19 Easy Recipes For That Carton Of Buttermilk In The Fridge

That carton of buttermilk sitting in your fridge is more useful than you might think. Buttermilk adds a tangy flavor and helps baked goods turn out incredibly soft and fluffy.

Whether you want something sweet for breakfast or a savory dinner idea, there are so many simple ways to use it up before it expires.

1. Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Weekend mornings feel extra special when a tall stack of buttermilk pancakes is involved. The acidity in buttermilk reacts with baking soda to create bubbles that make each pancake incredibly light and airy.

Simply mix flour, sugar, baking soda, an egg, melted butter, and buttermilk together until just combined. Cook on a hot griddle until golden brown.

Top with maple syrup, fresh berries, or a dusting of powdered sugar for a breakfast everyone will love.

2. Classic Buttermilk Biscuits

Few things beat pulling a tray of tall, flaky biscuits out of the oven on a Sunday morning. Buttermilk is the secret behind that signature tang and the tender, layered texture Southern biscuits are famous for.

Keep your butter ice cold and handle the dough as little as possible for the best rise. Cut them thick, bake at high heat, and serve warm with honey or gravy.

Once you try homemade, the canned version just will not cut it anymore.

3. Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Soaking chicken in buttermilk overnight is the oldest trick in the book for getting juicy, flavorful fried chicken every single time. The mild acidity breaks down the muscle fibers, making the meat incredibly tender before it even hits the oil.

Season the buttermilk brine with garlic, paprika, and hot sauce for extra flavor. Dredge the soaked pieces in seasoned flour, then fry until deep golden brown.

The result is crispy outside, moist inside perfection.

4. Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Store-bought ranch dressing does not even come close to the real thing made with actual buttermilk. Homemade buttermilk ranch is tangy, herby, and thick in a way that coats every veggie and wing perfectly.

Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and chives. Chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can blend together.

Use it as a dip, salad dressing, or drizzle over pizza for a crowd-pleasing upgrade.

5. Moist Buttermilk Cornbread

Cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet with a generous pour of buttermilk has a crispy bottom, golden crust, and tender, moist crumb that pairs beautifully with chili or soup. It is one of those recipes that feels homey and satisfying every single time.

Mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Pour into a hot greased skillet and bake at 425 degrees.

The edges will crisp up beautifully while the center stays soft.

6. Tender Buttermilk Muffins

Buttermilk muffins have a noticeably softer, more tender crumb than muffins made with regular milk. That slight tang also balances out the sweetness, making them taste more complex and bakery-quality with very little extra effort.

Try a cinnamon streusel version by folding cinnamon into the batter and topping with a brown sugar crumble before baking. Blueberry, chocolate chip, and banana variations all work beautifully too.

Bake at 375 degrees until a toothpick comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes.

7. Red Velvet Cake

Red velvet cake has a cult following, and buttermilk is one of the main reasons it tastes so good. The acidity reacts with the cocoa powder to deepen the color and creates that signature velvety, soft texture the cake is named after.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, buttermilk, eggs, oil, vinegar, and red food coloring. Bake in two round pans and cool completely before frosting.

Cream cheese frosting is the classic pairing, and together they make a genuinely showstopping dessert.

8. Buttermilk Waffles

If your waffles have been coming out flat and dense, buttermilk is the ingredient you have been missing. It creates a batter that puffs up beautifully in the waffle iron, giving you that crispy exterior and fluffy, airy interior that makes waffles worth waking up early for.

Separate the eggs and fold the beaten whites into the batter at the end for maximum lift. Cook until steam stops coming out of the iron.

Serve immediately while still crispy for the best experience.

9. Buttermilk Pound Cake

Pound cake made with buttermilk has a richness and moistness that feels indulgent without being overly heavy. The tang from the buttermilk cuts through the sweetness just enough to keep every slice interesting and completely irresistible.

Cream butter and sugar until pale, then add eggs one at a time. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk until the batter is smooth.

Bake low and slow at 325 degrees for about an hour. A simple lemon glaze on top takes this classic cake to another level entirely.

10. Spiced Buttermilk Roast Chicken

Roasting a whole chicken after a long buttermilk brine results in the juiciest, most flavorful bird you will ever make at home. The buttermilk tenderizes every inch of the meat while helping the spiced coating stick perfectly to the skin during roasting.

