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Stuck with a half carton of buttermilk and don’t know what to do with it? My buttermilk recipes use leftover buttermilk to make moist and flavorful cakes, muffins, breads, and more!
Leftover Buttermilk Recipes
While it can be a game-changer for cakes, muffins, and more, I know buttermilk isn’t a kitchen staple for everyone. Even with all the baking I do, I still sometimes find myself hard-pressed to finish a full quart. And that’s exactly how I came up with this handy collection of leftover buttermilk recipes! Now you can use up that carton that you bought for red velvet cake and haven’t touched since 😉
I’ve arranged today’s collection from most to least amount of buttermilk, so you can easily find a recipe that can work with your amount of leftover buttermilk. Fortunately recipe #1 is also my personal favorite and top recommendation: buttermilk pancakes! 🥞
It’s not just my favorite though; check out these reviews!
“Gone are the days of boxed pancake mix. This recipe makes divine pancakes. I’ve made it 2x now, and each time they’ve been amazing…”
“After 50 years of cooking pancakes your recipe is the best I’ve ever cooked! Fabulous!!”
And one more:
“Literally the best pancakes I’ve ever had.”
I think you get the point! Thick, fluffy, not-too-sweet with a hint of vanilla–it’s impossible to eat just one pancake when they taste this good. My recipe makes restaurant-quality (if not better) buttermilk pancakes that are simple enough to whip up on a weekend morning. I can’t wait for you to try them!
1. Buttermilk Pancakes
Also try my whole wheat pancakes, blueberry pancakes, apple pancakes, and chocolate pancakes–all use buttermilk too! This recipe uses 2¼ cup of buttermilk.
Best Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe
Thick, fluffy, and ready in less than 15 minutes! Feel free to add blueberries or chocolate chips if you like.
BUTTERMILK PANCAKES RECIPE
2. Waffles
I love topping mine with homemade whipped cream and macerated strawberries! You will need 2 cups of buttermilk for the batter.
The Best Waffle Recipe
Crisp, yet fluffy golden brown waffles that rival your favorite diner waffles. Great on their own, but even better with syrup, whipped cream, or fruit!
THE BEST WAFFLE RECIPE
3. Butter Pecan Cake
Such a unique, yet crowd-pleasing cake! My recipe uses 1 ½ cups of buttermilk in the cake layers.
Butter Pecan Cake
Soft and moist butter pecan cake absolutely melts in your mouth! The brown sugar frosting pairs so well with the pecans.
BUTTER PECAN CAKE RECIPE
4. Soda Bread
One of my favorites for St. Patrick’s Day (though it’s tasty year-round!). You need 1 ½ cups to make this soda bread.
No Yeast Bread (Soda Bread)
My take on traditional Irish soda bread! No mixer and only minimal kneading required.
SODA BREAD RECIPE
5. Vanilla Cake
One of my most popular buttermilk recipes! This cake uses 1 ¼ cup.
Vanilla Cake Recipe
Super soft and moist vanilla cake entirely from-scratch! It has a rich vanilla flavor that pairs well with a variety of frostings.
VANILLA CAKE RECIPE
6. Chocolate Chip Sheet Cake
Who doesn’t love a sheet cake?! I love the simplicity of this one. This recipe uses 1 ¼ cup buttermilk.
7. Buttermilk Pie
This old-fashioned recipe uses a cup of buttermilk in the custard filling.
Buttermilk Pie
Old-fashioned buttermilk pie is a custard-based pie in a buttery crust. It’s easy to make with just a handful of ingredients!
BUTTERMILK PIE RECIPE
8. Baked Donuts
My baked chocolate donuts also use buttermilk, if you prefer a chocolate version. This recipe uses 1 cup.
Baked Donuts
Ready in under 30 minutes! These are soft and fluffy, yeast-free donuts. I include a variety of topping options.
BAKED DONUTS RECIPE
9. Drop Biscuits
Also try my garlic cheese drop biscuits (they use buttermilk too!). You’ll need 1 cup of buttermilk for my recipe.
Easy Drop Biscuits
Drop biscuits are the simpler, but still just as tasty version of cut-out biscuits. My recipe takes just 20 minutes to make!
