37 Buttermilk Recipes for Every Meal From Breakfast to Dessert

Buttermilk is a magical ingredient. It transforms meats into melt-in-your-mouth masterpieces and baked goods into springy, moist confections. It gives tang and texture to dressings, ice creams, and custards. And, of course, it's the not-so-secret ingredient in fluffy pancakes. Behold, the beauty of buttermilk!
Photograph by Isa Zapata. Food Styling by Judy Kim.1/37BA’s Best Buttermilk Pancakes
To feed a larger group, double the recipe and keep pancakes warm in a 250° oven between batches.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Claire Saffitz2/37BA’s Best Buttermilk Biscuits
Quartering and stacking the dough creates lots of flaky layers that beg to be pulled apart and slathered with softened butter.
Photograph by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon, Food Styling by Luciana Lamboy3/37Buttermilk Fried Chicken
The egg-enriched buttermilk mixture makes for an especially crunchy and craggy coating. This recipe is from Buxton Hall, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Elizabeth Cecil5/37Peaches with Ginger Syrup and Buttermilk
You'll love this riff on classic peaches and cream.
Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li6/37Roasted Strawberry and Tahini Buttermilk Shake
Using bruised berries, that last little bit of buttermilk in the container, and a scoop of tahini will make you feel both resourceful and well fed.
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott7/37Buttermilk Biscuits with Burnt Onion Butter
Rose's Luxury chef Aaron Silverman combined his biscuit recipe with his sous chef’s to create what he says are “the best biscuits I’ve ever tasted.”
Ditte Isager8/37Lemon Buttermilk Pie with Saffron
Blind-baking the crust is essential: It keeps it from getting soggy when the custardy filling is added.
Ditte Isager9/37Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Apricot and Candied Fennel
Buttermilk lightens the traditional all-cream panna cotta base—without sacrificing lusciousness.

Gentl & Hyers11/37Bistro Steak with Buttermilk Onion Rings
The buttermilk makes for a mighty fine batter.
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott12/37Arugula, Apple, and Parsnip with Buttermilk Dressing
Parsnip, a vegetable usually roasted or puréed, is crunchy, sweet, and delicious raw. It's a great match for the dressing.
Danny Kim13/37Charred Onion Dip
Don't be shy about letting your onions get some char. Plus, secret ingredient time: Buttermilk adds some serious tang.

Marcus Nilsson17/37Roasted Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet
Strawberry ice cream like you've never had it before.

Randy Harris19/37Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Chef David Chang’s buttermilk dressing is our kind of ranch. Use the freshest beans possible: You want that tender snap.
20/37Buttermilk Brined Chicken with Cress and Bread Salad
As if you needed any more proof that buttermilk makes for a tender bird.

Ditte Isager22/37Pecan Buttermilk Fudge
A confection similar in flavor to caramelized white chocolate. Tangy buttermilk tempers the sweetness.
Zach DeSart23/37Pies-N-Thighs Biscuits
To make ahead, freeze the cut-out biscuits in plastic bags. Bake frozen, increasing cooking time to 45–55 minutes.
Ted Cavanaugh24/37Brown Butter–Fried Onion Rings
Creamy, rich fat tames even the wildest fire—looking at you, raw onion—and makes any allium more tasty.
Marcus Nilsson25/37Creamy Summer Slaw
Raw broccoli is made for slaw. It can be dressed hours in advance. The buttermilk helps lightly "cook" the slaw while still keeping it crunchy.
Alex Lau26/37Oat and Apple Pancakes
This apple pancakes recipe features a serving of whole grains and produce that you get to pour maple syrup over. Yes please!
Matt Duckor27/37Toasted Coconut Waffles
Add buttermilk to your waffle batter once, never skip it again.
Alex Lau28/37Skillet Cornbread With Chives
A true Southerner wouldn’t dare add sugar to this cornbread recipe, but a Yankee might miss it. Do what you will; we don’t judge.
Photo by Alex Lau29/37Best-Ever Chicken and Dumplings
Velvety chicken stew, pillowy dumplings, and tender veg combine in this bowl of pure comfort.
Alex Lau30/37Hand Salad With Buttermilk, Grapefruit, and Mixed Seeds
These snaggable, snackable wedges have more in common with a bowl of party mix than any perfunctory salad.
Alex Lau31/37BA’s Best English Muffins
The dough will seem fairly wet when shaping into rounds, but the high hydration is key to forming those trademark nooks and crannies. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.
Ben Dewey32/37Green Goddess Whipped Feta Dip
You can replace some of the cilantro or parsley with other tender herbs—basil, dill, chives. Just make sure to include the tarragon; it gives the dip an anise-y, bittersweet punch.
Christopher Testani33/37Savoy Cabbage Wedges With Buttermilk Dressing
To take this to a traditional wedge salad place, grill some thick-cut bacon and crumble it over the top.
Alex Lau34/37Super-Seedy Gluten-Free Bread
If you want to make this bread the same day, sub old-fashioned oats for the steel-cut.
Laura Murray35/37Eastern Carolina–Style Biscuits
These biscuits are more sturdy than flaky, which means they won’t crumble on the way to your mouth.
Ditte Isager36/37Buttery Rye Crepes
Yes, you could serve these crepes before they’ve been caramelized in sugar, but why deprive yourself?


