Is there a good substitute for buttermilk?

An equal amount of milk, with a tablespoon or so of vinegar stirred in, and left to sit for a couple of minutes. The milk will thicken and sour, and will work fine.

I often do this for soda bread recipes, because I don’t use buttermilk often enough to merit buying it by the quart.

Similar, but I use lemon juice instead of vinegar, mixed with milk.

I think they are asking for NON dairy.

Vinegar and soy milk should do the trick as well for a non-dairy option.

You might try almond milk and vinegar. You don’t have to have buttermilkish liquid with pancakes, so maybe use plain water. You only need buttermilk with buttermilk pancakes.

Whoops, totally didn’t read the details. Sorry, Zenvelo.

The buttermilk probably helps the pancake rise. Some recipes call for baking powder, which takes care of it, the egg yolks give rise to batter also.

Just look for a pancake recipe without buttermilk and substitute almond or rice milk for the regular milk. The problem is getting the fat balance correct when you do it. You might have a not so great try the first time around, which happens to me all the time when I modify a recipe. When I use almond milk in cereal I make it half water.

I don’t know if other “milks” and vinegar work as buttermilk? I use the vinegar trick in a pinch in lieu of buttermilk, and it works well.

Another idea is vegan sour cream, I think you can find it easier than vegan buttermilk. Use a little of that and some water or additional soy milk/almond/rice.

OK, thanks, everybody. I gather, then, that it’s the acidity in buttermilk that’s important?

Acidity assists in making fluffiness.Yogurt can be substituted for buttermilk too.

I found a recipe

It uses almond milk.

I’ve found coconut creme or milk to be a good sub for dairy. You may want to experiment with vinegar for the acidity, but the coconut products provide you with the correct texture with a minimum of flavor change.

@katelyryan76 @JLeslie @Strauss Thanks for your tips!

You could always make sourdough pancakes that don’t use dairy.