How to Make Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt
I first started making this dairy-free coconut yogurt back in 2014. When my daughter was born, she had a Milk and Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI, for short), meaning that even the slightest bit eaten by me would come through my breastmilk and cause her incredible stomach upset. It only lasted six months, but in that time, I discovered that my body functions better without dairy. It was confirmed later when I did my time on the AIP diet to find food intolerance.
That's how I discovered the amazing versatility of cashew cream. And that's when I started making my own dairy-free Instant Pot coconut yogurt. It's such a great AIP breakfast option (or any dairy-free diet).
Why should I make this coconut yogurt recipe?
Making yogurt in the Instant Pot (dairy-free or otherwise) is so incredibly fool-proof. If you've ever been intimidated by making your own yogurt before, the Instant Pot is your answer. It makes it so hands-off and so simple-it's honestly almost easier than just going to the store to buy premade coconut yogurt.
And my gosh, can you save some serious cash by making your own yogurt at home-especially the dairy-free stuff. At our local grocery store, a five-ounce cup of coconut milk yogurt runs about $1.99. You can make an entire quart-32 ounces worth-of Instant Pot coconut yogurt for less than $4. It'd cost you $12.74 to buy that much pre-made! And when you go through as much yogurt as we do, that adds up fast.
Another (huge) added benefit: you can control everything about your yogurt-the thickness, the tanginess, and most importantly to me, the probiotic levels. Most store-bought yogurts are barely fermented at all-some sources say that yogurt from the store can be fermented for as little as one hour! One hour does not get you much healthy bacteria, but you know what does? Using your Instant Pot to ferment for 24 hours or more. Yogurt that is fermented for 24 hours has more healthy probiotics per cup than any over-the-counter probiotic pill-we're talking billions of good guys helping to keep your gut happy! And it's way more delicious than popping a pill.
Are there any drawbacks to making Instant Pot coconut yogurt?
The one caveat with Instant Pot coconut yogurt-it's never going to get as thick as cow's or goat's milk yogurt without some help. That's because coconut milk just doesn't have the lactose and proteins that transform the texture when fermented.
How do I make thick, creamy homemade coconut yogurt?
If you love good thick yogurt like I do, I highly recommend using any or all of these three ways to get there:
- Use the right coconut milk. Full-fat coconut milk from the can (not "Lite" coconut milk or the coconut milk from the refrigerated cartons) is going to give you the thickest, creamiest yogurt. In fact, if you can find straight-up coconut cream (this is what I usually use), you're going to get the best results.
- Go for a long ferment. Yes, coconut milk won't thicken like cow's milk during fermentation, but it will thicken some. The baseline time I recommend to turn your milk into yogurt is eight hours-but that's not going to thicken your yogurt at all. If you set your fermentation time for closer to 24 or even 36 hours, you're going to get a naturally thicker yogurt.
- Use a thickener and chill. This is absolutely optional, but I usually thicken my yogurt using unflavored beef gelatin (I've also had good results using agar agar for a vegan version). I just add enough to give it a little bit of body-and not turn it into yogurt Jello-and then I chill until completely cold.
It might take you a bit of experimentation to figure out the right combo that makes your family happy. But once you land on it, you'll never go back to buying yogurt again!
What kind of starter do I need for this coconut yogurt recipe?
When you're making your yogurt, you will need to inoculate your batch with either yogurt starter culture or pre-made plain yogurt from the store. I've done both, and they both turn out beautifully. If you choose to use a yogurt starter, this Yogourmet starter is my absolute favorite*. It has very specific strains of bacteria that are great for your tum-tum-my naturopath has actually recommended I eat yogurt only when it's made with the strains in this yogurt starter to protect my gut health.
(*Please note: this starter contains skim milk powder. If you're looking for a completely dairy-free way to start your batch of coconut yogurt, you'll want to use a different starter or a dairy-free yogurt with live active cultures like we mention below!)
