Learn how to make buttermilk with lemon juice at home - Perfect to use in baking recipes, pancakes, or waffles. It's a quick and easy substitute that saves you a trip to the store!
If you are looking for ways to use the homemade buttermilk substitute, try it in the marbled sheet pan pancakes or the eggless carrot cake!
There have been plenty of times when I’ve been halfway through baking or making breakfast, only to realize I’m out of buttermilk. Rather than making a last-minute trip to the store, I whip up a quick homemade substitute instead—it’s super easy!
Plus, I rarely use up a whole carton before it expires, so this method saves both time and waste.
What is buttermilk? Buttermilk was originally the tangy liquid left after churning butter. Today, store-bought buttermilk is usually milk with added lactic bacteria to give it that same tangy flavor.
Buttermilk is used in baked goods to yield a wonderfully fluffy, light texture. I use buttermilk in waffles and pancake recipes for breakfast or in desserts like
Jump to:
Short Video
Ingredients you'll need
- Milk: You can use whole or skim milk, straight from the fridge—no need to bring it to room temperature or warm it up.
- Lemon: Freshly squeezed lemon juice for best results. Do not use from the bottle! If you don't have lemon juice, then white distilled vinegar makes a great substitute.
Want To Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below, and we’ll send the link straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get more creative recipe ideas every Sunday!
Formula for buttermilk with lemon juice
Many recipes suggest using 1 tablespoon of acid per cup of milk, but I find that doesn't give the milk a thick, buttermilk-like consistency. I prefer using 2 tablespoons of lemon juice—it gives the best results.
1 cup Milk + 2 tablespoons lemon juice = 1 cup + 2 tablespoons Buttermilk
Frequently asked questions
Buttermilk freezes well for up to 2 to 3 months. Store it in an airtight container or pour it into an ice cube tray for easy, portioned use whenever you need it.
Homemade buttermilk made with lemon juice will keep for about 5 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. Give it a quick stir before using!
You can substitute coconut milk or soy milk for regular milk, using the same measurements. Just stir and let it sit for 10 minutes before adding it to your recipe.
Recipes using buttermilk
How to Make Buttermilk with Lemon Juice
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice, then give it a gentle stir.
- Let it sit for 7 to 10 minutes—this allows the milk to curdle slightly, creating that classic buttermilk texture and tang. It's ready to use in your favorite recipe!
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.
Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for supporting kitchenathoskins.com.
Leave a Reply