Skip the trip to the store and learn How to Make Buttermilk substitute at home with simple pantry ingredients, including dairy-free and vegan options!
I love learning simple how-to swaps for my kitchen, like how to make your own Vanilla Extract, How to Ripen Bananas, or make some Playdough for the kids.
Our Buttermilk Substitute hack saves me time and time again.
Our Buttermilk Substitute hack saves me time and time again.We've all been there–you're several ingredients deep in a recipe and realize it calls for buttermilk, which you don't have. Instead of making a trip to the store, just make your own buttermilk substitute! It's easy, inexpensive, and I'm sure you already have everything you need.
Buttermilk Substitute:
Any of these options will work great in a recipe, just pick the best one for you based on what you have in your pantry and fridge.
- 1 cup buttermilk = 1 Tablespoon white vinegar + enough milk to measure 1 cup
- 1 cup buttermilk = 1 Tablespoon lemon juice + enough milk to measure 1 cup
- 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup buttermilk = 1 and ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar + 1 cup of milk
How to make Buttermilk:
For the vinegar option, simply pour 1 Tablespoon vinegar into a measuring cup for 1 cup, then fill the rest of the cup with milk. Carefully stir the mixture then let it sit for 5 minutes. If you don't have vinegar, check out other easy alternatives above.
Dairy Free & Vegan Substitute:
Instead of dairy milk, use coconut milk or soy milk. Just add 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill the rest of the way with coconut or soy milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes before using in a recipe.
Buttermilk Freezing Instructions:
Buttermilk freezes great for up to 3 months. You could even pour in an ice cube tray so it's easy to use small amounts as needed.
Use Buttermilk In:
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Buttermilk Cornbread
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- Skillet Cornbread
- Ranch Dressing
- Homemade Pancake Syrup
- Cinnamon Roll Biscuits
- Hershey's Chocolate Cake
- Cannoli Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
- English Muffins
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Recipe
Buttermilk Substitute
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar (or lemon juice) (15 ml)
- 1 cup milk (scant cup) (240 ml)
Instructions
- Pour the tablespoon of vinegar into a 1 cup measurer. Fill the rest of the 1 cup measurer with milk.
- Gently stir and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes. This will allow the milk to slightly curdle, giving it a buttermilk-like texture and taste.
Notes
-
- 1 cup buttermilk = 1 Tablespoon white vinegar + enough milk to measure 1 cup
-
- 1 cup buttermilk = 1 Tablespoon lemon juice + enough milk to measure 1 cup
-
- 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup buttermilk = 1 and ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar + 1 cup of milk
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe March 2019. Updated August 2024.
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This recipe worked just like store-bought buttermilk.
Could whey be used instead of vinegar to make buttermilk?
Loved the recipe, I made chicken livers ànd onion rings both soaked in buttermilk recipe you posted. Thank you.
Love this recipe! I used lemon juice and I’m definantly making this one from now on!
Hi, I just wanted to say that I recommend using lemon juice over vinegar, for the best results. I don’t think many people know this, but in India (I’m an Indian) we actually drink buttermilk, and we use lemon, and never vinegar. This recipe is quite different from the drink that we have in India, because it is made of milk and vinegar/lemon juice, but we generally make it using water, yogurt, and lemon, and sometimes we add in spices and/or herbs to it, and there are different variations. Although I think this recipe would work out well for buttermilk, I think that if you are drinking it you should use lemon juice in water and yogurt. Also, this recipe and mine both work for recipes, as I often use Indian buttermilk when frying chicken, making pancakes, etc. Altogether, if you are drinking buttermilk, you should try the Indian way, but if cooking something, either way should work. Just a tip 🙂
– Cookie
I tried the vinegar version… yikes!
Most disappointed.
Hi Lauren, can I use Fairlife skim milk (lower sugar content) to make buttermilk for keto recipes?
Yes, that should work fine!
In this recipe you call for a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice with a cup of milk. In your Hershey’s chocolate cake recipe you call for a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice and a cup of milk to make buttermilk. Which is it?
I double checked the Hershey’s Chocolate Cake recipe and only see it saying 1 Tbps vinegar of lemon juice. Can you tell me where you see that? You want to use 1 tablespoon to 1 cup of milk.
Thank you it worked great
I’ve made this for many years as I have a milk allergy, and so I use a milk substitute to make my buttermilk. It helps if the milk is a little warm first. A warm kitchen will make it thicken faster. If I let it set for a few hours, I’ll have the equivalent of a soft sour cream, which I can use on Tacos, etc.
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Didn’t have any buttermilk for a spicy chicken nugget recipe. This recipe worked perfect! Thanks!!
AWESOME RECIPE.THANK YOU FOR SHARING