The way easier (and cheaper) route is to use premade yogurt as your starter. Just take three tablespoons of whatever plain yogurt you'd like (dairy, soy, coconut, almond-all fine) that has live, active cultures in it-and whisk that in to innoculate your batch of yogurt. Then, when your batch is done, reserve about ¼ cup of it to make your next batch. You'll never have to buy yogurt again! It's the gift that keeps on giving.
What if I don't have an Instant Pot?
Of course, you absolutely don't have to have an Instant Pot to make yogurt. You can do it in the slow cooker or on a heating pad (my preferred method pre-Instant Pot) or even under the light in your oven-basically, any way you can consistently keep your yogurt around 100°F for 8-36 hours while it ferments will do the trick. The Instant Pot just makes keeping the temperature there SO FLIPPING SIMPLE. It removes all the variables and just makes for perfect yogurt every. single. time. Happy yogurtmaking!
How do I flavor or sweeten homemade coconut yogurt?
When the yogurt is finished and cooled is a great time to stir in any sweetener (or this pumpkin butter recipe!) or flavoring like vanilla extract or honey.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 quart full-fat canned or boxed coconut milk I get best results from this coconut cream, but any full fat coconut milk will work
- ¼ cup maple syrup do not sub in honey-it has its own bacteria that will fight the yogurt culture
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt with live active cultures dairy, soy, coconut, almond-all fine OR one packet of freeze dried yogurt culture (I like this one)
- OPTIONAL THICKENER: 1 to 2 teaspoons unflavored grass-fed beef gelatin OR ½ to 1 teaspoon powdered agar agar
Instructions
- Pour the coconut milk and maple syrup into the pot of the Instant Pot. Whisk well, then press the "Yogurt" button, and then adjust the setting until you see "boil." Let the Instant Pot run through the process (it's getting the milk up to a temperature of around 185°F), whisking occasionally. No need to place the lid on the Instant Pot during this stage.
- When the Instant Pot beeps that it is finished, allow the milk to cool until it is between 100ºF and 110ºF. This can take upwards of an hour.
- If using starter yogurt: When the milk is at the correct temperature, ladle out about ½ cup of the warm milk into a small bowl, and whisk with the 3 tablespoons plain starter yogurt until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the Instant Pot and whisk well.
- If using freeze-dried yogurt culture: When the milk is at the correct temperature, sprinkle on one packet of the starter culture and then whisk very well to combine.
- If using a thickener, sprinkle on top of the warm milk, and then whisk very well to combine.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot (no need to seal), and press the "Yogurt" button. Adjust the setting until you see the time display. Set for the desired amount of fermentation time. Eight hours is bare minimum, but I *much* prefer yogurt that has been fermented closer to 24-36 hours. This results in a naturally thick and tangy yogurt-very like regular Greek yogurt. Plus, it has more probiotics! (See notes for more info about time and temp)
- When the fermenting time is up, transfer the yogurt to a glass storage container (I use a wide mouth quart jar) and keep in the fridge. It will thicken up considerably as it cools.
Video
Notes
- If you like thicker, Greek-style yogurt, I recommend using either the gelatin or the agar agar. However, if you want to leave those our, the longer you ferment, the thicker the yogurt gets naturally.
- If you do use the thickeners, the upper range will get you a thicker, Greek-style yogurt, while the lower will just thicken to a "normal" yogurt consistency.
- Since coconut milk doesn't have the same kind of sugars that cow's milk has, the added maple syrup is to give the bacteria a jump-start meal-they eat almost all the sugars and the resulting yogurt isn't sweetened at all.
- My favorite starter (linked in the post and the recipe above) contains skim milk powder. If you're looking for a completely dairy-free way to start your batch of coconut yogurt, you'll want to use a different starter or a dairy-free yogurt with live active cultures.
- Some people recommend using opened probiotic capsules as yogurt starter, and it can work-depending on your probiotic. Proceed with caution though, as some can make yogurt taste really not good.
