When you know how to make buttermilk you'll never worry about running out again. There's several ways to do it - and I'm sharing all of them!
You'll find over 50 ways to use this in the Best Buttermilk Recipes category!
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The magic ingredient
Somewhere in my adult life, once I learned to cook, buttermilk became a staple ingredient.
It makes pancakes fluffier, chicken more tender, cakes rise higher, and frosting takes on a tang.
It's also really healthy stuff. Buttermilk is one of those cultured dairy products, like yogurt, that contains probiotics. It's the secret sauce for millions of prizewinning recipes!
It's magic.
What is it?
In the past buttermilk was what was leftover in the churn after mama had finished making butter. At some point she started buying butter at the grocery store and the world had to come up with another way to get it.
The answer was culturing milk with friendly bacteria, similar to the way yogurt is made.
How to make cultured buttermilk
Making homemade real buttermilk, the cultured kind, is really easy.
Once you have cultured your own buttermilk you just save a cup of it to start the next batch. Eventually the culture may weaken and you will need to get a new packet of culture or container of buttermilk from the store and begin the process again.
Safety
Whenever you are working with cultures you have to make sure that you only introduce the bacteria (culture) that you want.
This means that you have to sterilize the equipment you are going to use.
One more time. Always sterilize your equipment. Here's how -
- Heat a big pot of water just to boiling.
- Put the jar and lids in it for a few minutes.
- Lift it out, put it upside down on a freshly washed tea towel and let it come to room temperature.
- While that isn't sterile enough for surgery it will be fine for our purposes.
Ingredients
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- Buttermilk starter culture
- Quart jar with lid
- 1 quart milk, 85 degrees - Any kind of milk is fine including soy, oat, almond, goat, etc...
Instructions
- Sterilize a quart jar in hot water. It needs to be completely submerged for 10 minutes.
- Add the 85F milk to the jar.
- Add the starter culture.
- Don't stir but let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Stir to dissolve and cover.
- Let sit at room temperature (about 72F) for 12 to 24 hours, or until thick.
- Refrigerate.
Recultured
Another way to make homemade buttermilk is to reculture it by adding some cultured buttermilk to regular milk. This way you can create your own from what's leftover after you bake.
You can reculture your homemade buttermilk up to 4 or 5 times before you'll need a fresh starter (either the powder above or buttermilk from the store.)
Ingredients
- 1 quart milk, 85F
- ¼ cup buttermilk from the store
Instructions
- Sterilize a 1 quart jar as above.
- Add the milk and buttermilk to the jar and cover.
- Shake to blend.
- Let stand at room temperature as above.
- Refrigerate.
Buttermilk substitutions
Homemade cultured buttermilk is the best and no matter what you substitute for it your results will be a little different.
Vinegar and milk
This is the most common buttermilk substitute.
- Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to a measuring cup.
- Fill to the 1 cup mark with milk.
- Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
- It will look a little curdled - that's ok.
Lemon juice and milk
- Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to a measuring cup.
- Fill to the 1 cup mark with milk.
- Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
- It will look a little curdled - that's ok.
Other substitutions
Cream of tartar
- Add 2 teaspoons cream of tartar to 1 cup of warm milk.
- Stir well.
- Let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
Sour cream
- Mix ⅔ cups sour cream with ⅓ cup of milk or water.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
Kefir
- Add milk or water to kefir until it's the consistency of buttermilk.
- Mix well.
Yogurt
- Mix ¾ cup unflavored yogurt with ¼ cup milk or water.
- Stir to blend.
Rich buttermilk
This is my favorite! When I make buttermilk I like to add a little cream to the mix to make it more rich.
- Measure 2 ¾ cups of milk into the jar.
- Add ¼ cup heavy cream
- Add 1 cup of buttermilk
- Screw on the lid tightly
- Shake vigorously
- Put it in a warm place for 24 hours
After 24 hours (less if your house is warm, more if it is very cold) you should have a tangy, thick buttermilk. Use it in any recipe that calls for buttermilk but save one cup to make your next batch. Keep it tightly covered in the fridge.
Recipes
First published 2/27/12. Last updated 12/18/20 for better readability and more in depth information.
Carolyn
How long does starter keep in frig? And can it be frozen if you don’t bake often?
Marye
If you are using commercial buttermilk to start then it can be kept in the fridge for a couple of weeks. As far as a commercial starter powder you'd need to contact the manufacturer.
Diane Fallon
I want to try this and would also like to print it. I have gone over the entire article a few times and cannot find a PRINT button. There is nothing above the recipe. What am I doing wrong? Your bread recipes look amazing. Thank you.
Marye
Thanks Diane - hopefully you got my emaiL?
Elizabeth
Twice it has curdled. What am I doing wrong? It is thick. When I shake it up it is curdled.
Marye Audet
You shake it when you first mix it. Don't shake it after that. Even if it looks curdled it's fine.
Tina
You said to save a cup of the buttermilk, and then do I start the complete recipe again
Marye Audet
Yes. 🙂 The saved buttermilk is the starter.
David
So for the first time I make it I will use store bought buttermilk for the 1 cup? Thanks
Marye Audet
yes, or you can use the buttermilk starter powder referenced in the post. 🙂
Karissa
Hi Marye,
I'm so excited to see how this turns out (it's sitting for another 12 hours as I write this)! I do have one question, though. I made sure to boil the mason jar and lids beforehand, but should I have sterilized the measuring cups as well?
Thank you 🙂
Marye Audet
Hmmm ... good question. I never do... I never thought about it... but it is a good idea!
Janine
When I make yogurt (also a process of culturing milk) the milk has to be heated first to prevent harmful bacteria from ruining the yogurt, this isn't necessary for buttermilk culturing? Thanks!
Marye Audet
No it isn't. 🙂 Do make sure your jars are sterile though.
Kathi Bilkie
Hi Marge,
I am so excited to make this buttermilk, it is "warming" in the garage right this very minute! I love using whole fat buttermilk, and my husband makes his own crème fraiche which I am sure he will now be using my buttermilk instead of the one from the store. I have a white cake recipe that I LOVE to make, and I think this will only make it better. Your recipes look amazing, and I can't wait to make the Honey Buttermilk Bread tomorrow, it is very possible it will be my new go to bread... and I love my bread recipe that I currently have.
Kathi Bilkie
Marye,
I am sorry about the auto correct misspelling of your name. Not sure how to edit the post.
KB
Marye Audet
It is really no problem, thank you!
Marye Audet
I am so glad you like it!
Debby Lovett
I am totally confused. Several have asked about the additions to the 1 cup of leftover buttermilk. One person asked if she was to add the same amounts of milk and cream as the original recipe, your comment was yes. Then someone asked if they were to add the same amounts of milk, cream, and buttermilk from the original recipe, and you replied, yes. Then someone else asked if they what they were to add to the cup of buttermilk that was saved, you replied, milk or cream. Will you please republish the recipe with the amount of ingredients to add to the leftover buttermilk to keep the starter going, with complete instructions. I consider myself an experienced cook and baker, but I can't follow the directions for the starter of the buttermilk.
Thank you
Marye Audet
Sorry you're confused. It's quite simple. After you make the first batch you always save 1 cup of your homemade buttermilk. To that add milk+cream, milk, or cream to the same measure as the original recipe.
Measure 2 3/4 cups of milk into the jar.
Add 1/4 cup heavy cream
Add 1 cup of buttermilk
Screw on the lid tightly
Shake vigorously
Put it in a warm place for 24 hours