Coconut milk yogurt can be expensive and full of additives when you buy it in the store, so I’m super-excited to share this fool-proof method for making your own dairy-free Instant Pot Coconut Milk Yogurt. (If you don’t have an Instant Pot, don’t worry– I’ve got you covered further down in this post.)
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Making Yogurt in the Instant Pot
Using an Instant Pot makes this process easier when it comes to keeping a proper temperature for fermentation, but you can also use a simple glass jar in a warm area of your home for similar results. I’m still in minimalist-mode after living in tiny apartment kitchens for so long in Los Angeles, so I aim to keep my kitchen appliances to a minimum.
That’s why when I decided to finally take the plunge and buy the Instant Pot, I wanted to get the model with the yogurt-making function, so it could multitask. Using the yogurt function did NOT come intuitively to me, but I finally figured out a one-pot method that makes the yogurt-making process as easy as possible.
How to Make Instant Pot Coconut Milk Yogurt
Creamy coconut milk (the culinary or canned version, not the type found in the refrigerated section) makes a natural substitute for dairy milk in yogurt-making, but it won’t thicken up like the creamy yogurt that we’re used to on its own. It needs some sort of thickener added to it. The common thickeners used in yogurt making include:
- Tapioca starch
- Agar Agar flakes
- Gelatin (not vegan!)
I tried using tapioca starch first, but I found it difficult to achieve the results I wanted. I needed to use about 1/4 cup of tapioca starch per 2 cans of coconut milk to get the thickness I was looking for, and the resulting mouthfeel was a bit “off” to me. If you’ve ever tasted store-bought yogurts with a lot of gums and thickeners, the tapioca-thickened yogurt reminded me of that.
How to thicken Coconut Milk Yogurt
To keep this dairy-free yogurt vegan I decided to use agar agar flakes instead. If you’re not familiar with Agar Agar, it is a dried seaweed that acts very similar to gelatin. I bought in the “exotic foods” aisle where they sell Nori sheets for making sushi in my local Whole Foods, but if it’s not available to you locally you can also order it on Amazon. One bag will last you quite a while, and you can use it to make other recipes like my Vegan Strawberry Cream Pie or Vegan French Silk Pie.
There’s also the possibility of using no thickener if you want to use straight coconut cream (the part that thickens up when chilled in a can) to make your yogurt instead. I don’t care for the taste or texture of the yogurts made with only coconut cream, as I think they taste too rich and fatty, but feel free to go that route if you’d like to.
As written, this coconut milk yogurt recipe produces a very thick result, similar to a Greek-style yogurt, thanks to the thickener and fat content of the full-fat coconut milk. The yogurt will be very thin and runny when it’s in the Instant Pot fermenting, but it will thicken up perfectly once you transfer it to the fridge to chill.
Here are a few other things to keep in mind when making Coconut Milk Yogurt in the Instant Pot:
- Make sure you sanitize everything well before getting started. Usually a dishwasher can sanitize everything for you (mine has a sanitize setting) but otherwise you can use boiling water to sanitize the bowl of the Instant Pot and your whisk.
- I could never get the “boil” function on the Instant Pot to actually make my coconut milk boil. Maybe it’s just my machine, but I thought I’d share. I read that you want the coconut milk to reach 180-degrees Fahrenheit to make sure no bad bacteria develops, and when I used the “boil” function that is built into the Instant Pot, my coconut milk never reached higher than 150ºF. So, to get around that I realized I could simply use the “Saute” function instead! The saute function brought my coconut milk to a boil in just a few minutes, and the temperature on my thermometer shot past 180ºF once the milk reached a rolling boil. So, if you don’t have a thermometer, I think it’s safe to assume that if your coconut milk reaches a rolling boil, it has safely reached that 180ºF mark.
- If you want to make yogurt without a thermometer, I’ve now done it several times by simply using my finger to test how warm the coconut milk is. Ideally, you want to keep your yogurt fermenting at a temperature of 110 to 115ºF so that the good bacteria can populate. Think of this temperature as feeling warm to the touch without burning your finger. If the liquid burns your finger, it will burn and kill the good bacteria, as well. So, when determining if the milk has cooled enough after boiling, be sure to stir the coconut milk well (to avoid any “hot spots” in the pot) and then use your finger to determine if it’s the right temperature. Your finger should be able to stay comfortably in the liquid, feeling warm but not hot. (And make sure your finger is clean so you don’t introduce any bad bacteria into the batch.)