- When you spoon your yogurt into a container for storage, make sure to reserve a little bit for the next batch of yogurt in a small jar (I just fill one of these quarter-pints). That way, you'll never be without yogurt starter.
- I love my Thermapen for yogurt-making (and honestly, everything else in the kitchen), but if you don't have a thermometer, it's not a big deal. Another trick is to place a (clean!) finger in the milk-when you can hold your finger in the milk while counting to ten, it's cool enough to pitch in the yogurt starter.
- Some folk in the comments mentioned that their Instant Pot only maintained the desired yogurt fermentation temperature (around 110°F) when set for up to 8 hours. Set for longer than 8 hours, their IP used a lower temperature (around 88°F). Our IP doesn't adjust the temperature in this way, so please check your owner's manual before choosing your time setting!
Nutrition
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Thanks for the recipe. Unfortunately after 24 hours I opened the lid to find mold pooled in the corner of the instant pot and otherwise the mixture was still more sauce than yogurt in consistency. Not sure what I did wrong.
Hi James! I'm so sorry this didn't work out on your first go! Without more info, it's hard to say for sure what may have happened. It's possible that your starter culture didn't take off, which could mean either the starter was bad or the temperature wasn't quite right. What type of starter culture did you use? To double-check the temperature, we recommend checking your Instant Pot manual for the specific details about the yogurt settings on your IP. With so many different models out there now, that's the best way to be sure your setup is correct!
Hi there! What does the shelf like on this look like? Would it differ from regular dairy homemade yogurt? And can you freeze the small amount you reserve to make another batch?
Hi Sierra! Because of the high amount of good bacteria in this, the shelf life would be about the same as regular yogurt. We've never tried freezing any for the next batch, but we don't see why it wouldn't work!
After 25 hrs it is still liquid consistency.
I did realize it was on low instead of normal, so I am letting it go longer on the normal setting (added a bit more starter
What consistency should it be after? Or do i just need to start a new batch?
Hi Sarah! We've heard from other folks with similar IP models that the temperature setting on low is for something other than yogurt. Check your manual to be sure, but others have reported back that normal is the correct setting for yogurt (when your Instant Pot gives you more than one option—ours only has one!).
You’ll have to use your best judgement about whether or not to start a new batch. Even if the end result isn’t thick, it may still have fermented. If it smells tangy like yogurt but is thin like kefir it may still be okay. But if there’s any indication of discoloration or mold or an off smell or anything that would obviously point to it having gone off, it’s best to throw it out and start again.
Followed this recipe to the letter. Used coconut cream, maple syrup, coconut yoghurt and gelatine according to directions. Fermented for 24 hours. DID NOT TURN OUT! Directions say not to seal but every recipe says to seal so I’m guessing that’s what’s happened here. Sadly a waste of time and money. So disappointing.
So sorry to hear your yogurt didn't turn out, Joe! Our Instant Pot requires the seal to be open when using the yogurt setting—most do. If you think yours might be different, you should follow the manufacturer's recommendations in your user manual. I don't think that was the issue here, though, so if you'd like to troubleshoot further, we'll be happy to help! Did the coconut yogurt that you used as a started have active live cultures? Was your finished yogurt tangy but thin? Or was something else the matter? With a bit more info I can offer more suggestions to improve your next result! =)
Hello!
Thank you for posting this recipe. We love coconut yogurt at our house! I am curious if you have found any other yogurt starters/packets? The one that you have linked on Amazon contains milk. When I checked the ingredients list it clearly stated it.
Thanks!
Hi Donn! This is the only starter packet we've used. We'll be updating the post to make it clear that it contains milk. We recommend either shopping around for a starter packet that's specifically dairy-free or using a pre-made, dairy-free yogurt with live active cultures from the grocery store to make your batch.
Hi! Just a head up the freeze dried starter you recommended contains milk. It took a bit on reading to find it in the Amazon listing. Since you mentioned that you working on this when avoiding milk due to allergies, maybe notate that this one contains milk.
