If you are anything like me, buttermilk is a staple ingredient it the house…but not one that is often used up before it spoils. So I am giving you 5 great reasons to use it up!
#1 Chocolate Buttermilk Quick Bread
Even though this is called a bread, it’s reminds me of a dense, rich cake. It’s great served with ice cream and I often freeze individual slices to make it last even longer! My biggest tip on this one: DO NOT leave out the chocolate chips…you’ll regret it. I have also not made the chocolate glaze to go on top as I’m not huge on glazes, but I’m sure its equally great!
#2 Buttermilk Brown Butter Cornbread
Being from the North, cornbread is like cake. My fiance is from the South and in his opinion, cornbread has zero sweetness. So this recipe meets us about halfway, although we still don’t truly see eye to eye! The link has not been working great lately so I’ve typed the recipe out for you below. My tip: DO NOT overcook the butter, just start over if it goes too long. This one also comes with a glaze that I have not tried because it involves Bourbon and, honestly, I’ve been pregnant for forever so we rarely have liquor in the house! Someone let me know how it turns out 🙂
Ingredients:
- 12 tbs (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter
- 1/2 cup real maple syrup
- 2 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal, fine or medium coarse ground
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tbs baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- For the Bourbon Butter (optional)
- 2 tbs finely chopped pecans
- 1 tbs real maple syrup
- 1 tsp bourbon
- 1/4 cup (1 stick) softened butter
Directions:
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- On the stovetop, in a 12-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan to lightly coat sides and bottom, until the foam subsides and the butter turns deep brown. (Watch carefully to make sure it does not burn.)
- Pour brown butter into a large bowl. (Do not wipe out the pan.)
- Whisk the maple syrup into the butter, then whisk in buttermilk. The mixture should be cool to the touch; if not, let cool before whisking in the eggs.
- Then whisk in the cornmeal, flours, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- If the skillet is no longer hot (cast iron retains heat longer than other metals), reheat it briefly on the stove for a few minutes. Scrape batter back into it. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into it emerges clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Cool in the skillet for 10 minutes before slicing.
- The butter
- Stir pecans, maple syrup and bourbon into soften butter until combined – I used a fork to sort of mash the pecans into the softened butter. Spoon into a small crock or bowl to serve with the cornbread.
#3 Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits
I have been trying my hand at biscuits for a while now and, I must say, I have respect for people who can make them perfect every time! The buttermilk and the cheddar make these biscuits perfectly balanced and tangy in every bite. My tip: I prefer drop biscuits just because I tend to overwork the dough if I try to make perfect circles. Still tastes delicious, doesn’t matter what they look like!
#4 Ultimate Buttermilk Bran Muffins
I first discovered a delicious 10-grain buttermilk muffin recipe fromNora Mill Granary in Helen, GA…but I ran out of the mix and threw away the recipe by accident. These muffins have very similar ingredients and also give just the right amount of sweetness and texture! They are a super healthy snack for the little ones too! My tip: substitute real maple syrup for the granulated sugar to add a delicious twist without loosing the sweetness!
#5 Perfect Buttermilk Waffles
I did not have a whole lot of cravings with this pregnancy, except for waffles. It was so bad we impulse bought a waffle iron at Big Lots one day because I couldn’t resist any longer! So I’ve experimented with plain, whole grain, and whole grain pumpkin waffles and I’ve discovered that waffles just NEED that little extra pop of flavor. That is exactly what this recipe does with the buttermilk and the cinnamon! Amazing! My tip: I always use whole fat buttermilk and REAL maple syrup on top. It’s worth it. Trust me!
If you STILL have buttermilk leftover after all this deliciousness…freeze it in ice cube trays to use for later recipes 🙂 See this and other tips here, Beginners Guide to Reducing Waste and Saving Money.
Photo credits go to original blog posters.
Published by keystonepeach
I am a stay at home mommy with an insatiable urge to constantly be creating, discovering, and growing!View all posts by keystonepeach
