How to Make Buttermilk Substitute (Bold Baking Basics)

Hi Bold Bakers! 

Working as a professional chef I have learned a lot over the years and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned with you.

How to Make Buttermilk at home is a very important Bold Baking Basic I think you need to know. I use Buttermilk a lot in my baking, however not on a weekly basis. I find myself using half a carton in a recipe and then by the time I want to use it again it is bad I would have to throw it away.  I hate waste so my simple solution to eliminate waste is to make the amount that I need using just milk and lemon juice.

Buttermilk is an important ingredient in baking. It adds flavor and makes moist, rich cakes. I love using it to bake. Once you know how simple it is to make you never have to leave it out of your recipes again. 

This Homemade Buttermilk makes a great addition to any pancake recipe, like my Best-Ever Buttermilk Pancake recipe, Red Velvet Pancakes and even my Churro Waffles. Plus, I use it in my Best-Ever Chocolate Cake and traditional Irish Soda Bread.

Buttermilk is widely available in Ireland as it is a main ingredient in traditional Brown Soda Bread. However since moving to the U.S I realized it’s not as readily available. If you are in this situation you now know that you can whip up a great substitution is minutes.

Use my Buttermilk Substitute Recipe with:

• Gemma’s Best-Ever Buttermilk Biscuits
• Gemma’s Best-Ever Buttermilk Pancakes
• Traditional Irish Soda Bread

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4.5 from 97 votes

Print Recipe

How to Make Buttermilk

Learn how to make Buttermilk at home so you always have it on hand for my Buttermilk Biscuits, Pancake recipes, and even Irish Soda Bread.

Course: Ingredient

Cuisine: American

Author: Gemma Stafford

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or white vinegar
• 1 Cup (8oz / 224g) milk (full or low fat)

Instructions

1. Measure the milk into a jug
2. Stir in lemon juice or vinegar into the milk. Stir to combine. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature until the milk begins to curdle and becomes acidic.
3. Use in place of buttermilk in the recipe as it calls for. And if you don’t use it straight away store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Watch the Recipe Video!

Recipe Notes

I don't recommend freezing Buttermilk. Dairy doesn't always defrost the same way.

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Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, and I’m passionate about sharing my years of experience to show you how to make game-changing baking recipes with over-the-top results! Join more than 1 Million other Bold Bakers in the community for new video recipes every week!

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