How To Make An Easy Vegan Buttermilk Substitute

It's super easy to make a vegan buttermilk substitute.  Buttermilk is often used in baked goods to make them moist and light. It's thicker than regular milk and has a tangy flavor.

It can also work as a leavening agent in recipes that contain baking soda. It takes only a few minutes to make your own easy vegan buttermilk substitute.

Vegan Buttermilk Ingredients

With a name like buttermilk, it's clearly full of dairy products. But the good news is that it is really quick and easy to make a vegan substitute with ingredients you probably already have. You'll only need 2 ingredients.

• Plant-based milk - Any plant milk can work, but for best results I recommend using unsweetened soy milk. It produces a thicker consistency than rice milk, oat milk, cashew milk or unsweetened almond milk. I don't recommend using coconut milk unless you want to have the flavor of coconut in your baked goods. 
• Apple cider vinegar - You can also use regular white vinegar or even lemon juice.

I've yet to find dairy-free buttermilk substitute in any grocery stores but luckily it only takes a few minutes to make your own vegan buttermilk substitute.

Making the Non-Dairy Buttermilk

It's super quick and easy to make vegan buttermilk.  In a large measuring cup, measure out the plant-based milk.

Next, add the apple cider vinegar and stir.

Let it sit for 5 minutes to "curdle". You'll notice that your dairy-free milk will start to separate. Give it a quick stir and then your vegan milk substitute will be ready to use in all your vegan recipes! It works just as well as traditional buttermilk. 

How Does Buttermilk Work?

Buttermilk has a few important uses in baking. The acidic buttermilk will work with whatever leavening agent you're using like baking soda or baking powder to make your baked goods rise. Without it, your muffins, cakes, breads etc. will be too dense.

It also makes your baked goods moist. Luckily, making vegan buttermilk is super simple!

What to Make with Buttermilk

There are a ton of uses for dairy free buttermilk.  Some of my favorites are:

• Quick breads
• Vegan cakes
• Creamy salad dressing
• Vegan pancakes
• Muffins

Recipes Using Vegan Buttermilk

I love using vegan buttermilk in pancakes. Check out Fluffy Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes by Liv B. You only need several simple ingredients to make this yummy pancakes.

• almond milk
• apple cider vinegar
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• sugar
• salt
• oil

I love making my own vegan buttermilk substitute and using it in baked goods. My favorite way is in these Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins. My family absolutely loves these quick and easy muffins.

Or you can make a loaf of Vegan Irish Soda Bread. It's delicious all year round!

Vegan Buttermilk Storage

You can store any leftover buttermilk in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.  But I generally only make as much as I can use at a time.

FAQ 

Can I freeze the leftover vegan buttermilk?

Yes! Use an ice cube tray and put 1 tablespoon of the buttermilk in each section. Once frozen, transfer cubes to a freezer bag or other airtight container. These buttermilk cubes can be stored in the freezer for up to two months for best results.

When you are ready to use it, just put the amount of frozen cubes you need in a small bowl in the fridge to defrost.

I've made the recipe and let it sit for 5 minutes but nothing is happening. What do I do?

Sometimes it just needs more time before it curdles. Try 10 minutes instead.

Another option is to let your milk get closer to room temperature. I make mine with soy milk right from the fridge but I've heard from others who say their best results happen when the milk isn't too cold. In this case, place your cup of milk in a bowl and leave it on the counter for 15-20 minutes before adding the tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.

Can you make buttermilk with almond milk?

Yes!  I prefer making it with soy milk, but almond milk also works really well.

Summary

It takes only minutes to make this homemade vegan buttermilk substitute.  Just combine your favorite plant-based milk with apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar or lemon juice) and stir!  This works just as well as traditional buttermilk in all your baking recipes.

Are you wondering about the differences between all of the non-dairy milks?  Check out Vegan Milk Options - A look at Non-Dairy Milks for detailed information.