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    You are here: Home / Kitchen Tips / Kitchen Tips: Buttermilk Substitute

    Kitchen Tips: Buttermilk Substitute

    November 23, 2016 Updated March 25, 2020 BySam 166 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
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    Buttermilk Substitute

    A quick and easy 2-ingredient buttermilk substitute made using milk and lemon juice (or vinegar).  Save yourself a trip to the store and spare the expense of store-bought buttermilk, and make it yourself in under 5 minutes.

    Overhead of mixing milk and lemon juice in measuring cup to make a buttermilk substitute

    If you’re just popping over from Google I want to make this really easy for you so you don’t have to read the whole post.

    How to make Buttermilk Substitute:

    1 cup buttermilk = 1 Tbsp lemon juice + 1 scant cup milk.  To make, pour 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar into a measuring cup, and then fill the rest of the way to the “1 cup” line.  For a more detailed discussion, please read on! 

    Man, do I have the easiest “recipe” for you today.

    Today I want to show you a simple substitution that I use frequently in my kitchen.  It’s nothing groundbreaking or new (in fact, I’ve been using it for essentially my whole baking life), but it’s a tip that not everyone is familiar with.

    You can substitute buttermilk with two simple and inexpensive ingredients that you probably already have in your refrigerator: milk and lemon juice.

    Let’s talk about this for a minute before we start mixing.

    Ingredients (lemon juice and milk)

    Buttermilk vs. Milk — Can I use milk instead of buttermilk in a recipe?

    The short answer is no, if a recipe calls for buttermilk, you cannot use milk instead of buttermilk in that recipe.

    Buttermilk is an acid, and any recipe that has been created using it is typically designed to have a specific reaction between the buttermilk (acid) and the leavening agents used (usually baking soda). Note: sometimes I do use buttermilk without baking soda, like in my coffee cake or vanilla cake. In these instances it is to enhance the moisture and flavor of the recipe.

    Just plain regular milk will not work as a substitute because it is not naturally acidic, and so will not react appropriately in your recipe. Using milk instead of buttermilk will likely result in drier, less flavorful, less tender baked goods, and can even affect the rise that you get in your biscuits or muffins (like these banana muffins!).

    banana muffin with high muffin top in white liner

    What Makes It Work?

    This buttermilk substitute works because adding lemon juice instantly causes a change in the milk particles and actually makes your milk acidic — exactly what your buttermilk-using recipe is looking for!  You can visually observe this as certain proteins in the milk begin to clump and you’ll see small curdles in your milk.

    This acidification happens instantly, and, according to my favorite trusty kitchen guide, it means that you don’t need to let the mixture sit for any amount of time before using.

    I’ll admit, though, I always allow it to rest for five minutes because it’s been ingrained in my mind for years that this is necessary (and I usually prepare my buttermilk substitute at the beginning of any baking session, so it ends up sitting anyway).  OK, so…

    Pouring milk into a measuring cup

    HOW do you make Buttermilk at home?

    It’s simple, really.

    • Pour one Tablespoon of lemon juice (or one Tablespoon of vinegar) into a liquid measuring cup.  Then add your milk until it reaches the 1-cup line.  Stir.  The milk will thicken and look a little… chunky or curdled.  As we discussed above, this is a good thing, and exactly what we want here!

    The recipe is written for a full cup of buttermilk, but here is a breakdown for different measurements:

    • 1 cup buttermilk = 1 Tablespoon lemon juice* + enough milk to fill to 1-cup line
    • ¾ cup buttermilk = 2 ¼ teaspoons lemon juice* + enough milk to fill to ¾-cup line
    • ⅔ cup buttermilk = 2 teaspoons lemon juice* + enough milk to fill to ⅔-cup line
    • ½ cup buttermilk = 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice* + enough milk to fill to ½-cup line
    • ¼ cup buttermilk = ¾ teaspoon lemon juice* + enough milk to fill to ¼ cup line

    *In all of these scenarios, the lemon juice can be substituted for distilled white vinegar. Substitute 1:1, the buttermilk substitute will work just as well either way. I’ve used both substitutions without issue. 

    Stirring together milk and lemon juice in a measuring cup to make a buttermilk substitute

    How long will my buttermilk substitute stay good?

    If you somehow made too much buttermilk substitute, don’t worry, you can store it!  It should hold up about a week in a sealed container in your refrigerator.  However, I recommend just making it as needed rather than making it in bulk in advance.

    Can I substitute a non-dairy milk for regular milk in this recipe?

