39 Ways to Use Up a Carton of Buttermilk (2025)

1/37

Chocolate Chip Pancakes Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

At our house, Saturday morning always means pancakes for breakfast. I make the menu special by servings up stacks of these fluffy buttermilk treats studded with mini chips. —Julianne Johnson, Grove City, Minnesota

Go to Recipe

Learn why buttermilk makes recipes taste so much better.

2/37

Homemade Confetti Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Homemade Confetti Cake

This is a moist and fluffy vanilla cake with lots of sprinkles and a whipped vanilla buttercream. It’s almost impossible not to feel happy when you see the fun pop of rainbow confetti! —Courtney Rich, Highland, UT

Go to Recipe

Out of buttermilk? Here’s how to make buttermilk substites at home.

3/37

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Making buttermilk fried chicken from scratch is easy! Brining the chicken with buttermilk ensures it stays juicy and tender, and letting the chicken rest in the seasoned flour creates a crispy coating that actually sticks to the meat.

Go to Recipe

4/37

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

My sister-in-law, who is a dietitian, shared these buttermilk mashed potatoes with me. The garlic and buttermilk in these smooth mashed potatoes that are better for you than typical versions that include lots of butter. —Stephanie Bremson of Kansas City, Missouri

Go to Recipe

5/37

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnuts Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnuts

Guests will have a touch of nostalgia when they bite into one of these old-fashioned doughnuts. Accents of nutmeg and cinnamon, along with a subtle burst of lemon, make them hard to resist. — June Jones, Harveyville, Kansas

Go to Recipe

6/37

Favorite Mexican Cornbread Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Favorite Mexican Cornbread

I love to cook and my supportive and encouraging mom finally convinced me to submit this recipe. I often serve this cornbread with chili. —Donna Hypes, Ramona, California

Go to Recipe

7/37

Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ranch Dressing

Why buy bottled ranch dressing when this recipe is so easy to make—and tastes so much better! Fresh chives are a colorful addition if you have them on hand. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Go to Recipe

8/37

Dad’s Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Blueberry Pancakes

The blueberries in our blueberry pancakes aren’t the only star of the show: cornmeal, oats, buttermilk and nutmeg give these pancakes an extra oomph of complex flavor and a hearty-yet-fluffy tenderness.

Go to Recipe

9/37

Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Festive and oh, so good, this cheesecake will become a fixture on your Christmas dessert menu. The red velvet filling is spiked with cocoa, topped with cream cheese frosting and baked in a chocolate cookie crumb crust. —Karen Dively, Chapin, South Carolina

Go to Recipe

10/37

Coconut Chicken Tenders with Creamy Caribbean Salsa

This coconut chicken tenders recipe is such a fun change of pace. The salsa’s tropical flavor makes the dish fresh and bright. —Jane Estrin, Jacksonville, Florida

11/37

Orange Buttermilk Cupcakes Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Orange Buttermilk Cupcakes

Simple and delicious, this is our all-time favorite low-fat dessert. You'll be surprised how well the citrus flavor comes through in every bite.

Go to Recipe

12/37

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

I created this recipe years ago after one of our farmers market customers, a chef, shared the idea of marinating chicken in buttermilk. The chicken is easy to prepare and always turns out moist and delicious! I bruise the thyme sprigs by twisting them before adding them to the buttermilk mixture; this tends to release the oils in the leaves and flavor the chicken better. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

Go to Recipe

13/37

Old-Fashioned Whoopie Pies Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Old-Fashioned Whoopie Pies

Who can resist soft chocolate sandwich cookies filled with a layer of fluffy white frosting? Mom has made these for years. They’re a treat that never lasts very long with me and my two brothers around. —Maria Costello, Monroe, North Carolina

Go to Recipe

14/37

Corn and Green Bean Salad Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Corn and Green Bean Salad

I love the crunch of veggies, so I combined them with a buttermilk Caesar dressing in this corn and green bean salad. It’s good served immediately, but it’s even better after chilling for a few hours. —Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois

