What You Can Use Instead of Buttermilk
You do not need to buy buttermilk if you have milk and an acid on hand. The simplest swap is milk plus lemon juice or vinegar: pour one cup of milk into a measuring cup, add one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar, stir, and let it sit for five minutes. The acid curdles the milk slightly and creates the tangy flavor and thinner texture that buttermilk brings to baking and cooking.
This substitution works in almost every recipe that calls for buttermilk—pancakes, biscuits, cakes, marinades, and salad dressings. The ratio stays the same: one tablespoon of acid per cup of milk. If a recipe calls for half a cup of buttermilk, use half a cup of milk with half a tablespoon (one and a half teaspoons) of acid.
Key Takeaways
- Milk mixed with lemon juice or vinegar creates a buttermilk substitute in five minutes and works in any recipe that calls for buttermilk.
- Plain yogurt or sour cream thinned with water works well in baked goods and gives a richer flavor than the acid-and-milk method.
- Cream of tartar mixed with milk is a reliable option if you bake regularly and want to keep the ingredient on hand.
- The acid-and-milk method is the fastest and uses ingredients most home cooks already have in the kitchen.
- All of these substitutes change the flavor slightly, but the difference is usually too small to notice in finished dishes.
Milk Plus Lemon Juice or Vinegar
This is the most common substitute because it requires only two ingredients and works when ready. Use regular milk—whole, two percent, or skim all work, though whole milk produces a slightly richer result. White vinegar and lemon juice are equally effective; use whichever you have. Apple cider vinegar also works but adds a stronger flavor that some people notice in delicate cakes.
The five-minute wait is important. During that time, the acid causes the milk proteins to clump slightly, which thickens the mixture and creates the tangy taste that buttermilk provides. If you are in a hurry, you can use the mixture after two or three minutes, but waiting the full five gives you a closer match to real buttermilk.
This method works in every process: pancakes, waffles, biscuits, cakes, quick breads, fried chicken marinades, and salad dressings. The flavor change is minimal in most dishes, especially baked goods where buttermilk is one of many ingredients.
Yogurt or Sour Cream Thinned with Water
If you have plain yogurt or sour cream in the refrigerator, you can thin it with water to match buttermilk's consistency. Mix one cup of yogurt or sour cream with one-quarter cup of water and stir until smooth. This creates a thicker, tangier substitute than the acid-and-milk method.
This swap works best in baked goods like pancakes, muffins, cakes, and biscuits. The yogurt or sour cream adds richness and a noticeable tang that some bakers prefer. In savory applications like marinades or salad dressings, the extra richness can be an advantage. However, if a recipe calls for buttermilk in a delicate cake where you want a neutral flavor, the yogurt method will be more noticeable to the taste.
Avoid Greek yogurt for this purpose—it is too thick even when thinned with water. Regular yogurt works much better. If your yogurt is very thick, add a bit more water until the mixture pours easily.
Milk Plus Cream of Tartar
Cream of tartar is an acid powder left over from winemaking. If you have it in your pantry, you can mix it with milk to create a buttermilk substitute: combine one cup of milk with one and three-quarter teaspoons of cream of tartar, stir well, and let it sit for one minute.
This method produces results nearly identical to the lemon juice or vinegar method. The advantage is that cream of tartar does not add any flavor of its own—no lemon or vinegar taste comes through. The disadvantage is that you need to have cream of tartar on hand, which is less common in most kitchens than lemon juice or vinegar.
Cream of tartar is useful to keep around if you bake regularly, since it also stabilizes whipped egg whites and helps prevent sugar crystallization in candy. If you already have it, this is a reliable choice.
Milk Plus Baking Soda and Vinegar
This method uses a chemical reaction instead of straightforward curdling. Mix one cup of milk with one tablespoon of vinegar, then add one-half teaspoon of baking soda and stir when ready. The mixture will bubble slightly as the baking soda reacts with the acid. Use it right away.
This substitute works well in recipes where you want the baking soda's leavening power to contribute to the rise of the baked good. In pancakes, waffles, and quick breads, the baking soda helps create a lighter texture. In cakes where you are already using baking powder or baking soda, this method can sometimes create too much lift, so use it only if the recipe specifically calls for buttermilk and does not already include baking soda.
The main drawback is that you have to use the mixture when ready—you cannot make it ahead and store it. If you forget to add the baking soda until after the vinegar has sat in the milk, the reaction will be weaker.
When Each Substitute Works Best
For most home cooks, the milk-plus-acid method (lemon juice or vinegar) is the best choice because it is fast, uses common ingredients, and works in any recipe. Keep this method in mind for pancakes, biscuits, cakes, and marinades.
Use yogurt or sour cream if you want a richer flavor and do not mind a slightly tangier result. This works especially well in chocolate cakes, coffee cakes, and spice cakes where the tang complements the other flavors.
Choose the baking soda method only if the recipe does not already contain baking soda or baking powder, and you want extra lift in the finished product. For most baking, this is unnecessary.
Cream of tartar is the choice for bakers who want a neutral flavor and already keep it in the pantry. If you do not have it, do not buy it just for this purpose—the other methods are simpler.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common error is using too little acid. One tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar per cup of milk is the correct ratio. Using less will not create enough tang or thickness. Using more will make the mixture too sour and can affect the texture of baked goods.
Another mistake is not waiting long enough. If you use the milk-and-acid mixture when ready after mixing, before the five-minute rest, it will not have thickened enough. The acid needs time to work. The only exception is the baking soda method, which must be used right away.
Do not use buttermilk powder as a substitute unless the recipe specifically calls for it. Buttermilk powder is designed to be mixed with water and used in specific applications, and it does not always work the same way as liquid buttermilk in every recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk without any acid?
No. Regular milk is too neutral in flavor and too thick for most recipes that call for buttermilk. The acid is what creates the tang and thinner consistency that buttermilk provides. Without it, your biscuits may be denser and your cakes less tender.
Does the type of vinegar matter?
White vinegar and distilled vinegar work best because they are neutral in flavor. Apple cider vinegar works but adds a noticeable apple taste that some people detect in delicate baked goods. Balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar are too strong and will change the flavor of your dish.
Can I make a big batch of buttermilk substitute and store it?
The milk-and-acid method keeps in the refrigerator for about a week, so you can make a batch ahead if you plan to use it soon. The baking soda method must be used when ready because the reaction stops after a few minutes. Yogurt-based substitutes keep as long as the yogurt itself does.
Will the substitute change how my biscuits or pancakes taste?
The flavor change is usually very small. Most people cannot taste the difference between biscuits made with real buttermilk and those made with milk plus lemon juice. Yogurt-based substitutes are more noticeable because they add richness and tang, but many bakers prefer this flavor.
What if I do not have lemon juice or vinegar?
If you have neither, you can use cream of tartar if you have it, or you can thin yogurt or sour cream with water. If you have none of these, you can sometimes substitute plain milk in a pinch, though the results will not be quite as good—your baked goods may be slightly denser or less tender.