Substitutions / buttermilk
What to use instead of buttermilk
Use milk and vinegar in equal amounts. Stir 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup milk, let sit 5 min; slightly thinner but works in nearly any recipe.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Milk and vinegar | 1:1 | Stir 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup milk, let sit 5 min; slightly thinner but works in nearly any recipe. |
| Plain yogurt | 1:1 | Thin with a splash of milk if needed; adds the same tang and acidity, slightly thicker texture. |
| Sour cream | 1:1 | Richer and thicker — thin with milk to a pourable consistency; works well in baked goods. |
How much is a cup of buttermilk?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh buttermilk in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.