Go to Recipe

15/37

Taste of Home

Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Icing

This fabulous cake and caramel frosting are so tender, it melts in your mouth. It's been a family favorite since the '70s and it goes over really well at church potluck meals. —Anna Jean Allen, West Liberty, Kentucky

Go to Recipe

16/37

Chicken-Fried Steaks Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Chicken-Fried Steaks

My husband asks me to prepare this easy chicken fried steak recipe regularly. I like it because it’s so simple to make. Denice Louk, Garnett, Kansas

Go to Recipe

17/37

Blueberry Zucchini Squares Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Blueberry Zucchini Squares

I saw a bar recipe using apple and lemon zest on a muffin mix. I tried it from scratch with shredded zucchini and fresh blueberries instead. It’s a nifty combo. —Shelly Bevington, Hermiston, Oregon

Go to Recipe

18/37

Air-Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Air-Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken

I live in Tennessee and absolutely love our state’s famous Nashville hot chicken. To make cooking it easier, I thought I’d try air-frying. I’m so glad I did—this Nashville hot chicken recipe is almost better than the original. —April Lane, Greeneville, Tennessee

Go to Recipe

19/37

Taste of Home

Southern Dressing

This homemade Southern dressing is a marvelous side dish for both holiday and everyday dinners. Crumbled cornbread is mixed with seasonings, vegetables, cream of chicken soup and broth to create a dish that can easily serve a crowd.

Go to Recipe

20/37

Devil's Food Snack Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Devil’s Food Snack Cake

My husband and his friends request this devil’s food snack cake for camping trips because it’s easy to transport. That makes it great for taking to potlucks and other events, too, as there’s no frosting involved. —Julie Danler, Bel Aire, Kansas

21/37

Best Utah Scones Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Utah Buttermilk Scones

Buttermilk makes these classic Utah scones so delightful that you'll most likely eat too many. The texture is light and airy and the taste is delightful. It's a family favorite we eat often. Don't forget the honey butter—it's the perfect addition to the perfect scone. —Nichole Jones, Pleasant Grove, Utah

Go to Recipe

22/37

German Pancake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

German Pancakes

Whip up a show-stopping centerpiece for your breakfast spread with our recipe for German pancakes.

Go to Recipe

23/37

Tropical Carrot Cake

I look forward to August because our family reunion means fun and great food, like this classic cake with the special flair it gets from pineapple. My great-aunt gave me this recipe, and I always make it for the reunion.—Victoria Casey, Enterprise, Oregon

Go to Recipe

24/37

Angel Biscuits

I first received a sample of these light, wonderful angel biscuits, along with the recipe, from an elderly gentleman friend. I now bake them often as a Saturday-morning treat, served with butter and honey. They're perfect with sausage gravy, too! —Faye Hintz, Springfield, Missouri

Go to Recipe

25/37

Pink Velvet Cupcakes Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Pink Velvet Cupcakes

My daughter loves all things pink, so this recipe was just right for her birthday. Even my teenage son (not a fan of pink) ate his share, too. —Paulette Smith, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Go to Recipe

26/37

Homemade Irish Soda Bread Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Homemade Irish Soda Bread

Some people consider bread to be the most important part of a meal…and this Irish bread satisfies such folks! This recipe is by far the best soda bread I’ve ever tried. With the addition of raisins, it is moist and delicious! —Evelyn Kenney, Trenton, New Jersey

Go to Recipe

27/37

Buttermilk-Mushroom Pork Chops Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Buttermilk-Mushroom Pork Chops

I went through several variations before creating the pork chops my family considers perfect! I wanted something rich, delicious and tasty that was still relatively healthy. This is a delicious Sunday dinner idea because you can pop it in the slow cooker in the morning and let it cook while you are at church! I suggest serving it with salad or grilled asparagus. —Kristin Stone, Little Elm, Texa

Go to Recipe

28/37

Mom's Buttermilk Cookies Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Mom's Buttermilk Cookies

These soft, tangy buttermilk cookies are topped with creamy frosting are easy to make and perfect for any occasion.

