Out of Buttermilk, one case

Buttermilk substitute with milk and vinegar

4 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 4 options

Use Milk + white vinegar

1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar for every cup of buttermilk

Put 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a measuring cup, fill to the 1-cup line with milk, stir once and let it stand 5 to 10 minutes until it looks slightly curdled. Use it exactly as the recipe uses 1 cup of buttermilk. Apple cider vinegar works in the same amount, with a faint fruity note. The mixture is for cooked and baked recipes; in an uncooked dressing it tastes of vinegar.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Measure the vinegar into the cup first, then add milk to the 1-cup line, so the total is 1 cup. Stir once and leave it at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes.
Best for —: pancakes, waffles and biscuits
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full buttermilk card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Buttermilk substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 cup buttermilk	Verdict
1	Milk + white vinegarpancakes, waffles and biscuits	1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegarTweak it	Tweak it
2	Milk + apple cider vinegarspice cakes, muffins and chocolate cake	1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegarTweak it	Tweak it
3	Milk + lemon juicevanilla and citrus cakes	1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juiceTweak it	Tweak it
4	Milk + cream of tartarany baked recipe with baking soda	1 cup milk + 1 ¾ tsp cream of tartarTweak it	Tweak it
Not a swap	Balsamic, malt or seasoned rice vinegar	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option4 options

Milk + white vinegar

sharper and more one-note than buttermilk; no difference once baked

Distilled white vinegar makes the milk acidic enough to react with baking soda, which is the main thing buttermilk does in a batter. It adds no color and no flavor that survives baking.

Best for: pancakes, waffles and biscuits, cakes, muffins, cornbread and soda bread, fried-chicken soaks and marinades
Prep: Measure the vinegar into the cup first, then add milk to the 1-cup line, so the total is 1 cup. Stir once and leave it at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes.
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: Ranch dressing, dips, cold soups and glazes: nothing cooks off the raw vinegar. It is also thinner than buttermilk, so pancake batter spreads a little more.

Whole milk gives the closest result. Low-fat and skim milk work and give a slightly leaner crumb.

Milk + apple cider vinegar

a faint fruity note that most baked goods hide

Cider vinegar is sold at the same 5% acidity as white vinegar, so the same tablespoon sours a cup of milk. It is amber and tastes faintly of apple.

Best for: spice cakes, muffins and chocolate cake, cornbread and whole-grain pancakes, marinades
Prep: Measure 1 tbsp into the cup, top up to 1 cup with milk, and wait 5 to 10 minutes.
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: A pale, plain batter such as white cake or vanilla cupcakes, where white vinegar or lemon juice is the cleaner choice.

Milk + lemon juice

a light citrus note raw; none once baked

Lemon juice does the same job as vinegar, tablespoon for tablespoon. Fresh or bottled both work.

Best for: vanilla and citrus cakes, scones and muffins, when there is no vinegar in the house
Prep: Measure 1 tbsp into the cup, top up to 1 cup with milk, and wait 5 to 10 minutes. Strain out any seeds or pulp.
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: Uncooked dressings, where it tastes of lemon and not of cultured milk.

Milk + cream of tartar

neutral taste

A dry acid from the baking shelf, for when there is no vinegar or lemon. It sours the milk with no flavor of its own.

Best for: any baked recipe with baking soda, pale batters where no added flavor is wanted
Prep: Whisk the cream of tartar into a splash of the milk until smooth, then add the rest, or it stays in lumps. Alternatively, whisk it into the flour and add the milk plain.
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: It does not thicken the milk much, so do not wait for it to curdle.

Balsamic, malt or seasoned rice vinegar

sweet, malty or salty, and visible in the crumb

These vinegars bring color, sweetness or salt along with the acid. Balsamic and malt vinegar are dark and strongly flavored; seasoned rice vinegar has sugar and salt added.

Best for: salad dressing, not soured milk
Where it fails: They tint a pale batter and can be tasted in the finished bake. Use white vinegar, cider vinegar or lemon juice.

Tips for substituting buttermilk

5 tips

The amounts: 1 cup = 1 tbsp vinegar, then milk to the line. ¾ cup = 2 ¼ tsp. ½ cup = 1 ½ tsp. 1/3 cup = 1 tsp. ¼ cup = ¾ tsp. 2 cups = 2 tbsp.
Vinegar first, then milk. Filling to the line gives exactly the volume the recipe wants; adding a tablespoon to a full cup gives slightly too much liquid.
It is meant to look curdled. After 5 to 10 minutes the milk thickens slightly and small lumps form. Stir and use it; it will not get as thick as real buttermilk.
Room-temperature milk curdles faster than milk straight from the fridge. For biscuits, where the liquid should be cold, sour it first and then chill it.
With plant milk, use unsweetened soy: it curdles like dairy milk. Almond and oat milk turn acidic without thickening, which is still enough to set off baking soda.

Questions

5 questions

Can I make a buttermilk substitute with apple cider vinegar?

Yes. Use 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, topped up to 1 cup with milk, and wait 5 to 10 minutes. It is the same strength as white vinegar. It adds a faint fruity taste and a slight tint, which disappear in most baked goods; for a white cake or a very plain batter, white vinegar or lemon juice is more neutral.

How much vinegar do I add to ½ cup of milk?

1 ½ teaspoons. Put the vinegar in the measuring cup and fill to the ½-cup line with milk. For ¼ cup use ¾ teaspoon, and for ¾ cup use 2 ¼ teaspoons.

How long does the milk and vinegar need to sit?

5 to 10 minutes at room temperature. The milk is acidic as soon as the vinegar goes in; the wait lets it thicken slightly, which helps the batter. Longer does not make it better, and it never becomes as thick as cultured buttermilk.

Does milk and vinegar taste like buttermilk?

Not raw. It is sharper and thinner, and it lacks the buttery, cultured flavor of real buttermilk. In pancakes, biscuits and cakes the difference disappears. In ranch dressing or a dip it does not, so use kefir or plain yogurt thinned with milk for those.

Can I use 2% or skim milk?

Yes. Any dairy milk sours with 1 tablespoon of vinegar per cup. Whole milk gives the richest result; skim gives a slightly leaner crumb, which is close to buttermilk itself, since buttermilk is a low-fat milk. Lactose-free milk works the same way.