14 Great Substitutes for Buttermilk

Here are several dairy-based buttermilk substitutes.

1. Milk and vinegar

Adding vinegar to milk gives it an acidity similar to that of buttermilk. You can use various kinds of vinegar, such as apple cider or distilled white vinegar, but the latter has a more neutral flavor.

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You can use any kind of milk, but if your recipe calls for a certain type of buttermilk — such as low fat — it may be best to use a similar type of milk to make a substitute.

To make 1 cup (240 mL) of buttermilk substitute, add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Then, add milk to the 1-cup line (240 mL) and stir.

If you measure the milk separately, you’ll need a scant — or not quite full — cup (around 220 mL).

Though many sources recommend letting the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes before adding it to your recipe, experts suggest this isn’t necessary.

2. Milk and lemon juice

Lemon juice is an acid that you can use instead of vinegar to make buttermilk.

To make 1 cup (240 mL) of buttermilk substitute, add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then, add milk to the 1-cup line (240 mL) and stir.

You can either use fresh-squeezed lemon juice or bottled lemon juice. However, bottled varieties typically contain preservatives, such as sodium benzoate and sodium sulfite. Sulfites may trigger asthma symptoms in some people (1).

3. Milk and cream of tartar

Another acidic substance that can be combined with milk to make a buttermilk substitute is cream of tartar, chemically known as potassium bitartrate.

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This fine white powder is a byproduct of making wine and has a neutral flavor (2).

To make a buttermilk substitute, use 1 3/4 teaspoons (5 grams) of cream of tartar per 1 cup (240 mL) of milk.

Cream of tartar tends to clump when stirred directly into milk. Therefore, it’s better to mix the cream of tartar with the other dry ingredients in your recipe, then add the milk.

Alternately, you can whisk the cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of milk, then add this mixture to the rest of the milk to avoid clumping.

4. Lactose-free milk and acid

Buttermilk is lower in lactose than regular milk, so people with lactose intolerance may be able to tolerate it (3).

However, if you have a very low tolerance for lactose, you can make a buttermilk substitute with lactose-free milk — though it may taste a little sweet (4).

Simply add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of lemon juice or vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Then, add lactose-free milk to the 1-cup line (240 mL) and stir.

5. Sour cream and water or milk

Sour cream is made by using lactic acid bacteria to ferment cream, giving it a tangy flavor similar to buttermilk (5).

However, sour cream is thicker than buttermilk, so it’s best to thin it with water or milk when making a buttermilk substitute.

To replace 1 cup (240 mL) of buttermilk in a recipe, combine 3/4 cup (172 grams) of sour cream with 1/4 cup (60 mL) of water or milk, and whisk the mixture until smooth.

6. Plain yogurt and water or milk

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The tangy, acidic flavor and thick texture of yogurt is similar to buttermilk, so plain yogurt makes for a good substitute.

You can replace buttermilk cup for cup with plain yogurt, but it may work better to thin the yogurt with water or milk — especially for recipes that make a thin batter, such as cake.

To make 1 cup (240 mL) of buttermilk substitute, combine 6 ounces (170 grams) of plain yogurt with 1/4 cup (60 mL) of water or milk and whisk until smooth.

7. Plain kefir

Unflavored kefir is a fermented milk beverage that looks and tastes like buttermilk (6).

You can use plain kefir to replace buttermilk cup for cup. Therefore, if your recipe calls for 1 cup (240 mL) of buttermilk, simply substitute 1 cup (240 mL) of kefir.

Though kefir contains a wider range of beneficial bacteria and other microbes than buttermilk, heating it will kill many of the microbes (7, 8).

8. Buttermilk powder and water

You can buy powdered, dehydrated buttermilk and return it to a liquid state by adding water, per the instructions on the package.

Mixing about 1/4 cup (30 grams) of powdered buttermilk with 1 cup (240 mL) of water should yield 1 cup (240 mL) of buttermilk.

If you’re using powdered buttermilk for baking, it may work best to mix the powder with the other dry ingredients, then add the water when you’d usually add liquid buttermilk.

summary

To make a dairy-based buttermilk substitute, add an acidic substance — typically lemon juice, vinegar, or cream of tartar — to milk. You can also use plain yogurt, sour cream, kefir, or buttermilk powder.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
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