    Yes!  Almond milk or soy milk would work fine as a substitute.  I rarely bake with these milks, but this substitution will work and will help replicate the taste of traditional buttermilk in your recipe, and is a good vegan substitute.

    I keep seeing buttermilk substitutes that call for a “scant cup” of milk.  What is a”scant cup”!?

    A scant cup just means just shy (usually 1-2 Tablespoons) of a full cup.  In this instance, we’re pouring the lemon juice into the measuring cup first, so, even though we’re filling the milk up to the 1-cup line, the amount of actual milk that is used will be just less than a full cup, or a “scant cup”.

    Phew, OK, thank you for letting me ramble on about how to make buttermilk for well over 800 words — who knew there would be so much to say about such a simple substitution!?

    I know that this isn’t new information to many seasoned bakers, but I’m hoping that it will help someone out in a pinch, and if you have any more questions about buttermilk substituting, please leave them in the comments and I’ll try my best to answer them!

    Now that you’ve got the substitution down, let’s put it to good use! Here are some great recipes that use buttermilk (or, in this case, a buttermilk substitute!):

    • Buttermilk pancakes
    • Buttermilk cornbread
    • Chocolate cake
    • Birthday cake
    Overhead of milk and lemon juice mixture in measuring cup

    How to Make Buttermilk Substitute

    A quick, 2 ingredient substitute for buttermilk, made with milk and lemon juice
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: ingredient
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 1 cup
    Calories: 100kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (fresh or bottled) may substitute 1 Tablespoon white distilled vinegar
    • 1 scant cup* milk
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Pour one Tablespoon of lemon juice (or one tablespoon of vinegar) into a liquid measuring cup. 
    • Add milk until liquid reaches the 1-cup line (at eye level). 
    • Stir. The milk will thicken a little and appear to be slightly curdled or chunky.  For peace of mind, let it sit for 5 minutes, even though we learned above that this isn't truly necessary.
    • Use buttermilk in your recipe as instructed.

    Notes

    *A scant cup just means just shy (usually 1-2 Tablespoons) of a full cup.  In this instance, we're pouring the lemon juice into the measuring cup first, so, even though we're filling the milk up to the 1-cup line, the amount of actual milk that is used will be just less than a full cup, or a "scant cup".

    Nutrition

    Calories: 100kcal

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lillian

      August 08, 2021 at 4:54 am

      Hi Sam,
      Thanks for sharing! I’ve noticed when i make buttermilk as soon as it’s all mixed in, it becomes thicker (like buttermilk you buy at the store) however when it sits out for a longer time, it becomes watery with large chunks at the bottom. Is that normal? and is it still okay to use? I’ve always just discarded it and made it again

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 11, 2021 at 9:09 pm

        Hi Lillian! That is a normal reaction. I typically try to use it pretty quickly after preparing to avoid this issue. It’s actually the way you start to make cottage cheese. I hope this helps. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Beth

      January 31, 2021 at 10:26 am

      I have recipes like my grandmother’s and mom’s banana bread that simply call for “soured milk” which is made by the process you describe. That aside, my main question is can I just dilute some plain yogurt with milk and get the same acidity? I like the thickness of store-bought buttermilk, and just acid and milk mixed together doesn’t do it for me. I use yogurt and milk in “buttermilk” pancakes a lot rather than buying a quart or more of buttermilk.

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 01, 2021 at 9:58 pm

        Hmm that’s interesting. It could work, but I’d have to do a little bit of research to know whether or not it would work well.

        Reply
    3. Jesse

      December 24, 2020 at 7:30 am

      Do I have to use whole milk to make buttermilk or can it be skim

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 24, 2020 at 11:20 am

        Hi Jesse! Skim milk should work. Just remember you will have less fat in your recipe. 🙂

        Reply
        • Paz

          March 05, 2021 at 10:54 am

          Hi!! Can I do this substitute with cream / whipped cream and vinegar or lemon instead of just milk?

          I know it might be an annoying question, I just don’t have regular milk handy but will go to the market if it’s not the best option:)

          Thank you!

        • Sam

          March 08, 2021 at 10:44 am

          Are you referring to heavy cream here? If so I believe that should work as a substitute for the milk. 🙂

    4. Leslie

      December 07, 2020 at 10:38 am

      could i use whole milk to make this?

