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Don’t have time to pick up some buttermilk? Here’s the best buttermilk substitute to use in recipes like pancakes, biscuits, and more.
Buttermilk is a key ingredient in recipes like pancakes and biscuits: but you might not always stock it in your refrigerator!
This thick dairy product is common in baking recipes. But why is it needed, and what’s the best buttermilk substitute? Keep reading.
What Does Buttermilk Do In Cooking?
Why is buttermilk included in recipes? Couldn’t butter or milk do the trick? This tangy fermented dairy product was traditionally the liquid left over from churning butter (hence “butter milk”). It’s used in recipes for the following reasons:
- It adds a tangy nuance that enhances the flavor.
- It gives a tall rise and helps with leavening! When baking soda and acidified dairy are combined in a batter, they release carbon dioxide bubbles that help lighten whatever you’re making.
Best Buttermilk Substitute
1. Milk + lemon juice or white vinegar
The best substitute for buttermilk? Use milk plus an acid: either lemon juice or white vinegar. This mimics the tang and acidity of the buttermilk. You can most types of milk: whole milk, 2%, 1% or even non-dairy milks. Skim milk is less ideal because of its watery texture, but you can use it in a pinch.
Here’s the ratio: combine 1 scant cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before using.
2. Plain or Greek yogurt + milk
This is the best swap for baking, because you get the tang from the yogurt and a similar texture. The ratio is to use ¾ cup yogurt whisked with ¼ cup milk in place of 1 cup buttermilk.
3. Sour cream + milk
This substitute for buttermilk is the same idea as Greek yogurt, but a little richer. For the ratio, use ¾ cup sour cream plus ¼ cup milk.
4. Kefir
If you have it, kefir works as a 1:1 substitute. It’s the closest thing to buttermilk you can buy!
5. Cream of tartar + milk
You can whisk 1¾ teaspoons cream of tartar into 1 cup milk as a substitute for buttermilk. The cream of tartar acts as an acid to active the baking soda in the recipe, just like buttermilk does.
6. Oat or almond milk + lemon juice (dairy free)
For a vegan buttermilk substitute, use 1 cup oat milk or almond milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and rest it for 10 minutes.