Thanks, Lisa! We'll update the post to make that clear!
Thank you for the instructions in making coconut yogurt. I made a batch yesterday incubating for 36 hours. I used the canned cocnut milk, maple syrup and getatin. Used cocnut yogurt from store for the staarter.. (Used the instant pot), I used canning jars and refrigerrated the prepared yogurt overnight. This morning the coconut yogurt had a hardened top about a half inch. Remving the hardened top, I found a delicious THICK yogurt. Can you explain why the yogurt had this hardened top. and is this something to whisk into the yogurt or not.
Hi Ivalo! We haven't had that happen before so we're not sure what to recommend. Coconut milk often does this in the can, where the cream will harden on top and needs to be reincorporated. Maybe the yogurt needed to be whisked together before adding it to the jars to cool? Our best recommendation is to see if it happens again the next time you make it and go from there. If you still need help troubleshooting, we'll be here! =)
Hi there! Just wondering if any here has tried xatham gum instead of gelatin?
Hi Tanya! We haven't tried this with xatham gum, but we have tested it with agar agar and it works well. If you give it a try with xantham gum, please let us know how it turns out for you!
Hi, I made this recipe and used some homemade dairy yogurt as the starter. I did it for 22.5 hrs in the instapot. It came out with a slightly sour smell and taste. Is that how it's supposed to be? I did the boil portion first but I'm not sure it got up to 180'. Would that make it spoil?
Hi Kelly! Yup—the yogurt should be slightly sour in smell and taste (especially with the long fermentation time). Think: very tangy greek yogurt! If you don't care for the amount of tanginess in this batch, a shorter fermentation time will help with that!
I made this 3 times and it was too runny even after 24 hrs. and refrigeration. I looked at other recipes to see what I could do to improve it and I noticed in other recipes that the brand of agar agar makes a difference and the brand I had said to use 1 tsp per cup. I added a 2nd tsp and tried again and it was a little thicker. I will add yet another tsp and try again and do less than 24 hrs. because I want mine to be a little less tangy.
Thanks so much for coming back to share your adjustments, Dawn—that's super helpful for everyone! We really appreciate you taking the time. It sounds like you're on your way to your perfect yogurt. Let us know how the next batch turns out!
If you add the gelatin in during the first step (boil) it will thicken. My understanding of gelatin is that it must be heated to work correctly. The yogurt function will not heat it up enough.
Hi, Amanda! You may have gelatin mixed up with cornstarch and flour. It's best to avoid boiling gelatin, so you don't weaken the gel (the proteins denature when heated too high or for too long). Gelatin needs to bloom in water to hydrate the protein, and then it thickens as it cools. Cornstarch and flour need to be heated to activate their thickening power fully. I hope this helps!
Hi!
So I’m curious if you even need to have maple syrup when you begin the starter.
And is there any other alternative to maple syrup I could use? I have Lakanto Maple flavored Monkfruit syrup…. Could o use that at all?
My son has an allergen to dairy, and my mom does too, and she has made this/your recipe multiple times, and even though she has had times of mess up with this recipe, she really nails it and adds some vanilla extract powder and even Chia Seeds to thicken it even more! It seems like it’s magic!
Hi Gretchen! The maple syrup is the food for the starter culture so you definitely need it. If you want to swap it for a different sweetener, you need to make sure it's a caloric sweetener in order for it to work. I believe monkfruit syrup is a non-caloric sweetener so it wouldn't be a good choice for this recipe, unfortunately.
I’m not sure if I ruined my yogurt. When pressed yogurt to boil it was on the more setting..does it need to be normal setting? Then after it cooled and I pressed yogurt button to incubate for 24 hrs it was on low setting. Should it have been in normal? Is it not safe to eat? Idk if that’s why it didn’t thicken and isn’t creamy
Hi, Krista! Unfortunately, none of our Instant Pots have the “Less” or “Normal” option when we press our Yogurt buttons. It’s possible that you have a different model than we do, in which case your best option for answering that question would be to check out your user manual. There will be instructions in there on how best to make yogurt using the yogurt function on your particular model and that should help you with troubleshooting! If you give it a read and you’re still confused, let us know and we’ll try to help you get it sorted.
