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buttermilk powder:
Versatile Ingredient for Baking, Cooking & More
Discover the benefits of buttermilk powder for baking, fried chicken, ranch dressing, and more. Learn how it compares to milk powder and how manufacturers use it in recipes from pancakes to biscuits..
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What is buttermilk powder?
Buttermilk powder is a shelf-stable dairy product made by dehydrating liquid buttermilk, typically a by-product of butter manufacturing. It retains the characteristic tang of traditional buttermilk while offering a longer shelf life and better storage capabilities. Buttermilk powder is available in bulk quantities from many reputable manufacturers, including organic options for clean-label applications.
Buttermilk powder is used in both sweet and savory applications. It imparts tenderness, flavor, and rise to baked goods, including biscuits and drop biscuits, pancakes, waffles, muffins, and donuts. In savory recipes, it’s ideal for fried chicken, marinated chicken, gravy, onion rings, hushpuppies, herb dressing, and oven-fried chicken. Buttermilk powder is often used in ranch dressing and yogurt ranch mixes, enhancing creaminess and tang.
Buttermilk Powder vs Other Dairy Ingredients
You may wonder how buttermilk powder stacks up in comparison to similar ingredients:
Vs buttermilk liquid: Powder offers longer shelf life and easier storage.
Vs milk powder / dry milk: Buttermilk powder has a tangier flavor and more acidic pH, ideal for tenderizing.
Vs whole milk powder/skim milk powder: Buttermilk powder is lower in fat and often used for its leavening interaction with baking soda.
Hungry for banana bread, zucchini bread, quick bread, yeast bread, yeast rolls, and upside-down cake?
Ideal for Baking and Cooking
Buttermilk powder is an efficient and reliable solution for baking. Just add water to rehydrate and use it in yellow cake recipes, oatmeal pancakes, oatmeal muffins, oatmeal cookies, or a classic pancake recipe. For savory applications, it’s excellent for coating chicken tenders and turkey before frying or roasting. You can even stir it into mashed potatoes, quiche, or a lemony glaze using lemon juice.
In dessert manufacturing, buttermilk powder enhances flavor in ice cream, loaf cakes, and cake batters while balancing sweetness with a creamy tang. It’s also a secret ingredient in many bread and English muffin formulations.
Nutrition & Health Benefits
Buttermilk powder is rich in calcium, potassium, and riboflavin. While not lactose-free, some formulations have reduced lactose, making them easier to digest for sensitive consumers. Compared to whole milk powder, it offers fewer calories and less fat, with a unique profile suited for health-forward formulations.
Sourcing and Manufacturing
Sourced from reputable manufacturers, buttermilk powder is produced through a spray-drying process that locks in flavor while extending shelf life. Many industrial bakeries and food brands buy buttermilk powder in bulk for consistency and ease of use. Organic options are available for brands prioritizing sustainable sourcing.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re whipping up a nostalgic yellow cake, tangy ranch recipe, savory jalapeño cornbread, or a smooth batch of yogurt dressing, buttermilk powder is a pantry powerhouse. Its versatility across categories—from ice cream to fried chicken—makes it an essential ingredient in both home kitchens and commercial manufacturing.
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