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Glass bottle with milk in it on green check napkin and lemons in background
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5 from 13 votes

Buttermilk Substitute

Four easy ways to make milk into buttermilk using white vinegar, sour cream, cream of tartar or sour cream!
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Pantry
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 189kcal
Author: Julie Evink

Ingredients

Lemon Juice Option

  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 c. room temperature milk scant cup

Cream of Tartar Option

  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 c. room temperature milk

White Vinegar Option

  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 c. room temperature milk scant cup

Sour Cream Option

  • 1/2 c. room temperature milk
  • 1/2 c. sour cream

Instructions

Lemon Juice Option

  • In a 1 cup measuring cup pour 1 Tbsp vinegar.
  • Fill the rest of the measuring cup with milk.
  • Gently stir and let sit for about 10, up to 2 hours, minutes allowing milk to slightly curdle which will give it a buttermilk-like texture and taste.

Cream of Tartar Option

  • Pour milk into a mixing bowl and then vigorously whisk in cream of tartar until smooth.
  • Let the mixture stand for 15 minutes. Use immediately. If you leave this sit longer the cream of tartar will settle to the bottom.

White Vinegar Option

  • In a 1 cup measuring cup pour 1 Tbsp vinegar.
  • Fill the rest of the measuring cup with milk.
  • Gently stir and let sit for about 10 minutes, up to 2 hours, allowing milk to slightly curdle which will give it a buttermilk-like texture and taste.

Sour Cream Option

  • Whisk ingredients in a small mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.
  • Let sit for 10 minutes, up to 2 hours.

Notes

Can I make a big batch to keep on hand?
For homemade buttermilk, I recommend making enough for what you need. Unlike store-bought, these DIY options don't keep as long. They are so easy to make (and there are plenty of options) you can easily just make it as you need it! All of the options I'm sharing are for one cup, but you can easily halve or double it if you need more or less for your recipe.
What can I use buttermilk for?
All kinds of things! Pancakes, cakes, cupcakes, muffins, fried chicken - there are many recipes that call for it. You can use it in place of regular milk, too, if you want to give your recipe a tangy flavor.
Can't I just use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
It really depends on the recipe! For most that call specifically for buttermilk, they won't turn out the same if you use just plain milk. Buttermilk is a natural tenderizer, so, for example, if you need it for cakes or cupcakes you won't get the same texture if don't use it.
This is why I wanted to share these substitutes - they are so easy! I absolute

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 562mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 520IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 266mg | Iron: 1mg