Follow this simple tutorial on how to make raw milk yogurt in the Instant Pot. Thick, creamy, and delicious, this raw milk yogurt recipe comes out perfect every time.
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We’ve been talking a lot about raw milk lately, and are continuing the series with how to make raw milk yogurt in the Instant Pot. This is – hands down – the best way to make it.
It is a really quick and no-fuss recipe. It is even faster than making yogurt with pasteurized milk since you do not have to heat up all of the milk.
The usual problem with raw milk yogurt is that it can be on the runny side, but ever since making it with this method and adding gelatin, it has been a game changer. I was inspired for this recipe by my friend Wardee at GNOWFIGLINS.
Thick and creamy yogurt every single time. The best part is the cream that floats to the top, which I sometimes like to scrape off and hide from the kids.
Honestly, I wish I could just make it with straight cream and not add the rest of the milk, but since that’s not how God intended it, that’s not the way we do it.
Now if you wanted to do straight cream, you could and make it into homemade sour cream.
This recipe has become a staple in our family, and we use it a variety of ways. We make simple breakfast parfaits by topping this yogurt with homemade rustic granola and fruit. Add it to smoothies, make sauces, and even bake with it.
There really is nothing better than homemade raw milk yogurt… Well, maybe just the straight cream.
Is homemade yogurt healthy?
Rich in probiotics, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, raw milk yogurt may be one of the earth’s most perfect foods. The probiotics in yogurt can benefit the gut microflora and help boost the immune system.
The live cultures may help those with digestive issues. Yogurt may also help reduce the risk of type two diabetes, certain types of cancer, blood pressure, cholesterol, and more (Source). Don’t you love when food not only tastes amazing, but also has great health benefits?
How long is raw milk yogurt good for?
Raw milk yogurt should stay good in the refrigerator for 10-14 days. If it lasts that long. Our kiddos gobble it up way sooner than 10-14 days.
What temperature is the yogurt setting on the Instant Pot?
The yogurt setting on the Instant Pot keeps a constant temperature at 106 to 113 degrees perfect for culturing yogurt. This consistent temperature makes making yogurt super easy and consistent.
What type of yogurt starter should I use?
There are a few different methods to culture raw milk yogurt, which I have tried and have gotten inconsistent results. The best and most consistent way to culture raw milk yogurt I have found, is from this yogurt starter from Homesteader’s Supply.
How long should I let my yogurt culture for?
Yogurt can be cultured anywhere from 8-24 hours. Yogurt needs at least 8 hours for the good bacteria to culture and thicken up. When yogurt is allowed to ferment for 24 hours, good bacteria has more time to proliferate and helps consume the lactose, allowing it to be easier to digest.
Yogurt fermented for 24 hours is suitable for a gut healing protocol, like GAPS.
Tools and supplies you will need:
Live culture- I have the best results with this one from Homesteader’s Supply.
Whisk
Glass lid (optional, but handy)
Measuring spoon
Glass storage container for yogurt – we usually store ours in a half-gallon mason jar.
Tips for making raw milk yogurt in the Instant Pot
- Add gelatin to make it thicker as raw milk yogurt tends to run on the thin side.
- Use a yogurt starter culture, rather than yogurt from another batch, to inoculate the next batch for better results.
- You don’t need to use the silicon seal on the lid. The silicon seal tends to harbor smells from any other meals you’ve made in the IP before.
- A second IP stainless steel insert and glass lid come in handy. That way you are only sacrificing your Instant Pot for the 24 hours during fermentation.
How To Make Raw Milk Yogurt In The Instant Pot
- Shake up the 1 gallon of raw milk to disperse cream.
- Add about 2 cups of milk to the Instant Pot. Click the sauté function or double press the yogurt button.
- Once the milk heats up, sprinkle 2.5 tablespoons of gelatin over it and whisk until dissolved.
- Turn the sauté function off.
- Add the remaining milk to the Instant Pot.
- Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon yogurt starter over the milk and mix well. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and slide it to seal.
- Press the yogurt button and set for at least 8-24 hours. 8 hours if you are in a hurry, or up to 24 hours for the most beneficial culturing time.
- When the yogurt is done fermenting, stir the cream that has risen to the top (or skim it off).
- Place a lid over the insert and refrigerate for a full 24 hours before serving.
