20+ Recipes With Buttermilk

posted by Carla on Mar 8, 2024 (updated Feb 13, 2025) 0 comments »

Wondering what to do with buttermilk leftover from a recipe? Here are 20+ recipes with buttermilk so you’ll never waste it again! Recipes including pancakes, biscuits, cakes, and more.

Sometimes there’s no good substitute for buttermilk.

Sure, there’s the whole milk plus vinegar or lemon juice trick that works when you’re making my small yellow cake.

But other times when you want waffles for two, biscuits and gravy or mini Irish soda bread, there really is no substitution for the flavor and tender crumb buttermilk gives.

And because we’re making small batch recipes here, I rounded up 20+ Recipes With Buttermilk so you never have to dump another carton down the drain again.

Once in awhile I can find a pint of buttermilk, but more often than not I’m stuck buying an entire quart.

As someone who makes desserts for two like my peach cobbler for two, that’s entirely too much buttermilk for one recipe.

That leaves me with the question, “what to do with buttermilk?”

Usually leftover buttermilk ends up dying in my fridge before I finally toss it. Now I’m here to make a vow not to waste food (and money) by rounding up recipes with buttermilk as a main ingredient, such as air fryer fried chicken.

If you, too, are also tired of throwing away buttermilk, come check out these recipes using buttermilk!

What is buttermilk?

Buttermilk is a cultured dairy product that’s been fermented with bacteria. It has an acidic tang (not to be confused with milk gone sour) and tastes tart, similar to Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Its acidity is desirable in baked goods because it reacts with baking soda, producing gases that makes the batter rise.

It also helps break down proteins, resulting in a delicate crumb texture.

Why use buttermilk?

So why use buttermilk when you can easily substitute whole milk + lemon juice for it?

Because not only does buttermilk add a unique tangy flavor, it also adds tenderness and moisture to your baked goods.

Buttermilk FAQ

Can you freeze buttermilk?

Can’t use your buttermilk fast enough? Freeze it for up to 3 months.

Does buttermilk go bad?

You can tell buttermilk is bad when it’s too thick to pour easily, has large chunks (tiny lumps are ok), and smells really sour (more than normal – trust me you’ll know).

How long is buttermilk good for?

As long as it doesn’t smell bad or has large chunks, buttermilk is usually good up to 7-14 days past the expiration date.

Recipes With Buttermilk

Wondering what to do with buttermilk leftover from a recipe? Here are 20+ recipes with buttermilk so you'll never waste it again! Recipes including pancakes, biscuits, cakes, and more.