This homemade yogurt recipe produces creamy, delicious yogurt using simple ingredients and straightforward steps. It makes a healthy snack or breakfast and is easy to adapt to your tastes.
Yogurt is a versatile food—perfect for breakfast bowls, smoothies, sauces, or a quick snack. Making it at home is surprisingly easy, economical, and rewarding. Once you try homemade yogurt, you may prefer it to store-bought versions. Below I explain why homemade yogurt is worth making and provide a clear Instant Pot method.
For more breakfast ideas, try my homemade cinnamon rolls and other comforting recipes.
Why You Should Make Homemade Yogurt (And How to Do It)
I wasn’t always a yogurt fan—store-bought varieties often seemed too sweet or too tart. After learning how to make yogurt from scratch, I make it weekly. My method uses only a few ingredients and an Instant Pot for convenience. Here are the main reasons to make yogurt at home.
- Simpler than you think – Homemade yogurt isn’t complicated. With pasteurized milk and a small amount of active-culture starter (or yogurt powder), the process is mostly hands-off while the yogurt ferments. The effort is minimal and the result is creamy, tangy yogurt made to your preference.
- Control over ingredients – Making yogurt at home lets you decide what goes in. You can skip added sugars, avoid preservatives, and choose the milk you prefer—dairy or plant-based alternatives. You can also reduce packaging waste by using reusable containers.
- Live cultures for health – Fresh homemade yogurt contains active probiotics that support digestion and overall gut health. When you make yogurt yourself you can be confident it contains live cultures.
- More affordable – Regularly buying quality yogurt can add up. A gallon of milk yields multiple batches of homemade yogurt, making this an economical choice once you have the basic supplies.
- Endless flavor options – Homemade yogurt is a blank canvas. Mix in honey, vanilla, fruit purees, spice blends like cinnamon or cardamom, or fold in jam and fresh berries. Adjust fermentation time to create a thicker or lighter texture.
- Rewarding process – Fermenting milk into yogurt is simple and satisfying. The hands-on experience of transforming basic ingredients into something delicious is gratifying.
How to Make Yogurt at Home
Ingredients for this Homemade Yogurt Recipe
- Pasteurized milk (Fairlife or another brand)
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Yogurt powder (or an active-culture yogurt starter)
Directions
- Pour the pasteurized milk into the Instant Pot inner pot. Since the milk is pasteurized, there’s no need to pre-boil it for this method.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and the yogurt powder or starter. Mix thoroughly until the liquids are fully combined—vigorous mixing helps incorporate ingredients and creates small bubbles.
- Transfer the mixture to jars or leave it in the inner pot. You can portion it into individual containers before or after fermenting.
- Cover with the Instant Pot lid and select the yogurt function. Set the timer for 6–8 hours. If the yogurt hasn’t set after 6 hours, add 2 more hours of fermenting time. Once set, refrigerate to chill and firm up further.
How to Store
When the yogurt has set, move it into individual containers if you haven’t already. Store the yogurt in the refrigerator for up to one week. Use clean utensils when serving to extend freshness.
Homemade Yogurt Recipe
Shobee
Equipment
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Small containers with lids (for individual portions)
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Instant Pot (8-quart or similar)
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Spatula for mixing
Ingredients
- 4 cups Fairlife (or other pasteurized) milk
- 2 sachets yogurt powder (or active-culture starter)
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
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Pour the milk into the Instant Pot inner pot. No pre-boiling is required with pasteurized milk.
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Add the condensed milk and yogurt powder or starter. Mix well until everything is incorporated and the surface shows small bubbles.
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Transfer the mixture to jars or leave it in the pot. You can portion it into individual containers after it sets.
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Cover and run the Instant Pot yogurt function for 6–8 hours. If not fully set after 6 hours, allow an additional 2 hours of fermentation.
Using leftover yogurt as starter
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Pour four cups of milk into a pot, add 1/4 cup of leftover yogurt plus the condensed milk, and mix thoroughly. Continue with the fermentation steps above.