We have had another reader comment about their model, and while we don't know if this is the same one as you have, it night help: "I tried this and it did not work at all. It was like kefir even with the thickener. For those of you having issues, check that you have the instant pot on the “more” setting. My yogurt function has a “more” and “less” setting. I had it on the “less” setting which turns out it’s for making a fermented rice dish and only keeps it at 80-85F. The “more” setting is the yogurt temp. Sad that I wasted a whole lot of time, but I guess I know now."
As for whether or not your yogurt is safe to eat, we couldn't possibly say for sure. You'll have to use your best judgement. Even if the end result isn't thick, it may still have fermented. If it smells tangy like yogurt but is thin like kefir it may still be okay. But if there's any indication of discoloration or mold or an off smell or anything that would obviously point to it having gone off, it's best to throw it out and start again.
I’m really looking forward to trying this. Any concerns about using the metal pot instead of a ceramic pot?
Hi, Dana! The metal pot is what we have in ours and it always works well!
Help please! My ‘yogurt’ doesn’t look right at all. It’s separated and the skin on top is slightly brown… any ideas what I’ve done wrong?
Can you use probiotic tablets instead of the freeze dried powder?
Hi, Alana! We have a note at the bottom of the recipe card about that. Basically, you can but you have to be careful because not all probiotic capsules work and some can even make the finished yogurt taste off. Here's the full note: "Some people recommend using opened probiotic capsules as yogurt starter, and it can work—depending on your probiotic. Proceed with caution though, as some can make yogurt taste really not good." So it may take some trial and error to find a capsule that works and doesn't add any off-putting flavors. That's why we recommend using either a yogurt starter culture or pre-made yogurt from the store as the starter. Hope this helps!
I’ve made this twice and it didn’t turn out, I followed the recipe as above and it is more like kefir. Fermented for 36 hours. So I tried it a third time and thought I added the agar agar to help it thinker up. Nope it was like water and it separated. I have it a good shake and put it in the fridge over night. Open it the next morning to taste it and it was the nastiest tasting stuff I ever had. I through out three glass mason jars out. I don’t know what I did wrong. That batch was really expensive to make.
Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you, Betty Ann! If you'd like to troubleshoot the recipe further, we're here to answer any questions you may have. You can always reply here or send us an email with more details.
Can the yogurt be strained? I have a strainer I use for normal yogurt but would love to try this coconut version
Hi, Bethany! We haven't tried straining it ourselves, but we think it might work if you have a yogurt strainer. It will likely be too thin for anything else, but could work in that. If you try it, please let us know how it turns out!
What a complex process...
I just take a brick of coconut cream poor it in the instant pot, add the cultures of yoghurt, steer, close the pot with a glass lid, select yoghurt 6 hours when I added yoghurt or 10 hours when it's a fresh culture and that's it... Always beautiful yoghurt!!
If I use a starter almond yogurt that says “fermented”, does that mean it has live active cultures? I don’t have any other choices where I live so hoping that will work!
Hi, Hannah! If your yogurt has live active cultures, they should be labelled as such somewhere on the container. Some fermented yogurts are processed in ways that can kill the live cultures (such as heating), so not all fermented yogurts automatically have live active cultures in them.
If you check the ingredient list on your container, you should find the live active cultures listed there or just below the ingredients. If you don't see them listed anywhere on the container, then your yogurt might not have them and it may not work as a starter for you, unfortunately.
HI,
what is the temperature for the fermatation time? 110 F ?
Hi, Marina! Yes, you want to keep the the temperature at 110°F for the duration of your fermentation time. That's one of the reasons we like making yogurt with our Instant Pot so much—it makes that easy peasy!
Last time I let my yogurt go 18 hours and I got a pink layer on the top and had to throw it out!