In a pinch? Make your own buttermilk with two simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen! In just 10 minutes, your homemade buttermilk will be ready to use in baking, dressings, pancakes, and so much more.
Years ago, I was standing in my tiny galley kitchen preparing for my friend Kathy to visit for lunch and I realized that I didn’t have buttermilk on hand to make the ranch dressing I had planned. I panicked, knowing she was en route from over 30 minutes away, because I really didn’t have any backup for lunch.
So naturally, I called her and asked her to pick up buttermilk on the way over. She laughed at me and let me in on a little secret: you can make buttermilk. How I didn’t know this at the time is a mystery!
Not only will you save money making it at home, but you’ll also save yourself from wasting half a bottle of buttermilk—I mean, do you ever really need the whole thing for a recipe?!
What Is Buttermilk?
Buttermilk is an incredibly flavorful addition to dips, dressings, sauces, pancakes and baked goods like brown butter muffins and homemade cornbread. But what exactly is it?
Surprisingly, buttermilk is simply the liquid that’s left after churning butter. It’s actually low-fat and high-protein, and it’s fermented into a tart liquid used in a wide range of recipes.
Of course, this traditional method of making buttermilk isn’t used as frequently today. Most of the commercially created buttermilk available in grocery stores today comes from a process of adding enzymes to low-fat milk.
This means a homemade buttermilk replacement is easy enough to make, even if you’re not churning butter on your back porch like the olden days.
Why You Will Love This Buttermilk
Easy – Two ingredients and 10 minutes—that’s it!
Just like store-bought – You can use it any way you use the store-bought version, in any recipe.
Economical – Save money by learning how to make buttermilk at home.
Ingredients and Substitutions
See printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.
- Milk – Whole milk is best, but you can use any kind—even heavy whipping cream! Alternative milks like almond, soy, coconut, and oak will work for a dairy-free option.
- Lemon juice – Fresh is preferable. You can also use vinegar if that’s what you have on hand.
Making Buttermilk
- Stir – Stir the milk and lemon juice in a small bowl or jar.
- Wait – Allow to sit for 10 minutes, until it starts to slightly curdle.
Tips From My Test Kitchen
Use fresh lemon juice for the best results, but you can use bottled if you are in a bind.
Let the buttermilk mixture sit for at least 10 minutes before using.
Store the homemade buttermilk covered in the fridge. If it’s lumpy, has any discoloration or an uncertain smell, it’s time to make a new batch!
Ways to Use Homemade Buttermilk
- As a chicken marinade, or for dredging chicken before frying
- In muffins, like my Blueberry Muffin Recipe or Strawberry Muffins
- To add a bit of tang to cakes like my Brown Sugar Cake with Salted Caramel Icing or Banana Cake Recipe
- As a base for creamy dips and salad dressings like ranch
- For making light, fluffy pancakes
Tools to Use
I like making homemade buttermilk in a jar with a lid so I can easily store it in the refrigerator.
How to Store
At Room Temperature – Homemade buttermilk will only keep for 2 hours at room temperature.
Refrigerate – When you make your own buttermilk, it lasts for a surprisingly long time! It’s high in lactic acid, so bacteria doesn’t like to grow in it. Homemade buttermilk will be good for at least one week in the fridge, and depending on the freshness of the milk you use, it can last up to three!
Freeze – Yes, you can freeze your homemade buttermilk! The best way to do this is to measure it by the tablespoon into an ice cube tray; this makes it easy to pop out the amount you need for a recipe any time you’d like. Store it for up to three months in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
If a recipe calls for buttermilk, replacing with plain milk is not recommended. Without the additional acid that buttermilk requires, the recipe will often fail, or at the very least not be as interesting or flavorful.
A single cup of buttermilk contains around 100 calories and a little over 2 grams of fat per cup. It contains small amounts of potassium, calcium, phosphorous, and vitamins. On the other hand, heavy cream, also known as heavy whipping cream, is a thick and fat-rich cream with a faintly sweet flavor; it’s much more calorie-dense.
It’s best to use 2% or whole milk. You can still use fat-free (skimmed); it won’t be as creamy, but it will still work well in recipes.
More Pantry Staples To Make At Home
How to Make Buttermilk
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Stir milk and lemon juice.
- Allow to sit for 10 minutes, until it starts to slightly curdle.
Julie’s Tips
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Great to see it is so surprisingly easy to make. Good recipe to prepare for the next event of my kindergarten.
This is amazing, I’ve got to try this!! Thanks, Julie!
oh boy, you are young!
Vinegar in place of lemon juice does the same thing.
You can also use white distilled vinegar if you don’t have a lemon!
YES!