Use Up the Whole Carton With These 9 Buttermilk Dessert Recipes

Buttermilk lends its iconic tang to these sweet treats.

By
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
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Mimi Young is an editor and chef.
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Updated September 13, 2024
Overhead view of waffles

Buttermilk is one of those versatile all-purpose ingredients we should be using more often than we do. I try to keep a quart of cultured buttermilk in my fridge at all times, and it's rare for me to toss out a partial carton—I'll find any use to get every last drop out of it. I can easily add it to brines for fried chicken and pork cutlets, but I mainly use it for muffins, cakes, biscuits, scones, breads, and, of course, pancakes and waffles. Its rich, thick texture won't thin out batters, and its acidity both tenderizes and enriches the flavor of whatever I'm making with a subtle tang that balances out the sweetness. These nine buttermilk dessert recipes just might inspire you to keep a carton of the cultured stuff around...and actually use it all up.

  • Red Velvet Cake

    Overhead view of a slice of red velvet layer cake plated

    Serious Eats / Debbie Wee

    When properly made, this Iconic American dessert more than lives up to its moniker—each luscious bite is pure velvet. Using the right combination of ingredients and being careful not to over mix the batter makes all the difference between a bone-dry cake and fine, tender crumb. Buttermilk is one of the star ingredients in this recipe, giving the cake its signature tang while also keeping it moist.

  • Gingerbread Sheet with Cream Cheese Frosting

    Fork piercing in a square of gingerbread sheet cake with cream cheese frosting

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    This tender gingerbread sheet cake has a fluffy texture and a bold mix of molasses and spice that makes it a standout on any dessert table. The addition of whole wheat flour imparts a nutty, graham cracker-like flavor. Meanwhile, cultured buttermilk adds a big dose of moisture while keeping the batter thick and helping it rise. If you prefer a layer cake, all you need to do is double the recipe.

  • Texas Sheet Cake

    a piece of sheet cake on a white plate beside a full sheet pan full of cake
    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    If you don't have a Texas sheet cake in your dessert repertoire, you need one, stat! It's the kind of dessert you bake for a party, bring to a barbecue, or keep around for your family to nibble on during the week—a mellow chocolate cake liberally doused in hot fudge and toasted pecans. Buttermilk and natural cocoa powder give it a much lighter profile than the dark, earthy intensity of a traditional devil’s food cake.

  • Buttermilk Ice Cream

    Scoops of buttermilk ice cream in a black bowl

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Stella developed an ingenious method for producing an assertive buttermilk ice cream with a light and fresh texture that'll tempt you to eat it straight out of the machine. Cornstarch keeps the ice cream thick and silky, which reduces the number of eggs needed, while brandy and orange blossom water boosts the buttermilk's flavor. Serve it swirled with fruit puree or topped with Stella's crisp homemade granola (also enhanced with buttermilk).

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  • Pistachio Cake

    A cut slice of pistachio cake plated with a fork on the side

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik.

    Thick buttermilk provides structure and pleasant acidity to this incredibly moist olive oil cake infused with the nutty aroma of pistachio. Orange zest and orange flower water further enhance the cake's nutty, sweet flavor. Like Stella's classic olive oil cake, this one comes together in a matter of minutes, making it great to bake for a weeknight dessert or an impromptu gathering.

  • Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler

    Closeup of a pan of blackberry cobbler

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    I don't know anyone who wouldn't want to dig into a dish of warm, jammy blackberries tucked under a light, crispy buttermilk biscuit crust. Even if you can't get your hands on gorgeous farmers market berries, you can still make an extraordinary cobbler. The secret is adding three simple ingredients: raspberries, baking soda, and cinnamon. They mellow out even the most astringent, acidic blackberries and amplify their natural flavor. What will make your warm cobbler taste even better? Serve it with a scoop of homemade buttermilk ice cream.

  • Buttermilk Vanilla Waffles

    Wedges of buttermilk waffles topped with butter, strawberries, and powdered sugar

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    I'm a firm believer in waffles for breakfast and dessert. Sure, a crisp buttermilk vanilla waffle drizzled with maple syrup makes for a very happy start to my day, but warm waffle wedges topped with ice cream, strawberries, and a drizzle of Nutella is my idea of a decadent dessert. Plus, the slight acidity of buttermilk will offset any combination of sweet toppings you want to load onto your dessert waffle.

  • Potato Doughnuts

    overhead shot of potato doughnuts piled in a parchment-lined pan

    Serious Eats / Debbie Wee

    Potato doughnuts are in a class of their own—somewhere between a light-as-air yeast doughnut and a denser crumb, crisp-on-outside cake doughnut. Our recipe uses mashed russet potatoes, brown butter, and buttermilk to produce a doughnut that's fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside. Frying them in refined coconut oil also helps yield lighter, crisper doughnuts with a buttery finish.

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  • Buttermilk Biscuits

    A top-down image of six composed strawberry shortcakes, on a speckled ceramic plate on a textured cloth background.

    Serious Eats / Julia Estrada

    Classic, flaky buttermilk biscuits are great on their own, slathered in butter or sandwiched with fried chicken. They're also wonderful for strawberry shortcakes—simply add a little sugar and a splash of vanilla or lemon zest to the dough and a sprinkle of turbinado or crystal sugar before baking. Layer the split biscuits with dollops of whipped cream and macerated strawberries for a simple but sweet dessert.

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