- Be sure to set your Instant Pot’s yogurt function for longer than you need, just to be on the safe side. While testing several batches of yogurt, I think the sweet spot for getting a tangy yogurt is about 18 hours of fermentation. However, you might not always be home when the 18 hours are up, or you might be sleeping, so if you set the Instant Pot for only 18 hours it will turn off the warmer when the timer goes off. I’d hate for your yogurt to spoil while you’re out of the house or sleeping, so set the timer for at least 24 hours, or a time that will ensure you hear it beep when it’s done. That way you can check on it and transfer it to the fridge when you are satisfied with the tart flavor of your yogurt.
- The maple syrup called for in this recipe is required as food for the good bacteria to thrive on (so don’t be tempted to skip it!), but when you let it ferment the yogurt becomes very tart– so don’t worry about the sugar content in that maple syrup. If you want a sweet yogurt, you’ll need to add more sweetener after the fermenting process is complete.
What does Coconut Milk Yogurt Taste Like?
I think it’s also important to note that if you don’t care for the taste of coconut milk, you probably won’t care for the taste of this yogurt. It definitely tastes like coconut milk, though you can adjust the flavor however you like when it’s done fermenting, either by adding some sweetener or fruit. Coconut milk can also have a slightly grainy-texture from the desiccated coconut, so don’t expect the coconut milk yogurt to be quite as silky-smooth as dairy-based yogurts are.
I have been enjoying this yogurt served with my Grain-Free Pumpkin Seed Granola as quick breakfast or snack, so I hope you’ll enjoy this probiotic-rich yogurt just as much. I think it tastes similar, if not better, to the store-bought brands and costs just about $1 per serving, to help fit into your healthy eating budget!
Vegan Coconut Milk Yogurt
Ingredients
- 2 cans full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon agar agar flakes (not powder!)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon probiotic powder (<-- link to the brand I use)
Instructions
- Be sure that all of your equipment is sterilized by using boiling water or sterilizing your equipment in the dishwasher. This helps prevent bad bacteria from forming on your yogurt.
- In the bowl of your Instant Pot, combine the coconut milk and agar flakes and bring the mixture to a boil. (I press the Sauté button to do this.) Use a whisk to stir, helping the agar flakes to dissolve as the coconut milk boils. Once the milk has reached a rolling boil (or has reached 180ºF on your thermometer), turn off the Instant Pot and stir well, making sure all of the agar flakes have dissolved. Stir in the maple syrup, then let the mixture cool to 110-115ºF for proper fermentation, which feels warm to the touch without feeling like the temperature will hurt your finger. You can speed the process by placing the instant pot bowl in an ice water bath, but be sure that it doesn't cool too much. Use a thermometer or a clean finger to judge when the coconut milk has reached 110-115ºF.
- Once the coconut milk has cooled to the proper temperature, add in the probiotic powder and stir well. Press the "Yogurt" button on the Instant Pot, and then use the arrows to set the amount of time you'd like the yogurt to ferment. I recommend letting it ferment for 18 to 24 hours for tartness, but you can do it in as little as 8 to 10 hours if you don't want a tart yogurt. Place the lid on the Instant Pot to help keep the yogurt clean and at the proper temperature. (The pot will not be pressurized, so don't worry about the vent position.)
- Once the yogurt has fermented, be sure to taste it to make sure it has become tart enough to your liking. The texture will still be watery and separated, with a possible cream-colored film on top, which is normal. (If there is a pink or gray colored film on top, that's a sign that the yogurt has gone bad and you should discard it in that case. When yogurt doesn't ferment correctly, it smells VERY bad and is nearly impossible to miss. Trust me on that one.) Pour the yogurt into a clean jar with a lid, and store it in the fridge to set. The yogurt will thicken when chilled.
- The coconut milk yogurt may separate a bit when stored in the fridge, so stir it well before serving. It can keep well in the fridge for at least a week, if not longer.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1/2 cup serving: Calories: 262, Fat: 27g, Carbohydrates: 6g, Fiber: 0g, Protein: 2g
Need more healthy Instant Pot recipes?
Be sure to check out The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook. You can see a sneak peek here!
Substitution Notes:
- I used agar flakes when testing this recipe, because they were locally available to me. If you can only locate agar powder, you’ll need to use less than this recipe calls for. (Probably closer to 1 teaspoon of powder.) If you’re not vegan and would prefer to use gelatin, I would start with 1 teaspoon of gelatin, too. If you try this substitution, please leave a comment below letting us know how it worked you. Also, if you prefer a thinner yogurt, you might just want to use 1 teaspoon of agar agar flakes in this recipe, rather than the full tablespoon. (I like my yogurt to be thicker.)
