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Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt
4.5 from 1,398 votes

Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt

This recipe shows how to make coconut yogurt using an Instant Pot by fermenting full-fat coconut milk with maple syrup and a starter culture. It results in a creamy plant-based yogurt that can be thickened with gelatin or agar agar for Greek-style texture. The process involves heating, cooling, inoculating, and fermenting to develop a mildly tangy yogurt with natural sweetness from maple syrup.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
1 d
Total Time
1 d 1 hr
Servings: 8 1/2 cup servings (makes about 1 quart)
Calories: 103 kcal
Course: Breakfast

Ingredients

  • 1 quart coconut milk I get best results from this coconut cream, but any full fat coconut milk will work, full fat, canned or boxed
  • ¼ cup maple syrup do not sub in honey—it has its own bacteria that will fight the yogurt culture
  • 3 tablespoons PLAIN yogurt dairy, soy, coconut, almond-all fine OR one packet of freeze dried yogurt culture (I like this one, with live active cultures
  • beef gelatin optional thickener, 1 to 2 tsp unflavored grass-fed, or ½ to 1 tsp powdered agar agar

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. If using a thickener, sprinkle on top of the warm milk, and then whisk very well to combine.
  6. 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)
  7. 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.

Notes

  • Use maple syrup as sugar for fermentation; do not substitute honey due to interfering bacteria.
  • For thicker yogurt, add unflavored gelatin or agar agar at the appropriate amounts.
  • Longer fermentation times naturally thicken yogurt if thickeners are omitted.
  • Reserve some finished yogurt to use as starter culture for future batches.
  • Check temperatures carefully to ensure proper fermentation environment, especially with different Instant Pot models.
  • Plant-based or dairy starters with live cultures work; avoid probiotic capsules as results may vary.

Nutrition Information

Serving 0.5cup Calories 103kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 9g (3%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Cholesterol 2mg (1%) Sodium 26mg (1%) Sugar 8g (16%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 1/2 cup servings (makes about 1 quart)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 103

% Daily Value*

Serving 0.5cup
Calories 103kcal 5%
Carbohydrates 9g 3%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 26mg 1%
Sugar 8g 16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.