Cultured buttermilk brings acidity, moisture, and a tangy flavor to baking. A milk-and-acid shortcut can help in some recipes, but it is not identical to cultured buttermilk.
A common small-batch substitute
For 1 cup of substitute, place 1 tablespoon lemon juice or plain white vinegar in a measuring cup, then add milk to the 1-cup mark. Stir and let stand briefly before using. Use only where the recipe accepts this substitution. It may not match cultured buttermilk’s thickness or flavor.
Keep the leavening balanced
Do not replace buttermilk with plain milk while leaving an acid-dependent formula unchanged. Conversely, adding acid does not justify changing baking soda or baking powder by guesswork. Follow a tested recipe or its stated substitution.
Storage and other uses
Keep cultured buttermilk refrigerated and follow the package instructions. Make the substitute shortly before use rather than assigning it a long homemade shelf life. Buttermilk can also be used in dressings or marinades, but a thin milk-and-acid substitute may not suit those uses.
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