- If you need to be strictly dairy-free and vegan, be sure to check that your probiotic powder is dairy-free and vegan, as some brands do contain dairy. I bought my probiotic powder from the refrigerated section at Whole Foods, but I imagine that any high-quality probiotic powder will work well in this recipe. (You can empty probiotic capsules into a measuring spoon if you would prefer.)
- I tested this recipe using a bottle of store-bought almond milk, and I did not care for the results. (It wasn’t creamy, and had more of a jello-like texture from the agar flakes.) The fat in the coconut milk definitely contributes to the classic creamy yogurt texture, so other non-dairy milks will most likely not produce ideal results. (The same goes for the refrigerated type of coconut milk. The full-fat canned version and boxed culinary coconut milk produce the best results.) If you use the culinary milk to avoid using canned coconut milk, I’d recommend adding 1/2 cup of water to the pot before boiling, as this coconut milk is thick and a bit grainy.
I hope you’ll enjoy this more affordable coconut milk yogurt. Let me know in the comments below if you give it a try!
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Reader Feedback: Have you tried making Coconut Milk yogurt before? Let us know in the comments below if you have any additional tips or tricks! We can all benefit from your experience.
I did this recipe to the letter. My yogurt after cooling down was thinner than when I did 8 hours. Also I went to eat it this morning and it was very lumpy; put it away after whisking it; the smell was like sulfur; ate 4 tbs and now I am sick. Part of this bad experience could be I have a gallay kitchen and it has been in the 90’s this week. I used my instant Pot and in the past it never smelled and the taste is different than the past; I don’t know if it is the probiotics you suggested with the acidolpholus or the arrowroot I used. Unfortuantely I am giving up trying to make this. It isn’t working.
Megan,
First and foremost, I truly want to thank you for the work you have done to make such valuable information available to so many! You site is my “go to” place for easy, quick recipes that contribute to my health. Well Done:)
Beth
I had added 1 1/4 tsp Agar powder. hoping it’ll just fine.
Thank you for the great recipe.I have been using my Instant Pot to make soya milk yogurt
for ages but am very keen to start making coconut thick coconut yogurt as it is so
expensive to buy. Many thanks again
Do you think this would work with hemp milk? We have but allergies
I’ve tried making it with almond milk and didn’t like the results. I imagine hemp milk would be similar, so I wouldn’t recommend it unless you don’t mind more of a jello-consistency.
This was my first attempt ever at making yogurt. My colouring turned out good, but I had a hard time knowing if the smell meant it had gone bad, or was just the typical fermenting smell. Any other pointers with that?
If you can’t tell, then my guess is that it’s probably okay. It’s normal for it to smell sour. When I had a batch go bad, there was NO MISTAKING it. The smell was totally overwhelming and gag-worthy. Hope that helps!
HI Megan. I have made your coconut milk instant pot yogurt many times now and it always works except for this time around it didn’t solidify and there was one quarter size circle of pink, which I know you mentioned means the yogurt has gone bad. I scrapped the pink circle out and the smell is fine and the taste is yummy…but it is still soupy like milk. Will it thicken up in the fridge? Should i toss it all together? Should I just use it as milk instead this time around??
Thanks for your help. And thanks for the recipe. Normally its awesome and my whole family loves it!!!
Thanks
Jen
Hi Megan do you think I could use a children’s probiotic ?
Thank you
Do you happen to know if you can use date syrup in place of maple syrup? Thank you so much!
Hi! I want to start by saying that I LOVE your recipes! I used Trader Joe’s organic full fat yogurt for the first time, which doesn’t contain guar gum. I used gelatin as a thickener and it’s incredibly thin, basically like I didn’t even follow any of the steps. :(.
Maple syrup and even honey cause inflammation in my joints. Surely, sugar will do?
Sure, I don’t see why not!
I make this coconut yoghurt every week and can’t imagine my mornings without it. I don’t have an Intant Pot but I do have a little yoghurt maker that makes a liter at a time. I use it in smoothies, as a snack with fruit and sometimes as a substitute for sour cream. It’s yummy stuff.
My yogurt came out absolutely perfect the first time. Love it! I wanted to save money on yogurt and not create so much plastic waste – this recipe is so good, I won’t have to buy yogurt again!
