10 Recipes to Use Up Buttermilk
I feel like whenever I mention using buttermilk, someone says either “You know you can just add vinegar/lemon juice to regular milk, right?” or “what do you do with the leftover buttermilk?”
In response to the first question: I am not a fan of adding vinegar/lemon juice to regular milk and calling it buttermilk. It is not the same. You will absolutely notice a difference.
You’d be better off using plain yogurt, possibly thinned with a bit of milk, because you’ll get a better consistency and a more near flavor to real buttermilk.
But really, you should just use real buttermilk. One, it’s cheap.
Two, people will often ask, how long is buttermilk good for or does buttermilk go bad? In my experience, it lasts forever. In the 10+ years since I started keeping it around as a staple, I have never once had a bottle of buttermilk go bad. Even after two or more months.
Three, buttermilk is just not an ingredient that really substitutes well. You’ll get the best flavor, texture, and height when you actually use buttermilk instead of a substitute. I obviously feel way too strongly about using buttermilk!
If you are looking for a way to use up leftover egg whites, pop in your email and I’ll send you a list of my favorite ways to get them out of your fridge!
10 Recipes Using Buttermilk
Homemade Ranch Dressing – So amazing, I want to weep when I don’t have any around. Once you make this buttermilk ranch recipe, you will never want to go back to store bought ranch again!
Waffles – I’ve mentioned these waffles before but they are my favorite favorite waffles of all-time. I go 100% white wheat flour and use coconut oil and they are delicious. But I used vegetable oil for years and they were great that way too.
Maple Oat Scones – The first scones I ever made. Delicious and got me over my fears of scone-making.
Coconut Buttermilk Syrup – I love this recipe, and Bart and I both scarf it down whenever I make it. We don’t even buy regular syrup anymore.Coconut buttermilk syrup forever!
Perfect Pancakes – These are my very favorite buttermilk pancakes. Seriously the best pancakes I’ve ever had.
Buttermilk Biscuits – I love these slightly-sweet, flaky biscuits. Easy and delicious every time.
Pumpkin Scones – For when you want to use up your buttermilk in a festively seasonal way.
Perfect Potato Salad – I love the idea of potato salad, but find that most recipes fall a little flat. This one that uses buttermilk, though? I’m scraping the bowl.
Double Chocolate Muffins – These are some really great muffins. Definitely a weekend favorite in this house.
Buttermilk Banana Bread – Bart doesn’t really like this recipe (although he’ll still eat several slices), but I LOVE this stuff and the first time I made it for Ella, she ate half a mini-loaf on her own.
Do you have a favorite recipe using buttermilk? I’d love to hear! And something I’d like to try with buttermilk? Ice Cream. I’ll return with full details when I get around to it (so, you know, in a year or so).
Buttermilk Pie simple and one of the best pies ever! There are recipes on Pinterest for it.
Ok, I’m an oddball, for which I own up to. I LOVE buttermilk. Not to drink (my Mom did, though) but I have so many recipes that use it that I buy it by the quart and wish I could just get a gallon. King Arthur Fluffy pancakes, buttermilk salad (any flavor Jello, not just orange,) quickbreads, yeast breads… just to name a few. I came here to get more ideas.😊
You belong here!
We make a buttermilk pie that’s to die for. One of our favorite chicken marinades is also buttermilk based. It has fresh herbs, Dijon mustard and some other things and then we grill it… it’s perfection every time! Also, if you haven’t tried the buttermilk milkshakes from cubby’s yet, you need to! They’re so good!
Blueberry Boy Bait (it’s a cake) is my favorite way to use buttermilk but it is always nice to get new ideas! Butter syrup is my favorite for pancakes and waffles. So easy and delicious!
I’m Team Buttermilk, too! It’s just not worth making pancakes without it.
We get our milk delivered from a local dairy and I was thrilled to discover they also had buttermilk available. My husband uses it to make aebleskivers. I take the rest and go through my saved pancake/waffle recipes. While it stays good for about two weeks, it definitely turns after that.
Buttermilk can be frozen also. You say it last forever, does that mean when it gets very thick and lumpy it is still good to use. That is what happen to mine (store bought).