If you were wondering how to make buttermilk with regular milk, it is so simple and all you need are two simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. This recipe is a great alternative for times when a recipe calls for buttermilk and you don’t have any on hand.
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Never buy store bought buttermilk ever again. I bet you didn’t realize how easy and cost efficient it is to just make your own substitution for buttermilk at home. This simple hack will come in handy for so many recipes.
For delicious recipes using buttermilk, check out this recipe collection from Southern Living.
BUTTERMILK RECIPES
Air Fryer Biscuits | Sweet Irish Soda Bread | Southern Blueberry Cobbler
What We Love About This Recipe
Buttermilk was a byproduct of when they use to churn butter. The whey was left out to ferment and thicken and then used for baking so nothing went to waste.
- Ready Minutes: Make buttermilk at home and have it ready to use in minutes.
- Easy Ingredients: Why buy store-bought buttermilk when all you need is 2 ingredients!
- In a Pinch: This hack is perfect when you need buttermilk for recipe but you don’t have any on hand.
Alternative of Buttermilk Ingredients
I bet you didn’t realize how easy it is to make buttermilk from milk.
- Whole Milk: It is important that you use milk that is higher percentage, such as whole or 3% milk, skim milk will not give the best results.
- White Vinegar
Equipment Needed
- Spoon
- Liquid Measuring Cup
How to Make Your Own Buttermilk Substitute
These are the basic steps for How to Make Buttermilk from Regular Milk. Please refer to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions, prep time and total time.
STEP 1: COMBINE VINEGAR AND MILK
In a bowl, combine a scant cup of milk with a tablespoon of vinegar and stir gently.
STEP 2: ALLOW TO CURDLE
Allow the mixture to sit for an estimate of 5 minutes it will curdle giving it the buttermilk tangy flavor and thick texture.
Prep and Storage Tips
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD OF TIME
As the vinegar causes the milk to curdle, I recommend holding off to making homemade buttermilk just before you are about to use it.
HOW TO STORE THIS RECIPE
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
HOW TO FREEZE THIS RECIPE
Yes! Buttermilk will last up to three months in the freezer. Freeze in ice cube trays and portion out what you need,
Frequently Asked Questions
You can substitute using lemon juice for vinegar as it will also yield similar results as the lemon juice works similarly to the white vinegar. You can also use apple cider vinegar.
You can actually make vegan buttermilk substitution using this technique with almost any non dairy milk, I recommend using soy milk, oat milk, or coconut milk. However I do not recommend using almond milk as it has a lower fat content and is thin, almost like skim milk.
This recipe can easily be doubled or halved, just increase or decrease the ingredients proportionally, the ratio is 1 cup of milk to 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
You can easily make buttermilk from just 2 ingredients, not need to buy a carton of it when you probably already have whole milk and vinegar.
To make buttermilk with yogurt or even cup sour cream, whisk together 1 cup of plain yogurt with ½ cup milk.
When a recipe calls for baking soda it usually calls for some type of acid to make the appropriate reaction, so buttermilk, yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar, etc is used.
Expert Tips for Making This Recipe
- Apple Cider Vinegar: You can use apple cider vinegar in place of white vinegar.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh squeezed lemon juice will work similarly to the vinegar in making buttermilk.
What to Make with Buttermilk Replacement
- Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Red Velvet Pancakes
- Bang Bang Chicken
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Fried Chicken
- Salad Dressings
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How to Make Buttermilk with Regular Milk
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 1 cup milk, whole milk is recommended
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
Instructions
- Add the vinegar to the milk.
- Gently stir the mixture and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
- The milk will begin to curdle, giving it the texture and taste of buttermilk.
Christina’s Notes
- Apple Cider Vinegar: You can use apple cider vinegar in place of white vinegar.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh squeezed lemon juice will work similarly to the vinegar in making buttermilk.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided are estimates. It is recommended that you verify this information with your own trusted resource.
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