Let’s take a quick minute to talk about buttermilk.
What is buttermilk? Buttermilk is a slightly sour milk. The sourness of buttermilk comes acids in the milk, most notably, lactic acids. Because the proteins in buttermilk are slightly curdled, buttermilk is slightly thicker than regular milk, but not quite as thick as cream. Buttermilk is also usually much lower in fat than regular milk and cream.
Say you wanted to make some butter and buttermilk waaaaay back in the day. First you’d take your fresh milk from the cow, let’s say a big old bucket full… and you’d leave it out at room temperature for a few days. After a few days the rich cream would separated and formed a thick layer on top of the milk. During these few days, the milk would fermented a bit from the lactic acid forming bacterias in the milk. Gross? Not at all! The bacteria produced would help lower the pH of the milk and protect with milk from icky microorganisms, making the butter easier to churn. Once the butter is churned the residual liquid that’s produced…. that’s buttermilk!
Nowadays, buttermilk is a whole other production. Cultured buttermilk, as it is called in the United States these days, is a pasteurized milk product. Instead of letting the milk ferment naturally, most dairies now add a culture of lactic acid bacteria to produce the same thickening and curdling of the milk. Many dairies also add tiny yellow colored flecks of butter to simulate the old fashioned product.
Buttermilk is an important part of baking. The acidic milk combined with baking soda in a recipe is a baker’s dream. See… when baking soda is combined with the lactic acids of buttermilk, the soda releases carbon dioxide that when heated, released tiny bubbles that expand and lift and lighten whatever you’re baking.
But what if you’re plum out of buttermilk? There are solutions…. let’s talk.
In a pinch and you’ve run out of buttermilk?
Lemon and Milk
In a 1-cup measuring cup, add 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. Top the lemon juice with with skim, low fat or whole milk. Stir and let sit for two minutes. After two minutes, your milk is both acidic and curdled. Perfect!
Yogurt and Milk
Mix 3/4 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup of milk. Stir and make it a quick substitution for buttermilk.
Milk and Cream of Tartar
Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. To ensure that the mixture doesn’t get lumpy, mix the cream of tartar with 2 Tablespoons of milk. Once mixed add the rest of the cup of milk. Cream of tartar is an acid and will simulate the acidic environment of buttermilk in a pinch.
Barbara Otey
Love all the posts. You have saved the day for me. They only carry cultured buttermilk in the winter here
Natasha
But what can i use expired fresh cream for? can i use it instead of buttermilk? for scones maybe?
joythebaker
I suppose it depends on how expired the cream is? It’s hard to say. I prefer to use a fresh cream and sour it myself with lemon or vinegar.
Fatu S
Thank you so much. This saved me a trip from the store this morning, I was making Red Velvet Pancakes and completely forgot I used it all up a couple of days before..
leamarkum
I have recently been enjoying kefir and filmjolk for their health benefits. Can either be used as a buttermilk substitute, or is their makeup not suitable for baking? Thanks!
anna c
can someone please tell me if the ‘buttermilk’ as a side product of whipping cream to form butter the same thing as cultured buttermilk? thank you!
joythebaker
No, it is not the same thing as cultured buttermilk. Cultured buttermilk has cultures added to it
Gene
Get some frozen lemon juice to put in your freezer-always handy-Minute maid
Harry
Is it possible to use sour cream to make buttermilk? I know it’s a long shot but I’ve got some sour cream that needs using up
joythebaker
Yes. I would add a squirt of lemon and enough water to make it a buttermilk consistency.
Tensai
hi thank you for these tips, i work as a baker i tried using these but the taste differentiate a lot from when you use buttermilk.
joline
Joy, Is substitute butter milk safe for baking and cooking?
joanne
so happy to have found this. now i don’t have to buy buttermilk anymore. and i hate having to buy like a half a gallon when you only need one cup!!!! thanks!
Kristina
Thank you!!! I’m so happy that I found your page. My eleven year old daughter and I want to make a handed down recipe for southern biscuits, but we have no buttermilk on hand…sooo, your information has come to our rescue!! I’ve bookmarked your page so we can easily find you again and again! ????????????
Tammy
Probably a stupid question but is there a certain type of white vinegar to use? I can only find white wine vinegar in our store or rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar? I think that’s the other one. Are any of those what I’m supposed to use as white vinegar?
zaina
i guess i’ll follow the yogurt method ;) thank you!
