• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to recipes navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cook Well, Eat Well
  • Shop
  • Meet Shinee
  • Contact
Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube

Sweet & Savory

Cook Well, Eat Well

  • New? Start Here
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
      • Dips
      • Meat-lovers
    • Desserts
      • Bars & Brownies
      • Cakes
      • Cheesecakes
      • French Macarons
      • Pastries
      • Pies
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Salads
    • Seasonal
      • Summer Favorites
      • Easter
      • Christmas
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Game Day
      • Halloween
      • New Year’s Eve
      • Thanksgiving
      • Valentine’s Day
  • Valentine’s Day
  • Discover
    • Ingredients
    • Tools
  • Learn
    • Baking Basics
    • Cooking Basics
    • Advanced Techniques
    • How-To’s
  • Share
    • Seasonal
    • Party Planning 101
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube
    Subscribe To Updates
Home » Learn » How-To's » Buttermilk Substitutes

Buttermilk Substitutes

Skip to Recipe Print Share
Share on:
By: Shinee Published: 2/22/2022Updated: 2/22/2022

This post may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

Sharing is caring!

109 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Two quick and easy ways to make buttermilk substitute with just 2 ingredients or less! Learn the best uses for each method.

Buttermilk is a staple in my fridge, but I know it’s a foreign ingredient for many.

If you ever find yourself with a recipe that calls for buttermilk, but none on hand, don’t fret. There’re multiple ways you can make a buttermilk substitute!

Table of Contents

  • DIY Buttermilk – Method #1:
  • DIY Buttermilk – Method #2:
  • Can you freeze buttermilk?
  • Buttermilk Substitute

DIY Buttermilk – Method #1:

This is the most common buttermilk substitute and it works great for most baking recipes.

3 images of bottle of milk with lemon, cream of tartar and white vinegar.
  1. Simply stir in acid into milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. The mixture will curdle and thicken.
  • 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon liquid acid, such as white vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1 cup milk + 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Tip

I love it for making red velvet cupcakes, for example. But I find that it isn’t the best for buttermilk pancakes!

DIY Buttermilk – Method #2:

This method is my favorite especially for making buttermilk pancakes, because it turns out thicker than the method #1 and doesn’t make the batter too runny.

  1. Whisk sour cream, or plain yogurt with some water or milk until smooth.
  • 3/4 cup sour cream/yogurt + 1/4 cup milk/water

Tip

This buttermilk substitute works perfectly for pancakes and breading chicken, like these chicken fingers.

Buttermilk poured into a measuring cup.

Can you freeze buttermilk?

Absolutely yes! You can freeze buttermilk in ice cube trays, but I find them to be too small.

  • Instead, I like these 1/2-cup silicone molds to freeze buttermilk.
  • Or, you can also pour the desired amount of buttermilk in freezer bags. Place them on a cooking sheet in a flat position and freeze until solid. They store so neatly this way!
Bottle of milk with cream of tartar, white vinegar and lemon.

Buttermilk Substitute

Two quick and easy ways to make buttermilk substitute with just 2 ingredients or less!
5 from 1 vote
serves: 1 cup
Total : 10 minutes
Print
Leave a Review

Ingredients

Method #1:

  • 1 cup milk Note 1
  • 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, or lemon juice Note 2

Method #2

  • 3/4 cup sour cream, or plain yogurt Note 3
  • 1/4 cup milk, or water
Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!

Instructions

Method #1:

  • Stir in vinegar, or lemon juice into the milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. The milk will curdle and thicken, and that means it's ready to be used.

Method #2:

  • Combine sour cream, or yogurt with milk, or water, until well combined. And it's ready to be used for your recipe.