DROP BISCUITS RECIPE
10. Chocolate Cake
Many of my chocolate cake recipes use buttermilk, like my German chocolate cake, Ding Dong cake, and peanut butter chocolate cake. We’ll use 1 cup of buttermilk in the cake layers.
The BEST Chocolate Cake Recipe
My chocolate cake recipe is made completely from-scratch in one bowl! It’s moist and fudgy, just like classic chocolate cake should be.
CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE
11. Homemade Biscuits
One of my top recipes, while this one works just fine with regular milk (and calls for it) you can (and should) try substituting an equal amount of buttermilk for the milk called for. So many people in the comments make this one using buttermilk (and rave about it) I had to include it in the roundup. You will need ¾ cup buttermilk for this recipe.
Homemade Biscuits
Buttery, flaky homemade biscuits are a lot easier to make than you think! These pair just as well with butter and jam as they do sausage gravy.
HOMEMADE BISCUITS RECIPE
12. Vanilla Cupcakes
Perfect for parties! My recipe uses ¾ cup of buttermilk.
Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Simple and quick vanilla cupcakes with a distinct vanilla flavor. They have a soft, moist texture that beats a box mix any day!
VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE
13. Cornbread Biscuits
The *best* side for my award-winning chili, hands-down. You will need ¾ cup buttermilk to make my recipe.
Cornbread Biscuits
Cornbread biscuits are a hybrid between classic biscuits and buttermilk cornbread. My recipe is easy peasy!
CORNBREAD BISCUITS RECIPE
14. Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Kids AND adults love these fun cupcakes! You need ⅔ cup of buttermilk for the cupcakes.
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
Fun and tasty, these ice cream cone cupcakes are always a hit at parties. My version is entirely homemade and includes simple instructions for that classic swirl!
ICE CREAM CONE CUPCAKES RECIPE
15. Buttermilk Cornbread
I can’t talk about buttermilk recipes without mentioning buttermilk cornbread! My recipe uses ⅔ cup buttermilk.
Buttermilk Cornbread Recipe
Making cornbread from-scratch is just as easy a box mix, but the results are far better! My version is slightly sweet and perfectly moist.
BUTTERMILK CORNBREAD RECIPE
16. Ranch Dressing
Probably the easiest of all my buttermilk recipes! You will need ½ cup of buttermilk to make this dressing.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
You can make homemade ranch with just a few pantry staples! My version takes just 5 minutes to make and can be used as a dip or dressing.
RANCH DRESSING RECIPE
17. Whoopie Pies
A Pennsylvania Dutch classic and a recipe handed down to me from my grandmother. This recipe uses ½ cup of buttermilk.
Whoopie Pies
Authentic, real-deal whoopie pies made with cakey chocolate cookies and an old-fashioned flour-based filling. No shortening or marshmallow here!
WHOOPIE PIES RECIPE
18. Cinnamon Coffee Cake
I also have recipes for blueberry coffee cake, banana coffee cake, and birthday crumb cake that all use buttermilk as well. You will need ½ cup buttermilk to make my recipe.
Cinnamon Coffee Cake
My cinnamon coffee cake has a velvety soft texture and buttery, spiced flavor. It takes just 30 minutes to prep!
CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE RECIPE
19. Chocolate Chip Muffins
One of my top muffin recipes! Also try my peanut butter muffins and chocolate chip banana muffins, as both require buttermilk. I use ½ cup buttermilk in these muffins.
Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
My bakery-style chocolate chip muffins rise high with perfectly domed, sugared tops. They are light, fluffy, and moist!
CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS RECIPE
20. Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
While I love the cake, the candied frosting is absolutely my favorite part of this recipe. It uses ½ cup of buttermilk.
Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
Classic and simple sheet cake topped with a fudgy peanut butter icing. It takes less than an hour to make!
PEANUT BUTTER SHEET CAKE RECIPE
21. Fried Pickles
Not interested in sweet buttermilk recipes? Here’s a savory one for you! You’ll need ½ cup of buttermilk for the batter.
Fried Pickles
No deep fryer needed! I’ll show you how to make perfectly seasoned and crisp fried pickles in just 20 minutes.
