22 Buttermilk Recipes to Help You Use (and Use Up) Every Drop

From homemade ranch to classic fried chicken and lots more.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published June 18, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Ranch chicken topped with fresh herbs and lemon wedges on a platter

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Many of my favorite bakes include buttermilk. From tender biscuits to cakes and scones, I'm a big fan of both the texture and flavor buttermilk offers, and find its signature tang so appealing.

One of the downsides of using various amounts of buttermilk in my bakes, however, is that I'll often end up with a half a container of buttermilk sitting in the back of my fridge. I've taken to freezing the leftovers for another day (likely far in the future), but with limited freezer space, I often require a quicker solution.

That's where these recipes come in. Ranging in amount from as little as 3 tablespoons to as much as 2 1/2 cups of buttermilk, they'll never have you wondering again how to put that open container to good use. From the classics like blue cheese dressing and buttermilk-brined chicken to Southern cornbread or Irish soda bread, let this handy list be your guide and inspiration to making the best of your buttermilk.

  • Blue Cheese Sauce

    A bowl of blue cheese dressing
    Alison Bickle

    Uses 3 tablespoons buttermilk.

    "Blue cheese sauce is assertive and salty, with a tangy garlic kick. This sauce is for the spirited among us. It’s for those who want their food to emerge from the shadows and be recognized."—Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

  • Texas Sheet Cake

    A slice of Texas sheet cake on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Cindy Rahe

    Uses 1/2 cup buttermilk.

    "Have you ever had Texas sheet cake? It’s made up of a thin layer of moist chocolate cake topped with a layer of warm, poured chocolate icing and sprinkled with pecans—an easy, unfussy cake to make for a crowd!"—Cindy Rahe, Recipe Developer

  • Lemon Scones

    Tray of Lemon Scones with Drizzle of Lemon Glaze

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    Uses 2/3 cup buttermilk.

    "These lemon scones have a crusty exterior and they're tender and flaky on the inside. They are rich and buttery but balanced by the bright and floral lemon. The dough is loaded with lemon zest and after baking, the golden crusts are drizzled with a zingy lemon glaze."—Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

  • Chocolate Cobbler

    A closeup of chocolate cobbler in a baking dish, with a spoon in one corner where a serving has been scooped out

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    Uses 2/3 cup buttermilk.

    "The biscuit topping is buttery and rich, developing a crisp crust and fluffy interior that sits atop a thick, hot chocolate sauce. It’s easy and decadent—like a chocolate lava cake, but so much easier."—Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

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  • Classic Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

    Southern Biscuits with White Lily Flour - hands holding a plate of biscuits
    Alison Bickle

    Uses 3/4 cup buttermilk.

    "This recipe comes from Kevin Clark, owner of the celebrated diner, Home Grown, in Atlanta. One glance at his breakfast menu, which boasts 15 biscuit dishes, and it was clear the man knew a thing or two about what it takes to make a proper Southern biscuit."—Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

  • Panko Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Cream Sauce

    panko-crusted-pork-tenderloin-horiz-b-1800
    Elise Bauer

    Uses 3/4 cup buttermilk.

    "The buttermilk infuses the pork with a little tang, and the panko provides a nice crunchy crust. Serve the tenderloin with a sauce made with shallots, cream, and Dijon. So elegant! (And easy.)"—Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Buttermilk Pie

    A slice of buttermilk pie set in front of the whole pie.
    Annika Panikker

    Uses 1 cup buttermilk.

    "Buttermilk pie is a sweet custard pie, topped with plain whipped cream to hold the berries in place. The natural tartness in the berries balances the sweet custard of the pie."—Elise

  • Homemade Ranch Dressing

    A spoon dripping with homemade ranch dressing
    Elise Bauer

    Uses 1 cup buttermilk.

    "Ranch dressing is essentially a buttermilk mayonnaise dressing spiffed up with herbs. The base is just buttermilk and mayonnaise. Everything else you essentially just add to taste — some dry mustard, salt and pepper, a little paprika, herbs like chives, onion greens, parsley, and/or dill."—Elise

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  • Samin Nosrat's Buttermilk-Brined Chicken

    Side view of a roasted chicken in a round baking dish

    Simply Recipes / Kris Osborne

    Uses 1 cup buttermilk.

    "This recipe perfectly exemplifies Samin's "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" philosophy. The salt seasons deeply, the buttermilk tenderizes the chicken and contributes to browning, the high heat creates an intensely browned, crackly skin; and it's a dish that works for both casual dinners and special occasions."—Kris Osborne, Recipe Developer

  • Drop Biscuits

    Drop biscuit on a small plate, and in the surroundings, a glass of orange juice, a small bowl of butter, and the basket with more biscuits

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    Uses 1 cup buttermilk.

