Buttermilk substitutes that work in most recipes
You can replace buttermilk with regular milk mixed with an acid—the most reliable swap is one cup of milk plus one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar, stirred together and left to sit for five minutes. This mimics buttermilk's tanginess and slight thickness. The acid curdles the milk just enough to change how it behaves in baking, which matters because buttermilk reacts with baking soda to create lift and browning.
If you don't have lemon juice or vinegar on hand, plain yogurt thinned with water works well: mix equal parts yogurt and water, or use three-quarters cup yogurt plus one-quarter cup water to replace one cup of buttermilk. Sour cream diluted the same way is another option. Both add tang and work in cakes, muffins, biscuits, and pancakes.
For savory cooking—marinades, salad dressings, or sauces—these swaps are interchangeable with buttermilk. The acid-and-milk method is fastest if you're in a hurry, while yogurt or sour cream give a richer result if you have time to measure.
Key Takeaways
- Mix one cup of milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar, wait five minutes, and you have a buttermilk substitute that works in baking and cooking.
- Yogurt or sour cream thinned with water replaces buttermilk in a 1:1 ratio and adds a richer flavor than the milk-and-acid method.
- The acid in these substitutes reacts with baking soda, so your baked goods will still rise and brown properly.
- For savory dishes like marinades or dressings, any of these swaps work equally well because the tang is what matters, not the thickness.
When to use milk and acid instead of yogurt
The milk-and-acid method is your fastest option and leaves no flavor of its own—it straightforward adds tang without changing the taste of what you're making. Use this when you want the recipe to taste exactly as written, or when you're making something delicate like angel food cake where extra richness would throw off the balance.
This method also works best in recipes where buttermilk is the main liquid ingredient, like pancakes or waffles. Because the mixture is thinner than yogurt or sour cream, it pours and mixes the same way buttermilk does, so you won't need to adjust the other ingredients.
When to use yogurt or sour cream
Yogurt and sour cream are thicker than buttermilk, so they add body and richness to baked goods. Use them when you want a denser crumb—in brownies, pound cakes, or coffee cakes where a heavier texture is an improvement. They also work well in biscuits if you like them flaky and tender.
The trade-off is that yogurt and sour cream have their own flavor. Sour cream tastes tangy and slightly sharp, while yogurt can taste mild or strong depending on the brand. If the recipe is already rich or has strong spices, this extra flavor blends in. If you're making something plain like vanilla cake, the yogurt or sour cream flavor will be noticeable.
Thin these with water so they pour like buttermilk: use three-quarters cup yogurt or sour cream plus one-quarter cup water to replace one cup of buttermilk. If you use them undiluted, reduce the other liquids in the recipe slightly so the batter isn't too wet.
Substitutes for specific recipes
Biscuits and scones: Use the milk-and-acid method for tender, flaky results. The thinner consistency helps the layers separate as they bake.
Pancakes and waffles: Either milk-and-acid or thinned yogurt works. Milk-and-acid gives you a thinner batter that spreads easily; yogurt makes them slightly thicker and richer.
Cakes and cupcakes: Thinned yogurt or sour cream adds moisture and a subtle tang. Use milk-and-acid if you want the cake to taste exactly as the recipe intends without extra richness.
Muffins: Any substitute works, but thinned yogurt or sour cream keeps them moist longer and adds a slight tang that pairs well with fruit or chocolate.
Fried chicken or marinades: Milk-and-acid is fastest and works just as well as buttermilk for tenderizing. Yogurt or sour cream also work but will coat the chicken more heavily.
What happens if you use regular milk instead
Regular milk alone will not work as a direct replacement because it lacks the acid that reacts with baking soda. Without that reaction, baked goods won't rise as much, won't brown as well, and may taste slightly flat. The texture will be drier because buttermilk's acidity helps keep moisture in the crumb.
If you've already mixed the batter with regular milk, you can still salvage it by adding one-quarter teaspoon of baking soda per cup of milk used. This won't give you the exact same result as buttermilk, but it will help the baked good rise and brown better than it would otherwise.
Storing and measuring your substitute
Make the milk-and-acid substitute right before you use it—the acid needs five minutes to curdle the milk, but after that it stays good for about an hour. Don't make it ahead and refrigerate it overnight; the curdling process continues and the texture becomes too thick.
Yogurt and sour cream last much longer. You can thin them and store them in the refrigerator for up to a week, or thin them just before you bake. Measure carefully: if you use too much yogurt or sour cream, your batter will be too thick and your baked goods will be dense.
For recipes that call for buttermilk by weight rather than volume (common in professional baking), use the same weight of your substitute. One cup of buttermilk weighs about 240 grams, so one cup of milk-and-acid or thinned yogurt will also weigh approximately 240 grams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use coconut milk or almond milk instead of buttermilk?
Coconut milk and almond milk are too thin and don't have the same reaction with baking soda. If you want to use them, mix them with an acid the same way you would regular milk—one cup of coconut or almond milk plus one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar, left to sit for five minutes. The result won't taste identical to buttermilk, but it will work structurally in baking.
What if I don't have lemon juice or vinegar?
Cream of tartar mixed with milk works: one cup of milk plus one-half teaspoon of cream of tartar, stirred well. You can also use a small amount of white wine or apple cider vinegar if you have either on hand. The goal is to add acid, so any of these will do the job.
Does the type of yogurt matter?
Greek yogurt is thicker than regular yogurt, so you'll need to thin it more—use one-half cup Greek yogurt plus one-half cup water to replace one cup of buttermilk. Plain yogurt works best because flavored yogurt will add unwanted sweetness or fruit flavor to your recipe.
Can I use buttermilk powder instead?
Buttermilk powder reconstituted with water gives you actual buttermilk and is the closest substitute if you have it on hand. Mix according to the package directions. It's worth keeping in the pantry if you bake often, since it stores for months and you can make it whenever you need it.
Will my baked goods taste different if I use a substitute?
The milk-and-acid method tastes nearly identical to buttermilk. Yogurt and sour cream add a subtle tang and richness that you'll notice in plain recipes like vanilla cake, but blend in well with chocolate, spices, or fruit. The texture may be slightly different—yogurt makes things a bit denser—but most people won't detect the change.