Homemade Buttermilk Made Easy: A Simple Guide to Dairy Magic

Many recipes call for buttermilk, but who uses enough to warrant buying a whole jug? If you’ve ever wondered how to make buttermilk, read on. There are several quick and simple methods for making it yourself and saving time and money.

This page may contain affiliate links; please see my disclosure for policy details.  I earn commissions if you shop through the links on this page.

Now, you don’t have to run to the store when you realize your cake calls for buttermilk or you decide to whip up some biscuits with dinner. And you’ll never again have to buy a whole jug when the recipe only calls for a tablespoon or a cup.

What is Buttermilk

Traditionally, buttermilk was the tangy liquid left after churning cream into butter.

You would think buttermilk is a mix of butter and milk. Instead, it’s cultured or fermented with good bacteria, similar to yogurt. The word “bacteria” might sound off-putting, but these are the good guys, like the ones in probiotics and gut-friendly foods.

Why Buttermilk Is Necessary

Buttermilk is required in many recipes for a few reasons. Without it, certain breads or cakes wouldn’t quite taste right. Here are a few more reasons why buttermilk is necessary:

• The acidity balances out the sweetness in many recipes and adds a tangy flavor.
• It produces the gas that makes dough or batter rise by activating baking soda. Without it, breads and cakes would fall flat.
• Buttermilk helps tenderize gluten, which gives baked goods a softer texture.
• It helps quick breads rise higher and gives them a lighter texture.
• Buttermilk can help tenderize meat before frying.
• It adds tang to condiments like ranch dressing.

When a recipe calls for it, you will notice if it is missing. Making your own will help save money and add flavor and texture to your baked goods like this cheddar cheese skillet cornbread bread.

Methods

Buttermilk can be made using your choice of milk – whole, 2 percent, 1 percent, non-fat or the non-dairy milk you prefer. Here are my three favorite ways of making homemade buttermilk because I almost always have the three ingredients – vinegar, lemon, and cream of tarter.

How to Make Buttermilk With Vinegar

Adding vinegar to milk gives it an acidity and tangy flavor that is similar to buttermilk.
Pour one tablespoon of white vinegar into a one-cup measuring cup and then add milk until it reaches the one-cup line. Gently stir the mixture and let it sit for approximately five minutes. 

You will see some milk curdling; that is supposed to happen.

How to Make Buttermilk with Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is also an acid that can be used to make buttermilk. Add one tablespoon of lemon juice to a one-cup measuring cup and pour in milk until it reaches the one-cup line. Stir the mixture gently and let it sit for about five minutes.

Lemon juice will curdle the milk and thicken it.

How to Make Buttermilk With Cream of Tartar

Cream of tartar is another acidic substance that can be added to milk to create homemade buttermilk. When using cream of tartar, add 1 ¾ teaspoons per cup of milk. Because cream of tartar can clump together in the milk, first whisk it with a small amount of milk until smooth, then add the rest of the milk.

The cream of tarter does not cause the milk to curdle or thicken it, but it will give it an acidic flavor similar to real buttermilk.

Make sure to download this PDF Buttermilk guide to make 1/4 cup of buttermilk to 1 cup.

More Ways to Make Buttermilk

Here are a few more ways to make buttermilk.

Yogurt

Yogurt is tangy and acidic, like buttermilk. To use yogurt as a substitute, whisk together ¼ cup milk and ¾ cup yogurt for each cup of buttermilk required. Yogurt can also be substituted cup–for–cup for buttermilk, but since yogurt is thicker, it may affect the consistency of the recipe.

Sour cream

Sour cream is also acidic and tangy. It is best to add some milk because it is thicker than buttermilk. Add ¼ cup milk to ¾ cup sour cream for each cup of buttermilk needed. 

Dairy-free buttermilk

To make dairy-free buttermilk, use the vinegar or lemon juice method above with the non-dairy milk of your choice. Coconut milk, almond milk and cashew milk work best. 

Ways to use buttermilk

Buttermilk is required in many recipes and can add unique flavor to some of your favorite dishes. Here are a few different ways you can use buttermilk to jazz up your cooking and baking.

• Add buttermilk to mashed potatoes to give them tang and add a different taste.
• Use it to make ranch dressing for a charcuterie board.
• Use in smoothies for a boost of protein and some extra flavor. 
• Make a marinade for chicken with a few spices of your choice and cook in the air fryer.

No matter how you make buttermilk, it will hopefully save you an extra trip to the store, giving you more time to bake and create in the kitchen. The next time you need buttermilk, choose one of the methods above and get baking. 

Make sure to read this post on the different types of butter. There is quite a variety these days, and this article defines the various types.

More Recipes For Homemade Ingredients

Thank you for stopping by the One Hot Oven blog.  Please leave a comment to say hello or tell me what you are baking; I always love hearing from fellow bakers. Do you have any questions or want to chat about the recipe? Please visit my About page for information, and I’ll be happy to help!

This article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.