How To Make Buttermilk
Learn how to make buttermilk with this easy tutorial. You only need two ingredients and about 10 minutes to make this simple substitute!
What is Buttermilk?
It’s been a while since I’ve shared a baking basics post and I figured it was about time to add another one to the collection. One of the most common questions I’ve been receiving lately is for buttermilk substitutes.
Traditionally, buttermilk is the liquid that’s left in a churn after making homemade butter. It’s naturally non-fat and rich in cultures, and it stays fresh longer than regular milk. Nowadays, buttermilk is made by inoculating regular milk with cultures. The stuff you get at the store is quite thick and tangy, but it’s so simple to make at home too!
I love to use buttermilk in baked goods because it creates a tender crumb and also helps add moisture. However, it isn’t always something that people keep on hand. Plus, no one really loves to make an extra trip to the grocery store for one ingredient in a recipe.
So today I’m showing you exactly how to make homemade buttermilk with just two simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand. This is a great recipe to keep for when you need some in a pinch!
What You’ll Need For This Recipe
As promised, you can easily make your own buttermilk using just two basic ingredients. Here’s what we’ll be using:
Lemon juice or vinegar: You can use either freshly squeezed lemon juice or vinegar in this recipe. Any type of vinegar will work, so long as it’s fairly neutral in flavor (i.e. white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc.). However, I prefer using white vinegar when possible.
Milk: You can use any kind of milk that you prefer for this recipe. Skim, 2%, whole, or even almond milk all work great!
How to Make Buttermilk
For this DIY buttermilk recipe, you’ll need some milk and an acid. You can use any kind of milk, I typically use whole milk because it’s what I usually have on hand. For the acid, I usually use fresh lemon juice, but you can also use distilled white vinegar.
You’ll start by adding 1 tablespoon of either fresh lemon juice or distilled white vinegar into a measuring cup.
Once you’ve added the acid, pour in 1 scant cup (just under 1 cup) of milk. In other words, you’ll pour the milk into the measuring cup until it reaches the 1 cup line. Then, stir the mixture together well and set it aside for about 5 to 10 minutes before using it in your recipe. The mixture should look a little curdled, that’s when you know it’s ready.
Side note: I use these OXO angled measuring cups and love them! You don’t have to worry about getting to eye level with the measuring cup to make sure you have the right amount.
FAQ’s
What does buttermilk do in baking?
It helps to create tender baked goods and keeps them moist. It’s also acidic. So if your recipe calls for baking soda, it will react with the baking soda to help your baked goods rise.
Can you make it without dairy?
Yes, you can use non-dairy milk such as almond milk in this recipe.
How long does it last?
Store-bought buttermilk lasts up to 2 weeks in the fridge, but the homemade version has a shorter shelf life. I recommend enjoying this within 3 to 4 days of making it, just to be on the safe side.
Can you freeze it?
Yes, but this is best used the same day you make it.
Different Ways To Use It:
You can use this in any of these delicious recipes!
How To Make Buttermilk
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice or distilled white vinegar
- 1 scant cup (225 ml) milk
Instructions
- Pour the lemon juice or vinegar into a measuring cup. Then, pour in the milk until it reaches the 1 cup line.
- Stir the mixture well, then set aside for 5-10 minutes before using in your recipe.
Hi There, thanks a lot for this simple tip. What happens if I used sour butter milk (stale) in my cake by mistake? I baked a cake with rose during baking but sank thereafter. I didnt change the baking powder or baking soda quantity in the recipe. Internet says could u old baking powder or soda but is that possible? I dont know how to preserve baking powder and soda after opening it for baking. I was thinking it was more due to the sour buttermilk I used……..Any thoughts Danielle?
It really depends on the recipe, but sour milk should only make the cake more moist. I typically store my baking soda and baking powder in airtight containers and replace them every few months. I have a post here that explains how to check and make sure your baking soda/powder are still fresh.
