Robyn Stone
Easy Buttermilk substitute for cooking and baking! Learn How to Make Buttermilk with just two ingredients! Dairy-free and vegan, too!
Buttermilk Substitute
Buttermilk is one ingredient that I love to have on hand. I use it in so many recipes, from pancakes to biscuits to buttermilk pie! I never like being without it. But, sometimes I think I have plenty only to realize that I don’t. This is when it is great to know how to make your own! It is so easy to do and only takes two ingredients that work perfectly in baking and cooking.
What Can I Use If I Don’t Have Buttermilk?
There are a few of the popular buttermilk substitutions. Pick the best option that works for you based on what you have available.
1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup buttermilk = 3/4 cup sour cream + 1/4 cup water or milk
1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
How to Make Buttermilk Substitute
The simplest way to make your own buttermilk substitute is to add lemon juice or distilled white vinegar to a cup of milk or dairy-free milk (see below). Allow the milk to sit for about 10 minutes to thicken.
How to Make Dairy-Free and Vegan
Enjoy this dairy-free version to use in so many of your recipes. This is perfect for those who have dairy allergies or who follow a vegan diet and lifestyle.
To make a dairy-free and/ or, you simply use your favorite non-dairy milk such as soy, coconut, almond, rice or oat milk in place of the milk called for in the recipe! It’s that easy!
1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup non-dairy milk (coconut, soy, rice, oat) + 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup non-dairy milk (coconut, soy, rice, oat) = 1 tablespoon vinegar
Can You Freeze Buttermilk?
Yes! Simply spoon any that has not been used by the tablespoon into an ice cube tray. Place the tray into the freezer until frozen well, about an hour. Remove from the freezer and dispense the frozen cubes into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
What is Buttermilk?
Traditionally, it was the leftover liquid from churning cream to make butter. This is now referred to as traditional buttermilk.
What you buy in the grocery stores is now cultured, which is produced by adding cultures to milk during the fermentation process to simulate the lactic acid that would naturally occur in the traditional kind.
My homemade substitute works the same in cooking and baking. It’s such a time saver to be able to make your own.
Uses
Adds Flavor
It adds a tangy flavor to many dishes such as salad dressings and dips.
Tenderizes
It’s great for soaking meats and vegetables to tenderize them before cooking, generally frying.
Leavens Baked Goods
It reacts with other chemical leaveners in recipes to produce gas bubbles which then helps cakes, cookies, and other baked goods to rise.
Here’s how to make my homemade substitute. I hope you find this useful!
How to Make Buttermilk
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar OR lemon juice
Instructions
- Pour milk into a glass measuring cup. Add distilled white vinegar OR lemon juice and allow to sit for about 10 minutes before use. The milk will thicken. Use as you would in a recipe that calls for buttermilk.
Video
Notes
Dairy-Free Buttermilk:
For dairy-free buttermilk, substitute your preferred non-dairy milk (coconut, soy, almond, rice, oat, etc) in place of the whole milk called for in the recipe.Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Can you substitute the buttermilk with sour cream?
If you’re making a larger batch say 8 cups of buttermilk, should you let it sit longer than 10 minutes? Just wondering as the batch size grows, should you allow for more time? Thanks!
Hi Libby,
I’ve not made that much at one time so I’m not certain of the exact time it will take for it. I usually make a smaller amount as I need it for a recipe. Thanks!
Can you use heavy cream to make the buttermilk
Yes, you can use heavy cream to make the buttermilk, Katherine.
Sorry, how is this vegan, exactly?
Bob, there is a section in the post How to Make Dairy-Free and Vegan that explains how to use dairy free milk substitutes.
Worked Great!!
I’m so glad to hear that, Joy! xo
Hello Robyn,
I use many of your recipes and always enjoy them. I was wondering, in regard to buttermilk, if you have a recipe for sugar cookies using buttermilk? If so, can you put it on your site?
question about making the buttermilk, If you use almond milk, do you still add the lemon juice?
Yes, Penny, you can add either the lemon juice or white vinegar to almond milk just like you would for whole milk. Hope you enjoy!
Came out perfectly
I make the buttermilk substitute anytime a recipe calls for it. thanks for sharing.
Brunella, there are so many times I make my own buttermilk when I need it. Thanks.