5 Easy Buttermilk Substitutes (Recipes + Vegan Options) - Learn how to make a homemade buttermilk substitute in 10 minutes with this super easy recipe.
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Run out of the real thing? Been there! No worries, we've got you covered. We'll show you 5 different ways to make a quick substitute with simple ingredients you probably already have in the house.
Use in all your favorite recipes. The acidity will enhance the balance of flavors and tenderize the end result of countless delicious recipes.
This recipe works well in breakfast recipes like our Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes, quick breads, and dessert recipes like our wildly popular Old Fashioned Banana Bread Recipe that has been saved over 26,000 times on Pinterest.
What Is Buttermilk?
Buttermilk is an essential ingredient for every avid baker and cook. It has a delightful tangy flavor and a creamy texture that has the dual purpose of balancing flavors and tenderizing proteins in recipes.
True buttermilk is the leftover liquid from making butter. It is un-pasteurized and the bacterial cultures have been allowed to ferment naturally. However, you are unlikely to find it for sale at your local grocery store. All milk products sold here in the United States are required to be pasteurized or cultured for safety reasons.
Store-bought buttermilk or Cultured Buttermilk is what you'll find readily available at the grocery store. It is made from fermented lactic acid bacteria and low-fat milk. It's bacterial cultures have been heated during the pasteurization process to kill harmful bacteria, rendering it safe for consumption.
5 Different Ways To Make A Buttermilk Substitute
Notes on Ingredients Plus Vegan Options
Homemade buttermilk substitute is made of a combination of milk and an acidic ingredient and is a great substitute for the real thing. All you need are a few simple ingredients.
Every avid baker has realized too late that they're out of a key ingredient to a recipe. It's an easy thing to do!
The good news is most of the ingredients needed to make a buttermilk replacement are pantry staples. So if you get in a pinch, you're bound to have the ingredients to one of these combinations around.
- acid - Acid is an essential ingredient.
It provides a tangy flavor that balances savory or sweet flavors in all sorts of delicious recipes.
It also activates baking soda (a leavening agent), creating tiny gas bubbles that cause baked goods to rise when they are exposed to the heat of an oven.
Common acids used to make a substitute are:
- lemon juice
- vinegar - white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- milk products - Traditional buttermilk is made with regular milk products. However, it's super easy to make a Vegan buttermilk substitute or a dairy-free buttermilk substitute by using your favorite plant based milk.
Here are some common ingredients you can use:- regular milk products - low-fat, whole
- heavy cream
- plain yogurt - or Greek yogurt
- sour cream - is a pasteurized product made from a fermented culture of lactic acid bacteria and cream.
- crème fraîche - is very similar to sour cream but contains more fat.
- non-dairy milk (plant based milk) products - coconut, almond, oat, unsweetened soy
- water - May substitute a cup of water if you don't have enough milk.
Equipment
- mason jar - We like to use a ball canning jar with a screw top lid. The jars we use have convenient measurement lines on the side, which are perfect for mixing recipe ingredients together.
- measuring spoons
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
Pro Tip: Avoid the temptation to eyeball the measurements. Accurate measurements produce the best results.
How to Make Buttermilk
Choose one easy buttermilk substitute recipe from the 5 offered below and make your own alternative. It's super easy. Feel free to message me on social or leave a comment below if you have any questions. I'd love to hear from you.
1. Lemon Juice + Milk. - Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Pour in a scant cup of milk until it reaches the 1 cup measurement line. Transfer the mixture to a mason jar and close the lid on tightly. Shake well and let rest for 10 minutes.
Substitution - May substitute 1 tablespoon of vinegar for 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
2. Cream of Tartar + Milk. - Whisk together 1 ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and 1 cup of milk in a mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well. Let rest for 10 minutes.
3. Greek Yogurt + Milk. Add ¾ cup greek yogurt and ¼ cup of milk to a mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well. Let rest for 10 minutes.
4. Sour Cream + Milk. Add ½ cup of sour cream and ½ cup of milk to a mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well. Let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Crème Fraîche + Milk. Add ½ cup crème fraîche and ½ cup of milk to a mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Pro Tips
- Use Fresh Milk - For best results, be sure to use fresh ingredients.
- For Thicker Consistency - Substitute heavy cream for a thicker consistency in the end result.
- For Smoother Consistency - Blend the ingredients for a smoother consistency. We love to use our Vitamix for smoothing out all sorts of liquids, like salad dressings, sauces, and soups.
Recipe FAQs
Real buttermilk with have a thicker consistency than a substitute, which can be thinner and slightly lumpy. This difference in consistency can impact the recipe. The end result is always better using the real thing. However, a substitute can come in handy when you've run out of the real deal.
Heavy cream is a great base. It will give a thicker consistency to the end result.
Substitute sour cream, creme fraiche, or Greek yogurt for buttermilk. Or make your own buttermilk substitute following one of these 5 easy buttermilk substitutes.
Freezing and Storage
How To Store Buttermilk?
Store it in the refrigerator and use or freeze by the freshness date on the container.