I made your coconut milk vegan yogurt yesterday and my entire family is in love with it. I think I can save money next time by replacing the agar gelatin, with organic, grass fed, beef gelatin. And I also wonder if my probiotic with prebiotic powder should be replaced with just a straight probiotics powder. I’m also going to try to find a better price on coconut cans ($1.99 at whole foods- but I love the high fat content). I used 6 cans for your recipe and my family of 5 can eat that in just two days! Congrats on a GREAT recipe!
Followed directions using agar, but mine turned solid! Now what to do with solid yogurt 🤨
I finally made this yesterday & so far, I think it worked.
I only couldn’t figure out how to change the default yogurt time of 8 hrs to 18? I had to do 2 sets of 8 hours because it wouldn’t accept the time change I put in. Instead, it would zero out & count up to 8 hours. Thankfully I was home when it happened. Any ideas how to fix that?
I just bought an Instant Pot and will now try to make Coconut milk yogurt for the first time.
Your recipe calls for “2 cans” of coconut milk. What size (ounces) are the cans?
thank you.
Thank you so much for posting not only the recipe but some important tips (ex. sauté button for boiling). I purchased my Instant Pot specifically because i could use it to make vegan yogurt but could not find a recipe that worked until this one. I tried so many times and had almost given up! Now I make it often and am varying what I add once the yogurt is completed and have found a great many delicious options. Thank you again!
I’m very excited about doing this but I’m a little concerned because have sensitivities toward coconut meat and butter. It goes by dosage though. I can eat about tsp of coconut butter in my oatmeal or straight into my mouth. I can also eat store bought coconut yogurt without any problem. Do you think then using the recipe ready coconut milk will not be a problem for me? Thanks so much
The pressure cooker I have discussed not have a yogurt setting(I didn’t know that was a thing until now) is it possable to still make coconut yogurt with a manual setting?
Thanks so much for the recipe. I fermented my yogurt for 20 hours, and it didn’t get tart. I could also still taste the maple syrup. Is there a chance I killed my probiotics? I don’t fully trust my thermometer.
I am so stoked this worked! I see all kinds of IP dairy yogurt fails on the Fb group all the time. Thank you! I sterilized my IP pot by doing the water test with a cup of water manual 5 minutes first. The only alterations were I used 1 tbsp gelatin bc I missed the part about 1 tsp until after I added the gelatin, and I used 1.5 tsp of some existing coconut yogurt for my starter instead of the probiotics. I also added a squirt of Monk fruit sweetener before the yogurt setting. I have to say after 20 hours of fermentation, it looked pitiful taking it out of the IP, but trust the recipe bc after only an hour or 2 in the fridge, I have wonderful smooth coconut yogurt! Somehow it increased in body in the fridge bc it was sure watery weirdness almost like kombucha straight from the IP. I definitely could’ve gotten away with only 1 tsp gelatin though. Again, I am so impressed and grateful!!!
I’m so glad to hear it worked for you! Yes, it does look weird until you put it in the fridge. 🙂 Thanks so much for letting me know how yours turned out!
I used 365 brand coconut creme but couldnt find agar agar. It turned out great! I’m following a Paleo AIP diet. This recipe was perfect!
Just got home with my ingredients. Excited to try. However I just noticed my agar agar powder has a prob 65 warning label. Said it contains lead!
How would I thicken it with gelatine? How much should I use? We aren’t vegan, just dairy free, and gelatine is much easier to get hold of here. Thanks!
Many people are asking about how much probiotic to use I used 50 billion IU I used Natural factors but any good probiotic works one that is refrigerated is better. I’m going to make this today using “ Go Bio” organic gelatin powder. Fingers crossed I will try to post my results thanks for a great recipe. 🌴
Do you think I can sub 1/2 coconut milk and 1/2 almond milk?
I tried making this with almond milk before, and it was not successful, so I don’t know if a 1/2 and 1/2 situation would work, either.
It worked with the agar powder… a leeetle too well! Even at 1 tsp, it was fully set like a jello salad. For my next batch, I’m going to back it off to a 1/2 tsp and see what I get. It did blend up well to a creamy texture though.
Oh, and I used store-bought coconut yogurt (about 1/4 c) for the starter and it worked beautifully.
Thanks for this recipe! So great to have a good one to work with now.
I do not have a yogurt setting. Do you have any idea how to do it on another setting?
It looks like this website might be able to help? https://www.sparklestosprinkles.com/how-to-make-instant-pot-yogurt-without-the-yogurt-button/
Can you make the next batch with a bit of the older coconut yogurt or do you ha e to use the probiotic powered every time?
Can you tell me how large the portion is for the nutritional value? Is it 1 cup?
