This easy vegan buttermilk recipe is tangy, creamy, and perfect for pancakes, biscuits, and all your favorite vegan baking needs.
This recipe is perfect for making my Fluffy Vegan Pancakes and Homemade Biscuits!
Let's talk buttermilk, shall we?
You know, that magical, tangy elixir that turns your sad little pancakes into fluffy breakfast clouds and gives biscuits their signature tender bite? Yeah, that stuff.
But if you're living that dairy-free life (like I am), you've probably stared at a recipe that calls for "1 cup of buttermilk" and immediately whispered, "Well, guess I'm out."
Good news! You can make your own homemade vegan buttermilk, no cow required. And it's ridiculously easy. We're talking two ingredients, one jar, and less time than it takes to scroll past another social media ad for $12 almond milk.
So let me break it down for you and show you how to whip up your little piece of creamy, tangy, plant-based magic.
Why You'll Love This Vegan Buttermilk Recipe
Besides the fact that it's dairy-free, easy, and a certified kitchen lifesaver?
- Freezer-friendly. Yep. Buttermilk cubes. It's a thing (and a good one).
- Just 2 simple ingredients. That's it. No trips to the health food store or fancy blender involved.
- Ready in minutes. Five, to be exact. Ten if your plant milk is still waking up.
- Incredible in baked goods. Pancakes, waffles, biscuits, you name it. The tangy acid activates your baking soda for that magical lift.
- Budget-friendly. Forget $6 cartons of commercial buttermilk you'll never finish. Make as much as you need when you need it.
Ingredients (with substitutions)
Here's what you'll need to make your own homemade vegan buttermilk.
- Plant-based milk. I usually use unsweetened soy milk for the best results. The high protein content makes it closest to traditional buttermilk. But oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, or even pea milk will work! Just make sure it's unsweetened and has a neutral flavor.
- Acid. The acid is what curdles the milk and gives it that tangy taste. You can use lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or even white wine vinegar. You've got options.
🥛 Bonus Tip: Want to double or triple the batch? Just keep the 1:1 ratio of 1 cup of milk to 1 tablespoon of acid. That's it. Seriously.
How to make vegan buttermilk (step-by-step instructions)
Making your own vegan buttermilk substitute is easier than finding a ripe avocado. Here's how you accomplish said task:
- Pick your milk. Choose your favorite non-dairy milk (remember, unsweetened is key).
- Add the acid. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar per 1 cup of milk. Whisk with a fork until the top is bubbly.
- Let it sit. Set it aside at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. It'll start to curdle and thicken, don't panic. That's a good thing.
- Stir and use. After it's slightly curdled, stir it and use it just like regular buttermilk in your vegan recipes.
NOTE: Scroll down to grab the printable recipe card and make this easy vegan buttermilk part of your weekly kitchen rhythm.
Best plant-based milks for vegan buttermilk
If you're after the real thing (but without the cow), here's what I recommend:
- Rice milk: Very low protein, so less curdling, but doable in a pinch.
- Soy milk: My go-to for the best option. High protein = great curdling.
- Oat milk: Mild and creamy, but lower in protein. Still works beautifully in pancakes. But it won’t curdle as much because of the low-fat content.
- Almond or cashew milk: Light flavor, lower protein, but makes for a lovely texture in dressings.
- Coconut milk: Use the carton kind for this one, not canned. Great in baking, but adds a subtle coconut note.
How do I use vegan buttermilk?
Now that you've got a mason jar full of tangy vegan buttermilk, here's how to put it to good use:
- Vegan buttermilk pancakes: Hello, fluffy towers of deliciousness.
- Vegan buttermilk biscuits: Flaky, tender, Southern-approved.
- Creamy dressings & dips: Like vegan ranch or Caesar.
- Salad dressings: Add a splash to your tahini or cashew-based dressing for zip.
- Baked goods: Muffins, cornbread, cakes. Anywhere a cup of buttermilk is called for.
- Vegan sour cream substitute: Mix it with a bit of vegan mayo or blended cashews, and boom. Sour cream-ish.
Storage tips
Got leftover buttermilk? Don't you dare toss it!
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container (I use a mason jar) and keep for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Pour it into ice cube trays, freeze, then store in a freezer bag. Perfect for when your next recipe calls for just a splash.
Buttermilk + Baking = Kitchen Chemistry
Okay, here's a little nerdy bit I love. (Cue the goggles.)
Traditional buttermilk (you know, the dairy kind) contains lactic acid bacteria, which creates that classic tang. In my vegan version, I mimic the acid using lemon juice or vinegar.
