
What can you use as a substitute for buttermilk?
What Can I Use Instead Of Buttermilk?
- Milk and vinegar. Adding vinegar to milk gives it an acidity similar to that of buttermilk.
- Milk and lemon juice.
- Milk and cream of tartar.
- Lactose-free milk and acid.
- Sour cream and water or milk.
- Plain yogurt and water or milk.
- Plain kefir.
- Buttermilk powder and water.
How to make your own buttermilk substitute?
Other Buttermilk Substitutes:
- Yogurt: Mix 3/4 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup water to thin. Use as you would buttermilk.
- Sour cream: Mix 3/4 cup sour cream with 1/4 cup plain water to thin. ...
- Kefir: Thin kefir as needed with milk or plain water until it reaches the consistency of buttermilk. ...
- Cream of tartar: Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar. ...
What is the best replacement for buttermilk?
What is the best buttermilk substitute?
- Acidified Milk. Add one tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup, and add enough milk until it measures 1 cup. …
- Watered-Down Yogurt. …
- Watered-Down Sour Cream. …
- Kefir. …
- Cream of Tartar and Milk.
Can you use sour cream instead of buttermilk?
You can use sour cream instead of buttermilk. There are two types of sour cream, pouring sour cream and thick sour cream. If using pouring sour cream, use it as is. When using thick sour cream, thin it down slightly with water or milk to make a pouring cream consistency. If you have kefir, you can use plain unsweetened, unflavoured kefir.

What is Buttermilk?
Buttermilk is fermented milk that has a tart and sour flavor. It is a common ingredient in most baking recipes, including pancakes, muffins, and biscuits. The creamy texture is also used in salad dressings and creamy sauces. Buttermilk doesn’t actually contain any butter.
What You Can Cook With Buttermilk
Buttermilk is a great ingredient to use in baking and cooking as it is so versatile. It is also very easy to substitute with an array of ingredients that can be found in any cupboard or pantry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using milk instead of buttermilk could potentially change the entire taste and flavor of your recipe.
Final Words
There is a multitude of substitutes for buttermilk that can be found in everyone’s pantry or cupboard.
No buttermilk? No problem! Get cooking with these buttermilk substitutions
Buttermilk pancakes just wouldn’t be the same without buttermilk. But for some people, it’s rarely stocked in the fridge. Luckily, there are a number of substitutes you can use in place of buttermilk. Here are some standbys.
Yogurt
Yogurt is great for baking and all your applications. Substitute an equal amount of plain yogurt for the buttermilk needed. Check out these cream cheese substitute ideas, too.
Sour Cream
Yes, you can substitute sour cream! Thin it with milk or water to get the right consistency: For each cup of buttermilk needed, use 3/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup liquid. Note: Sour cream has a higher fat content, so this will result in richer-tasting foods. Use this in dips and dressings for a delicious taste.
Dairy-Free Buttermilk Substitute
If you need a dairy-free version, try this: Combine 3/4 cup plain or vanilla almond milk yogurt, 1/4 cup almond milk and 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar. Let stand for 5–10 minutes before using in any recipe that calls for 1 cup buttermilk.
Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancakes
At our house, Saturday morning always means pancakes for breakfast. I make the menu special by servings up stacks of these fluffy buttermilk treats studded with mini chips. —Julianne Johnson, Grove City, Minnesota
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Christine loves to read, curate, sample and develop new recipes as a book editor at Taste of Home. A CIA alumna with honors, she creates cookbooks and food-related content. A favorite part of the job is taste-testing dishes. Previous positions include pastry chef at a AAA Five Diamond property.
What Is Buttermilk?
Traditionally, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter. Nowadays, however, buttermilk is made by adding bacterial cultures to low-fat or whole milk to produce a fermented milk product that’s slightly thick, with yogurt-like tartness.
5 Buttermilk Substitutes
If you don’t have a carton of buttermilk in your fridge when you’re looking for it, these quick substitutes will save you.
No Buttermilk? Try These Recipe Hacks
You've got a recipe that calls for buttermilk, but your fridge hasn't stocked that staple since 1940. What to do? No worries! You can make your own substitute. Here are a number of ways to get around buttermilk in a recipe, as well as ways to incorporate buttermilk into recipes calling for regular "sweet" milk.
Why Cook With Buttermilk?
Buttermilk brings a slightly tangy flavor to recipes and adds fluffiness (think pancakes) and a wonderful rise to baked goods. That's because the lactic acid in buttermilk—a product of fermentation—reacts energetically with baking soda, which is usually included in leavened recipes.
Buttermilk Substitutes
If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can get by with yogurt , another fermented dairy product that's high in lactic acid. Yogurt may be substituted for buttermilk, volume for volume, meaning 1 cup of yogurt may be substituted for 1 cup of buttermilk.
Buttermilk Equivalents and Measures
Recipe calls for buttermilk but none in the fridge? Here are several ways to replace buttermilk.
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Buttermilk Substitute for Baked Goods and Pancakes
For baked goods like pancakes, waffles or muffins, soured milk makes an excellent ersatz buttermilk. To make your own soured milk, put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup, then add enough milk to equal 1 cup. Stir well and let sit until it curdles, about 5 minutes.
Buttermilk Substitute for Dips and Dressings
Plain yogurt works well if you're making a dip, dressing or marinade. Thin it with a little water or milk to mimic the consistency of regular buttermilk, then use this mixture cup-for-cup in your recipe.
Buttermilk Substitute for Marinades and Brines
If you're planning to brine chicken in buttermilk, to fry or roast it, you're in luck – you can use thinned yogurt or soured milk. For the best tenderizing flavor, opt for a scant cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, then add seasonings like salt, freshly ground pepper, paprika and minced fresh garlic or a dash of garlic powder.
What is Buttermilk?
According to Southern Living, buttermilk is still cultured milk. It is a by-product of churning butter. Traditionally speaking, when the fat and milk solids in the milk is removed and made into butter, the leftover tart liquid is what we know as buttermilk.
What Does Buttermilk Do in Cakes?
On top of a subtle tangy flavor buttermilk brings to cakes, the acidity of buttermilk also helps to break down gluten and make your cake or baked goods more tender and soft, It also adds lots of moisture to your cakes.
5 Buttermilk Replacements in Cakes
The good news is, buttermilk really isn’t hard to replace. You can very simply create your own substitute following the instructions below!
3. Kefir
Kefir is a dairy-based, fermented yogurt-like drink. It is acidic in taste and has a very similar consistency to buttermilk, making it another great substitute for it.
Final Thoughts
Buttermilk makes your baked goods moister and more flavourful. But don’t you stress if you don’t have it on hand because you can easily make your own, even if you’re vegan!
