Have you ever had a recipe that has called for buttermilk (like cakes, muffins, pancakes or waffles), but you didn’t have it in your fridge? Well today I’m showing you exactly how to make buttermilk right at home to use in tons of your favorite baked goods and savory recipes. And guess what? All you need are two ingredients.
I originally shared this homemade buttermilk recipe back in 2014 and it blew up! Who knew you were all buttermilk lovers back then? Now almost 10 years later (omg) I wanted to give this post a little refresh with tons of helpful info, tips, and photos so that your buttermilk journey is a breeze.
Skip the store-bought kind for good and come back to this tutorial whenever your recipe calls for buttermilk!
What is buttermilk?
It may sound like we’re mixing butter and milk together, but that’s not the case! Buttermilk is actually cultured or fermented with active bacteria, which adds lactic acid to it (similar to yogurt!) Back when we were churning butter out of cultured cream (which already had live cultures in it), buttermilk was taken from the liquid that was left over. I know the word “bacteria” makes it sound like the milk went “bad,” but these live cultures are actually the good bacteria — similar to what you’ll find in probiotics and foods that are gut-friendly.
Store-bought buttermilk has a slightly thicker consistency than regular milk and has a tangy flavor to it.
What is buttermilk used for?
Buttermilk is typically used in baked goods and has a few key benefits in baking and cooking:
- The acids in buttermilk react with baking soda in your dough or batter, which helps your baked goods rise
- They also help to balance the sweetness of treats to create a lovely, balanced flavor
- Buttermilk also helps create a beautiful crumb in baked goods by breaking down the proteins found in gluten
- For savory recipes like chicken, using buttermilk helps to tenderize the meat, resulting in super juicy chicken
Why you should make homemade buttermilk
Making buttermilk from scratch couldn’t be easier! This substitute requires just 2 simple ingredients and will not only save you a trip to the store, but will also prevent waste if you’re only using it in a couple of recipes. No need to buy a whole carton, simply use what you have at home to make the exact amount of buttermilk you need in the recipe!
Ingredients in homemade buttermilk
So…what are the ingredients in homemade buttermilk? You’ll just need:
- Lemon juice or white vinegar
- And your milk of choice!
It seriously couldn’t be simpler. Whole milk, skim milk, and 2% milk will all work. See below for dairy-free options!
Can I make it dairy free?
Yes! In order to make a dairy-free buttermilk substitute you’ll simply use your favorite dairy-free milk like almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, etc.
How to make 2-ingredient buttermilk
- Use a liquid measuring cup to measure your milk, then pour your milk of choice into a bowl. See below for different ratios!
- Add lemon juice OR white vinegar to the milk and stir to combine.
- Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes until the milk starts to curdle and become acidic. This is the fermentation that we want!
- Use your buttermilk in any recipe that calls for it. It will be slightly thinner than store-bought buttermilk, but will work the same.
Using different buttermilk ratios
This recipe calls for 1 full cup of buttermilk, but I’ve included a few different ratios to reference if your recipe calls for less:
- 1/4 cup buttermilk = 1/4 cup milk + 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar
- 1/3 cup buttermilk = 1/3 cup milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar
- 1/2 cup buttermilk = 1/2 cup milk + 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar
- 2/3 cup buttermilk = 2/3 cup milk + 2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar
- 3/4 cup buttermilk = 3/4 cup milk + 2 1/4 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar
- 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup of milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar
How to store and freeze buttermilk
- To store: store any leftover buttermilk in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- To freeze: yes, buttermilk is freezer-friendly! Add it to a freezer-safe container, bag, or even an ice cube tray, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, simply thaw the desired amount in the refrigerator before adding it to your recipe.
Recipes using buttermilk
Try using this homemade buttermilk in my Grandma’s Buttermilk Waffles, or your favorite sweet and savory recipes that call for it!
I hope you love this tutorial on how to make buttermilk! If you try it, leave a comment and a rating so I know how your recipe turned out. Enjoy, xo!
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How to Make Buttermilk
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice or white vinegar
- 1 cup milk of choice
Instructions
- Pour milk into a bowl.
- Add a tablespoon of lemon juice OR vinegar to the bowl with the milk. Stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes until the milk begins to curdle and becomes acidic.
- Use in place of buttermilk in the recipe as it calls for. Enjoy!
This saved my pancakes this morning. Thank you
I’m so glad!!
So helpful! I always end up missing buttermilk when baking – love how easy this is with just 2 ingredients 🙌 Thanks for sharing!
Fantastic recipe, saved my children’s chicken. Thank you
Wow, this homemade buttermilk recipe is a game-changer! So simple with just two ingredients and 5 minutes—perfect for when I’m craving waffles or biscuits but don’t have buttermilk on hand. Love the dairy-free option too! Thanks for the clear ratios and storage tips. Definitely trying this for my next baking adventure
Had to turn off the sound. Sorry!
Easy to make formula saves time and avoids waste when only a small amount is needed.
It sounds great, but I don’t want it thinner. I like the thickness and food. That’s why I can never drink skim milk. It’s disgusting. I want it thick and cold and sweet. Can you let us know how to make the one that we buy in the store to taste more delicious but to be thick
Hi! This is meant to just be a swap for buttermilk in baking recipes, etc. if you don’t happen to have any on hand.
no does not taste the same
OMG – I made this recipe Gluten Free using Cup4Cup Multipurpose flour and it was FANTASTIC!!!! No one could believe it was gluten free!