    "Drop biscuits come together in one bowl and are quick, easy, and foolproof. They’re called drop biscuits because you simply scoop and drop the biscuit batter onto the parchment paper and bake! The biscuits are crispy and golden brown on the outside with a soft interior."—Stephanie Cho, Recipe Developer

  • Apple Cobbler

    Apple Cobbler hot from oven
    Elise Bauer

    Uses 1 cup buttermilk.

    "One of our favorite things to make with our apples is this apple cobbler. The filling is seasoned with cinnamon, lemon, and vanilla and isn't overly sweet. The buttermilk biscuit cobbler crust is speckled with bits of candied ginger."—Elise

  • Vanilla Buttermilk Layer Cake

    A cake plate with a buttermilk layer cake sliced open to see
    Cindy Rahe

    Uses 1 1/4 cups buttermilk.

    "This vanilla cake is my absolute favorite for making fancy layer cakes. It bakes up with little-to-no dome and has a soft yet sturdy crumb, both of which make it ideal for stacking. Because the flavor is simple, the cake is also incredibly versatile and pairs well with pretty much any frosting or filling combination."—Cindy Rahe, Recipe Developer

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  • Southern Cornbread

    Southern Cornbread in a Skillet with a Piece Cut Out and Another Piece on a Plate

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Uses 1 1/4 cups buttermilk.

    "Northern cornbreads tend to be more cake-like, on the sweet side, with a finer crumb due to more flour in the mixture. Southern cornbread is flavored with bacon grease, and cooked in a cast iron skillet, a perfect side for barbecues, or chili."—Elise

  • Irish Soda Bread

    Irish Soda Bread

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Uses 1 3/4 cups buttermilk.

    "This soda bread is a slightly fancied up Americanized version of the Irish classic, with a little butter, sugar, an egg, and some currants or raisins added to the base. You can bake it in a cast iron frying pan (now that's traditional!) or on a regular baking sheet."—Elise

  • Easy Buttermilk Waffles

    Two Crispy Waffles make from Buttermilk Waffle Recipe
    Emma Christensen

    Uses 2 cups buttermilk.

    "Crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, and a rich buttery flavor, these buttermilk waffles just beg for jam and syrup."—Emma Christensen, Former General Manager

  • Buttermilk Fried Chicken

    Side view of fried chicken breast stacked on a platter.
    Alison Bickel

    Uses 2 cups buttermilk.

    "This chicken is good—perfectly tender, well flavored, crunchy—just what one wants in fried chicken."—Elise

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  • Buttermilk Panna Cotta

    A spoon of panna cotta
    Elise Bauer

    Uses 2 cups buttermilk.

    "Buttermilk pudding is a delicious and smooth pudding that elicits small moans of "Mmm," and "Wow!" from those who try it. It's just sweet enough, super creamy, with a sunny tang that teases you to keep taking bite after bite until, lo and behold, you've eaten the whole bowl."—Garrett McCord, Recipe Developer

  • Extra-Crunchy Onion Rings

    A plate of onion rings
    Elise Bauer

    Uses 2 cups buttermilk.

    "This recipe is as close as I can get to my memory of my favorite onion rings—crunchy and delicious."—Elise

  • Ranch Chicken

    Ranch chicken topped with fresh herbs and lemon wedges on a platter

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    Uses 2 cups buttermilk.

    "I highly recommend using chicken that is bone-in and skin-on since it’ll turn out more juicy and flavorful. Plus, half the reason to use the buttermilk marinade is for the crispy skin."—Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Buttermilk Pancakes

    A plate of a short stack of buttermilk pancakes topped with blueberries and syrup
    Sally Vargas

    Uses 2 1/4 cups buttermilk.

    "For this recipe, I wanted to make fluffy, light, and airy buttermilk pancakes with crisp edges, and a slightly sweet, buttery flavor. Forty pancakes later, I was happy with my results: I finally figured out how to avoid the common pitfalls of dense, chewy, eggy, or rubbery pancakes."—Summer Miller, Recipe Developer

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  • Piri Piri Fried Chicken

    Plated piri piri fried chicken

    Sharee Hill / Simply Recipes

    Uses 2 1/2 cups buttermilk.

    "Piri piri fried chicken is a twist on classic buttermilk fried chicken that incorporates popular African and Portuguese piri piri seasonings, such as bird’s eye chili peppers, paprika, salt, lemon peels, oregano, and garlic, to create citrusy, garlicky, and herbal notes."—Sharee Hill, Recipe Developer

  • Raspberry Chess Pie Bars

    Raspberry chess pie bars cut and stacked.

    Angie Mosier / Cheryl Day’s Treasury of Southern Baking by Cheryl Day

    Uses 2 1/2 cups buttermilk.

    "This is an old-fashioned Southern dessert in bar form. Because the recipe makes a lot, it would be a welcome addition to any potluck table. A delicious buttermilk custard hides beneath sweet ripe raspberries—you can make this with other berries too."—Cheryl Day, Recipe Developer

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