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.
This post contains affiliate links.
This recipe worked just like store-bought buttermilk.
Could whey be used instead of vinegar to make buttermilk?
All I have is 1% milk, will that work
Yes, that will work!
What happened to the actual cake recipe? Got dozens of ways to make buttermilk, scanned to the end of the article, and WHAT??:? no yellow cake recipe!
This recipe is only for buttermilk. You can find my Yellow Cake here: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/yellow-cake/
Out of the 4 different way of making buttermilk which one is best for baking because I have vinegar, lemon juice and cream of tart?? Because of taste? Thanks Josie
I usually use lemon juice.
Lemon juice,!
Can you use almond milk?
Yes, that will work!
I sure did!! No need to purchase buttermilk anymore!! I also used 3 day old milk #nowastethere !!!
Thank u!!
Thank you.
A caution…
The taste of the yoghurt substitute might be similar to buttermilk but the consistency will be different. One will end up with a drier batter and drier baked goods.
I’ve tried both lemon juice and vinegar. The lemon juice definitely thickened/curdled the milk more. Lemons are about 10x more acidic. (Even though they are only about 1 digit different on the pH scale, the pH scale is logarithmic, meaning a factor of 10, 2 digits would be a factor of 100, etc)
Thirdly, the lemon juice and vinegar methods will impart different flavours to the end product, …different from buttermilk and different from each other.
Thank you!!
Awesome! You saved me a trip to the store!
Excellent, thank you.
Yummy that is all
What kind of milk I should mix to vinegar? Condensed? Evaporated? Powdered Milk?
Regular cows milk.
Sheep or breast is best
breast is best
Hahahahahaha!!!
They are yummy and satisfy my munches
Straight to the point. Well done and Thanks!