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    Home » Recipes » Helpful How-To Guides

    How to Make Vegan Buttermilk

    Published: Oct 12, 2022 · Modified: Aug 11, 2023 by Emily Laurae · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Making homemade Vegan Buttermilk is easy and only requires two ingredients! Use it to add rich, tangy, and fluffy properties to all kinds of dairy free treats, like pancakes, muffins, cake, and more.

    Measuring cup full of vegan buttermilk.
    Jump to:
    • ⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe 
    • 🍴Ingredients
    • 📖 Step by Step Instructions
    • Ways to use dairy free buttermilk
    • 💭 Recipe FAQs
    • More How To Guides
    • How to Make Vegan Buttermilk
    • 💬 Comments

    ⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe 

    Whether you’re experimenting with vegan baking or don’t do dairy altogether, learning How to Make Vegan Buttermilk can be a great way to increase the quality of your baked goods.

    Making a homemade vegan buttermilk substitute is just as easy as making regular buttermilk. It’s a 2-ingredient, 2-minute, and 2-step process. All you need is dairy free milk and apple cider vinegar (or the acid of your choice).

    The effect vegan buttermilk has on vegan baked goods is the same as the classic, too. Buttermilk has an important role in baking, as the cultured, acidic liquid can improve the density of the batter and add a tangy flavor. Pastries made with buttermilk are typically very moist, fluffy, and have a tender crumb.

    This dairy free substitute will do the same to vegan pancakes, scones, red velvet cake, and anywhere else you want to use it. Keep scrolling to discover the many benefits and uses of vegan buttermilk!

    🍴Ingredients

    There are only two ingredients needed here:

    • Dairy free milk - Unsweetened soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk are the best options here and will curdle well. However, you can use any kind of unsweetened dairy free milk you already have at home.
    • Acid - My acid of choice here is apple cider vinegar. It’s not quite as strong as white vinegar, giving the buttermilk a nice, neutral flavor. If you don’t have ACV, use lemon juice or white vinegar instead. Don’t use balsamic or sherry vinegar because their sweet flavor and dark colors will affect the flavors of your bakes.
    labeled shot of vegan buttermilk recipe ingredients.

    📖 Step by Step Instructions

    This is a 2-ingredient, 2-minute recipe! Making vegan buttermilk couldn’t be easier:

    Pouring vinegar into oat milk within a liquid measuring cup.

    Step 1: Mix the milk and acid. Add the apple cider vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Pour in the dairy free milk of your choice until you reach 1 cup in volume. Stir to activate the chemical reaction needed to make cultured buttermilk.

    Tablespoon showing curdled homemade vegan buttermilk.

    Step 2: Let stand. Let the buttermilk sit undisturbed on the counter for about 10 minutes. It should curdle in this time, then be ready to use right after. Keep scrolling to discover a number of ways to use your homemade buttermilk.

    Ways to use dairy free buttermilk

    Use your buttermilk anywhere vegan buttermilk is called for or as a dairy free substitute for the real thing. These are my favorite ways to use it:

    • To make fluffy and moist vegan pancakes.
    • For an extra tangy layer in these Coconut Doughnuts.
    • In vegan buttermilk biscuits. Yum!
    • To provide lift and moisture to a vegan vanilla cake or red velvet cake.
    • In vegan blueberry scones and muffins.
    Stirring vegan buttermilk.

    💭 Recipe FAQs

    What kind of non-dairy milk is best for vegan buttermilk?

    You want to use a non-dairy milk with a high protein content because the proteins react with the acid, resulting in curdling. For this reason, soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk are the best options. Also, always make sure the milk you use is unsweetened and at room temperature.

    What is the ratio of acid to milk in homemade buttermilk?

    For every 1 cup of plant milk, stir in 1 tablespoon of acid (vinegar or lemon juice).

    How long does it last?

    Vegan buttermilk will last for 1 week when kept in an airtight container in the fridge.

    Can you freeze it?

    Yes! The best way to freeze any leftover vegan buttermilk is in ice cube trays. Transfer them to a large ziplock bag when frozen solid, then freeze for up to 3 months. Pop as many cubes as you need in the fridge to thaw, then they’re ready for use.

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      Air Fryer Butternut Squash (Cooked Whole)
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    If you try this recipe for Vegan Buttermilk, please leave a 🌟 review and share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter! 📧 

    How to Make Vegan Buttermilk

    How to Make Vegan Buttermilk

    Making homemade Vegan Buttermilk is easy and only requires two ingredients! Use it to add rich, tangy, and fluffy properties to all kinds of dairy free treats, like pancakes, muffins, cake, and more.
    5 from 2 votes
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    Course: essentials
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1
    Calories: 12kcal
    Author: Emily Laurae

    Equipment

    • Liquid Measuring Cup
    • Tablespoon

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 Tablespoon shy of 1 cup Dairy free milk, Unsweetened soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk
    • 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice or Vinegar

    Instructions

    • Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup.
      1 Tablespoon shy of 1 cup Dairy free milk, 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice or Vinegar
    • Fill the measuring cup to the 1 cup marker and stir to combine
    • Allow the milk to sit for 10 minutes before using!

    Notes

    Frequently asked questions
    • What kind of non-dairy milk is best for vegan buttermilk? You want to use a non-dairy milk with a high protein content because the proteins react with the acid, resulting in curdling. For this reason, soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk are the best options. Also, always make sure the milk you use is unsweetened and at room temperature.
    • What is the ratio of acid to milk in homemade buttermilk? For every 1 cup of plant milk, stir in 1 tablespoon of acid (vinegar or lemon juice).
    • How long does it last? Vegan buttermilk will last for 1 week when kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
    • Can you freeze it? Yes! The best way to freeze any leftover vegan buttermilk is in ice cube trays. Transfer them to a large ziplock bag when frozen solid, then freeze for up to 3 months. Pop as many cubes as you need in the fridge to thaw, then they’re ready for use.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 12kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 23mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Calcium: 19mg
    Enjoyed this recipe?Mention @emilylaurae or tag #emilylaurae!

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    About Emily Laurae

    Emily is the recipe developer, writer, and food photographer behind Emily Laurae. After finishing Pastry School and working as a chef in the restaurant industry, she created this blog to share those skills with home bakers and creators all over the world!

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    HELLO MY FRIENDS, I'M EMILY!

    Welcome to my blog, where I'm sharing a collection of my favorite recipes, tips and tricks for you to create and enjoy in your home kitchen! I'm a professionally trained pastry chef, recipe developer and food photographer currently living in Los Angeles - looking forward to baking with you!

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