25 Tasty Ways to Use and Use Up Buttermilk
Looking for recipes with buttermilk? Most recipes don’t call for a full quart, which gives you full license to make pancakes, cornbread, fried chicken, and even strawberry sherbet with the rest of the carton.
Classic Buttermilk Cornbread; photograph by Olga Ivanova
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What if I told you that the buttermilk you buy in the store has nothing to do with butter? The name goes back to pre-refrigeration days, when it was a byproduct of making butter. (If you grew up reading the Little House on the Prairie books like I did, you know that after churning fresh milk into butter, Ma would give Laura and Mary a drink of “good, fresh buttermilk.”) These days, cultured buttermilk is made by adding lactic acid bacteria to milk, heating it, and letting it ferment. What results is thick and sour, not necessarily something you’d want to drink. But boy, is it great for baking and cooking.
Thanks to its acidity, buttermilk in recipes has a glorious ability to tenderize both baked goods and meat. And that acidity also activates baking soda in recipes, helping baked goods rise. It’s a magical, butter-yellow elixir.
The problem I have with buttermilk is that I can only find it sold in quarts, when most of the recipes I use call for two cups or less. That leaves me with the eternal quandary: What to do with the rest? It feels so wasteful, every time I open the fridge and see that lonely quart container, aching to be used.
I’m not the only person to have this problem, of course, so using it up really isn’t hard. In fact, we’ve got more possibilities than we can possibly make with a single carton. So I’ve gathered up 25 delicious recipes with buttermilk, including sweet and savory choices, and organized them by the amount of buttermilk called for. You’re sure to discover something that works with however much you’ve got.
Jump ahead to:
Easy substitutions if you don’t have buttermilk >>
Recipes that use 1/2 cup or less of buttermilk >>
Recipes for when you have 3/4 to 1 cup of buttermilk >>
Recipes that call for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk >>
Recipes for if you have 1 3/4 to 3 cups of buttermilk >>
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Easy substitutions if you don't have buttermilk
Just in case you are looking at a recipe that calls for buttermilk but don’t want to buy any, you still have options.
How to make buttermilk with vinegar or lemon juice. Put 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a glass measuring cup. Add enough regular milk to make 1 cup. Stir, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. It’ll look curdled — that’s when you’re good to go.
How to substitute yogurt for buttermilk. If you have kefir, yogurt, or sour cream, they can all work as well — thin the yogurt or sour cream with a little milk to reach a pourable consistency.
How to use buttermilk powder instead of fresh buttermilk. Instead of using the fresh kind, you can buy buttermilk powder in the baking aisle of most large supermarkets. Once you open the package, store in a cool, dry place and it’ll stay good for months. To use it: For every cup of buttermilk a recipe calls for, stir some of the powder into the dry ingredients and add 1 cup of water to the wet ingredients. (The amount of powder you’ll use varies by brand, so read the package for details.)
Recipes that use 1/2 cup or less of buttermilk
Maybe your recipe used up nearly all of that quart you bought. But don’t spill even a little liquid gold down the drain! What to do with leftover buttermilk? You’ve got plenty of options to make the most of it.
Cranberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake
Who wouldn’t want to wake up to warm, lightly sweet cake studded with burst cranberries? The batter only takes 10 minutes to prepare, but if that’s too much before you’ve had your coffee, you can put it together the night before. Keep this one in mind for a special brunch, too.
Buttermilk Banana Bread
If you’re looking for a basic banana bread that will stay moist and flavorful for days (assuming it lasts that long), look no further. Buttermilk is the secret ingredient here. You may never make banana bread without it again.
Buttermilk Coleslaw
Did you think buttermilk was only used in baked goods? Surprise! Mixing a bit with mayo, apple cider vinegar, and sugar will transform shredded cabbage and carrots (or a bag of slaw mix) into a coleslaw that’s anything but ordinary.
Dulce De Leche Buttermilk Cheesecake
Read that out loud: dulce de leche buttermilk cheesecake. Your mouth watered just saying that, didn’t it? The caramelly flavor of dulce de leche plays off buttermilk’s natural tang in a beautiful way. If you’re a cheesecake lover, this is for you.
Buttermilk Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting
Buttermilk brownies are also known as Texas sheet cake — they’re made in a sheet pan (so you’ll have plenty to share), and the texture is like a very moist, fudgy cake. Oh, and they’re frosted. This version is plenty buttery and includes peanut butter as well as cream cheese in the frosting for good measure.
Recipes for when you have 3/4 to 1 cup of buttermilk
What to make with buttermilk when you've got more than a smidge, but still not a substantial amount? These recipes move buttermilk a little closer to center stage.
Buttermilk and Fresh Herb Drop Biscuits
Now, I'm all for traditional cut-out buttermilk biscuits. But these drop biscuits that are made extra-special with fresh herbs, and extra-easy, shaped with an ice cream scoop? I think I need the "both recipes" option.
Best Ever Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins
Everyone needs a light and tender muffin recipe studded with juicy berries in their repertoire. These get their loft from a combination of baking powder and baking soda. (Acid in the form of buttermilk meets base in the form of baking soda and creates carbon dioxide.)
Easy Basil Buttermilk Dressing
Buttermilk feels rich and creamy, but it’s actually low in fat. That makes it a perfect way to create a salad dressing that’s similar to mayo-buttermilk ranch dressing, tastes as indulgent as blue cheese, and is secretly quite healthy. Here, you’ll add chopped herbs to buttermilk and Greek yogurt. The result is light and fresh, and definitely satisfying.
