How to Make Sour Milk With Lemon Juice | Buttermilk Substitute

This quick and easy kitchen hack for how to make sour milk with lemon juice is good to keep on hand for those moments when you’re already deep into prepping a dish and realize you don’t have buttermilk!

Contributed by Jennifer Raith

Let me clarify that this method calls for combining a milk product with an acidic product to “sour” the milk. Sometimes, you may actually have milk that has soured in the fridge, and this can be used as sour milk in recipes, like pancakes or baked goods.

But here we’re talking about manually curdling some form of milk to make a homemade substitute for buttermilk.

A Quick & Easy Buttermilk Substitute

First: This homemade quick substitute made of milk and a bit of acidic liquid will never be mistaken for true buttermilk. I suggest using this substitute in recipes where authentic buttermilk won’t be missed, either in the consistency or flavor. 

Buttermilk substitutes tend to work better in baked goods, but, again, stick to the real deal if the flavor, thickness, or acidity of the buttermilk will make or break the recipe. I would only use real buttermilk in an authentic buttermilk biscuit recipe, but I’d totally fake it in these Coconut Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins.

I don’t recommend using anything but traditional buttermilk for some recipes, including Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and Crème Fraiche, or any other recipe that is intended to be eaten in its fresh state and requires a thicker consistency. (If you want to try something different, I think heavy cream is the best to use out of all dairy products for the closest thing to a homemade authentic buttermilk.)

Ingredients

Lemon juice — You can use the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon or bottled lemon juice. Either will work as an acidifier to curdle the milk.

Milk — Whole milk will yield the best results in consistency and will provide the most consistent buttermilk substitution, but low-fat milk or non-dairy milk can also be used.

What Can You Make Using Sour Milk?

Be creative and try making your own sour milk anytime you need it, especially if it keeps you from running to the grocery store for just one thing!

Any baked good that has a heavier flavor than the buttermilk is a good candidate for the substitute. Flavors like chocolate, berries, and citrus should work just fine when substituting sour milk in place of buttermilk in the recipe.

Other Ways to Sour Milk

In case you don’t have regular milk or lemon juice, let’s cover some other possible combinations of milk and acidic ingredients that can also be used as buttermilk substitutes.

With White Vinegar

Yes, plain distilled white vinegar, that household superstar, can be used instead of lemon juice. Use 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in place of the lemon juice. Note that I don’t recommend using different kinds of vinegar in place of white vinegar.

With Cream of Tartar

For each cup of buttermilk needed, add 1-¾ teaspoons of cream of tartar to the dry ingredients in a recipe along with 1 cup of milk. This cannot be mixed ahead and allowed to sit like the acidic-liquid-and-milk combo, as it will clump. Cream of tartar needs to be mixed with dry ingredients first.

Other Buttermilk Alternatives

Several things can be used in place of buttermilk in a recipe besides sour milk.

Plain Yogurt as a Buttermilk Substitute

If using regular plain yogurt, substitute yogurt for buttermilk directly. If 1 cup of buttermilk is needed, use 1 cup of yogurt.

But if you are using Greek yogurt, it may need to be thinned out a bit. This can be done easily by adding a few tablespoons of milk to the yogurt, equalling the total amount of buttermilk called for in the recipe.

Buttermilk Powder and Water

Did you know there is a shelf-stable form of buttermilk? Dried buttermilk powder is a good alternative to keep on hand for use in recipes that call for buttermilk.

Buttermilk Substitution: Sour Cream and Milk

A sour cream and milk combination can also be used instead of sour milk or buttermilk. Just like with the yogurt, a thicker sour cream will need a bit more thinning than a runnier sour cream. 

Kefir as a Buttermilk Substitute

Since kefir has a lovely tangy flavor, it can make a good buttermilk replacement. Use it as a direct sub if it’s thicker. If it’s thinner, you may want to add a bit of yogurt or sour cream.

Successfully Using Sour Milk as a Buttermilk Substitute

Since sour milk is replacing buttermilk, I suggest always erring on the side of a thicker consistency when trying out homemade substitutions. You can always add more liquid to the recipe if needed, but not much can be done if it’s too thin!

And don’t be afraid to try using any of these different ways for creating buttermilk or sour milk substitutes. You’ll soon find your favorite recipes that are perfect for using sour milk in place of store-bought buttermilk!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use apple cider vinegar to make sour milk?

Apple cider vinegar can be used instead of lemon juice, but just be careful that the recipe you’re making will not be negatively affected by this vinegar’s flavor. Thinking about flavor combinations is a good way to decide if it’s worth trying a buttermilk stand-in for any recipe!

How long does sour milk last?

Sour milk can last up to a week in the fridge or frozen for up to a month.

Can I use lactose-free milk in homemade sour milk?

Yes, lactose-free milk can be used in place of the milk in a homemade sour milk or buttermilk recipe. It may have a sweeter flavor, so keep that in mind depending on the recipe’s intended final flavor.

Are There Dairy-Free Buttermilk Substitutes?

You can use dairy-free milk when making homemade sour milk or for a vegan buttermilk substitute.

Some non-dairy options include:

• Unsweetened almond milk or any other nut milk
• Coconut milk
• Soy milk
• Silken tofu

Be mindful of the thickness of whatever product you use in place of dairy milk. The desired recipe results will dictate how thick you want this liquid substitute to turn out.

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