Check out my other posts on raw milk
This post is part of a series on raw milk. We get so many questions from readers about our choice to drink raw milk. Check out our “Raw Milk Q&A” video and blog post, where I discuss why we choose to drink raw milk, the health benefits and risks of drinking it, and much more.
- How to Make Raw Milk Kefir
- How to Make Raw Milk Yogurt in the Instant Pot
- Why we Drink Raw Milk | RAW MILK Q&A
- How to Make Raw Milk Sour Cream
Homemade Raw Milk Yogurt In The Instant Pot Recipe Card
Raw Milk Yogurt
Thick, creamy, and delicious, this raw milk yogurt recipe comes out perfect every time.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon raw milk
- 1/8 tsp yogurt starter culture
- 2.5 tablespoons gelatin
Instructions
- Shake up the raw milk to disperse the cream.
- Add about 2 cups of raw milk to the Instant Pot. Click the sauté function or double press the yogurt button.
- Once the milk heats up, sprinkle 2.5 Tbs gelatin over it and whisk until dissolved.
- When the gelatin has dissolved, turn the sauté function off and press the yogurt button.
- Add the rest of the milk.
- Sprinkle yogurt starter over and mix well. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and switch it to seal. Set yogurt function for at least 8-24 hours.
- When the yogurt is done fermenting, stir the cream that has risen to the top (or skim it off). Refrigerate for a full 24 hours before enjoying.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 251Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 234mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 25gProtein: 18g
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Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says
Just this week I was thinking about making my own yogurt. Thanks for the inspiration!
Toni says
This is awesome! Had no idea it is so easy to make your own milk yogurt in an instant pot.
Marissa says
Made this, followed the recipe, ended up with fresh cheese on top and whey.??
wilhelmina says
I am loving being able to make large batches of yogurt in my instant pot! Great recipe!
Jeanine says
Can I add an equivalent amount of plain yogurt in lieu of the culture? I haven’t made yogurt in a few years and am out of the culture.
Lisa says
I find that works best when making conventional yogurt. I don’t have the best results doing that with raw milk yogurt.
Estella says
Why does the yogurt need to set a full 24 hours in the fridge before eating?
Lisa says
It gives the gelatin a chance to set up and thicken the yogurt.
Shelbie says
Hi LIsa, our IP doesn’t have a yogurt button, it has a porridge button…is that interchangeable?
Thank you,
Shelbie
Lisa says
No. I believe the porridge button is much hotter.
Olivia Randol says
I think you’re the BOMB DOT COM!!
Trying my hand at a lot of your recipes:)
I’ve made this but one of my yogurt jars got hidden in the fridge for now six weeks.
I don’t want to waste it… any ideas?
Vanessa says
The link for the yogurt starter is broken. What is the name of it so we can find it in the homesteader website?
Type A says
I was coming to ask the same thing. They have a few different kinds.
Cheryl says
Hi! I buy mine from Homesteader’s Supply.com..works beautifully!!
Alison says
What is the latest you can use raw milk to make yogurt? I’m on day 10 of my raw milk and need to order the starter and gelatin. I’m hoping it doesn’t go to waste! Looking forward to making this! Thank you for sharing!
Nicole says
Has your Instant Pot ever lost pressure at 7 hours? Mine did and Im not sure what to do at this point…..
Lisa says
It doesn’t need to come to pressure for yogurt.
Sandra Peters says
Hello!
I am really hoping to try this raw milk yogurt recipe!
When I klick your link for the yogurt culture, it says it’s not available… would you be able to help me out with that?!
Emily says
Can I keep a couple Tablespoons back from the yogurt I make with the powdered starter to use as the starter for the next batch? I have only ever used plain yogurt as the starter previously, but got the powdered starter to try using raw milk, so I’m curious if I could just use the plain raw milk yogurt that I’m making from your recipe as the starter perpetually. Thanks so much!
Lisa says
You can. I have found that the powdered culture gives more consistent results than reusing yogurt from the previous batch.
Patricia Adams says
Hi, can I half this recipe? So half a gallon of milk? I don’t usually have a full gallon of raw milk on hand. Thank you
Lisa says
Yes, that works!
patricia joanides says
I have a new 3qt instant pot. The yogurt setting only sets on High, will not reset to low. THe High setting is too hot for Raw Milk that i am using. How is Instant pot set to low temp setting to incubate raw milk to make Yogurt? Thanks for any suggestions.
melanie says
the link to the yogurt starter is no longer available. What type of starter was it from homesteadingsupply website?
