I admit that I long avoided the Instant Pot’s yogurt function. (I made yogurt with my stovetop and oven, old-fashioned style.) But curiosity — and weeks of following threads in Instant Pot communities on Facebook — got the best of me. I’m so glad it did, because Instant Pot yogurt is truly a marvel.

Perhaps the best part is that you can make your yogurt just the way you like it — thin and creamy, thick and Greek-like, and everything in between. Prefer vanilla-flavored or sweetened yogurt? It can do that, too. Here’s how to make Instant Pot yogurt.

Why you’ll love it

What’s the difference between cold start and boil yogurt?

Cold start and boil methods will both give you easy, delicious yogurt from the Instant Pot. The primary differences lie in the milk used and the start-up time — after that, both take about the same time to incubate in the Instant Pot.

In terms of flavor and texture, some folks prefer to cold start because it’s a little thicker and tangier right out the gate, but you can incubate it for longer for more thickness and tang too. We’re sharing the basic boil method here so anyone, anywhere can make yogurt with whatever milk is available to them.

What’s the best milk for Instant Pot yogurt?

How can I enhance my yogurt’s texture and flavor?

The following recipe has three optional ingredients to enhance your yogurt: heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. You can use them all together, or one or more in-tandem.

How can I tell when my Instant Pot yogurt is done?

After boiling and cooling, you’ll add a bit of live yogurt to your milk, then set the whole thing to cook on low for several hours — this is the incubation period. We recommend a cooking time of seven to eight hours, but your yogurt will thicken in as little as three hours (at that point, it will be thin and taste milkier and sweeter than store-bought yogurt).

At eight hours, it generally has a nice thickness and just the right amount of sour tang — exactly what you’d expect from traditional whole-milk yogurt. Push it a little longer (about 10 hours), and you’ll get a thick and tangy yogurt (just know that the yield decreases a bit the longer you cook it).

Be gentle when checking your yogurt’s doneness and use a clean spoon each time. Agitation can lead to clumping or looser yogurt.

How do I cool and store Instant Pot yogurt?

After the long cook is done, you’ll want to chill your yogurt before moving it to long-term storage. Three to four hours is the minimum, but an overnight chill is ideal. Keep in mind that your yogurt will thicken a bit more as it cools.

Transfer the yogurt to individual containers for easy eating, or to an airtight container for long-term storage. Instant Pot yogurt lasts about two weeks in the fridge.

Oh, and be sure to save a bit of your Instant Pot yogurt for the next time you want to make yogurt. You can use it in place of the starter yogurt.

Instant Pot Yogurt

Makes about 2 quarts; serves 6 to 8

8 cups (1/2 gallon) milk, preferably whole (but any kind will work)

2 tablespoons plain yogurt (ingredient list should include “live cultures”)

Optional add-ins:

1/4 to 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Since we’re going to be growing a culture in it, it is super important that a 6 or 8-quart Instant Pot’s stainless steel, lid, and sealing ring are nice and clean. Hot soapy water and a hot rinse before drying with a clean kitchen towel should do the trick.

2. Pour 8 cups milk into the Instant Pot. Lock the lid in place but leave the pressure valve open (you can also cover with a glass lid if you have one). Press the yogurt button until it says boil, then press start. It will take 25 to 35 minutes, and the Instant Pot will beep when the boiling cycle is complete. Stay close, as your model may take more or less time to come to temperature.

3. Use a thermometer to test the milk’s temperature, it should be around 180 F. Remove the insert and let cool at room temperature until the milk is 110 F, about 1 hour. Alternatively, you can cool the mixture by filling your sink with ice water and gently submerging the bottom of the insert in the ice water — this will take about 10 minutes.

4. If a skin has formed on top, remove and discard it. Transfer 1 cup of the warm milk to a small bowl, then stir in 2 tablespoons plain yogurt and any desired add ins. Return the yogurt mixture to the Instant Pot and whisk gently to combine. Return the insert to the Instant Pot (make sure the bottom is dry if you used the water cooling method).

5. Lock the lid in place but leave the pressure valve open again. Press the yogurt button once more until it reads 8:00 (8 hours), then press start. This will begin a count up clock on the incubation period. After about three hours the yogurt will begin to thicken. Start checking the thickness and flavor at about six hours by gently dipping a spoon into the yogurt. Avoid mixing the yogurt while it cooks, or you’ll have very loose yogurt. Eight hours of cooking will yield perfectly thickened and delightfully tangy yogurt — about what you’d expect from typical whole-milk yogurt. You can continue to cook the yogurt for two hours more for thicker, tangier yogurt.

6. Remove the insert and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled through, at least four hours or up to overnight, the yogurt will thicken slightly more when chilled. Transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to two weeks. Remember to save some of this yogurt to use as the yogurt starter if you plan on making more yogurt in the near future.

(Meghan Splawn is a contributor to TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)

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