Buttermilk German Chocolate Cake
You can practically taste it, that big ol' slice of tender chocolate cake with layers of decadent coconut-pecan frosting. If the idea of sitting down to German chocolate cake is sending you straight to that carton of buttermilk, don't let me stop you.
Buttermilk Pecan Fudge
I’m not big on fudge. I find it too sweet. My husband, on the other hand, loves the stuff. In this recipe, tangy buttermilk counters some of that overwhelming sweetness, while toasted pecans and flaky salt add textural contrast. This fudge, I’ll eat.
Buttermilk Doughnuts
Buttermilk helps these tender, cakey donuts rise as they fry — there’s no yeast, so they come together quickly. Coat them in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm, and see if you can resist eating more than one.
Homemade Buttermilk Syrup
Looking for a change from maple syrup? I never would’ve imagined that combining butter, buttermilk, sugar, baking soda, and vanilla could make such a versatile, delicious sauce. Try it on pancake recipes and waffles, of course, but also drizzle it on oatmeal or ice cream, bread pudding or yogurt.
Recipes that call for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
When you have this much buttermilk, you’ve really got some great choices.
Best-Ever Buttermilk Biscuits
Looking for biscuit recipes with buttermilk? Stop right here. Plenty of butter and detailed but not difficult directions for creating layers deliver dreamy results. Pull off the golden brown, sky-high tops to reveal tender, flaky insides just begging to be slathered with butter and jam.
Buttermilk Chicken
Just as buttermilk tenderizes baked goods, it also works its magic on meat. Here you mix it with seasoning you’ve already got on your spice rack (Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and a generous amount of cayenne) to create a marinade for chicken parts. Once the chicken pieces have had a nice rest, pop them on the grill or in the oven, throw together a salad (with buttermilk dressing, perhaps?), and dinner’s ready.
Classic Buttermilk Cornbread
Making cornbread recipes with buttermilk is another reason people reach for cartons of the tangy stuff at the store. Whether you’re serving it for breakfast or alongside a bowl of chili, buttermilk cornbread just makes people happy. It’s that perfect comfort food combination of savory/salty/sweet, with the grit of cornmeal giving it a hint of crunch. Buttermilk helps with — you guessed it — leavening and tenderizing.
Easy Buttermilk Brioche Buns
Picture a hamburger. Now picture that burger on a bun with soft, eggy, lightly sweet insides boasting just a hint of tang. That’s right. These buns have the potential to transform your burger-eating life.
Snickerdoodle Buttermilk Pie
Buttermilk pie is a classic dessert, one you’ll find all over the South. This recipe takes that classic to the next level by topping the buttermilk custard with a heavy sprinkling of cinnamon sugar before it bakes. It emerges from the oven with the kind of crackly crust I can’t wait to dig into.
Buttermilk Tarts
These adorable tarts have a similar filling to buttermilk pie, with a big difference: The filling is cooked on the stovetop, so it comes out more like a pudding. Once it’s chilled, all you do is spoon it into individual graham cracker crusts, top with some fruit, and enjoy.
Buttermilk Strawberry Sherbet
Fresh strawberries, honey, lemon juice, and buttermilk. That’s all you need to make a refreshing frozen treat sweet enough to entice your inner child. Unlike buttermilk ice cream, there's no cream involved, so it's a healthy treat. But thanks to buttermilk’s tang, the sherbet feels sophisticated enough to serve on a special day.
Recipes for if you have 1 3/4 to 3 cups of buttermilk
Now we’re talking. If you're wondering, "what can I do with lots of buttermilk," these recipes place buttermilk front and center.
The Best Southern Fried Chicken
Buttermilk fried chicken might rank near the top of recipes to make with buttermilk — and if you ask me, this one's the ultimate. An overnight bath in seasoned buttermilk tenderizes chicken parts. Then the buttermilk helps seasoned all-purpose flour adhere to the chicken when it hits the hot oil, so the chicken comes out nice and crispy. Can’t you just taste it?
Air Fryer Southern Fried Chicken
When you're craving classic fried chicken but don't feel like messing with hot oil, put your air fryer into action. Dill pickle juice as well as a little hot sauce in this recipe's buttermilk marinade give the chicken lots of personality. A touch of powdered sugar in the flour coating ensures it "fries" up golden brown.
Buttermilk Mac and Cheese
Only six ingredients cook up into a bowl of creamy, cozy comfort. This easy recipe for mac and cheese uses buttermilk instead of plain ol’ milk. The slight tang accentuates the cheesiness, and eggs help it bake up fluffy.
Best-Ever Pancakes
Buttermilk pancakes: mmm. From-scratch pancakes may be the very idea that got you buying buttermilk to begin with. This iconic recipe cooks up into beautiful, fluffy flapjacks, ready for syrup and fruit on your breakfast table.
Irish Soda Bread
Why wait for St. Patrick's Day? Any day can be your lucky day when you bake up a loaf of this tender quick bread studded with currants.
Classic Waffles
These buttermilk waffles are the kind that make other waffles jealous. They're soft and fluffy inside and crispy outside, thanks to a little cornstarch in the batter. I can’t think of a way to improve them — except for the recipe’s option to top them with chocolate chips and bananas as well as maple syrup. That's an "um, definitely" for me.
Tips and tricks to reduce food waste
Now that you're in the mindset of using up a whole carton of buttermilk, why not turn that thrifty spirit to the rest of your fridge with these next articles?