Go to Recipe

29/37

Buttermilk Buckwheat Pancakes Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Buckwheat Pancakes

This buckwheat pancake recipe uses buckwheat flour instead of the wheat-based variety. The light and tender buckwheat pancakes offer a nutty flavor and hearty texture. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Go to Recipe

30/37

Basic Buttermilk Salad Dressing Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Buttermilk Dressing

This restaurant-style buttermilk dressing is similar to a classic ranch and dresses up basic green salads, pasta salads and potato salads.

Go to Recipe

31/37

Spicy Fried Okra Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Spicy Fried Okra

This fried veggie is a southern delicacy that’s sure to add excitement to any summer meal. — Rashanda Cobbins, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Go to Recipe

32/37

Tangy Potato Salad with Radishes Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Tangy Potato Salad with Radishes

Summer's approach makes my family think of potato salad. This tangy side is also great in the winter when it's served hot with cubed ham. —Peggy Gwillim, Strasbourg, Saskatchewan

Go to Recipe

33/37

Jalapeno Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Jalapeno Cornbread

Whip up our spicy jalapeño cornbread with ease, blending the sweetness of fresh corn with the savory sharpness of cheddar and a spicy jalapeño kick for a delectably balanced treat.

Go to Recipe

34/37

Avocado Salad Dressing Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Avocado Salad Dressing

Buttermilk and plain yogurt create the base for this thick avocado salad dressing, which gets its color from avocado and parsley. The mild mixture is refreshing when dolloped over a tossed green salad. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Go to Recipe

35/37

Pumpkin Waffles Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Pumpkin Waffles

Made with pumpkin puree and warming spices, these buttermilk pumpkin waffles are a cozy addition to any fall breakfast.

Go to Recipe

36/37

Mom's Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Mom's Buttermilk Biscuits

These fluffy buttermilk biscuits are so tasty slathered with butter or used to mop up every last drop of gravy off your plate. I can still see Mom pulling these tender gems out of the oven. —Vera Reid, Laramie, Wyoming

Go to Recipe

37/37

After a very long week, I needed some comfort food, so I made this meal on a whim. Cayenne pepper gives it a little kick and rotisserie chicken drastically cuts the prep time, so we don’t have to wait long for dinner to be ready. — Jessica Rehs, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

Go to Recipe

Up Next: Baking with Buttermilk Will Change Your Bakes for Good

Originally Published: December 10, 2021

Author

Julia Mullaney

Julia Mullaney is a writer, blogger and self-proclaimed macaroni and cheese connoisseur based in New Jersey. She is currently a health & fitness writer for Cheat Sheet and previously worked as the editorial manager of Edible Jersey Magazine. Her work has been published in Rachael Ray Every Day, Art Quench, RMagazine and Edible Jersey. She is the au...

Read More

Author

Lisa Kaminski

Lisa is a former editor of Taste of Home and a fantastic baker. During her tenure, she poured her love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Taste of Home’s Bakeable community. She also tested ingredients and kitchen gear. Today, Lisa continues to share her passion for baking and embroidery on her blog Cabin in the City.

Read More

39 Ways to Use Up a Carton of Buttermilk (2025)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Wyatt Volkman LLD

Last Updated:

Views: 5851

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Wyatt Volkman LLD

Birthday: 1992-02-16

Address: Suite 851 78549 Lubowitz Well, Wardside, TX 98080-8615

Phone: +67618977178100

Job: Manufacturing Director

Hobby: Running, Mountaineering, Inline skating, Writing, Baton twirling, Computer programming, Stone skipping

Introduction: My name is Wyatt Volkman LLD, I am a handsome, rich, comfortable, lively, zealous, graceful, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.