I need to find a probiotic that is vegan and completely “sugar”free.
[The one listed here has FOS… for those of us on a low FODMAP diet, FOS is a no-no]
Once I find an appropriate probiotic, I will love to try this in my instant pot!!
Can I just open up a probiotic capsule, and substitute what’s in that for the probiotic powder?
Can I use a probiotic liquid instead of a powder?
Mine came out not tangy at all and I had it in my instant pot for 24 hours. What am I possibly not doing correctly?
I have vegetable (vegan) gelatin I’ve purchased from a specialty store. If I don’t have agar-agar flakes can I use the vegan gelatin instead? Any idea how much vegan gelatin to add, and if I add it at the same time as the recipe instructs for the agar-agar?
Hmmm… I’m not familiar with that product so I couldn’t say for sure. I’d love to hear if you experiment with it, though!
This was my fourth attempt to make coconut milk yogurt, and with your directions I was able to make coconut milk yogurt. The only thing I changed was 2 teaspoons beef gelatin for the agar flakes. It came out very delicious.
Can you use store bough plain greek yogurt as the probiotic culture instead of adding probiotic powder? If so, how much would you recommend?(not concerned about it being vegan). Asking because that’s all I have on hand right now and would love to try this without making a store run! 🙂
Made this recently and it was delicious! Once chilled it was super thick though – almost like jello-ish – wondering if I did less agar agar flakes if this would help from thickening up so much? Thanks!
I’m so excited to make this yogurt! My daughter loves yogurt but dairy doesn’t agree with her and store bought non-dairy alternatives are too expensive. My question is – can I reserve some of this batch to use for fermenting future batches, thus eliminating the need to continue using the probiotic powder? Have you tried this?
I haven’t tried using reserved yogurt to make this yet. I’d love to hear if you try it!
Do you have any tips for making this in the instant pot without the yogurt function?
I have made this twice, and it really does make a lovely coconut milk yogurt. I sanitized the Instant Pot both times, and had no problems with bad bacteria spoiling the yogurt. The 13-second finger dip trick mentioned by another reader worked perfectly. I used a vegan yogurt starter I got for Christmas with excellent results.
The second time, I made a double batch (because we went through it so quickly!), using double the amount of yogurt starter. I also tried using half full-fat coconut milk and half reduced-fat. It was a thinner yogurt, but still lovely, and worked really well in recipes where you don’t need such a thick yogurt.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Fantastic recipe! Even though I follow vegan diet for health benefits I use few non-vegan products including gelatin (for gut healing). I used 4 tsp of gelatin and it had “gelatin texture” once colled in the fridge but blending it and then chilling provided great texture. Also, I did not have any probiotic culture on hand but I had some probiotics in capsuls (l. acidophillius, b. lactis, b. longum and L. reuteri combo) so I just poured contents of capsuls and it worked amazing. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
My question is: how long this will keep in the fridge?
I have a question about the “yogurt” setting for this recipe. On my unit, which is a 3qt Duo, when I press the “yogurt” button once, it goes to the “less” setting and the timer automatically reads 8 hours. In my manual, it says that the “normal” setting should be used for making yogurt, but it doesn’t say anything about vegan yogurt. Could you tell me which setting is correct? I have already unsuccessfully made a batch and want to make sure I am choosing the correct setting. Thank you!
What if my IP doesn’t have the yogurt button?
Has anyone added protein powder to the yogurt? I am lactose intolerant, but have been using goat’s milk yogurt for added protein since I struggle to get enough protein throughout the day. I would love to try making this, but am curious if an added powder would ruin the texture.
I was disappointed that my yogurt had a funky smell. Still I transferred it to a container and ate what was left in the bowl which was probably a tbsp. Bad idea because I got a belly ache minutes later! The thing tasted good but I had to Chuck the rest which was a waste of money. 😭 My modifications were Savoy coconut cream and 1 coconut milk and agave syrup instead of maple and agar powder instead of the flakes. It was Jell-O like in texture but was yummy! Yesterday, I tried a different recipe from one of my go-to bloggers and no smell this morning except of course the coconut. Hers is not made in the IP. I read that metal can react negatively to probiotics so I wonder if it’s ever going to work in an IP since the bowl itself is metal.
Prob a dumb question, but can I use an instant pot that has been in the dishwasher and is now in the cupboard or does it need to be straight out of the dishwasher to be sterilized?
any thoughts on making this without instapot? thank you
I’ve used my oven with only the light on overnight to keep things warm for fermenting. Maybe that would work here?
Do you sterilize the lid?