Ready to make a recipe but don't have any buttermilk? No problem, just two ingredients and 5 minutes and you can make your own Homemade Buttermilk!
Use this for our Homemade Irish Soda Bread!

How many times have you gotten all excited about a recipe and done a survey of your fridge for ingredients only to find out you don't have any buttermilk? Ppppffffpfpfpfpfpfff.... Yup, that's the sound of your ballon deflating. Until now: 5 Minute Homemade Buttermilk! You've already seen how easy it is to make our Homemade Brown Sugar, right? Well this Homemade Buttermilk, it's even easier.
Ingredients Needed
2 ingredients. 2! That's it!
- Whole Milk - While whole is best, 2% would also work, but I wouldn't use anything less than 2%.
- Lemon Juice - Fresh or concentrated, whichever you happen to have!
Seriously. Embarrassingly easy given the number of times I've run to the grocery store all disheveled because I had a hankering for buttermilk pancakes. OR run to the grocery store for buttermilk and then get distracted by something else, made it home, then realized you still didn't get the damn buttermilk. Not like I've eevveerr done that.
Just add the lemon juice (or vinegar) to the milk and then let it sit for at least 5 minutes (or up to 10) until the milk thickens and begins to curdle slightly.
Done! Seriously. Anyone else feel a little embarrassed about a frantic store run or giving up on a recipe because you didn't have buttermilk? I sure did once I realized how easy this 5 Minute Homemade Buttermilk is!
Now I can check off another ingredient I've figured out how to make from scratch!
Ways to Use Homemade Buttermilk
- Copycat French's Fried Onions
- Boston Cream Cupcakes
- Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
- Easy Buttermilk Cheddar Cornbread
- Homemade Irish Soda Bread
Is there something you've thought about making From Scratch but not sure how or where to start? Let me know and I'd love to help you figure out how! Email me or find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. If I can make it, trust me, you can too!
5 Minute Homemade Buttermilk
Ingredients
- 2 cups Whole Milk or 2%
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or vinegar
Instructions
- Add milk to a large bowl, pitcher, or large mason jar. Add lemon juice (or vinegar) to milk and let sit for 5 - 10 minutes until milk thickens or begins to slightly curdle.
- Use in you favorite recipes that call for buttermilk!
Very good last minute improve when you dont have buttermilk. Saved my Thanksgiving dinner!
This is the best kind of review! So happy to hear it, thanks so much for sharing!
Made your sub recipe for French's Fried Onions and used this recipe as well. Turned out just as described and worked perfectly! Thank you!
Wonderful to hear, Michele! Thank you for sharing!
Hi there, i was wondering if you can use lemon juice instead of fresh lemon? Your recipe has vinegar as the only substitute. Thank you
Definitely!
I just read your blog about DIY ketchup, fry sauce and buttermilk. Pretty creative! I recently got put on a low salt diet and the ability to make my own ketchup will be a life saver (literally!). I make all of my own spice mixes and to be able to add to my repertoire is priceless. Thanks!
Thank YOU, Marv! I hope that some of these recipes help you with your low salt diet 🙂
This is not Buttermilk. This is Sour Milk, and there is a Big difference in how they taste and how you use them.
There are 2 ways to get buttermilk; the left over "milk" from churning butter or fermenting it.
Shay,
No it's not buttermilk but I do not like buttermilk and to use this in a recipe suffices.
ya better than running 30 miles to the store.
Exactly Coral..... My grandmother used "sour milk" as a substitute for buttermilk. Whatever it is called, it works!