How To Make Buttermilk Yogurt at Home (No Yogurt Maker)

Buttermilk yogurt sits between a drinkable cultured buttermilk and a spoonable yogurt: tangy, creamy and very easy to make because it does not need any special heat. You only need milk, a little store-bought cultured buttermilk with live cultures, a jar and time. Below you will find the counter-top method, a thicker heated version, and how to turn yogurt into buttermilk when a recipe calls for it.

What Is Buttermilk Yogurt?

Most store-bought cultured buttermilk is milk fermented by mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, which work best at room temperature. Regular yogurt uses thermophilic bacteria, such as Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus, that need around 105-115°F to set.

When you add buttermilk to milk and let it sit on the counter, those room-temperature cultures multiply, produce lactic acid and thicken the milk. The result is a soft, pourable-to-spoonable fermented milk that many people call buttermilk yogurt or clabbered milk. It tastes milder and more buttery than regular yogurt and is similar to cultured products like Scandinavian filmjolk.

What Do You Need to Make Buttermilk Yogurt?

• 4 cups (1 quart) pasteurized milk. Whole milk gives the thickest, creamiest result; 2% works but sets softer. Avoid ultra-pasteurized milk if your batches turn out thin, although many people use it successfully.
• 1/4 cup cultured buttermilk that says “cultured” or “live cultures” on the label, as fresh as possible.
• A clean glass jar (1 quart) with a lid, washed in hot soapy water and rinsed well.
• A saucepan and an instant-read thermometer.
• A cloth or paper towel and a rubber band to cover the jar.
• Optional: cheesecloth or a fine strainer for thick, Greek-style yogurt.

How Do You Make Buttermilk Yogurt Step by Step?

Step 1: Warm the Milk

Pour the milk into a saucepan and warm it gently to about 75-80°F, just above room temperature. Stir so it heats evenly. If you want a thicker set, see the heated variation below before you start.

Step 2: Add the Buttermilk

Pour the warm milk into your clean jar and stir in 1/4 cup of cultured buttermilk until fully combined. Use a clean spoon so you do not introduce unwanted bacteria.

Step 3: Cover and Culture

Cover the jar with a cloth or paper towel secured with a rubber band, or set the lid on loosely. Leave it in a spot that stays around 70-77°F, away from direct sun, drafts and other ferments such as sourdough or kombucha.

Step 4: Check for Set

After about 12 hours, tilt the jar gently. When it is ready, the milk pulls away from the side in one mass, like soft yogurt, rather than flowing. Cooler kitchens can take 24 hours; warmer ones may set faster.

Step 5: Chill It

Screw on the lid and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Chilling firms the texture and slows the fermentation so it does not become too sour.

Step 6: Strain for Thicker Yogurt (Optional)

For a Greek-style texture, spoon the chilled yogurt into a strainer lined with cheesecloth set over a bowl and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. The liquid that drips out is whey, which you can use in baking or smoothies.

How Do You Make Thicker Yogurt With Buttermilk?

Heating the milk first changes its proteins so it sets thicker. Heat 4 cups of milk to 180°F (82°C) and hold it there for a few minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Cool it to about 75-80°F, then follow the steps above. The texture comes out noticeably thicker and smoother.

For a true yogurt with a buttermilk twist, heat the milk to 180°F, cool to 110°F, then stir in 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt with live cultures plus 2 tablespoons of buttermilk. Incubate at 105-115°F for 6-10 hours in a yogurt maker, a multicooker yogurt setting, or an oven with only the light on. Note that the buttermilk cultures do not thrive at this temperature, so it mostly adds flavor; the yogurt starter does the setting.

How Do You Make Buttermilk From Yogurt?

Many people search this the other way around: they have yogurt and a recipe that calls for buttermilk. You can make a reliable substitute in seconds.

• Yogurt and milk: whisk 3/4 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup milk for 1 cup of buttermilk substitute.
• Greek yogurt: use about 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup milk or water, since it is thicker.
• Milk and acid: stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a measuring cup, then fill to 1 cup with milk and let it stand for 5-10 minutes. Our comparison of white vinegar vs. distilled white vinegar explains which works in food.

These substitutes work well in pancakes, biscuits, quick breads and marinades, where the acidity reacts with baking soda and tenderizes proteins.

Why Didn’t My Buttermilk Yogurt Set?

• Too cold: below about 68°F the cultures work very slowly. Move the jar somewhere warmer and give it more time.
• Too hot: adding buttermilk to hot milk can kill the mesophilic cultures. Keep the milk under about 85°F when you add the starter.
• Weak starter: old buttermilk or one without live cultures will not ferment well. Use a fresh carton labeled cultured.
• Disturbed jar: stirring or moving it while it sets can break the curd.
• Low-fat milk: skim milk sets thinner; add the heated step or strain it.

How Long Does Homemade Buttermilk Yogurt Last?

Stored covered in the refrigerator at 40°F or below, homemade buttermilk yogurt generally keeps for about 1-2 weeks, becoming tangier over time. A little separated whey on top is normal; stir it back in or pour it off. Throw the batch out if you see pink, orange or fuzzy mold, or if it smells rotten rather than pleasantly sour.

Is Buttermilk Yogurt Good for You?

Buttermilk yogurt carries the same basic nutrition as the milk you start with: protein, calcium, potassium and, in fortified milk, vitamin D. Whole milk adds more fat and calories than 2% or skim. Because the cultures consume some of the lactose during fermentation, some people with mild lactose sensitivity find fermented dairy easier to tolerate, although it is not lactose-free.

Homemade versions contain live cultures when eaten fresh and unheated. Researchers are still studying how specific strains affect digestion and health, so think of it as a nourishing food rather than a treatment. Unlike many flavored store-bought yogurts, homemade buttermilk yogurt has no added sugar unless you add it, which makes it easy to control sweetness with fruit or a small drizzle of honey.

How Can You Use Buttermilk Yogurt?

• Eat it with fruit, honey, granola or a pinch of salt and herbs.
• Use it in place of buttermilk or yogurt in pancakes, biscuits, scones and cornbread.
• Blend it into smoothies or ranch-style dressings.
• Use it as a marinade for chicken; the acidity helps tenderize the meat.
• Stir it into soups and curries at the end of cooking, off the boil, to prevent curdling.

Homemade cultured dairy pairs nicely with simple staples such as perfect hard-boiled eggs for a high-protein breakfast, or rice made in an Oster rice cooker alongside a yogurt-marinated curry.

Frequently Asked Questions