Meggie says
Every other raw milk yogurt recipe for the instant pot I’ve read about says to heat to high temp (180) for 30 before fermenting. I figured this would kill what we love about our raw milk, but those writing the recipe claims it does not. Is there a reason you do not do this?
Amanda says
Hi! The link to your yogurt starter recommendation is broken…can you please list which one you recommend from Homesteader Supply? Thank you!!
Erika says
I looked on one of her youtube videos where she makes raw milk yogurt and there she links to the “danisco ABY-2C thermophilic” yogurt cultures!
Meg Hardess says
Thanks for that tip!!
Jolene says
Do I need to use the yogurt starter every time or can I use some of the leftover raw milk yogurt to make a new batch?
Haley says
Use the starter every time. I’ve heard that if you continue to use a bit of your old yogurt then you’ll end up with runny yogurt as the raw milk bacteria will kill off the culture over time.
Therese says
If I add gelatin, will I still be able to strain some
whey out to use for vegetable ferments?
Sarah says
Is it possible to freeze store bought yogurt in ice cube portions for the purpose of making raw milk yogurt at home?
Kayla says
I just tried making this for the first time yesterday and out power went out about 3 hours into the process for 8 hours. I started it back up once the power went back on, but I’m thinking I should just toss if and start over. Thoughts?
Lisa says
I would think it would be insulated enough to be fine! Also, all the good bacteria in there after 3 hours should make it ok. Personally, I wouldn’t toss it but that’s just me!
Sarah says
Do you need to use yogurt starter if you have yogurt with live cultures already? Is it necessary?
Jacqueline says
The link for the recommended yogurt culture no longer works, what is the specific name of the one you recommend? They have a few different on their site! Thanks
Erin says
Can you add vanilla to it at the end or the same times as the culture?
Lisa says
I usually wait until after it has cultured.
Morgan says
So excited to try! The link for the yogurt starter leads to a page that is no longer there; what is the name of the kind you use?
Sarah Davis says
The link for thr yogurt starter is no longer working. Do you have another source, or a name of the product you like?
Cortney Fowles says
Hi there. I finished but it’s still a bit watery. It’s that how it should be?? And I didn’t notice if high or low heat read on there?? I just pressed the button and let it run for 24 hours. Thanks for your help!
Lisa says
Is the liquid on top or it is just not very thick? Every once in a while you can get a batch that didn’t work well. If it is just not to your desired thickness, you could strain it through cheese cloth to make it more like Greek yogurt.
Katelin says
Could you just strain it in a cheese cloth instead of adding the gelatin?
Lisa says
Yes that should work.
Shannon says
If I wanted to adjust this recipe to use only a half gallon of milk, would the cook times and other ingredients be the same or halved?
Lisa says
Yes it would be the same amount of time and the other ingredients could be halved as well.
Rebecca says
Can you use a yogurt strainer instead of adding gelatin to get the thickness desired?
Lisa says
That should also work.
Ashley says
Hi! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us! I made the yogurt Saturday, followed every instruction. Cooked on yogurt setting for 23 hours and then cooled. The consistency was perfect – taste not so much. It tasted like sour – sour cream. Very tart and tangy. Any suggestions on what I did wrong or what I could do differently next time? Thank you so much!!
Lisa says
My kids think any longer than about 8-12 hours is too sour as well. We like to use the really sour yogurt in smoothies. I would suggest not letting it cook so long. That should help.
Mackenzie says
I attempted this recipe (with plain yogurt in lieu of the starter), and my yogurt turned out clumpy, as if the gelatin wasn’t properly dispersed. Could this be because of using plain yogurt? Or is it the result more clumpy and jello-like?
Lisa says
It very well could be. I find that using yogurt as a starter doesn’t give as consistent results as compared to a starter. You could use an immersion blender to get it smooth and creamy again.
Lisa says
Mine turned out clumpy using yogurt starter so my guess is it’s the gelatin.
Allison Cook says
What type of yogurt starter do you recommend? The link you have says the product is no longer available. Thanks!
Lisa says
This one should work well. https://culturesforhealth.com/collections/yogurt/products/traditional-flavored-yogurt-starter
Dee says
What’s the name of the yogurt starter you use? The link doesn’t work & they sell 3 different kinds. Thank you.
