Eggs and dairy
Substitutes for buttermilk
Buttermilk brings tang and acid. The acid feeds baking soda (that is the rise in pancakes and biscuits) and keeps the crumb tender, so a good swap needs acid too.
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Milk + lemon juice or vinegar
- How much
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup, topped up with milk to 1 cup, for each cup
- How
- Stir and let it stand 5 to 10 minutes; it will look a little curdled.
- What changes
- Thinner and a bit less tangy, so bakes are a touch less tender. They still rise well.
- Best in
- Pancakes, waffles, biscuits, muffins, marinades.
-
Plain yogurt + milk
- How much
- ¾ cup plain yogurt + ¼ cup milk for each cup (with Greek yogurt: ½ cup + ½ cup)
- What changes
- The closest match for tang and thickness. Bakes come out tender, a little richer.
- Best in
- Biscuits, cakes, ranch dressing, fried chicken marinade.
-
Plain kefir
- How much
- The same amount
- What changes
- Similar tang, a little thinner. Works almost everywhere buttermilk does.
- Best in
- Pancakes, quick breads, dressings.
-
Soy or oat milk + lemon juice
- How much
- 1 tbsp lemon juice topped up to 1 cup with unsweetened soy or oat milk
- How
- Let it stand 10 minutes. Soy milk thickens the most.
- What changes
- Milder and thinner, but the acid still gives baking soda its lift.
- Best in
- Pancakes, muffins, cakes.
Simmerbee recipes with buttermilk (13)
- Buttermilk Herb Ranch-Style Dressing
- Cheddar Chive Buttermilk Scones
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Fudge Frosting
- Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
- Classic Buttermilk Irish Soda Bread
- Crisp Classic Waffles
- Crispy-Edged Cast-Iron Skillet Cornbread
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
- Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
- Fluffy Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancakes
- Lemon Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
- One-Bowl Chocolate Sheet Cake with Fudgy Frosting
- Yellow Birthday Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting
On those recipes, tap Swaps next to the ingredient for the short version.
More eggs and dairy swaps
EggsButterMilkHeavy creamHalf-and-halfSour creamYogurt and Greek yogurtCream cheeseParmesanCheddarRicotta