Dusty
The last few days, I’ve been googling substitutions, and your website always has the best information! Love this!!!
Amanda
Thank you. I’ve searched for the best substitutions, but nothing is as good as the real thing, of course. The idea with lemon sounds great. My standard practice is to freeze one cup portions in ziplock bags, then I just toss them into a bowl of warm water to thaw while getting my ingredients together.
Kristi
you’re a lifesaver!
syeda
when we add lemon or vinegar to milk than the milk forms a curdy solution so before using thing milk solution in cake are we suppose to seprate the curd from the milk please make my doubt clear
Jennie
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This
is a really well written article. I’ll be sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info.
Thanks for the post. I will certainly return.
crystalpj
can margerin be substitution for butter in the red velvet cake?
Mary
What if my lemon juice’s “best by date” is about a year ago? Can I still use it to make the buttermilk?
Yaquelin
The substitution sounds great! But I only have limes, would that work the same way? Thank you in advance!
Abi
I need buttermilk for a lemon cake recipe and it’s nearly as rare as hen’s teeth in the UK. The lemon juice substitute will be perfect!
Heather
Thanks, super inspiring and helpful!
Fiona
The 3/4c yogurt and 1/4c milk did not work for me at all. I used it to make muffins and they turned out really heavy and stodgy. Next time I’ll make sure I keep some lemon juice on hand as it sounds like a better substitute.
Laura J
I love, love , love your website. It is the best one on the net. Every recipe I have tried and there are many has come out super great! I used to ask my mother, what to do, but she passed on. Now, I have your website to answer those what to do question. Thank you for being there with quality recipes I can count on.
P.S. Did I say I love your website? LOL
joythebaker
thank you for the kindness!
Heidi
I was just looking for a recipe for cake today and serendipitously had all of the ingredients for this one, even strawberries! Smells deeeeeeelicious! :-) Perfs. Thanks Joy!
Mary Ann
Where has this post been all my life?? You are awesome sauce, Joy! It’s also super helpful because back in Michigan I could buy small cartons of buttermilk, but in the years I’ve been living in California, they only come in large cartons (which I can never seem to finish). Now I have options to make “buttermilk” in whatever quantities I want! Life changing Sunday, yes indeed. Cheers to you!
~Mary Ann (http://www.schoolofmoxie.com)
wendyb964
The whey from yogurt is an acceptable substitute, too. Store it frozen in a jar: add to it rather than toss it down the drain.
I dislike drinking buttermilk, but for salad dressing and a few other uses there IS no acceptable substitute. It freezes remarkably well! Same for heavy whipping cream. The powder is decent for most baking, but don’t do as my sis-in-law and try to use it for salad dressing, ewww.
Valentina Kobernyk B
Hi! I have a post in mi blog with a other way to get buttermilk. Thanks for your tips =)
http://valentina-makemycake.blogspot.com.es/search/label/Mantequilla%20casera
xoxo
lilly anderson
i am trying to make a buttermilk blueberry breakfast cake for my family, and wedo not have any buttermilk. i was going to use yogurt. would plain greek yogurt be ok to use?
Gee
Thanks Joy! Just what I was looking for.
I used the yoghurt / milk combo and it worked fine for the Apricot Muffins I was making; which I then used to raise money for charity at my work. So you inadvertently helped me raise money for Oxfam to help women around the world transcend poverty!
I wonder if you (or anyone here?) knows if I could just use Creme Fraiche as a direct substitute? I use it in place of sour cream all the time as a lower fat option.
Thanks again.
priya
Hi Joy – nice name :)
can i substitue sour cream with buttermilk.
Thanks
Priya
joythebaker
you often can, yes.
Sarah Allyn Bauer
Thank you Joy! Exactly what I was looking for!
Bonnie
Thanks! It never fails: I cannot remember the ratio of lj to milk! Grrrrrr! AND thanks to you all who mentioned that stores sell powdered buttermilk! I had NO idea, and I even buy regular powdered milk for times that I don’t have enough milk on hand! YAY!
debs
what is a’cup’ measurement in mls,fl oz or any liquid measure ??
