Buttermilk Substitutes
Out of buttermilk? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.
Need to convert buttermilk between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the buttermilk converter.
What to use instead of buttermilk
Milk + lemon juice or white vinegar (use the calculator)
Calculator
Standard DIY swap: stir acid into milk and let it curdle for a few minutes before using. The calculator works out the exact amounts for any recipe size.
Plain Yoghurt
Ingredient swap
1 cup buttermilk = 3/4 cup yoghurt + 1/4 cup milk
Plain yoghurt shares the tang but is thicker. Thinning with milk matches the pourable texture buttermilk gives pancakes and quick breads.
Sour Cream
Ingredient swap
1 cup buttermilk = 3/4 cup sour cream + 1/4 cup milk
Same acidity, but thicker. Thin with milk to a pourable consistency. Works in cake batters and marinades.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What can I substitute for buttermilk?
- There are 3 workable substitutes for buttermilk, depending on what you have on hand and which property of buttermilk matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually Milk + lemon juice or white vinegar (use the calculator). Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
- Will substituting buttermilk change how my recipe turns out?
- Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the buttermilk converter
- How do I measure buttermilk accurately?
- Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The buttermilk converter on this site converts between cups, grams, ounces, millilitres, fluid ounces, tablespoons, and teaspoons, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the buttermilk converter
Other ingredient and produce substitutes
Find what to use instead of:
- Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Caster Sugar
- Raw Sugar
- Palm Sugar
- Plain Flour
- Self Raising Flour
- Cake Flour
- Corn Flour
- Arrowroot
- Tapioca Starch
- Icing Sugar
- Oat Flour
- Almond Meal
- Almond Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda (Bicarb)
- Cream of Tartar
- Gelatin
- Agar-Agar
- Ground Coffee
- Instant Coffee
- Garlic Powder
- Parsley
- Coriander
- Chopped Dried Apricots
- Sultanas
- Raisins
- Craisins
- Dates
- Dried Figs
- Butter
- Margarine
- Shortening
- Ghee
- Peanut Butter
- Almond Butter
- Sunflower Seed Butter
- Hulled Tahini
- Unhulled Tahini
- Cream Cheese
- Mascarpone
- Ricotta
- Cottage Cheese
- Plain Yoghurt
- Greek Yoghurt
- Sour Cream
- Mayonnaise
- Crème Fraîche
- Heavy Cream
- Whipping Cream
- Honey
- Maple Syrup
- Golden Syrup
- Molasses
- Vanilla Extract
- Vanilla Essence
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- Parisian Essence
- Vegetable Oil
- Olive Oil
- Applesauce
- Mashed Banana
- Pumpkin Puree
- Kidney Beans
- Butter Beans
- Chickpeas
- Black-Eyed Peas
- Chopped Onion
- Crushed Garlic
- White Rice
- Brown Rice
- Basmati Rice
- Jasmine Rice
- Arborio Rice
- Sushi Rice
- Milk
- Condensed Milk
- Evaporated Milk
- Coconut Milk
- Coconut Cream
- Almond Milk
- Soy Milk
- Oat Milk
- Parmesan Cheese
- Mozzarella
- Halloumi
- Goat's Cheese
- Grated Cheese
- Bocconcini
- Feta
- Domiati
- Paneer
- Pecorino Romano
- White Vinegar
- Lemon Juice
- Lime Juice
- Apple
- Pear
- Lemon
- Lime
- Orange
- Grapefruit
- Potato
- Sweet Potato
- Carrot
- Pumpkin
- Butternut Squash
- Onion
- Shallot
- Spring Onion
- Garlic
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Spinach
- Kale
- Silverbeet
- Egg
- Egg White