5 Best Buttermilk Substitutes (That Actually Work)

Why Buttermilk Matters in Baking

Buttermilk does three things that make it hard to replace with plain milk:

1. Acidity — it reacts with baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) to produce CO₂, creating lift and a tender crumb
2. Tenderising — the acid breaks down gluten strands, keeping cakes and pancakes soft rather than chewy
3. Flavour — a subtle tang that balances sweetness in cakes, muffins, and scones

Any effective substitute needs to replicate at least the acidity, even if the flavour is slightly different.

The 5 Best Buttermilk Substitutes

1. Milk + White Vinegar (Best All-Round)

Ratio: 1 tablespoon white vinegar per 1 cup (240 ml) milk

Add the vinegar to the milk, stir, and leave for 5 minutes. The milk will curdle slightly — that's correct. The result has the right acidity for baking and works in virtually every recipe that calls for buttermilk.

Best for: Pancakes, cakes, muffins, quick breads, marinades Flavour: Mild tang, nearly identical to buttermilk in baked goods

2. Milk + Lemon Juice

Ratio: 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice per 1 cup (240 ml) milk

Same method as the vinegar version — combine, wait 5 minutes. The lemon juice adds a very faint citrus note, which is undetectable in most baked goods but can occasionally add a pleasant brightness to pancakes or scones.

Best for: Pancakes, scones, lemon-flavoured cakes Flavour: Very slightly brighter than vinegar version

3. Plain Yogurt

Ratio: Use full-fat yogurt 1:1 as a direct replacement (no dilution needed)

Yogurt has similar acidity to buttermilk and contains the same type of lactic acid. Full-fat is strongly preferred — low-fat yogurt adds moisture without the richness, which can make baked goods slightly dense.

For recipes where buttermilk makes up a large proportion of the liquid (e.g. more than ½ cup), thin the yogurt slightly with milk to match the consistency: roughly 200 g yogurt + 40 ml milk per 240 ml buttermilk.

Best for: Cakes, muffins, pound cake, fried chicken marinade Flavour: Tangier than buttermilk — works well in most recipes

4. Sour Cream

Ratio: 175 g sour cream + 60 ml milk = approx. 240 ml buttermilk

Sour cream is thicker and fattier than buttermilk, so it needs diluting. The result is richer than standard buttermilk, which makes it ideal for dense, moist baked goods.

Best for: Pound cake, chocolate cake, coffee cake, dips Flavour: Rich and tangy — slightly heavier result in baked goods

5. Kefir

Ratio: 1:1 direct replacement — no adjustment needed

Kefir is a fermented milk drink with almost identical acidity and consistency to buttermilk. Of all the substitutes, it's the most functionally identical. If you have kefir in the fridge, use it without hesitation.

Best for: Everything — it's the closest match Flavour: Slightly more complex tang, virtually undetectable once baked

Which Substitute to Use When

Situation	Best choice
Need it right now (pantry)	Milk + white vinegar
Baking pancakes or scones	Milk + lemon juice
Cake or muffin recipe	Plain yogurt
Rich cake or coffee cake	Sour cream + milk
Have kefir on hand	Kefir (1:1)
Marinating chicken	Any of the above

What About Non-Dairy Buttermilk?

All of the above methods work with non-dairy milks:

• Oat milk + vinegar works well and has the most neutral flavour
• Soy milk + vinegar curdles similarly to dairy and is the most reliable dairy-free option
• Coconut milk + lemon juice works for baking but adds a coconut note — factor this into your recipe

Use the same ratios: 1 tablespoon acid per 1 cup (240 ml) plant-based milk.

Automatically Find Substitutes for Any Ingredient

Buttermilk is just one of hundreds of ingredients that can be substituted in a recipe. KitchenConvert suggests substitutes for any ingredient in your recipe — including ratios, dietary considerations, and notes on how the substitution affects the final dish.

Open any saved recipe, click Substitutions, and tap the ingredient you want to swap.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use regular milk as a buttermilk substitute? Plain milk doesn't have the acidity needed to react with baking soda, so it won't provide lift on its own. Add vinegar or lemon juice to acidify it first.

Does the type of vinegar matter? White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used instead of white vinegar — they work equally well. Avoid balsamic or malt vinegar, which have strong flavours that carry through into baked goods.

Can I freeze buttermilk substitutes? The milk-plus-acid versions don't freeze well (the proteins separate). However, yogurt and kefir freeze reasonably well and can be thawed in the fridge for later use.

How long does a buttermilk substitute last? Make it fresh each time. The acidification happens quickly (5 minutes) and the mixture doesn't keep well once prepared — use it immediately in your recipe.