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Cup with milk surrounded by vinegar and a spoon.
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5 from 23 votes

How to Make Buttermilk

Learn How to Make Buttermilk with just two ingredients for a buttermilk substitute for cooking and baking! Helpful guide with more substitutes, along with dairy-free and vegan options.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Drinks, how to
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 cup
Author: Robyn Stone

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk or 2% or 1%
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice

Instructions

  • Pour milk into a glass measuring cup. Add vinegar OR lemon juice and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before use. You can expect it to appear curdled. Stir it and then use as you would store-bought buttermilk.

Video

Notes

The recipe may be increased or decreased proportionately.
Additional Buttermilk Substitution Options:
  • 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup plain kefir
  • 1 cup buttermilk = ¾ cup sour cream + ¼ cup water or milk
  • 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup milk + 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup water + 1/4 cup buttermilk powder
Dairy-Free Buttermilk:
For dairy-free buttermilk, substitute your preferred non-dairy milk (coconut milk, soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, oat milk, etc.) with the whole milk called for in the recipe. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 366mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Calcium: 301mg

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