Danielle, first of all, please bide with me if I don’t give a rating to your recipe. As such it’s a great recipe for CURDLED milk, but it’s NOT buttermilk…… If you drain your curdled milk, the whey you get is close to buttermilk
I grew up with buttermilk as a staple drink in my home and the texture and more specifically the taste is completely different. The buttermilk essentially is the whey of the sour cream which you curn into homemade butter and it is liquid like water, not thick at all. I’ve had a kefir culture for over 60 years now (and it’s still alive and kicking) and when I want to turn the kefir into Greek yoghurt, I let it drain through a cheese cloth until the consistency is to my liking. I keep the whey in the fridge until I need it for baking and also marinating meat. THAT is very much closer to the buttermilk I’ve grown up with.
Sorry, that “curn into home made butter” should read *churn*
Which is the buttermilk? The cuddled milk or the liquid in the cuddled milk?or both? Please help
Hi, Maureen! I explain this a little in the beginning of the post. Nowadays, buttermilk is basically fermented milk (milk with bacteria cultures added to it).
after making both combinations– white vinegar or lemon juice with milk, neither curdled even after 30 minutes. neither tasted like buttermilk. both tasted like milk with a very slight after taste. being on a low salt diet, it is important that i be able to make good tasting home made buttermilk rather than store bought. i can use salt substitute if necded. what am i doing wrong ??
Hi there! This is meant to just be a substitute for buttermilk, so the taste and consistency won’t be quite the same as regular buttermilk. You can try letting it sit a little longer, but it should curdle after about 10 minutes.
For the mixture of chocolate cake, do I mix in a stand mixer or I use a spatula for mixing my ingredients?
Do you mean for my chocolate cake recipe? If so, you can use either a stand mixer or whisk.
Hi,
Can I use Kefir Yoghurt instead of buttermilk? I have done so in the past as I usually have this in my fridge as here in Italy they don’t have buttermilk. It seems to work well, but maybe the crumb and taste is different…
Thanks,
Amy
You probably could, but if it’s thicker it may not work as well as buttermilk or this buttermilk substitute.
Amen Angela, I too grew up on churned “butter milk” even churned a many churn fulls for my Mom.
I never really knew all the process but would love to as I’ve thought many times about finding un homongenized milk to make it again. I loved drinking it as a young lad. Grew up in North Carolina, but migrated to Georgia. 🙂
Not sure about this recipe, might be ok for cooking?
Hi there, I have a doubt if only the liquid part in homemade buttermilk is used or with the total curdled part with liquid is used while baking cake. I have never used buttermilk in any recepies so please help me out. Thankyou.
Are you referring to this homemade buttermilk? If so, you would use all of it.
When should I use the lemon juice to make the buttermilk and what dishes is best or vinegar?
I keep reading to use vinegar or lemon juice which is confusing but I can’t find guidance if there is a taste difference
Thank you
When it comes to baking, either lemon juice or vinegar work just the same in this recipe. You can’t taste either one, so it doesn’t make a difference.
Can you use this recipe to for frying chicken
It’s not quite as thick as regular buttermilk, but I think it would be fine to soak chicken in it before frying it.
You mention Almond Milk, but will Soy Milk work? I’ve discovered that I can’t automatically assume that I can use it as a substitute – my last attempt at making custard for example… it was an inedible disaster. Soy milk is significantly thicker than Almond milk, and that could be a prbolem or a bonus.
I haven’t tested it, but I think that soy milk would work too.
Can I use self-rising flour if I don’t have AP flour?
It depends on the recipe. 1 cup of self-rising flour usually has 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt added to it. You would need to adjust the recipe accordingly.
This will be a great help to new cooks who experience that oh-no feeling when they realize the recipe calls for buttermilk and they never have it on hand. So easy to make and use. I have even had good results from just throwing in a Tbsp. of vinegar along with whole milk in my baked goods. If you ever make Greek yogurt be sure to keep the liquid drained from the yogurt and use it in the same way.
I want to try this. the stores only carry low fat buttermilk…..is that ok to use….low fat buttermilk?
It may depend on the recipe, but I’ve used low-fat buttermilk in a lot of my recipes without any issues.
Will it work with shelf milk?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing all of this such useful info.
Question: Could I use reconstituted evaporated milk?
I think that would be fine!