Can You Freeze Buttermilk?
If you have a small amount leftover, freeze it for use later. It freezes well and thaws without separating. Try these easy methods:
Original Container - The simplest way to freeze it is in its original container. Just make sure there is an inch of room at the top of the container to allow for expansion of the leftover liquid as it freezes. Otherwise, the container will rupture.
Ice Cube Tray - Freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop out the frozen cubes and store them in a freezer bag in the freezer.
Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and bring it to room temperature before using.
How To Use Buttermilk
Use it in all your favorite recipes. Substitute 1 cup buttermilk alternative for 1 cup buttermilk in recipes.
The taste of buttermilk with its acidity provides a tangy flavor and creamy texture that will add balance and depth to your recipes.
Besides taste, there are other reasons for using it in recipes. It breaks down protein (gluten strands) in flour and will making baked goods tender and fluffy. It will tenderize meat and proteins in savory recipes. And it's also a great substitute for vinegar in salad dressings.
Be sure to try this recipe when you make pancakes. It makes irresistibly tender and fluffy pancakes. Looking for a great recipe? You can't go wrong with this family favorite. It's truly the BEST Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe. Serve them with maple syrup and a pat of butter, or some sweet Strawberry Syrup.
There you have it. Making your own buttermilk substitute is as easy as that! We hope you try one of our super simple recipe next time you run out of the real thing. Try it and let us know how you like it. We'd love to hear from you!
xo ~ Seanna
More Recipes Using Buttermilk
Use a cup of buttermilk substitute in any of these delicious recipes.
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- Fried Chicken
- Banana Bread
- Mashed Potatoes
- Ranch Dressing
- Irish Soda Bread
- Coffee Cake
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📖 Recipe
Easy Buttermilk Substitute Recipe
Ingredients
Lemon Juice + Milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice may substitute white vinegar
- 1 cup milk
Cream of Tartar + Milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 cup milk
Greek Yogurt + Milk
- ¾ cup greek yogurt plain
- ¼ cup milk
Sour Cream + Milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
Crème Fraîche + Milk
- ½ cup crème fraîche
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
Lemon Juice + Milk
- Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Pour in milk until it reaches the 1 cup measurement line. Pour the mixture into a mason jar and close the lid on tightly. Shake well and let rest for 10 minutes.1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 cup milk
Cream of Tartar + Milk
- Whisk together cream of tartar and milk in a mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well. Let rest for 10 minutes.1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 cup milk
Greek Yogurt + Milk
- Add greek yogurt and milk to a mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well. Let rest for 10 minutes.¾ cup greek yogurt, ¼ cup milk
Sour Cream + Milk
- Add sour cream and milk to a mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well. Let rest for 10 minutes.½ cup sour cream, ½ cup milk
Crème Fraîche + Milk
- Add crème fraîche and milk to a mason jar. Screw the lid on tightly and shake well. Let rest for 10 minutes.½ cup crème fraîche, ½ cup milk
Notes
Ingredient Notes
- acid - Acid is an essential ingredient.
It provides a tangy flavor that balances savory or sweet flavors in all sorts of delicious recipes.
It also activates baking soda (a leavening agent), creating tiny gas bubbles that cause baked goods to rise when they are exposed to the heat of an oven.
Common acids used are:
- lemon juice
- vinegar - white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- milk products - Traditional buttermilk is made with regular milk products. However, it's super easy to make a Vegan buttermilk substitute or a dairy-free buttermilk substitute by using your favorite plant based milk.
Here are some common ingredients you can use:
- regular milk products - plain, low-fat, whole
- heavy cream
- plain yogurt - or Greek yogurt
- sour cream - is a pasteurized product made from a fermented culture of lactic acid bacteria and cream.
- crème fraîche - is very similar to sour cream but contains more fat.
- non-dairy milk (plant based milk) products - coconut, almond, oat, unsweetened soy
- water - May substitute a cup of water.
Pro Tips
- Use Fresh Ingredients - For best results, be sure to use fresh ingredients. Sour milk is spoiled milk.
- For Thicker Consistency - Substitute heavy cream for a thicker consistency in the end result.
- For Smoother Consistency - Blend the ingredients for a smoother consistency. We love to use our Vitamix for smoothing out all sorts of liquids, like salad dressings, sauces, and soups.
Freezing and Storage
Storage - Store in the refrigerator and use or freeze by the freshness date on the container. Freezing - Freeze it for use later. It freezes well and thaws without separating. Try these easy methods:- Original Container - The simplest way is to freeze it in its original container. Just make sure there is an inch of room at the top of the container to allow for expansion of the leftover liquid as it freezes. Otherwise, the container will rupture.
- Ice Cube Tray - Freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop out the frozen cubes and store them in a freezer bag in the freezer.
Nutrition
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Russ B
Great tips!
Seanna Borrows
Thanks Russ. I appreciate you!
Suzy Williams
Seanna, these tips are so good! I always freeze buttermilk in the freezer and forget to defrost it. Thanks so much. Love your recipes.
Seanna Borrows
Thanks Suzy!