Easy Homemade Yogurt Drinks in the Instant Pot
I grew up in an I can make that family (and raised kids who are the same). So there are many things I see at the store and go home and give it a try.
Those little yogurt drinks are one of them.
My son really likes them, and I don't blame him. They're easy to grab, they taste good, and they're a pretty convenient snack. The only problem is that they aren't exactly cheap. At around $5 for one, they started feeling a little ridiculous to buy regularly.
So I decided to try making homemade yogurt drinks in my Instant Pot.
And I'm happy to report: they were a success. My son loves them, which is really the only review I needed.
Making Yogurt in the Instant Pot
I've made yogurt in the Instant Pot before, but I wanted something that was easy to drink and had the same kind of flavor we were used to buying.
The recipe is surprisingly simple. I use whole milk, coffee creamer, and yogurt.
That's it.
The yogurt acts as the starter, while the coffee creamer adds some sweetness and flavor. And because there are so many coffee creamer flavors available, it's easy to make different combinations without having to reinvent the recipe every time.
I start by mixing one cup of milk with the yogurt, then add the rest of the milk and the coffee creamer. Once everything is mixed together, it goes into the Instant Pot and I use the Yogurt setting.
The Instant Pot handles the rest.
Which is exactly how I like my kitchen appliances to work.
My Favorite Homemade Yogurt Drink Flavors
Once I knew the basic recipe worked, I started experimenting with different yogurt and coffee creamer combinations.
These are our favorites so far:
Strawberry + French Vanilla
A simple combination, but really good. The French vanilla adds just enough sweetness and flavor to the strawberry yogurt.
Mixed Berry + French Vanilla
If you like berry yogurt, this is an easy one to try. The French vanilla works really well with the mixed berry flavor.
Peach + French Vanilla
Another simple combination that turned out really well. Peach and French vanilla are a pretty safe bet.
Greek Vanilla + Coconut Crème
This is probably my favorite combination. The coconut crème coffee creamer adds a really good flavor to the vanilla yogurt without making it complicated.
Greek Vanilla + Pumpkin Spice
This one is perfect for fall.
Add some pumpkin granola and you've got a pretty fantastic breakfast—or snack. I'm not particularly interested in putting rules on yogurt.
Making a Thicker Batch
The original recipe left the yogurt really thin. I dropped down to a 6-quart Instant Pot, and increased the amounts of each ingredient- sounds backwards but it did the trick!
For the thicker batch, I use:
9 cups milk (I use whole milk)
3 cups coffee creamer
4–5 tablespoons yogurt (I really think this is what makes the difference!)
It gives me more to keep in the refrigerator, and putting them in these reusable bottles makes them the perfect grab and go breakfast before school.
Is Homemade Yogurt Worth It?
For us, yes.
I wasn't trying to start a new homesteading lifestyle or become the person who makes absolutely everything from scratch. I just wanted to see if I could make something we were already buying for a lot less money.
And I could.
The fact that my son genuinely prefers them and keeps asking me to make more is an added bonus.
If your family likes yogurt drinks, this is a really easy homemade yogurt recipe to try in your Instant Pot. You can make the basic recipe and then switch up the yogurt and coffee creamer flavors to find your favorite combination.
It's simple, inexpensive, and doesn't require a long list of ingredients.
That's my kind of recipe.
Instant Pot Homemade Yogurt Drinks
Prep: 5 minutesCook: Use the Yogurt setting on your Instant Pot
Ingredients
6 cups whole milk
2 cups coffee creamer
3 tablespoons yogurt
Instructions
Add 1 cup of milk to a bowl and mix in 3 tablespoons of yogurt until combined.
Add the remaining 5 cups of milk and stir.
Add 2 cups of coffee creamer and mix well.
Pour the mixture into your Instant Pot.
Press the Yogurt button and let the Instant Pot run its yogurt cycle.
Once the yogurt is finished, refrigerate until chilled.
Stir or shake before serving and enjoy!
Thicker Batch for a 6-Quart Instant Pot
9 cups whole milk
3 cups coffee creamer
4–5 tablespoons yogurt
Favorite Flavor Combinations
Greek vanilla yogurt + coconut crème coffee creamer
Greek vanilla yogurt + pumpkin spice coffee creamer
Strawberry yogurt + French vanilla coffee creamer
Mixed berry yogurt + French vanilla coffee creamer
Peach yogurt + French vanilla coffee creamer
Pumpkin spice tip: Add pumpkin granola. It's really good.
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