Buttermilk Substitution

Buttermilk is a slightly sour milk. The sourness of buttermilk comes acids in the milk, most notably, lactic acids. Because the proteins in buttermilk are slightly curdled, buttermilk is slightly thicker than regular milk, but not quite as thick as cream.

Cultured buttermilk, as it is called in the United States, is a pasteurized milk product. Instead of letting the milk ferment naturally, most dairies now add a culture of lactic acid bacteria to produce the thickening and curdling of the milk. Many dairies also add tiny yellow colored flecks of butter to simulate the old fashioned product.

Buttermilk is an important part of baking. The acidic milk combined with baking soda in a recipe is a baker's dream. See… when baking soda is combined with the lactic acids of buttermilk, the soda releases carbon dioxide that when heated, released tiny bubbles that expand and lift and lighten whatever you're baking.

Substitutions

Soured Milk

In a pinch you can sub soured milk for buttermilk in a recipe where the buttermilk's primary function is a chemical one: an example is cake batter where it reacts as an acid w/ baking soda & creates carbon dioxide gas that helps the cake rise. But in recipes for buttermilk biscuits or pancakes, or salad dressings where the buttermilk's unique lactic acid flavor & consistency is key--only the real thing will do.

Powdered Buttermilk

The buttermilk used to make the powdered version is traditional buttermilk, not cultured buttermilk. This means it is made by dehydrating the leftover product produced from churning butter. Traditional buttermilk is a little less sour -- although still quite acidic -- than cultured buttermilk, and it is much thinner. Even though it is not made from cultured buttermilk, which is produced by introducing bacteria to low-fat milk, powdered buttermilk can be used the same way cultured buttermilk is in recipes: It adds flavor, moistness and acts as a leavening agent. Buttermilk powder is most commonly used for baked goods such as biscuits or cakes, but it is also used for sauces and soups. See How to Use Powdered Buttermilk

Yogurt or Sour Cream and Milk

Mix 3/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream with 1/4 cup of milk. Stir to make a quick substitution for buttermilk.

"Clabbered milk:" Lemon or Vinegar and Milk

In a 1-cup measuring cup, add 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or vinegar, such as cider vinegar. Top the lemon juice/vinegar with with milk to the 1 cup mark. Stir and let sit for two minutes. After 5 - 10 minutes, your milk is both acidic and curdled.

Milk and Cream of Tartar

If the lemon flavor (or vinegar flavor) is undesirable, mix 1 cup of milk with 1 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. To ensure that the mixture doesn’t get lumpy, mix the cream of tartar with 2 Tablespoons of milk. Once mixed add the rest of the cup of milk. Cream of tartar is an acid and will simulate the acidic environment of buttermilk in a pinch.