of store bought yogurt.
What types of yogurts work well as yogurt starters?
Pick a yogurt that tastes good to you. I like Fage. You can also use Oikos, Chobani or other Greek types of yogurts. After you make a batch of yogurt you can freeze small portions to be used as yogurt starters next time around.
How much yogurt starter do I need?
This recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of a store bought yogurt of your choice.
What can I use to sweeten this yogurt?
I make my yogurt plain and then leave the option to add in other ingredients once completed. Prior to making you could add sweetened condensed milk or creamer. Once yogurt is done you can add honey, agave, vanilla, sugar.
How long do I cook the yogurt?
7-10 hours. The longer the yogurt ferments the more tangy the taste becomes. I enjoy the flavor at the 8 hour mark.
How to make Instant Pot cold start yogurt?
Whisk together milk and yogurt until well combined. I use Fairlife Skin milk and Fage total 0% yogurt. Pour into the Instant Pot. Set to yogurt setting on normal for 8 hours. This process does not pressurize the Instant Pot so you can use the glass lid if you would like. Once the 8 hours is up remove inner pot. You can check the thickness of your yogurt by placing a spoon vertically into the yogurt. A good consistency will allow the spoon to remain upright in the yogurt. Cover the inner pot with a napkin and plastic wrap. Chill for 3-4 hours or until cold. You can use a yogurt strainer to remove excess whey (the liquid in the yogurt) to thicken up your yogurt. Mix in toppings of you choice. I enjoy honey, granola, fruits. Enjoy!
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Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 52 fluid ounces Fairlife skim milk or the ultra filtered milk of your choice
- 2 tablespoons Fage total 0% or the yogurt starter of your choice
Instructions
- Whisk milk and yogurt starter to combine.
- Pour into Instant Pot.
- Set to yogurt setting for 7-10 hours.
- Once completed, remove inner pot and cover with a napkin and plastic wrap.
- Place in refrigerator for 3-4 hours or until cold.
Nutrition
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Love this recipe? Please give it a 5 star rating.
I didn’t realize difference between cold start and the boil method, and just tried the cold start method but used regular 2 percent milk. Was trying to find what happens when do this, found your site and you mentioned you had made it and was more watery. Could you still eat it? Was it safe to eat it?
Hi Rachel. It was ok to eat, but it was like watery yogurt. No so yummy.
Hi, Have you tried yogurt with coconut milk? If so what kind if coconut milk?
Love your recipes!
Hi Carmen. Thank you! I have not tried it. Not sure if it will set. Let me know if you try it. Have a great day.