Tips & Notes:

Note 1: You can use any kind of milk here. Whole, 2%, or even soy milk for dairy-free version work fine.
Note 2: While distilled white vinegar works the best, you can also use apple cider vinegar. And either fresh or bottled lemon juice works equally.
Note 3: Any kind of yogurt, such as coconut yogurt, works to make buttermilk substitute. If using Greek yogurt, reduce the amount to 1/2 cup and add 1/2 cup of milk or water, because Greek yogurt is much thicker.
Freezing Instruction:
You can freeze buttermilk in ice cube trays, or these 1/2-cup silicone molds, or pour the desired amount of buttermilk in freezer bags. Place them on a cooking sheet in a flat position and freeze until solid. They store so neatly this way

Nutrition Facts:

Serving: 1cup Calories: 152kcal (8%) Carbohydrates: 12g (4%) Protein: 8g (16%) Fat: 8g (12%) Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 24mg (8%) Sodium: 105mg (5%) Potassium: 322mg (9%) Sugar: 12g (13%) Vitamin A: 395IU (8%) Calcium: 277mg (28%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Author: Shinee
Course:Snack
Cuisine:American
Bottle of milk with cream of tartar, white vinegar and lemon.
Did you make this?Show me your creation! Tag me @shineshka and hashtag it #sweetandsavorybyshinee!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Yummly

Related Recipes

  • Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
  • Red Velvet Cupcakes
  • Mini Kahlua Cupcakes
  • Ultimate Carrot Cupcakes

Never Miss a Recipe!

Subscribe and receive my FREE Portion Planning Cheat Sheet for Cocktail and Dinner Parties.

Previous Post
Foolproof English Scones
Next Post
Homemade Angel Food Cake Strawberry Shortcake

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Made this? Rate this recipe:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Kimberly J Weller says

    Posted on 5 March 2022 at 2:21 am

    I knew for a very long time.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 12 March 2022 at 3:38 pm

      Good for your, Kimberly!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Shinee! I’m so happy you’re here! I believe anyone can cook restaurant-quality food at home! And my goal is to help you to become a confident cook with my easy-to-follow recipes with lots of tips and step-by-step photos.

New? Start Here

Browse Specialties

Main Dishes Side Dishes Appetizers Salads Breads & Pastries Cakes Macarons Drinks Browse All
Portion Planning 101
Free Dinner Party Cheat Sheet
Download Now

Popular Recipes

Yellow and white macarons.

French Macarons for Beginners

Best Prime Rib Roast (Bone-In)

This is the simplest and moistest banana bread - easy to make and yields 2 breads! #bananabread

Best Moist Banana Bread Recipe

A plate full of chocolate chip cookies.

Egg Yolk Cookies

How to Make Homemade Pistachio Paste

sliced plain sponge cake layers

Easy Sponge Cake (3 Ingredient Cake)

Valentine's Day Desserts

Pistachio Macarons in a box

Pistachio Macarons

Supreme Chocolate Cheesecake

Supreme Chocolate Cake

Mini strawberry pavlovas on a baking sheet.

Strawberry Mini Pavlova

Pistachio Eclairs

Raspberry lemon tartlets arranged on a rectangular serving platter.

Raspberry Lemon Tartlets

Game Day Eats

Cooked bacon jalapeno poppers on a baking sheet.

finger food:

3-Ingredient Jalapeno Poppers

meat:

Beer BBQ Meatballs

Bean dip in a casserole dish with a portion being scooped with a chip.

dip:

3-Ingredient Bean Dip

appetizer:

Bacon Wrapped Cheesy Crackers

sandwich:

Philly Cheese Steak Sliders

dessert:

5-Ingredient Pineapple Cake

Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube

Never Miss A Recipe

Subscribe and receive my FREE Portion Planning Cheat!

  • Discover
    • Recipe Index
    • Tools & Gadgets
    • Ingredients
  • Learn
    • Baking Basics
    • Cooking Basics
    • Advanced Techniques
  • Share
    • Holidays
    • Appetizers
    • Party Planning 101
  • Back To Top
  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
© 2013-2023 Sweet & Savory Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Exclusive member of Mediavine Food
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Subscribe and Receive My FREE Portion Planning Cheat!