SHiela
can I use any kind of milk?
joythebaker
cow’s milk works well. soy milk works as well.
Danni
Joy – you’ve just saved my bacon! Thanks
Naeemah
Thank you Joy the Baker. I was making some biscuits and I had everything except the buttermilk. I knew about substituting milk and lemon; milk and vinegar, but I couldn’t remember how much. So I googled “buttermilk substitute” and came across your site. Thank you so much. You taught me something with the yogurt and cream of tartar. I had no clue. Woohoo! It’s always good to have other options. I am saving you in my favorites.
Zainab
So glad I came accorss these substitutes. Can I use just plain yogurt to replace buttermilk in a red velvet recipe.
Pls what’s the difference between whole milk and evaporated milk?
mary kirby
I am making blueberry muffins but the recipe calls for 2 sticks of butter……way too much butter for me…can I use buttermilk instead of the butter??
the liquids are 1 1/4 cups of milk
2 eggs
2 sticks of butter
Do I still need some butter or oil if I use buttermilk?
Thanks, Mary K.
Sini
As buttermilk isn’t a product you can find in every shop around here, this post is great! I have always some milk and lemons in my fridge.
Elsa Dinkel
Thank you so much for sharing this information on buttermilk!! Awesome! This was a big help and I can make my recipe with buttermilk!
justbob
Think this will work with Almond Dream or Rice Milk? I’m going to try the vinegar to see what happens.
joythebaker
soy yogurt works really well as a dairy free substitute!
Willaim Jimenez
09-18-11
I having a problem finding a sbustitute for buttermilk. I have a friend who cannot have any dairy products. I am making a recipe of muffins for her and it calls for buttermilk. Is there anything that can sub this ingredient??? thanks bill j.
joythebaker
perhaps soy milk and just a splask (1/2 teaspoon vinegar) will work in the recipe.
Sara
I was so pleased to see this answer! My sons are both allergic to dairy and I didn’t know if I should try the usual alternatives to buttermilk (lemon, vinegar, etc.) or if there was something else. I will try the splash of vinegar and see what happens. So nice to see this.
How to Make Buttermilk
Love your blog! So happy I stumbled upon it. I am obsessed with buttermilk and totally agree with your substitutions. I have come up with some unusual ways to make buttermilk in the past. Thanks for sharing!
christi harrison
thank you! i used this recipe today.
lawrence
This is sooooooo great… looks like ima have some nice buttermilk pancakes in the morning without having to go buy buttermilk… thanks so much.. ur great joy
Paul
Brilliant suggestions With lemon halps me with my cheese making in the UK. Thanks for tip
margi
This was so helpful and VERY interesting! Great information and a trip saver to the grocery store for buttermilk! Thank you!
Taty
Just reading these posts now in Jan. I accidentally purchased nonfat buttermilk. Would this work?
thanks!
Elena
For the lemon + milk version, can I use bottled lemon juice?
Kathryn
Thanks, sometimes it’s hard to find buttermilk here.
Now I know what to do.
Kim
what about vinegar and milk to make buttermilk?
Jan
Great hint – Always finding recipes with buttermilk but never have it. Thanks
Mararia
I love your blog and everything you do in the kitchen! you are a very nice cook!
I use buttermilk since I discover your Blog, at first it was difficult to find buttermilk and I made the mix , milk and lemon.
I live in Madrid, Spain and hard to find it, and voilá I found it in Alcampo, a big supermarket, it was a great discovery!
Anna
Hmm…I’ve always used some milk and a splash of apple cider vinegar.
Good Bite In
Brilliant suggestions … here in the UK it’s often hard to find buttermilk so I usually have to resort to normal milk … not anymore! Thanks for the tips!
S.
Carol
Just the thing needed to get some of that beautiful avocado pound cake of yours in the oven!
denise
thank you! because in my country there’s no such thing as buttermilk, and i have found so many recipes that include it in their ingredients, and i had no idea what to put instead of it! thank you!
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite
I make my own buttermilk all the time! It’s way easier! Somehow I always have lemons and milk so it’s my go-to. Not to mention that it makes 1 perfect cup – the measurement most frequently required in recipes!
