Keto Yogurt (Thick, Homemade, Instant Pot, 3.4g Net Carbs)
- Total time
- 17 hours 10 minutes
- Makes
- 16 servings (1/2 cup)
- Net carbs
- 3.4g
- Calories
- 242
The first batch of keto yogurt I made was soup. Eight hours of waiting, a fridge overnight, and in the morning I had a pot of slightly sour cream that ran off the spoon.
I had added the starter while the milk was still too hot. That one mistake kills the cultures, and nothing happens after that no matter how long you wait. It is the most common reason homemade yogurt fails, and it has nothing to do with being keto.
The keto problem is a different one. Store-bought plain yogurt carries more carbs than most people expect, and the low-carb tubs are expensive. This keto yogurt is made from heavy cream and ultra-filtered whole milk, set in an Instant Pot, and lands at 3.4g net carbs for half a cup. It is thick enough to stand a spoon in.
Why This Keto Yogurt Works
Ultra-filtered milk has about half the sugar of regular milk. It is filtered to remove much of the lactose and concentrate the protein. Made with regular whole milk instead, the same recipe comes to about 4.8g net carbs a serving. The ultra-filtered kind brings it down to 3.4g and adds protein that helps it set.
Half heavy cream makes it rich and thick. The fat gives a texture closer to a Greek or Icelandic yogurt than to the thin, tangy kind, without anything added to thicken it.
Heating to 180°F, then cooling to 110°F. The first heat changes the milk proteins so they set into a firmer curd. The cooling step protects the cultures, which die above about 115°F. A thermometer is the one piece of kit this recipe depends on.
Bacteria eat some of the lactose as the yogurt ferments, so the true carb count is likely a little lower than 3.4g. The figure here does not assume any of that.
Recipe Overview
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Heating: 30 minutes
- Cooling, Incubating and Chilling: about 16½ hours
- Total Time: about 17 hours, almost all of it hands off
- Makes: about 8 cups, 16 servings of ½ cup
- Net Carbs: 3.4g per serving
- You need: an Instant Pot with a Yogurt setting, and a thermometer
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity | Notes |
| Ultra-filtered whole milk | 4 cups (32 fl oz) | Must say ultra-filtered on the label |
| Heavy whipping cream | 4 cups (32 fl oz) | |
| Plain whole-milk yogurt | ¼ cup | With live active cultures, room temperature |
The starter has to be alive. Look for “live and active cultures” on the label, and pick a plain yogurt whose ingredient list is just milk and cultures, with no added thickeners, flavors or sugar. Use one well within its date.
Ultra-pasteurized milk and cream are fine, and are what most stores carry. Avoid anything labeled “light” or “reduced fat,” which changes both the carbs and the set.
Recipe Timing
| Order | Step | Time |
| 1 | Heat milk and cream to 180°F | 30 minutes |
| 2 | Cool to 110–112°F | 30 minutes |
| 3 | Stir in the starter | 2 minutes |
| 4 | Incubate on the Yogurt setting | 8 hours |
| 5 | Chill | at least 8 hours |
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat to 180°F
Pour the milk and the cream into the Instant Pot inner pot. Use the Yogurt program’s Boil setting, which on most models means pressing Yogurt and then Adjust until the display reads “boil.” Stir every few minutes so nothing catches on the bottom.
When the cycle finishes, check the temperature. It needs to reach 180°F. If it is short, run the boil setting again or warm it with the Sauté function, stirring, until it gets there.
2. Cool to 110–112°F
Lift the inner pot out and let it cool on the counter, about 30 minutes, until it reads 110 to 112°F. To speed it up, set the pot in a sink of cold water for about 10 minutes, keeping the water out of the milk. If you overshoot and it drops below 105°F, warm it gently back up.
This is the step that ruins most batches. Above 115°F the cultures die. Wait for the number, not the clock.
3. Stir in the starter
Peel off any skin that has formed on top. Whisk the ¼ cup of yogurt in a small bowl with about a cup of the warm milk until it is completely smooth, then pour it back into the pot and stir gently to combine. Starting it in a small bowl stops it clumping.
4. Incubate for 8 hours
Return the pot to the Instant Pot, put the lid on, and select the normal Yogurt setting for 8 hours. Not Keep Warm, which runs too hot. Do not stir it, move it or open it during that time. Disturbing it breaks up the curd as it forms.
