On this page

Best Substitute for Buttermilk (By Use Case)

The best buttermilk substitutes for baking, marinades, dressings, and dairy-free cooking — with exact ratios for each use, from the classic milk-and-lemon trick to kefir and soy milk.

Quick Answer

Also known as: cultured buttermilk

The best substitute for buttermilk is 1 cup of milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar — stir and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it curdles slightly, then use it 1:1. The acid is what matters: it reacts with baking soda for lift and tenderizes in marinades, just like real buttermilk.

The right swap depends on what you're making. For pancakes and cakes, thinned plain yogurt (¾ cup yogurt + ¼ cup milk per 1 cup buttermilk) gives a thicker, closer texture. For fried-chicken marinades, plain yogurt or kefir work 1:1. For dairy-free baking, soy milk plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar curdles most convincingly.

Jump to: Baking Marinades & Brines Dressings & Dips Dairy-Free

Baking

In pancakes, biscuits, cakes, and quick breads, buttermilk provides acid that reacts with baking soda. Any substitute must bring that acid, or your bake will be flat and taste of unreacted soda.

Substitute Ratio Notes
Milk + lemon juice or white vinegar vegetarian 1 cup milk + 1 Tbsp acid per 1 cup buttermilk The standard swap. Let it sit 5–10 minutes. Slightly thinner than real buttermilk but bakes almost identically.
Plain yogurt, thinned with milk vegetarian ¾ cup yogurt + ¼ cup milk per 1 cup buttermilk Closest texture and tang. Whisk until smooth before adding. Greek yogurt needs a little more milk.
Kefir vegetarian 1:1 A genuinely equal swap — same consistency, same acidity, same cultured tang. Use it straight.
Milk + cream of tartar vegetarian 1 cup milk + 1¾ tsp cream of tartar per 1 cup Whisk the cream of tartar into a little milk first to avoid clumps. Useful when you have no lemon or vinegar.

Marinades & Brines

Buttermilk marinades (fried chicken, roast chicken) work because mild lactic acid tenderizes slowly without turning the meat mushy. Cultured dairy is the closest match here.

Substitute Ratio Notes
Plain yogurt 1:1 (thin with a splash of milk if very thick) The classic stand-in for fried-chicken marinades — same lactic acid, clings even better to the meat.
Kefir 1:1 Pourable like buttermilk and just as effective. Works straight from the bottle.
Milk + lemon juice or vinegar 1 cup milk + 1 Tbsp acid per 1 cup Works, but the acid is sharper than lactic acid — don't marinate longer than about 12 hours.

Dressings & Dips

Ranch and other creamy dressings use buttermilk for tang and a pourable consistency. The substitute needs both, so plain milk alone won't do it.

Substitute Ratio Notes
Sour cream, thinned with milk vegetarian ¾ cup sour cream + ¼ cup milk per 1 cup Richer than buttermilk; whisk smooth. Add a squeeze of lemon if it needs more tang.
Plain yogurt, thinned with milk vegetarian ¾ cup yogurt + ¼ cup milk per 1 cup Lighter than the sour cream version, with a similar tang. Greek yogurt makes a thicker, dip-style result.
Kefir vegetarian 1:1 Already pourable — ideal for ranch. No thinning needed.

Dairy-Free

Non-dairy milk plus acid replicates buttermilk's job in baking. Soy milk curdles and thickens most like the real thing because of its higher protein content.

Substitute Ratio Notes
Soy milk + lemon juice or vinegar dairy-free vegan 1 cup soy milk + 1 Tbsp acid per 1 cup The best dairy-free option — soy's protein lets it visibly curdle and thicken. Sit 5–10 minutes.
Oat milk + lemon juice or vinegar dairy-free vegan 1 cup oat milk + 1 Tbsp acid per 1 cup Neutral flavour; thickens less than soy but the acid still does its job with baking soda.
Coconut milk (carton) + lemon juice dairy-free vegan 1 cup + 1 Tbsp lemon juice per 1 cup Adds a faint coconut note — fine in pancakes and muffins, noticeable in plain biscuits.

Save swaps that actually worked

Keep substitutions and notes with your recipes.

Quick Reference — All Substitutes

Rank Substitute Ratio Best For Notes
1 Milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar 1 cup milk + 1 Tbsp acid per 1 cup All-round best · Baking, marinades Rest 5–10 minutes before using. Slightly thinner than real buttermilk.
2 Plain yogurt, thinned with milk ¾ cup yogurt + ¼ cup milk per 1 cup Baking, dressings, marinades Closest texture and cultured tang. Whisk smooth before adding.
3 Plain kefir 1:1 Everything — a true equal swap Same consistency and acidity as buttermilk. Use straight.
4 Sour cream, thinned with milk ¾ cup sour cream + ¼ cup milk per 1 cup Dressings, dips, rich bakes Richer result. Add lemon juice if more tang is needed.
5 Milk + 1¾ tsp cream of tartar 1 cup milk + 1¾ tsp per 1 cup Baking when no lemon/vinegar on hand Whisk into a small amount of milk first to prevent clumping.
6 Soy milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar 1 cup soy milk + 1 Tbsp acid per 1 cup Dairy-free and vegan baking Curdles most convincingly of the plant milks thanks to its protein.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I just use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
Not in baking that calls for baking soda — buttermilk's acid is what activates the soda. Plain milk gives flat, soapy-tasting results. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar per cup of milk and rest 5–10 minutes, and it works well.
Is the milk-and-vinegar trick really as good as buttermilk?
For baking, very close — the acidity is what the recipe needs, and the small texture difference disappears in the batter. For drinking or recipes where buttermilk is the star (like buttermilk dressing), kefir or thinned yogurt are noticeably closer.
What's a dairy-free substitute for buttermilk?
Soy milk plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar per cup is the best option — it curdles and thickens like dairy buttermilk because of soy's protein content. Oat and almond milk work with the same ratio but stay thinner.
Can I use powdered buttermilk?
Yes — follow the package directions (typically about 4 tablespoons powder per cup of water, with the powder whisked into the dry ingredients and the water added with the wet). It keeps for months and behaves like fresh buttermilk in baking.
How long does the milk-and-acid mixture need to sit?
5–10 minutes at room temperature is enough to lightly curdle and develop acidity. It won't get as thick as commercial buttermilk — that's normal and doesn't affect the result.

Share this page

Save swaps that actually worked

Keep substitutions and notes with your recipes.