Jessica
Just another expat who can NEVER find buttermilk (in Macedonia)… I almost always substitute it with drinking yogurt, which is handy around here because it is easy, plentiful, and I haven’t had a recipe flop yet… :)
Jane Beatty
I can never find buttermilk in the U.K. so thank you very much for letting us know how to make it. Your site is amazing!!!!
Jean C.
Ahhhh, you read my mind! I made home made scone dough yesterday which calls for buttermilk! But, did you know that IF, you don’t have a lemon….. you can mix your milk with vinegar? Sames amounts… and it turns out just wonderfully! Oh…. and I have a recipe for making baking powder substitute. Let me know if you want it!
Martha T. H.
Yes, please give the recipe for baking powder substitute. I use so little, that mine is always stale. Thanks.
Dream
The buttermilk pie is a certified HIT. I made it several times last year.
Mali
Thank you so very much….I live in the caribbean where we import all of these diary products and they are costly especially as it is not really used in our normal baking repertois. Your advise just made it easier for me to experiment with more recipes…
Thanks to MML as well…..her idea with the coconut milk sounds delicious and of course is readily available :D
crazybaker
thanks for the tips! Buttermilk is not always easily found in Asia, but milk, lemons and yoghurt are! can’t tell you how many recipes i’ve longed to do but couldn’t do because i can’t find buttermilk. thanks so much! love your blog!
Fran
Will this work with soy milk?
Fran
peggy leblanc
WHERE CAN I FIND WHOLE BUTTERMILK , OR CAN I MAKE IT
mal cakes
thank you for these tips,
i never have buttermilk when
i need it.
Mary
Great advice for buttermilk substitution. I always ended up throwing away most of the buttermilk. To top it off where I live I can never find small containers so always have to buy a big one. I felt bad throwing it away, NOT ANY MORE! THANKS TO YOU!! LOVE YOUR RECIPES AND COOL IDEAS! AWESOME!!
Emelia
THANKS! I live in the Middle East and there is no buttermilk to be found here, so I really appreciate it.
Now I just need you to explain how to make/produce brown sugar…
Renee
Already done!
https://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2010/08/how-to-make-brown-sugar/
Silvia
Thank you, it works and now I can see what a difference it makes!
What about the substitutions for sour cream? I can’t find it in Italy.
Ruby
SOUR CREAM for ITALY
PLAIN WHOLE MILK yogurt + Lemon juice = sour cream
Must be PLAIN WHOLE MILK yogurt. I found PLAIN Greek yogurt at all the Ipersisa stores.(Greek tastes best)
Not as thick as making it from real cream + cultures but ALL of my Italy relatives just loved it !
RECIPE:
1 small container of WHOLE MILK PLAIN yogurt
ADD juice of 1/2 lemon (strained)
Let sit in fridge for 3 hours (or more)
Done.
SUBSTITUTE FOR EVAP MILK ( 12 oz can )
Put twice the amount of fresh milk that you need in a saucepan, and let it slowly simmer until only HALF remains in the saucepan. (can take hours)
OMG ! This worked fantastic !
SUBSTITUTE FOR PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE
Italy does have this product on the shelves but at the exhorbitant price they charge it makes it far too expensive to make even a simple cream cheese frosting.
HOMEMADE PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE
Do this at noon.
1 quart PLAIN WHOLE MILK YOGURT
1/2 tsp salt
1 new knee high panty type stocking
Colander with handles
Instructions:
Stretch out the stocking
Tie a knot 1/3 up from the toe
Place the stocking in a tall clean beverage pitcher, overlap the elastic part of the stocking over the edge.
Bring the knot 4″ from the top.
Stir the salt into the yogurt
Dump all of it into the stocking. (do not squeeze)
Lift stocking out, tie a knot right after the ball of yogurt.
Tie each side of stocking to the colander handles.
The ball should be totally suspended.
Put colander into a larger pot or pan.
Put both into the fridge UNCOVERED for a min. of 12 hours to drain.
When you wake up the next morning … Voila!
The best tasting cream cheese …ever !
Store in a resealable container.
* NOTE: When i first read this recipe it just didn’t make sense to me. Then when i did it, not very much liquid drained out and it made even less sense. But when i tasted it … i was blown away ! I may never buy cream cheese from a store again, even here in the USA.