Lisa says
Sorry about that! The link should be fixed now! Here is the one I use: https://www.homesteadersupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=234_170&products_id=2839
Kathy says
I see that the raw milk starter linked here is no longer available. Any other recommendations? TIA
Lisa says
Sorry about that! Here is the raw milk yogurt starter I use: https://www.homesteadersupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=234_170&products_id=2839
Natashia says
The yogurt starter seems to be no longer available, is there another you would reccommend? Thank you!
Lisa says
Sorry about that! Here is the one I’d recommend: https://www.homesteadersupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=234_170&products_id=2839
Becca says
I have an Instant Pot that doesn’t have a yogurt button. Any ideas on how to make yogurt with this one? A different setting, or not possible?
Thanks so much. Our source for raw milk is fairly expensive, so the yogurt is even more expensive. Definitely worth it, but I think it would be more cost effective for me to make it. At least worth trying.
Thanks for your help.
Lisa says
I think there would be better options. Have you looked into Kate from Venison for Dinner’s cooler option? She shares it on her IG.
Kelly Bruns says
Thanks for the recipe. I finally got my hands on some raw milk, and I’m excited to make yogurt. I have seen that some people use their dehydrator to make yogurt. Do you happen to know if that would work with this recipe?
Lisa says
It should. I would think you would need to heat the milk on the stove first before adding the culture and then placing it in jars in the dehydrator.
Mary says
Hi Lisa, on steps 2/3, what temperature are you heating the milk to? Thanks so much for this recipe!!
Lisa says
Just hot enough to dissolve the gelatin. Those 2 cups of milk will no longer be raw, but the rest will!
Megan says
Hi Lisa, can you use this same recipe for raw goats milk yogurt? Thanks!
Lisa says
I would think that would work just fine. It should be the same process.
Heather says
How does your family like to eat this yogurt? I just made some! But we weren’t in the habit of even buying yogurt.
Lisa says
We eat it as a snack a lot with fruit and granola. We also add it to smoothies.
Meggie says
Can I use whey in place of the starter you recommend?
Lisa says
I’m not sure… Never tried it. Google says it would work, but since I’ve never done it I couldn’t tell you if I would recommend it or not.
Missy says
What if you don’t have the name brand InstaPot with a yogurt function?
Lisa says
I haven’t personally tried it, but it should work the same.
Teresa says
I always heard you have to heat milk to 180*. Why would you need to do that for store bought milk but not raw? I thought with raw milk it would be even more necessary. Please inform as I loath the process of cooling the milk down. 😁
Lisa says
The point of heating it to 180 is to kill any of the competing bacteria that could be in milk so that way you are left with a more consistent product. Raw milk on the other hand has a lot of beneficial properties including beneficial bacteria, so many people want to eat/drink it raw. So this is a way to keep it raw and still enjoy yogurt.
Megan says
Hi Lisa! I just tried this recipe out and I am thrilled with the results so far! I did have a question though – how long do you let your yogurt strain after chilling it in the fridge? Mine has been straining for about for almost 24 hours now and it’s only drained maybe 1/2 cup of whey. It’s no where near the cheese like consistency I saw yours was in your Instagram reel! Do you know why it’s taking so long? Thank you!
Lisa says
To get more whey out, put something heavy on top like a mason jar with a lid filled with water. You can also squeeze out some of the whey. Here is the greek yogurt cream cheese post: https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/greek-yogurt-cream-cheese
Rachel says
Hi Lisa!
I’m so excited to try this but had a question about the Instant Pot. My Yogurt function has three options: Low (91 degrees), Medium (109), and High (180). Which do you think is appropriate for this recipe?
Thank you! Congrats on your precious baby boy!
Lisa says
Oh interesting. I think mine goes to 180 which kills off any competing bacteria which can result in a more consistent product. If you are wanting your milk to still be considered raw, you could do 109 degrees.
Emiley Wiley says
My IP doesn’t have a yogurt setting, what setting would you recommend?
Lisa says
I would check out Kate from Venison for Dinner’s cooler option. She shares it on her IG and blog.
Amanda says
Love this! I’m new to raw milk and made this today! Question I have is I left my lid on vent… is that ok? I didn’t use the seal. Also, if I strain it, can I use the whey as a starter for the next batch?
Thank you soo much!!
Lisa says
Should be totally fine. You could use some of the yogurt for the next batch. Although, I prefer using a culture each time because it gives more consistent results.