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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
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe March 2019. Updated August 2024.
This recipe worked just like store-bought buttermilk.
Could whey be used instead of vinegar to make buttermilk?
This always works!
Thank you 😉
Great thank you
I didn’t have any fresh milk, so I used evaporated milk from the can and added the white vinegar. It worked very well. Thank your for this recipe as I cannot get buttermilk in my area. Also I have heard that it is quite pricey!
This worked well for us in a pancake recipe and added to our smashed potatoes. I’m seeing folks successfully freeze store purchased buttermilk and I am wondering if anyone has had success in freezing this “homemade” version.
Thank you!
Which one of these tastes true-est to buttermilk? Why not add a bit of (melted?) butter and maybe cream or halfnhalf too? My buttermilk usually has chunks of butter floating around in it; can’t imagine it would taste the same without it…
Buttermilk doesn’t actually contain butter. It’s a by-product from the production of butter. When you whip cream, it will eventually separate into curds (butter) and whey (buttermilk)
This was a big help n a pinch. I also take my leftover (store bought) buttermilk and pour it into measuring cup. I then pour it evenly into an ice tray. I write on the freezer bag how many cubes I need for a 1/4 or 1/2 cup so I can just thaw what I need for my recipe. This method works great for all sorts of liquids. It’s a simple way to save a few $ and a trip to the store.
Great tip on the freezing in trays and marking for future recipes!
Delicious! I was a little hesitant to make biscuits, but these are so easy and so good! I grated unsalted butter that I had stored in my freezer and it worked perfectly. They puffed up very nicely. Thank you!
This doesn’t even remotely taste of ranch. I feel lied to.
Has anyone else who left a comment tasted ranch recently? Because this is weird savory milk product
It shouldn’t taste like ranch (it’s buttermilk). If you’re looking for a ranch recipe I have one here: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/ranch-dressing/
This ISN’T a recipe for Ranch dressing my friend. It’s a recipe to make BUTTERMILK if you cant find it at a store. There are really great recipes using this recipe of buttermilk if you are either out of buttermilk or can’t get it locally.
Thank you so much, as I am lactose intolerant and use Lactaid milk just perfect😊
Thank you!! I live in Hawaii, in a VERY rural area and a major store is 50 minutes away (one way). On top of that, EVERY store I went to today was out of buttermilk (Safeway, KTA, Target, Walmart). It happens SO MUCH it drives me crazy and I need to just not worry about it and find another way to deal with these outages. I love making buttermilk biscuits but have been very discouraged. I live almost a mile up so it’s cold and rainy quite often. I love biscuits.
Jodi, to have buttermilk in a pinch there are two dry forms I have used in recipes. Walmart carries “Saco Buttermilk” that comes in a small (12 oz) canister. However, my favorite is “Bob’s Red Mill Sweet Cream Buttermilk”, it comes in a plastic pouch, and I order it online. I mainly buy dry buttermilk to make ranch seasoning from scratch.
I just wanted to say thank you for this! I don’t use buttermilk very much and it never occurred to me to buy powdered buttermilk so that I can have it when I need it and nothing will go to waste.
Jodi,
So jealous you live in Hawaii my husband and I miss Hawaii so much. I love the lemon and milk way of making buttermilk.