SUBSTITUTE FOR BOURSIN (not found in Italy)
1 cup cream cheese
1 cup butter (room temp softened)
1 large clove of garlic smashed into a paste
1 T dried parsley, also smashed into a powder
Mix
Refrigerate so it hardens a bit
Very simplistic recipe but is identical to store bought
at much less than 1/2 the price.
MY NEXT EXPERIMENT IS – SOUR CREAM # 2
Homemade Sour Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup LEMON JUICE
In a screw-top jar or mason jar with lid, combine the heavy cream and lemon juice. Shake the ingredients up a bit to thoroughly mix and let stand, COVERED, at ROOM TEMPERATURE for about 24 hours or until it becomes very thick. You can store your sour cream in the refrigerator in the original jar you mixed it in (or use some other resealable container) for up to one week. Make sure that sour cream is well chilled before using.
Zsofi
THANK YOU! This is fantastic! I’m here in Italy as well and I have looked in every store for sour cream with no luck. This is so helpful!
jamie
add 1/2 tsp vinegar to 1/2 cup milk and you have buttermilk
Kati
I’ve always used distilled vinegar that you often use to dye eggs. I add that to the milk and allow to sit for about five minutes-hopefully I haven’t been damaging my cooking reputation with this-will have to try some of your suggestions! thanks
bowen
Another quick substitute would be to use 1 tablespoon of vinegar (I use apple cider) and enough milk to equal one cup.
Greta
Do you think that kefir would work? We’ve been making that at home – so easy!- and since it is slightly sour tasting and cultured, it seems like it could be a good substitute. Any opinions?
WizzyTheStick
I use lime and milk. Never heard of the cream of Tarter one before, great tips
Giovanina
Your timing couldn’t have been better… I am a vegan and I just found a delcious dessert recipe for Thanksgiving and the only non-vegan ingredient is buttermilk! So I am definitely going to try these options out:)
TheWoman
Thanks – this is going to come in very handy! I don’t regularly keep buttermilk and it’s not always convenient to go to the store especially to buy some.
Doreen
I love not having to buy buttermilk! Great post!
Kristin
You can also do 3.5 tsp. of white vinegar in a 1 cup measuring cup and then fill to the 1 cup mark with milk.
Dana
Thanks for this info and the substitutions, great post. I don’t buy buttermilk so when I see it in a recipe, I often add a tiny drop or two of vinegar to milk. Would Vinegar be similar to lemon juice, or would lemon juice do a better job making it more buttermilk-like?
Becky
In a commercial muffin bakery setting I’ve used both the “add vinegar” and the “add lemon juice” trick. I will tell you that the milk + lemon juice is infinitely better. Even an added squirt of the pre-packaged lemon juice is better consistency and taste than the vinegar solution. It makes noticeably better “blueberry buttermilk bliss muffins”, that’s for sure.
Jacelyn
Cool!! Thanks for sharing these tips. Have you tried out all 3 methods before? Which do you supposed produce the best consistency?
MML
Hi Joy, my husband is allergic to dairy (anaphylatic) so instead of buttermilk I use coconut milk with apple cider vinegar and it works wonders. You can also keep your buttermilk supply going by adding a T of cultured buttermilk to regular milk and let it sit out at room temp to culture for 24-48 hours. It must be cultured buttermilk though to work…it will say on the carton. You can also buy buttermilk cultures online. I guess you have also used buttermilk to make your own creme fraiche??? You do essentially the same thing: add a T of buttermilk to whole heavy cream and let it sit out to cultue for 24-48 hours- it is the thickest, nuttiest, dreamest creme fraiche I have had since drowning my frites and steak in it in La France!:)
nicole of DE
MML: What is the measurements you used for coconut milk and vinegar vs btrmlk? thanks!!
joythebaker
I haven’t tried making buttermilk with coconut milk and I don’t know how it would react, so I’m afraid I’m not sure.
Libby
Thank you for these substitutions. I had heard of the milk and lemon juice, but not the others. This will definitely help me when I’m in need of buttermilk :)
Theresa
I’m so glad you wrote this Joy! I’ve heard of various ways to substitute for buttermilk here and there, but I have yet to hear anything definitive from a real baker. Thanks for that :)
pilar
Hi Joy!