I have done this for years using apple cider vinegar they rise beautiful.
Perfect!
Wow, what a game-changer! 🌟 I can’t thank you enough for sharing this incredibly simple and practical guide on making homemade buttermilk. Your step-by-step tutorial is a lifesaver for those moments when a recipe calls for buttermilk, and it’s nowhere to be found in the fridge.
Absolutely!
Here’s a recipe for homemade buttermilk that takes just fifteen minutes to make. It’s a staple in our home and we love it. I’ve tried making it with store-bought buttermilk, but the flavor is quite different.
This 2-ingredients and easy as 1, 2, 3 buttermilk recipe is definitely a must have to all moms like me. It’s cost-effective and is convenient to have it readily available at home especially when the kids would want to have their fave pancake anytime of the day.
So easy! Glad you found this one!
I have not yet made any of these AMAZING looking dishes. I am trying to find some good ones to bake for my family and i am spited to get to use YOU as a helping hand
I hope you find new ones that you love!
Can Lime juice be used?
I have limes at home, not lemons unfortunately. I feel like they’d work the same but I just want to be sure.
I would not recommend, but yes it would likely work.
Keep it up, nice job
Great Video! One of my favorite Buttermilk, nice to see your guide, easy to follow, will cook this for family this weekend. Thanks you!
Enjoy!
Hi, can anyone tell which of the 2 tase better, lemon juice or vinegar? Or is there much taste different when used in cooking?
I love to cook and I’m always looking for new recipes for my menu, which makes me always interested in my work. Today’s my lucky day, Homemade Buttermilk is great, just follow the instructions and everything is easy, I like it. Thanks for your sharing
Of course!
love using buttermilk in my grandma’s waffles!
This’s interesting and the recipe is simple, I haven’t made buttermilk before thanks for sharing this.
Great I’m finding for the recipe, it’s clear and easy to do. Thanks so much for making this post.
This is a great ALTERNATIVE to buttermilk. It is NOT buttermilk. There is a big difference between the two in both looks AND taste.
I only rated this recipe three stars as the name of the recipe is misleading.
Very simple I have done, thank you for your guidance. A great recipe
Hi, can i use white wine vinegar ?
Sure!
for an adult site and suggestions there are some immature comments. please be kind .there is too much hate in this world .please read the suggestions for recipes ,if you don’t like what you read try another site. thanks
After letting it sit for 10 minutes, do we have to sieve it before using the buttermilk?
Nope!
Can you use milk of any fat percentage, will it work with skim milk?
Yep that should be fine!
Thanks – this is such a great baking hack! I am from the South, but live in California now and usually can’t find fresh buttermilk here. I want to make skillet fried chicken this weekend you can’t really prepare it correctly without buttermilk. Can you use this recipe for marinating the chicken before frying? And if so, should I strain the curds from the milk before adding the chicken to the marinade?
Thank you! Love your buttermilk trick! Solved my problems too.
I only have 1 and 1/2 cups of granulated sugar. Can I use half brown sugar half white? Will it taste the same?
This recipe just has milk + lemon juice or vinegar!
TY I needed the amounts to make buttermilk. I note that the vinegar/lemon juice must be first in the cup with the milk added. Chemistry class!
What do you do with the curdled milk? Do you discard it or use it? In the past I have used this buttermilk substitute for making fried chicken. I would normally strain through a cheese cloth and discard the curds, just because I don’t know if you use the curds or not.
P.s. I read the previous comments ( the rude ones ). So sorry that people can be so cruel. I hope you didn’t let it bother you. I thought your video was wonderful.
This is amazing!!! I’ve got to try this!! Thanks, Monique!
Can i use apple cider vinegar instead
I was curioious about that too. I have three different vinegar types: rice, red and cider. No plain. No buttermilk.
Ha! Go figure!
Yep, it’s the acid that’s important. I use apple cider vinegar all the time to make the substitute for pancakes
I just googled a substitute recipe that a recipe calls for buttermilk which you don’t have on hand. Thanks for recipe. But… I have never witnessed such rude, hostile remarks on a blog site for cooking before. Cooking is Fun pleasant experience for young and old please keep you hostility and negative comments to yourself . Thanks again for your help Monique 🤗
Thank you so much for your note Karen – I totally agree! 🙂
Thanks for the tip ! As I live in France, I can’t get hold of any buttermilk, and I’d like to use this for American recipes! I have a question though – do you think this would work to make fried chicken? Thank you in advance!
You bet!
CHUPA MI KAK HIJA DE MY STEPMOM
Can you use lemon juice? Forgive my ignorance. I’m not much of a cook?
Add lemon juice to the milk!
Hi, thanks for the recipe but can we use this in recipes that uses buttermilk, like for tendering chicken to use for frying and also for coleslaw?
This is a buttermilk substitute for baking recipes that use baking soda. (Baking soda will not work properly without acid in the batter.)
This recipe won’t give you the flavor or stability of real cultured buttermilk, so it’s not appropriate for things like coleslaw, salad dressing, soup, or mashed potatoes, that sometimes call for buttermilk.
It will probably be fine to use for marinades, like for fried chicken, because all a marinade really needs is acid, salt and sugar (lactose, in this case).
You should be able to use this recipe for recipes that call for buttermilk!