How to Make Buttermilk at Home | Easy and Quick Guide

How to Make Buttermilk at Home | Simple Kitchen Tip

I started making buttermilk at home one day when I ran out halfway through baking pancakes. Instead of rushing to the store, I mixed milk and lemon juice, and to my surprise, it worked perfectly. Since then, I’ve stopped buying store-bought buttermilk. It’s easy, reliable, and always fresh, which makes it perfect for pancakes, biscuits, fried chicken, or even salad dressings.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings: 2 2-4 people

Course: Dairy Substitute, Ingredient

Cuisine: American

Calories: 100

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup whole milk or low-fat milk.
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar

Method

 

1. Pour the milk into a bowl or measuring jug.
2. Add lemon juice (or vinegar) and stir gently to combine.
3. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes until it has slightly curled.
4. Stir one more, and the mixture should look thicker and slightly separated.
5. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Video

Notes

You’ll know your buttermilk is ready when it has that light, tangy smell and a texture that coats a spoon slightly. It shouldn’t be chunky or sour. If it smells, don’t use it.

Seasonal Variations

• Summer Baking: Use homemade buttermilk for waffles, pancakes, or muffins to add a light tang.
• Winter Cooking: Perfect for fried chicken marinades or creamy mashed potatoes.
• Holiday Use: Mix it into cakes or biscuits for extra tenderness.

Serving Suggestions

• Use in pancake or waffle batter for a fluffy texture.
• Mix into coleslaw or ranch dressing for extra tang.
• Add to baking recipes like cakes, cornbread, or scones.
• Substitute it for any recipe that calls for yogurt or sour cream.

Tips & Tricks

• Always use fresh milk; spoiled milk won’t give the right taste.
• Lemon juice gives a lighter tang, while vinegar makes it sharper.
• Don’t skip the 10-minute wait; that’s when the curdling magic happens.
• For a vegan version, use plant milk (like soy or oat) with a bit of lemon juice.
• For more about milk’s nutritional value, check out the health benefits of milk on Healthline.

Nutrition (per 1 cup)

• Calories: ~100
• Fat: 2.5g
• Protein: 8g
• Carbs: 12g

When explaining what buttermilk actually is, you can link to Healthline’s guide:
what buttermilk is and its benefits

When discussing how acidity works in recipes, you can link to a reliable baking science article:
Do Buttermilk Substitutes Work in Baking? Serious Eats