FRIED PICKLES RECIPE
22. Cinnamon Muffins
My cranberry muffins and oatmeal muffins also use buttermilk, if you’d like to make those. You will need ½ cup buttermilk for this recipe.
Cinnamon Muffins
Soft and fluffy muffins topped with melted butter and sweet cinnamon sugar. No mixer needed!
CINNAMON MUFFINS RECIPE
23. Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes
Like pineapple upside down cake, but mini! My recipe uses ½ cup of buttermilk.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes
Just like the classic cake, but in cupcake form! This recipe is much faster to make and travels easily.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CUPCAKES
24. Apple Muffins
My apple muffins are made with ½ cup buttermilk. Also try my peach muffins and strawberry muffins!
Apple Muffins
Moist and tender apple muffins piled high with a buttery crumb topping. This recipe is perfect for fall mornings!
APPLE MUFFINS RECIPE
25. Chocolate Cake Pops
My recipe uses ½ cup of buttermilk. I also have classic, non-chocolate cake pops!
Chocolate Cake Pops
100% from-scratch! My recipe makes rich and fudgy cake pops with a smooth chocolate coating.
CHOCOLATE CAKE POPS RECIPE
26. Banana Bread
One of my many banana bread recipes (I also have Nutella banana bread, chocolate banana bread, and chocolate chip banana bread!). We’ll stir ¼ cup buttermilk into the batter for moisture and flavor.
The BEST Banana Bread
Only 15 minutes to prep! My recipe uses extra bananas and brown sugar for a rich, bakery-style flavor.
BANANA BREAD RECIPE
27. Banana Muffins
My banana nut muffins also use buttermilk, if you like nuts in your muffins. You need ¼ cup buttermilk for my recipe.
The Best Banana Muffin Recipe
Bakery-style banana muffins topped with a crumb topping! My recipe includes tips for tall muffin tops.
BANANA MUFFIN RECIPE
28. Pumpkin Bread
Buttermilk makes this pumpkin bread super moist! Make sure you have ¼ cup buttermilk for the batter.
Pumpkin Bread
Spiced and moist homemade pumpkin bread is a fall staple! My version includes a simple vanilla glaze.
PUMPKIN BREAD RECIPE
29. Banana Cupcakes
Buttermilk goes in the batter, and then we’ll add my brown butter frosting on top! You will need just ¼ cup of buttermilk for this recipe.
Banana Cupcake Recipe
Ready in under an hour! I frost my banana cupcakes with brown butter frosting for a unique and indulgent finish.
BANANA CUPCAKE RECIPE
30. Banana Cake
One of my personal favorite buttermilk recipes! It uses ¼ cup buttermilk.
The Best Banana Cake Recipe
Moist and flavorful banana cake with a silky cream cheese frosting. My recipe adds extra bananas and spices for the BEST banana cake you’ll ever try!
BANANA CAKE RECIPE
31. Black and White Cookies
Buttermilk in cookies? It’s a must here–trust me! My recipe uses just 3 tablespoons of buttermilk.
Black and White Cookies
An iconic NYC treat! I’ll show you exactly how to make them in your own kitchen, right down to the two-tone icing.
BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES RECIPE
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Buttermilk can be frozen for several months. You can do this in ice cube trays, freezer bags, or freezer-safe containers.
Note that frozen buttermilk may separate upon thawing; if this happens to you, just give it a good shake/stir to help it come back together. If it stays separated, simply use it baked/cooked buttermilk recipes where you won’t notice the separation (so everything except the ranch dressing above!).
If it stays tightly covered, your buttermilk will last for about 2 weeks in the fridge. The flavor will become more sour as it sits, so try to either use or freeze your buttermilk as soon as you can.
You’ll know your buttermilk has gone bad if you see signs of mold, a very thick, chunky texture, or detect an off smell (which can be hard one, since buttermilk already smells sour!).
My strawberry muffins (pictured above) are also another great recipe for leftover buttermilk.
I’ll keep adding to this list as I can, so if you have leftover buttermilk in your fridge often, be sure to bookmark this page 🌟
Enjoy!
If you try any of these recipes, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
More Leftover Buttermilk Recipes