Thanks a lot for posting these great ideas, here in South America, cultured milk is sweetened and flavored, no chance to get plain buttermilk, i used to add 1 Tablespoon of vinegar to whole milk .Will try with these buttermilk substitutions and prepare again those amazing buttermilk pancakes( that my family loved!)
Susan
This is awesome advice!!! Just think of all of the money I’ll be saving now :O)
darel
Sour cream works in a pinch…
Dani
Oops! Cream of tartar, not baking powder.
Dani
Thanks for the tips – I’d never heard of the yogurt or baking powder. My mother taught me to add one-quarter cup of milk with one tablespoon vinegar in cake, muffin, and quick bread recipes to make them moist. I love your posts like this, and make your own cake flour (and, of course, your recipes rock.)
Angel
I love your blog! Thanks for all your help!
Nicole
wow! thanks! I can never find buttermilk here and now I don’t have to ^_^
Catherine Eng
oh my goodness! yes yes yes! now i dont have to keep begging my dad to buy me buttermilk, when i’m only going to use a little! thank you thank you thank you!
-catherine eng, 11, 12 on october 16!
Abby
Hi, Joy! Love your blog. SO cute.
I’m too lazy to read through all the comments, but Food Blogga (Susan) turned me onto powdered buttermilk, which I keep because the real stuff always goes bad on me before I use it all!
Great post!
olgalopez
Fantastic Ideas.
Regards
Olguis.
Ash @ On The Rocks
Great tip! I actually just threw out some buttermilk last night because it was 2 days over expiration and smelled sour….but I didn’t realize that it’s supposed to be sour!
heather
I’ve also used this sub with 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 1 cup of milk. Thanks for the other ideas! I bake for a living so i’m positive i will use these!
Katie
I use skim milk and a splash of vinegar instead. This works especially well in scones, in place of buttermilk or half-n-half. Something about the consistency. I don’t know; is there a binding thing that goes on when you combine milk & vinegar and your dry ingredients?
Susan
Hardly ever having fresh buttermilk, I’ve always used the vinegar and milk concoction with success. But in the past few years I’ve been keeping a package of powdered buttermilk in my frig (once opened). Thay way, I always have buttermilk ready with the simple addition of water. Love your site!
Christine
I love using milk and lemon in a pinch. Does anyone use the dried buttermilk? It’s easy to keep, but clumpy to use. It’s also so expensive and I’m not sure it flavors well. A second opinion?
Barbara
Buttermilk is one of those ingredients one sees time and time again in American recipes, but never in British ones. Thank you for the helpful explanation.
Angie
Thank you so much for posting this article! I don’t find buttermilk here in Spain so I have been unable to make recipes that have buttermilk as an ingredient…but not anymore!
Adrianna from A Cozy Kitchen
Man, what a timely post for me. Just last night I so badly wanted to make buttermilk biscuits but was too lazy to run to TJs to get buttermilk. This tip will definitely come in handy when I have my next midnight biscuit craving! Thanks, Joy!
Star
I also found powdered buttermilk at my store you just add water to it.
Nirvana
oh yay! i never have buttermilk at home – this post saved me!! :) thanks joy, you rock!
Kylie of Thin Crust, Deep Dish
Hi Joy-
Thanks for educating us! I recently made butter for the first time and was excited to have both butter and buttermilk that was homemade. However, I didn’t know why everyone always said buttermilk was so great for baking. Now I get it. Can’t wait to use it some more.
joythebaker
you made your own butter!? awesome…. that is sooo on my list of things to tackle.
Erika from The Pastry Chef At Home
I accidentally made my own butter when I was 12. I was making whipped cream and foolishly thought whipping it into oblivion was the way to go. Soft peaks became stiff peaks then stiff peaks became butter and whey. I was sad, but I learned a lesson that day!
Kate @ Savour Fare
I’ve had good luck with keeping powdered buttermilk in the fridge for muffin emergencies.
Megan
I’ve heard of using vinegar before but not any of your tips above. Now I have something new to try. I’m really bad with buttermilk… I usually buy a carton, use it for a recipe, and then for buttermilk pancakes the next day, and then it sits around until it’s not good anymore, and I throw it out. I really should be more resourceful and make my own.
Emily Rose
I’ve heard about the lemon juice and milk substitution but never the yogurt! I will definitely be trying it out- thanks!