Marinate the chicken in buttermilk, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, and black pepper overnight. Pat dry before roasting at 425 degrees.

The skin turns deeply golden and crispy while the meat underneath stays remarkably moist. Add potatoes to the pan for an easy complete meal.

11. Buttermilk Banana Bread

Banana bread is already a beloved way to use up overripe bananas, but adding buttermilk to the batter takes the texture from good to absolutely wonderful. The result is a loaf that is noticeably more moist and tender than the standard recipe.

Mash three ripe bananas and stir in buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, sugar, flour, baking soda, and a pinch of cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes.

For something extra special, brown the butter before adding it to the batter for a nutty, caramel-like depth.

12. Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk pie is a Southern dessert that does not get nearly enough attention outside of the region. The filling is a simple custard made with buttermilk, eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla, and it bakes into something silky, tangy, and subtly sweet all at once.

Pour the filling into an unbaked pie crust and bake at 350 degrees until the center is just set with a slight wobble. Let it cool completely before slicing.

It is simple, old-fashioned, and genuinely delicious served at room temperature or slightly chilled.

13. Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake made with buttermilk is something truly special. The acidity intensifies the chocolate flavor and creates an incredibly moist, fudgy crumb that holds together beautifully and stays soft for days after baking.

Use Dutch-process cocoa for the deepest chocolate flavor, and add a cup of hot coffee to bloom the cocoa even further. Buttermilk goes in alongside the eggs and oil to bring everything together.

Frost with chocolate buttercream or a simple ganache for a cake that looks and tastes like it came from a real bakery.

14. Buttermilk Scones

Scones made with buttermilk have a wonderfully tender, slightly crumbly texture that is a step above anything you will find pre-packaged at the grocery store. The key is keeping the butter cold and working quickly so the dough does not get overworked.

Mix dry ingredients, cut in frozen grated butter, then stir in cold buttermilk until just combined. Pat into a circle, cut into wedges, and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

Cranberry orange, strawberry, and lemon blueberry are all amazing flavor combinations to try.

15. Buttermilk Coleslaw

Coleslaw made with a buttermilk dressing has a lighter, tangier quality compared to the heavy mayo-only versions. It is refreshing, creamy without feeling overly rich, and pairs perfectly with pulled pork, grilled chicken, or fish tacos.

Whisk together buttermilk, a little mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey, celery seed, salt, and pepper. Toss with shredded green and purple cabbage plus shredded carrots.

Let it chill for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors meld together and the cabbage softens just slightly.

16. Baked Buttermilk Donuts

Baked donuts made with buttermilk are a fun alternative to the fried version, and they come together in under 30 minutes with no special equipment beyond a donut pan. They are lighter than fried donuts but still have a satisfying cake-like texture with a bit of tang.

Pipe the batter into a greased donut pan and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes. Dip warm donuts in chocolate glaze or toss in cinnamon sugar.

These are a huge hit with kids and way easier than you might expect.

17. Buttermilk Coffee Cake

There is something deeply comforting about a warm slice of coffee cake with a thick cinnamon streusel topping. Buttermilk gives the base a soft, pillowy texture and just enough tang to balance the sweetness of all that brown sugar crumble on top.

Layer the batter in a baking pan, swirl in a cinnamon sugar mixture, and top generously with the streusel before baking at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Serve it with your morning coffee or as a casual dessert.

Either way, nobody will complain.

18. Savory Buttermilk Herb Dutch Baby

A Dutch baby is a cross between a crepe, a pancake, and a popover, and the savory version made with buttermilk is one of the most impressive easy meals you can put on the table. It puffs up dramatically in the oven and deflates slightly once out, which is completely normal and part of the charm.

Blend buttermilk, eggs, flour, herbs, and salt, then pour into a very hot buttered skillet. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

Top with cherry tomatoes, feta, and fresh herbs for a gorgeous brunch or light dinner.

19. Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Swapping regular milk for buttermilk in mashed potatoes is a small change that makes a surprisingly big difference. The result is a tangier, more complex flavor that elevates a classic comfort food side dish without any extra work or fancy ingredients.

Boil peeled potatoes until fork-tender, then drain and mash with warm buttermilk, butter, salt, and pepper. Do not over-mix or they will turn gluey.

The buttermilk adds a subtle tang that makes these taste almost like twice-baked potato filling. Finish with chives or a sprinkle of shredded cheddar.