5. Chill for 8 hours
When the timer ends, the yogurt will look set but soft. Cover the pot and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours. It thickens considerably as it chills. A thin layer of liquid whey or a richer creamy top is normal: stir it back in, or pour off the whey for a thicker result.
Recipe Tips and Variations
Greek style. Line a fine sieve with cheesecloth, set it over a bowl and strain the chilled yogurt in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours. You lose some volume as whey and gain a very thick, spoonable yogurt.
Tangier. Incubate for 10 hours instead of 8. Longer incubation makes a sharper yogurt.
Sweetened. Stir sweetener into each serving, not the whole pot: about ½ teaspoon of powdered sweetener and a few drops of vanilla per half cup. That way each bowl can be flavored differently.
Next batch. Save ¼ cup of this yogurt as the starter for the next one. If the set starts to weaken after a few rounds, go back to a fresh store-bought starter.
Serving Suggestions
For breakfast, top a half cup with a handful of berries and a spoonful of my keto granola, which stays crunchy for weeks in a jar. A swirl of sugar-free raspberry jam turns it into something closer to a fruit-on-the-bottom cup.
It also works anywhere you would use sour cream: on chili, beside a spicy curry, or whisked with lemon, garlic and dill into a quick dip for vegetables.
Storage
Refrigerator: covered, at 40°F or below, for 1 to 2 weeks. Always use a clean spoon, since anything else introduces bacteria that shorten its life.
Freezer: up to 1 month, though thawed yogurt is a little grainier and is best stirred into smoothies or used in cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my keto yogurt runny?
Usually the starter went in above 115°F and the cultures died, or the starter did not have live cultures to begin with. The Instant Pot losing temperature during incubation, or using Keep Warm instead of Yogurt, can also leave it thin. Chilling for the full 8 hours matters too.
Is regular yogurt keto?
Plain whole-milk yogurt is lower in carbs than flavored kinds, but a cup still carries more than a lot of people budget for. Flavored and fruit yogurts are much higher. Making your own with cream and ultra-filtered milk keeps it low.
Can I make it without an Instant Pot?
Yes, with any yogurt maker or incubator that holds a steady 108 to 112°F for 8 hours. Heat and cool the milk on the stove with a thermometer, then incubate as normal.
How many carbs are in keto yogurt?
Half a cup is 3.4g net carbs and 242 calories, before any fermentation is accounted for. Strained Greek-style yogurt is denser, with more fat and protein in a half cup, so these numbers apply to the unstrained yogurt.
More Keto Breakfast Ideas
- Keto Peanut Butter Granola — almonds, pecans and coconut baked into clusters with peanut butter.
- Keto Chia Pudding — made the night before, never clumpy, 2.9g net carbs a serving.
- Keto Egg Bites — silky and custardy, at 0.7g net carbs each.
- Keto Crepes — thin and foldable thanks to beef gelatin, 1.1g net carbs each.
Recipe Card
Got cream left over? My keto coffee creamer uses a cup and a half of it and keeps for ten days.
Keto Yogurt
Equipment
- Instant Pot with a Yogurt setting
- Instant-read thermometer essential
- Whisk
- Fine sieve and cheesecloth optional, for Greek style
Ingredients
- 4 cups ultra-filtered whole milk 32 fl oz
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream 32 fl oz
- 1/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt with live active cultures, room temperature
Instructions
- Heat: Pour the ultra-filtered whole milk and heavy whipping cream into the Instant Pot inner pot and run the Yogurt program’s Boil setting, stirring every few minutes, until it reaches 180°F on a thermometer, about 30 minutes.
- Cool: Lift out the inner pot and cool to 110-112°F, about 30 minutes on the counter or 10 minutes in a sink of cold water. Do not add the starter above 115°F.
- Add the starter: Remove any skin. Whisk the plain whole-milk yogurt with about 1 cup of the warm milk until smooth, then stir it gently back into the pot.
- Incubate: Return the pot, close the lid and select the normal Yogurt setting (not Keep Warm) for 8 hours. Do not stir or open it.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, until thick. Stir in or pour off any whey. For Greek style, strain in a cheesecloth-lined sieve in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours.
Notes
Keep cooking
