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This Buttermilk is a simple recipe that will be a staple in your recipe book. Learn how to make buttermilk in two easy steps!

When you are in the middle of making The Best Buttermilk Pancakes, Homemade Cornbread or even a Red Velvet Cake, you can breathe easy. Buttermilk will always be there and handy!

Lemon juice pouring into milk for homemade buttermilk.

Easy Buttermilk Recipe

How to make buttermilk is so simple and so easy, it’s a total game changer. We have all been there, you’re in the middle of a recipe and you realize you don’t have enough of an ingredient. It can be so stressful. Well, when it comes to buttermilk, that will never happen again.

There are times as well when you don’t need much buttermilk and you don’t want to buy a whole carton. This is also perfect for that. You can make just the amount you need. It has a bit of tang taste to it that is ideal in so many recipes. The fact that you can make your own is such a life safer, if only it was this easy with every ingredient!

Only 2 Ingredients!

So simple you will never need to buy it again. Milk and lemon juice or white vinegar will be a MUST on your grocery list!

  • Milk: Dairy milk, do not use non-dairy milk.
  • Lemon Juice or White Vinegar: Fresh lemon juice and white vinegar are winners, but bottled and cider vinegar will work too.

Making Buttermilk from Scratch

It is all about balance! Make it just the way you love it!

  1. Ratio: Use 1 Cup of Milk to 1 teaspoon Lemon juice or vinegar.
  2. Sit: Let it sit 5-10 minutes after mixing to let thicken and create that tang flavor.
Measuring milk for homemade buttermilk.

What Does Buttermilk Do?

One of the main reasons we love buttermilk is its tart flavor and creamy thickness it adds to our favorite recipes. But it is actually essential to baking and cooking. Another important part is it has acid in it.  This acid reacts to baking soda or baking powder causing your muffins, pancakes, and breads to rise. It’s not an ingredient you can just substitute with just anything. That’s why adding lemon juice and vinegar which are acids, works.

Squeezing lemon juice for homemade buttermilk.

Variations

  • Yogurt: Mix 3/4 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup water or milk to thin.
  • Sour cream: Mix 3/4 cup sour cream with 1/4 cup plain water or milk to thin. Use as you would buttermilk.
  • Milk: Use whole, 2%, 1% milk according to your desire of fat content.

How to Store Homemade Buttermilk

  • Fridge: Homemade Buttermilk will keep as long as store bought would, about 7-10 days.
  • Freeze: Crazy as it seems Buttermilk does freeze well. Sealed well last for up to 3 months.
Homemade buttermilk made with milk and lemon juice.

Buttermilk Recipes to Love

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Buttermilk Recipe

By: Alyssa Rivers
This Buttermilk is a simple recipe that will be a staple in your recipe book. Learn how to make buttermilk in two easy steps! 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12 Tablespoons

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Stir together milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
  • Let it sit 5-10 minutes after mixing to let thicken and create that tang flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 12kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 9mgPotassium: 27mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 33IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: pantry staple
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
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About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

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5 Comments

  1. I just got an air fryer. I am excited to try some of your recipes. I love that you shared how to make your own buttermilk 👍can’t wait to try it for some good home cooked chicken. Also looking forward for some more good recipes for cooking dinner in the air fryer.
    Thank you

  2. According to my ancient, big, fat cookbook this is actually clabbered milk – a perfectly acceptable substitute for buttermilk, but not actually buttermilk.