• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Joy the Baker
Joy the Baker
  • New Magazine!
  • Bread
  • Cookies
  • Cakes
  • Pies
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Biscuits
    • Muffins
    • Cupcakes
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Fruit
    • Nuts
    • Buttermilk
    • Chocolate
    • Vanilla
    • Holiday
    • Healthy
    • Gluten-Free
    • Vegan
  • Blog
    • Baking 101
    • Tips
    • Beyond the Kitchen
    • Let It Be Sunday!
    • New Orleans

Baking 101: The Best Buttermilk Substitutes

November 18, 2013 by Joy the Baker 109 Comments

the best buttermilk substitutions

Let’s talk about buttermilk.  More specifically, let’s talk about how I never have buttermilk in the refrigerator when I need it.  Wwhhyy!?

What is buttermilk?  Buttermilk is a slightly sour milk.   The sourness of buttermilk comes from acids in the milk, most notably, lactic acids.  Because the proteins in buttermilk are 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.

Cultured buttermilk, as it is called in the United States these days, is a pasteurized milk product.  A culture of lactic acid bacteria is added to low-fat milk to curdle and sour the milk.  Many dairies also add tiny yellow colored flecks of butter to simulate, well… buttermilk.

Buttermilk is an important part of baking.  The acidic milk combined with baking soda in a recipe is a baker’s dream. It’s helps add a lightness and tenderness to baked treats.  When baking soda is combined with the lactic acids of buttermilk, the acid neutralizes the metallic taste of sodium carbonate.  We talked about this in-depth in Baking 101: The Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder.

What if you’re plum out of buttermilk?  There are solutions…. let’s talk.

The Best Buttermilk Substitutes

Milk and Lemon or Vinegar

In a 1-cup measuring cup, add 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.  Top the lemon juice with skim, low fat or whole milk.  Stir and let sit for two minutes.  After two minutes, your milk is both acidic and curdled.  If you need 2 cups of buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to the milk.  Two tablespoons aren’t necessary.

Milk and Yogurt

Stir 1/4 cup milk into 3/4 cup plain yogurt to create a nicely thick buttermilk substitute.

Milk and Cream of Tartar

Stir together 1 cup of milk and 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.

Non-Dairy Option: Almond Milk and Yogurt (with a splash of vinegar)

Stir 1/4 cup almond milk into 3/4 cup almond milk yogurt.  Add a splash (about 1/2 teaspoon) vinegar to the mixture and stir well.  Soy milk and yogurt can also be substituted for the almond milk products.

What We’re Making With Buttermilk

Buttermilk Beignets

Buttermilk Beignets

So soft and tender straight from the fryer.  Don’t inhale and eat.  Trust me.

Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Cake 

Soft cakes topped with ultra sweet, roasted strawberries.

Brown Butter Banana Bread with Rum and Coconut

Brown Butter Banana Bread with Rum and Coconut

Brown Butter and Buttermilk in their greatest union yet.

Chive and Feta Buttermilk Biscuits

Feta Chive and Sour Cream Scones

Dream biscuits.  On the savory side.

 

Previous PostNext Post

Filed Under: Baking 101, Buttermilk, Featured Buttermilk

Previous Post: « Persimmon Prosciutto and Brie Grilled Cheese
Next Post: Bonkers Awesome Candy Bar Cupcakes »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. shannon skinner

    March 7, 2020 at 12:13 pm

    I’m sorry but buttermilk has a fat content that is quite high so if you’re not using a 2 percent of whole milk before you ruin it by curdling it, you might just want to add a tad more fat. Curdling milk to make buttermilk is actually not the answer. Buttermilk is not fermented milk, it is a leftover product that comes from making butter. I make butter quite often and have better results when I use a higher fat content whipping cream. The fat content of the buttermilk that is left over is the same as the initial whipping cream. The yogurt idea is the best as it does have a natural fermentation but, again, buttermilk is not a fermented product, never has been until it was put on the shelf.
    Suggestion: No buttermilk? In this 3/4 of a cup of buttermilk, I would add 2 more Tablespoons of butter into your milk and then heat it to melt the butter into it. That is how you make buttermilk. I know it’s different but from a person that has actually made buttermilk, this is how it is derived.

    Reply
    • Dianna

      November 7, 2021 at 10:42 pm

      I’m not understanding most of what you wrote…your first sentence didn’t make sense. In your directions for making buttermilk, are you saying, to make buttermilk, add 2 tablespoons butter to 3/4 cup milk, and that’s it?

      Reply
  2. Hilda M Rodriguez

    October 19, 2019 at 10:15 am

    Joy,

    Have you or anybody have tried it with o% fat lactose free milk?

