How to Make Buttermilk – 5 easy Buttermilk Substitute recipes

We often make quick breads, pancakes, biscuits, muffins, cakes and many other items that require “buttermilk” as one of their ingredients. Let’s just say it’s quite a useful ingredient that can give the dish a slight tangy flavour or one that can help ferment the baked dish.

So, if you’re someone who loves to bake, then I’m sure you would love to know different ways to make buttermilk at home! Well then, here’s how!

5 ways to make buttermilk at home:

Method 1: Use sour cream to replace 1 cup of buttermilk in your recipe

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk or water

Method:

Into a bowl, add in the sour cream and the milk. Give it a good whisk and then use your as your buttermilk substitute in your recipe.

Method 2: Using plant-based milk

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plant milk
• 2 tsp lemon juice
  (Or white vinegar)

Plant milk suggestions: Coconut milk, almond milk, peanut milk, soy milk, oat milk etc.

Method:

Into a bowl, add in the plant milk and the lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit at room temperature for around half an hour. Then give it a good mix and its ready to use. You can store what’s unused in the in the freezer for up to 12 weeks months or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Method 3: Using whole milk

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• (Or white vinegar)

Method:

Into a bowl, add in the whole milk and the lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit at room temperature for around half an hour. Then give it a good mix and its ready to use. You can store what’s unused in the in the freezer for up to 12 weeks months or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Method 4: Using yogurt

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yogurt (unflavoured)
• ½ cup milk

Method:

Into a bowl, add in the yogurt and the milk. Give it a good whisk and its then ready to use. You can store what’s unused in the in the freezer for up to 12 weeks months or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. READ MORE – Healthy probiotic drink – SPICED BUTTERMILK – MASALA CHAAS RECIPE

Method 5: Using cultured buttermilk

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cultured buttermilk
• 3 cups whole milk

Note: The cultured buttermilk will have to be store-bought to be used as a starter.

Method:

Into a bowl, add in the cultured buttermilk (which is used as a starter here) and the milk. Gently stir it and then cover the bowl with a thin muslin cloth and secure it with a rubber band. You can also use a mason jar for this process. Just make sure not to use a lid, as the cultured buttermilk needs some breathing space. So, a cloth secured with a rubber band should suffice.

Leave it out to set at room temperature (or in a warm area, in case you live in a cold place) for around 1 day or until you notice that the buttermilk has thickened. Then, when its thick, it is ready to be used and can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks even.

Tip: You can simply use this same buttermilk as a starter for the next batch and thereafter, repeat the same process to make the buttermilk.

Uses of Buttermilk:

Buttermilk can be used in many baked dishes like pancakes, muffins, biscuits, cakes, waffles etc.

It can also be used in dishes like chicken, to be able to make it very tender. Buttermilk is also often used in desserts like panna cotta and also as salad dressings for a tangy flavour.