Out of Buttermilk, one case

Buttermilk substitute for pancakes

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use Milk + lemon juice or vinegar

Per cup of buttermilk

1 tbsp acid + milk to the 1-cup line

For pancakes, put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup, fill it to the 1-cup line with milk, and wait 5 to 10 minutes. Use that in place of 1 cup of buttermilk. The acid fires the baking soda the same way, so the pancakes rise as they should; the batter runs a little thinner, so hold back a tablespoon or two of the liquid. Plain milk on its own does not work unless you also change the leavening.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Stir the acid into the milk, wait 5 to 10 minutes until it looks slightly curdled, and hold back 1 to 2 tbsp when you mix the batter.
Best for —: everyday buttermilk pancakes
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 + lemon juice or vinegareveryday buttermilk pancakes	1 tbsp acid + milk to the 1-cup lineTweak it	Tweak it
2	Kefirthick, fluffy pancakes	1 cupWorks	Works
3	Plain yogurt + milkthick, fluffy pancakes	¾ cup yogurt + ¼ cup milkTweak it	Tweak it
4	Sour cream + milkrich, tender pancakes	¾ cup sour cream + ¼ cup milkTweak it	Tweak it
5	Buttermilk powder + waterkeeping on hand for weekend pancakes	4 tbsp powder + 1 cup waterWorks	Works
Not a swap	Plain milk	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

Milk + lemon juice or vinegar

mild tang, less than real buttermilk

Soured milk has the acid the baking soda needs, which is the job buttermilk does in a pancake batter. It is thinner than real buttermilk, so the batter spreads a little more.

Best for: everyday buttermilk pancakes, pancake recipes leavened with baking soda, when milk and a lemon are all you have
Prep: Stir the acid into the milk, wait 5 to 10 minutes until it looks slightly curdled, and hold back 1 to 2 tbsp when you mix the batter.
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: It does not have the body of buttermilk: pour in the full amount and the pancakes spread thin. The tang is also milder, so the flavor is closer to a plain pancake.

Use fresh or bottled lemon juice, or white or apple cider vinegar. Whole and 2% milk give the thickest result.

Kefir

tangy, very close to buttermilk

Plain kefir is a cultured, pourable milk with the same acidity and nearly the same thickness as buttermilk. Nothing else in the recipe changes.

Best for: thick, fluffy pancakes, when you want the full buttermilk tang
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: Flavored or sweetened kefir: it adds sugar and a fruit or vanilla taste to the batter.

Plain yogurt + milk

tangy and slightly richer

Yogurt thinned with milk matches buttermilk for acid and comes out slightly thicker, which makes tall pancakes.

Best for: thick, fluffy pancakes, when there is yogurt in the fridge but no lemon
Prep: Whisk until smooth before adding. With thick Greek yogurt use ½ cup yogurt and ½ cup milk.
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: Left unthinned, yogurt makes a batter too stiff to spread, and the middle stays wet when the outside is brown.

Sour cream + milk

tangy and richer than buttermilk

Sour cream is acidic enough to fire the baking soda and carries more fat than buttermilk, so the pancakes are tender and rich.

Best for: rich, tender pancakes, when sour cream is what is open
Prep: Whisk the two until smooth and pourable before adding.
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: The extra fat makes a softer pancake that browns faster; keep the heat at medium. Undiluted sour cream is too thick for batter.

Buttermilk powder + water

the same tang as fresh buttermilk

Dried real buttermilk. It keeps in the pantry and gives the same acid and flavor as fresh once water is added.

Best for: keeping on hand for weekend pancakes, dry pancake mix made ahead
Prep: Whisk the powder into the flour and other dry ingredients, and add the water with the wet ingredients.
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: The batter is thinner than one made with fresh cultured buttermilk; hold back a tablespoon or two of the water if it looks loose.

Plain milk

flat, with a soapy edge from the soda

Milk has no acid, and the baking soda in a buttermilk pancake recipe needs acid to make gas.

Best for: only with the leavening changed, as described here
Contains: dairy
Where it fails: Flat, pale pancakes with a soapy, metallic taste from unreacted baking soda. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar per cup of milk, or, if you have no acid at all, replace each ½ tsp of baking soda with 1 ½ tsp of baking powder.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeButtermilk

In pancakes, buttermilk is mostly there for its acid: it reacts with the baking soda to make the bubbles that lift the batter, and it keeps the crumb tender. Its thickness matters second, because it sets how far the batter spreads. A swap has to bring acid; thickness you can fix by using a little less.

Tips for substituting buttermilk

5 tips

Sour the milk before you start: 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar in the cup, milk to the 1-cup line, 5 to 10 minutes on the counter. It will not thicken like buttermilk; slight curdling is all you are looking for.
Soured milk is thinner than buttermilk. Hold back 1 to 2 tbsp per cup, then add it only if the batter is too thick to pour slowly off a spoon.
Stir until the flour is just wet and leave the lumps. Let the batter rest 5 minutes so the leavening starts working before it hits the pan.
Non-dairy milk works the same way with 1 tbsp of acid per cup. Soy milk curdles and thickens the most; almond and oat milk stay thin, but the acid still does its job with the baking soda.
Cook on medium heat and flip when bubbles break on the surface and the edges look set, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Questions

4 questions

Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk in pancakes?

Not as it is. A buttermilk pancake recipe relies on acid to activate the baking soda, and plain milk has none. Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into each cup of milk and let it stand 5 to 10 minutes first. With no acid in the house, use the milk and replace each ½ teaspoon of baking soda with 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder.

How much lemon juice or vinegar do I need for a smaller or larger batch?

Use 1 ½ teaspoons of acid for ½ cup of milk, 2 ¼ teaspoons for ¾ cup, 1 tablespoon for 1 cup, 4 ½ teaspoons for 1 ½ cups and 2 tablespoons for 2 cups. In each case the acid goes in the cup first and the milk fills it to the line.

Is lemon juice or vinegar better for pancakes?

Both work equally well for the rise. White vinegar leaves no flavor once cooked. Lemon juice leaves a faint citrus note that most people do not notice under syrup. Apple cider vinegar also works.

Will the pancakes taste the same as real buttermilk pancakes?

Close, but milder. Soured milk gives the rise and tenderness and less of the tang. Kefir, or yogurt thinned with milk, tastes nearer to real buttermilk because both are cultured.