Adventures of Alice
Thanks for the info on buttermilk! I never really knew what it was, but I did know to substitute yogurt for it! I do that all the time because I have a hard time finding it in the UK. Mmm buttermilk pancakes!
christina
Excellent read! I used to do the vinegar or lemon juice in milk, but I found that the milk was still thinner than if I had used buttermilk and it affected the consistency of whatever I made. Then I started switching to the yogurt and milk combo. I never heard of the cream of tartar variant before!
A question: I saw on Mark Bittman’s site that he heats up the milk either before or after adding the lemon juice/vinegar. What does that do differently than just adding it to the cold milk?
joythebaker
hm… allow me to consult mr. bittman and get back to you.
Erica from Cooking for Seven
Excellent article. I have seen recipes that tell you to substitute yogurt in equals amounts for the buttermilk, but I think adding 1/4 of milk would make it a better consistency.
Love the use of the wood in your pic, btw.
ingrid
Thanks for the info! Is there a reason you didn’t suggest the vinegar and milk version? Not as good? Bad for you?
I know it’s been asked but I will as well, how do you adjust for subing milk with buttermilk? Thx!
~ingrid
joythebaker
oh no ingred… i didn’t mention it simple because it slipped my mind. i was thinking that the acids were covered with the lemon. vinegar works wonders too!
gizelle marie
While we’re on the subject of substitutions: what would you use in place of light molasses? I made cookies that called for 1/4 cup of it the other day and couldn’t find it anywhere. I ended up using almost a full 1/4 cup of golden syrup with a splash of dark molasses to finish it off. Any other suggestions?
joythebaker
hmmm.. molasses is a whole other ball game. let me think on it.
Jessica
Also, are the measurements the same for the vinegar and cream of tartar option?
Thanks!
joythebaker
vinegar is 1 tablespoon to one cup of milk.
cream of tartar is 1 3/4 teaspoons to one cup of milk.
Jessica
This will make buttermilk pancakes on a Saturday morning SO much easier. No trips to the store = more time to sleep in :-)
Linds
I always do the lemon/milk substitution, but I never knew about the other two methods! Thanks for the tip. Always helpful because I never seem to have buttermilk on hand when I need it.
Stephanie
Thanks so much! I loved learning the science and history of buttermilk:)
annette
TWO THUMBS UP!!! Thank you for this valuable substitute info. I love that I can get all these fabulous advice in one spot! Thank you, thank you!
Dolce
I knew the lemon variation (as well as a plain vinegar one) but that’s all.. .Thanks for the other options !
Sugar Duchess
I had no idea cream of tartar would work, too! Thanks for the tip :)
One question, though: sometimes when I have a recipe that calls for regular milk, I would love to substitute some buttermilk. But I’m never sure how to adjust the baking powder and baking soda. How do I know how much of each to use?
joythebaker
yikes! that sounds like a whole other post. let me do some research and get back to you!
Jennifer
Hey, thanks! This is great–not only are you talented and endearing, but now you’re dropping lactic acid knowledge! I love it!
Simone
thanks for the buttermilk recipes! also i’ve been curious for awhile, where are your adorable measuring cups from?
joythebaker
oh! those little beauties are from Anthropologie.
BethT @ Pretty By The Bay
The buttermilk info is great, but I also LOVE that cutting board!
Jessica
You’re a star, thanks so much for posting this! When I was very young (‘very’ due to my having ‘moments’ quite often)I tried to make my own…with actual butter. It gave my mom a good laugh!
Jen-
I remember my mother always making her delicious banana bread with “buttermilk” only she wrote the recipe with lemon and milk. So when I was not yet able to see the counter without using our mustard yellow step stool with the olive green cushion, I always thought buttermilk was lemon&milk combined. :) It wasn’t until I was making my own banana bread after I married that I learned the truth.
Websites like yours passes on the knowledge that society isn’t inclined to share in family environments much anymore. I’ve started teaching my children (2boys) to cook/bake since they couldn’t reach the counter, passing on all the knowledge to make them well-rounded foodies. Although our stool is a far more fashionable white. ;)
BIGHUGS!