    Reply
« Older Comments
Comments Page 7 of 7
« Previous 1 … 5 6 7

Trackbacks

  1. A Single Serve Berry Crostata Recipe – My Kitchen deals says:
    June 17, 2022 at 1:04 am

    […] add just a few tablespoons of buttermilk.  (And should you don’t have buttermilk, I get it – here are a few easy ways to make quick buttermilk substitutes or you may add 2 tablespoons of ice water instead of […]

    Reply
  2. A Single Serve Berry Crostata Recipe - FoodGed says:
    June 16, 2022 at 2:29 pm

    […] tablespoons of buttermilk.  (And for those who don’t have buttermilk, I get it – listed here are just a few simple methods to make fast buttermilk substitutes or you may add 2 tablespoons of ice water rather than […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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

RELATED POSTS IN Baking 101

My Top 10 Peanut Butter Recipes

I haven’t felt like making meals at all this week.  I don’t even seem to have the energy to cobble together my usual lazy stand-bys: scrambled eggs and a carb, toasted.  Strangely, I’m also not allowing myself to order any expensive (and everything is expensive right now) takeout so… well, I’ll be eating bananas smeared…

Read More

Frosting first layer of carrot cake.
5 Tips For Making The Best Cream Cheese Frosting

It’s time we talk about cream cheese frosting.  This most wonderful addition to layer cakes and cupcakes is simple to whip together IF you use the right ingredients at the right temperatures in the right order.  Am I making it more complicated than it should be? Ha, no! Here are five tips to making the…

Read More

The 10 Best Things To Bake This November

We’re fully in it now, friends! Another fine holiday season that started off (for me, at least) with more candy corn than I ever knew I could eat.  As we ease towards the Thanksgiving and winter holidays (please go easy, November) – here are a the TEN best things to bake in November.  You’ll want…

Read More

Primary Sidebar

Fresh baked emails, delivered to your inbox

Receive recipes from Joy the Baker and updates on events at The Bakehouse.

HI! I’M JOY!

Welcome! This has been my little corner of the internet since 2008!

I’m a baker, photographer, cookbook author and teacher.  I live laugh love in New Orleans. 

MORE ABOUT JOY AND THE TEAM

BOOKS + Magazines

JOY THE BAKER 2022 SUMMER MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2021 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

JOY THE BAKER 2020 HOLIDAY MAGAZINE

HOMEMADE DECADENCE

OVER EASY: SWEET AND SAVORY RECIPES FOR LEISURELY DAYS COOKBOOK

JOY THE BAKER COOKBOOK

Joy the baker with dyed bandana around neck

HOW TO MAKE DYED BANDANAS

as seen in JtB Magazine!

joy the baker on facebook joy the baker on twitter pinterest-social instagram-socialbloglovin-social

JOY @ WILLIAMS SONOMA

SHOP THE CAKE LINE OF CAKE MIXES!

DRAKE ON CAKE

Passionate from miles away since 2015.

Check it out on Instagram

Drake on cake instagram.

 

FAVORITE FRUIT RECIPES

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

strawberry sheet cake on a plate with strawberries on top.

My Favorite Super Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake

Berry crostata topped with whipped cream with coffee.

A Single Serve Berry Crostata Recipe

POPULAR CAKES

strawberry sheet cake on a plate with strawberries on top.

My Favorite Super Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake

Slice of coconut cake on small white plate with coffee.

My favorite Coconut Cake is actually made with cake mix

A slice of lemon blueberry gooey butter cake held on a cake slicer.

Lemon Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake

Footer

Instagram

joythebaker

📚Baker and author of books and magazines
🎂Creator @drakeoncake
💁🏻‍♀️Classes with me @thebakehousenola
🍰 Products with @williamssonoma

joythebaker
I grew these 🌱sprouts🌱 from seeds in just a I grew these 🌱sprouts🌱 from seeds  in just a few days and now I eat them on everything. It’s my little bit of kitchen zen - listen, we’ll take it where we can get it. xo
I must write hundreds of To Do lists over the cour I must write hundreds of To Do lists over the course of the year but the Summer Bucket List is my favorite. Seven years running - this year I’m getting my butt in the seat of my motorcycle and somehow, on a boat at sunset. ⁣Also, blueberries. Chasing these big and little loves all summer long. 
⁣
What’s on your Summer Bucket List? Inspiration linked in the bio. xo 🌻💋
My EASIEST Strawberry Sheet Cake is also my absolu My EASIEST Strawberry Sheet Cake is also my absolute favorite. Get into a box of white cake mix and fresh 🍓🍓 purée! Topped with a thick layer of strawberry cream cheese frosting - this cake is a little pink dream! ⁣
⁣
The Easiest Strawberry Sheet Cake recipe linked in the bio for you! 💋
Our resident reader, @tobyfels shares my favorite Our resident reader, @tobyfels shares my favorite list of the summer on Joy the Baker this year: The Best Books for Summer 2022!  As a person who reads Beach Reads all year long, this is IT! With titles by @ashleymcoleman_ @anarasong @annleary @bonnie_garmus_author @heyashposton @annabelmonaghan @greerhendricks @sarahpekkanen @shelbyvanpeltwrites @marilynsimonrothstein @@misterosman and @kirstin.chen. The guide to your bookworm summer linked in the bio!
Over here testing the limits of “you are what yo Over here testing the limits of “you are what you eat” and will soon be taking my final form as a summer tomato. ⁣🫠🍅
⁣
This Mediterranean Feta and Fresh Tomato Tart is an absolute show stopper with a buttery crisp, press-in crust, whipped feta, and layers of fresh tomato, cucumber, onions, and olives. I’ll leave the recipe linked in the bio - it’s really very special. Join me. We are 🍅🍅.
Adding fight for our liberty and find tampons to t Adding fight for our liberty and find tampons to the Summer Bucket this year. #summerbucketlist
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 · Joy the Baker
All rights reserved. Violators will be whupped and sent to bed with no dessert · Privacy Policy

Scroll Up