This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
Knowing how to make buttermilk at home has saved me so many times. I constantly forget to buy it at the store leaving me with two options when I’m baking: make my own or run to the store. This is probably the EASIEST kitchen hack you’ll ever learn! Learn all the different ways to substitute for buttermilk in cake, banana bread, or anything you’re baking.
Buttermilk adds so much flavor to so many recipes but it’s not just important for that tangy flavor: it’s actually a really important ingredient in baking because it’s an acid that activates baking soda. When called for together in a recipe the acid in buttermilk actually make the baking soda do it’s job, resulting in fluffy baked goods. (This is also why many baked goods call for sour cream or yogurt; the acid in those does a similar job to buttermilk.)
If a recipe calls for buttermilk it often will not work properly without it, so you can’t just omit or use regular milk. What’s great is it’s easy to make a substitute and, while using store-bought buttermilk performs best, using acidified buttermilk (liquid + acid from vinegar or similar) will work in most recipes and you probably have everything you need already.
How to make Buttermilk
- Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to a measuring cup.
- Fill up the milk to the 1 cup mark.
- Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- If using sour cream or plain yogurt you’ll want to measure the proper amounts and stir them together before adding to your recipe.
Vegan Buttermilk or Dairy-Free Buttermilk Substitutes
My solution: make it as stated in the recipe below (1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice + 1 scant cup almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk or other nondairy milk) and just add it to the recipe. This will ensure the leavening works as it’s supposed to.
Note that this method won’t look “curdled” because nondairy milk doesn’t have the same properties dairy milk does, but the acid in the vinegar or lemon juice will do it’s job.
Buttermilk Uses
There are many ways to use buttermilk for flavor, like in my Yellow Cake recipe, ranch dressing or other vinaigrettes, and often fried chicken is soaked in it to make it tender.
When it’s called for in recipes on my site, it’s often required so use this homemade buttermilk recipe to make some of my favorite baked goods:
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- Pumpkin Bread or Banana Bread (my mom labeled it as “sour milk”)
- Pancakes are super fluffy when you use it
Homemade Buttermilk Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 scant cup milk 2% or nonfat, whole is fine
Instructions
- Add vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Add milk to the 1 cup line. Let sit for 5 minutes. Use in place of buttermilk.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 cup regular yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk + 3/4 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk + 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk + 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 cup water + 4 tablespoons powdered buttermilk
For all you buy. You could have just bought the butter milk
I bought all the items to show what you can use. Most people have at least one of these in their kitchen to use as a substitute.
Send me the buttermilk recipeplease
Featured In
Rate This Recipe
Recipe Ratings without Comment