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Substituting Buttermilk with Lemon Juice + Milk

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Contains Dairy
Buttermilk substituted with Lemon Juice + Milk

You will need:

1tbspLemon Juice
1cupMilk
Substitution ratio: 1 cup Buttermilk = 1 tbsp Lemon Juice + 1 cup Milk

Nutrition Facts

For Substitution Ingredients
Serving size
255g
Calories 132
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5.1g
8%
Total Carbohydrates 12.2g
4%
Dietary Fiber 0g
0%
Total Sugars 12.2g
24%
Protein 8.1g
16%
Sodium 132mg
6%
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Best Uses

Cakes
Muffins
Breads

Effects on Your Baking

Flavor Impact

The tangy flavor of buttermilk will still be present but may be a little milder. Store-bought buttermilk has a slightly more developed tang due to fermentation, while this substitute relies on the quick acidity from lemon juice or vinegar.

Texture Changes

Lemon juice and milk does a great job of copying buttermilk’s acidity, so it will still create a soft and tender texture by reacting with baking soda or baking powder. However, homemade buttermilk is slightly thinner than store-bought buttermilk, which may make your batter a bit looser and alter the final texture slightly.

Structural Effects

Since buttermilk helps with leavening, this substitution still works well in recipes that rely on acidity to create a good rise (like cakes, muffins, and pancakes). However, the thinner consistency means some batters might spread more than expected.

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