Food o' del Mundo
Sister – I made butter with cow and goat milk waaaaay back in the day but I’m only 45 you make it sound like we had no running water ;-)
We did live in the country though and one time my brother was making a cake and we had no buttermilk or vinegar. He walked down the hill across the road (not dirt) to the neighbors with his tablespoon measurer to borrow some vinegar. He carefully walked home with that tablesppon level – makes me laugh still – thanks for the memories!
ps. I love ALL your tutorials and your writing is EXTRA special to me.
pss. I live in the big city of Chicago now and miss the farm
joythebaker
hahahaa! i guess growing up in the big city, i feel like the only time anyone every made their own butter was waaaay back in the day.
i stand corrected. i didn’t mean to make you feel waaaay old, because you’re so not.
michelle
ive read about the milk and vinegar thing before, but ever since my friend made a mango milkshake and curdled the milk ive been under the impression curdling is bad… but i trust you joy, im going to make my own buttermilk. curdled milk, i no longer fear you.
Mrs. Leon
May the great goddess above bless you and all of you endeavors. Thank you so much Joy!!! Now all I have to do is look back through all of your many buttermilk posts and find a few free hours to spend in my kitchen.
Jody in Japan
joythebaker
you’re uber sweet jody! i’ve owed you this post for a long time! thank you for being so patient!
Nielfa Hanifa
Great tip, thanks :)
Evan
I use vinegar as well. Now I never have to buy buttermilk again!
Wendy
cool – thanks!! in your opinion, where does powdered buttermilk fall on the spectrum?
joythebaker
you know…. I’ve never used powdered buttermilk, but Kate of SavourFare uses the stuff with success. Just add water, right? Presto… buttermilk!
Aimee
I’ve started to always keep a jug of buttermilk around. I can’t do without it for pancakes, salad dressings,cakes and buns. I love that tang taste that it brings to food!
linda
thanks for another great & informative post…lemon & skim milk…always in my frig!
joy, where did you get the slice of tree prop…i have the lemon, i have the 1 cup china measure (mine from anthropologie)…but the slice of tree looks so perfect(pls do not tell me you chopped it & cleaned it & sealed it!). thanks.
joythebaker
the board is from a company called Boards by Joel. and yes.. i love the little measuring cups from anthro… super precious.
linda
thank you so for your reply!
googled & found on vermont avenue in la….
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
I LOVE baking with buttermilk but so many times I don’t have it or it is expired. I read on your site once that your do use it when it is expired…but how expired??
Mom24
Thank you for this. A question I have is how long is it safe to use buttermilk? I’ve been told it’s way past the expiration date, but I always struggle with how long is too long?
joythebaker
Good question. I use my buttermilk up to two weeks past the expiration date. It it smells extra sour or looks extra chunky then I pitch it and get a new carton.
Mom24
Thanks! That helps.
the projectivist
oh i love it when i learn me sumfink!
Michelle
I’ve always done it as milk and white vinegar – in the same way as the lemon as described above. :)
M
Kaye
I used a tablespoon of white vinegar for every cup of milk to substitute for buttermilk.
joythebaker
Perfect!
Shauna
I had heard of the lemon and milk substitution, but as I strangely never seem to have lemons on hand, that solution hasn’t really been an option for me. But Cream of Tartar – that’s brilliant!! I always have that on hand (hello, snickerdoodles!), so that would be a fantastic solution. Thanks for the amazing tip!! :)
joythebaker
Sure Shauna! If you don’t have lemon on hand, a tablespoon of white vinegar also works per one cup of milk.
Shauna
It’s a good thing you archive this website, which absolves me of the responsibility of writing all of these golden nuggets down. ;) Thanks!
Junglewife
Thanks for the info! I can’t get buttermilk here where I live (or fresh milk either – grr!) so I’ve been using vinegar and milk. I also make my own yogurt, so I’ll remember that for the future. I would’ve never thought to use cream of tartar!
Cate
Thank you for this! I haven’t found buttermilk here in Korea, so I’ve been using lemon and milk and it works great. I had no idea yogurt and milk was another option!
Maja
Thank you so much for this! I was just at foodgawker, went to a blog with cake that had buttermilk in it and just thought, oh, great, where am i gonna buy that, then i said to myself, let’s see what Joy has written and imagine my delight when i saw the title. :) Again, thank you! :)
Susana
Thanks so so so much for this tip!!!
By the way ‘FIRST’! hehe!