That acidic ingredient reacts with baking soda, a leavening agent, to produce carbon dioxide, a.k.a. bubbles! That's what gives you a tender crumb in baked goods, those perfect fluffy pancakes, and why buttermilk is a common ingredient in so many recipes.
So no, it's not just fancy sour milk. It's a chemical reaction with delicious results.
FAQ: Because you might be wondering…
Absolutely! This is a 1:1 vegan buttermilk substitute for regular buttermilk in any recipe.
Technically, it works, but it may alter the flavor in savory recipes. Go unsweetened if you can.
Yep. Plant-based milk won't curdle exactly like cow's milk, but you'll see separation and thickening. That's your cue it's ready.
Final Thoughts
If you're living the plant-based life, this homemade vegan buttermilk is a total game-changer.
It's quick, cheap, and makes everything from pancakes to salad dressings taste like you meant to cook and didn't just throw something together between laundry loads.
So go ahead. Whip up your buttermilk, stash it in your fridge or freezer, and never be held hostage by a recipe that calls for buttermilk again.
Because homemade buttermilk is the hero your vegan kitchen deserves.
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How To Make Homemade Vegan Buttermilk (2 Ingredients)
Need a quick vegan buttermilk substitute for your favorite recipes? This easy dairy-free buttermilk uses simple ingredients like oat milk and lemon juice, ready in 5 minutes!
- Prep Time: 2 mins.
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: How To
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup of unsweetened soy milk (or desire plant milk)
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice (can sub apple cider vinegar)
Instructions
Pour your milk. Grab 1 cup of your favorite unsweetened, room temperature plant milk and pour it into a mason jar or mixing bowl.
Add the acid. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. (Apple cider vinegar works too.)
Wait. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. You'll notice it curdling slightly or thickening a bit. That's the magic (aka chemistry).
Use immediately. Your vegan buttermilk is ready for your next stack of pancakes, fluffy vegan biscuits, or any recipe that calls for the real thing.
Notes
- I like unsweetened soy milk for the best texture in baking.
- Let it sit at least 5 minutes to curdle; that's where the magic happens.
- Store extras in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze in an ice cube tray for quick tablespoon portions later on.
- Room-temperature milk curdles better than cold, so let it warm up a bit first.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 42
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 186.3 mg
- Fat: 2.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I found the link that you referred too. It is listed separately in the search button.
Thank you.
Thanks for this. I used it to swap for buttermilk in an apple cider donut recipe. It was super easy and worked like a dream. I used box Soy milk.
please clarify the ratios using almond milk .. if recipe calls for 1 cup buttermilk.. the sub is 1 cup of almond milk + 1 Tbsp of cider vinegar? so mixture will be 1 tbsp more.. or should it be one cup total?
Technically, the entire is 1 cup of almond milk + 1 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar. But, once it curdles it’s almost back to one cup. The ratio will work wherever 1 cup of buttermilk is called for.
Would cashew milk work for this?
Yes, it sure will.
Thank you for this recipe! I wanted to make Vegas chicken tenders using potatoes, but needed buttermilk milk, and as a newly minted vegan, didn’t know what to use. Luckily your recipe came right up when I searched, and I had unsweetened almond milk and apple cider vinegar on hand (I make a hair conditioner out of the ingredients lol). You’re a lifesaver!
Denise, that’s so awesome and I’m pumped you’re here!!! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with a question or comment.
Blessings,
shane
Thanks for the awesome recipe, works great and now I don’t need to buy buttermilk. 🙂
Can I use coconut milk unsweetened…I am allergic to oat and soya
Can you replace almond milk with water since almond milk is basically just slightly fatty water?
Unfortunately, no. It’s the fat in the almond milk that causes it to curdle like buttermilk.
Hey Shane, I’m Paula from the Bahamas! Your vegan buttermilk recipe was very inspiring. I’m difinitely gonna give it a try! Thanks.
I use unsweetened cashew milk. Would it work just as well with that?
Sure thing.
First time I only had cashew and it worked great.
Thanks for the recipe… What happens if you use a sweetened milk alternative? TIA
It would probably taste like sweetened buttermilk:) I just don’t prefer it. But, you may like it.
Seems like this could work for cornbread which might call for some sugar?
I believe so:)
Thank you much Shane!
My pleasure:)
Thank you for sharing all the information and recipe for making Vegan Buttermilk out of Almond or Soy milk. I know the technique was exhaustively tested in your test kitchen. I appreciate your exacting directions.
Make Vegan Buttermilk in 2 minutes. It’s so easy and requires only 2 ingredients. Perfect for pancakes, biscuits, cookies, and all kinds of recipes.