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 07, 2020 at 11:28 am

        Hi Leslie! That is what I recommend using. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Margot Desannoy

      November 06, 2020 at 4:59 pm

      Can I use Half and Half + lemon juice to make faux buttermilk? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        November 06, 2020 at 8:45 pm

        Hi, Margot! Yes, that will be fine. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Lola

      November 03, 2020 at 2:22 am

      My recipe calls for 1 1/4 cup of buttermilk, how much vinegar or lime juice should I add to the milk?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 03, 2020 at 10:38 pm

        Hi Lola! I would use 1 TBSP + 3/4 teaspoon of vinegar. 🙂

        Reply
        • Lola

          November 07, 2020 at 4:29 pm

          Thank you.

    7. Helen P

      October 23, 2020 at 1:30 pm

      Can I use lime juice rather than lemon? Also, if using 2% milk should I make up for the lost fat in another way.

      Reply
      • Sam

        October 23, 2020 at 9:58 pm

        Hi Helen! The lime juice should work just fine. The 2% milk will work but your final baked good may not be quite as moist and flavorful, without playing with the recipe it would be tough to tell what other alterations would need to be made. It should still turn out and be tasty though. 🙂

        Reply
        • Gift

          December 05, 2020 at 3:52 am

          Can I use powdered milk in place of a whole milk

        • Sam

          December 08, 2020 at 10:28 pm

          If you hydrate it that should be fine

    8. Joy

      September 24, 2020 at 8:58 am

      Hello!

      I’m planning to bake Chocolate cake but i only have fresh milk on hand.
      Is it okay to use fresh milk for buttermilk substitution?

      By the way, thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Sam

        September 24, 2020 at 4:59 pm

        Hi Joy! I think that should work just fine. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Sadie

      September 05, 2020 at 2:49 pm

      Hi Sam, do you think using 2% lactose free milk would be okay? Or will it completely mess up the recipe I’m using it for? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sam

        September 06, 2020 at 10:28 pm

        Hi Sadie! I have never tried it, but I think it should work here. 🙂

        Reply
    10. Gloria

      August 03, 2020 at 8:10 pm

      Hi,
      I was wondering if I could use skim milk for this substitution would it still work the same?

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 04, 2020 at 9:21 am

        Hi Gloria! I haven’t tried it but it could work. It’s definitely worth a shot. You will be losing a lot of fat in whatever recipe you use it in though, so just be careful. 🙂

        Reply
    11. Rachel

      July 29, 2020 at 12:20 pm

      5 stars
      I wanted to doctor a red velvet box cake and I wanted to try buttermilk as a substitute for water. Because I only trust Sam’s recipes for anything I used her buttermilk recipe in my cake mix. Just sampled the cake and it’s wonderful. I was worried about the cake having a vinegar taste but it didn’t. 5 stars. Keep up the great work Samantha!!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 29, 2020 at 1:51 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Rachel! I actually have a red velvet cake coming next week, so stay tuned! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Zunaira

      July 12, 2020 at 2:51 am

      Hi! Can I keep it in the fridge for later use ? Or do I have to use it right away ?i made some for waffles and I think it’ll be too much for us right now 😊

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 13, 2020 at 10:23 pm

        Hi Zunaira! It should be fine to save, I would cover it though and stir again before using. Don’t be alarmed if it’s curdled, that’s fine 🙂

        Reply
    13. Angela

      June 20, 2020 at 6:15 pm

      Hi, I wanted to know: in my house, I don’t have lemon juice, but I do have crystallized lemon packets. Would those be okay to use for this?

      Reply
      • Sam

        June 20, 2020 at 9:44 pm

        Hmm, I’m not sure, I’m not familiar with those. Do you have vinegar? I would recommend that instead.

        Reply
        • Angela

          July 17, 2020 at 11:15 am

          Hmm, not sure if I have vinegar. Oh well.

    14. Angeliki

      June 19, 2020 at 11:31 am

      Hi there!

      I used 1% milk and put 2 tbsp of lemon juice. After I put 1 tbsp of lemon juice it never curdled. I added another tablespoon and am waiting for the results. It doesn’t look like any curdling is happening? Is this normal?

      Reply
      • Sam

        June 19, 2020 at 1:47 pm

        Sometimes you just can’t quite see the curdling but I definitely wouldn’t be adding the second tablespoon of lemon juice.

        Reply
    15. Kalen

      June 15, 2020 at 7:34 pm

      Hi there,

      Can I use 2% milk instead of Whole milk. Would it be the same measurements then?
      1tbsp is lemon juice, and scant cup of milk (2%)?

      Reply
      • Sam

        June 16, 2020 at 12:26 pm

        Hi Kalen! Yes you can use 2% milk, just be aware that you will be losing some of the fat from the milk and that may ultimately impact your recipe. 🙂

        Reply
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