The First Dairy-Free Vegan Buttermilk Hits Stores: Where to Find It

Without buttermilk, dairy-free home chefs have struggled to cook everything from pancakes to cornbread, typically adding an acid like vinegar to plant-based milk to achieve the taste. Now, dairy alternative company Mill It has developed the solution, with its brand new dairy-free buttermilk that uses a proprietary blend of ancient grains to replicate the taste and nutritional value of traditional buttermilk. The plant-based brand developed its buttermilk recipes by fermenting both millet and sorghum, mirroring the fermentation and curdling of traditional buttermilk.

The new Mill It Plant-Based Buttermilk is the first product of its kind to become commercially available. The new buttermilk product is developed to completely replicate the functionality of its animal-based counterpart. The ancient grains allow the company to ferment the new plant-based milk alongside the added benefit of gut-friendly probiotics.

Mill It claims that the new Buttermilk product works as a seamless substitute for any curry, sauce, smoothie, bread, or dessert recipe. Beyond its versatility, the Mill It buttermilk is also low in sugar and calories. Per serving, the Mill It Plant-Based Buttermilk only contains 60 calories whereas one cup of traditional buttermilk averages 100 calories per serving.

“As a crop, these grains are drought and extreme-weather resistant. They require less fertilizer and water than soybeans and almonds and provide high yields. They are relatively easy to grow, generate low runoff contamination, and have reduced risk of crop damage,” the company stated. “Through our patented formulation, we have crafted the first-ever plant-based buttermilk and plant-based buttermilk dressings that match the taste, texture, and consistency of dairy, while being rich in micronutrients and hypoallergenic.”

Surprisingly, the company unintentionally developed this buttermilk. The plant-based brand – known for its selection of vegan dressings – developed vegan buttermilk as a base for its other products, before it realized that no plant-based buttermilk existed commercially. Now, Mill It’s plant-based Buttermilk is now available nationwide. Shoppers can find the 32-ounce bottle at supermarkets for between $4.99 and $5.99.

“Our buttermilk performs as a one-to-one replacer of traditional buttermilk in any recipe. This allows consumers to convert any of their favorite traditional recipes into plant-based versions,” Meyers said to VegNews. “This is superior to any home methods of curdling plant milk because the lemon juice or vinegar used can cause significant flavor defects and when the ratio of acid to plant milk is unbalanced it can ruin a recipe.”

What is Sorghum?

What's so special about Mill It's ancient grains? The protein-pack grain sorghum has long been overlooked in the United States, but recently, food developers and shoppers have taken note of the several health benefits that this Mediterranean grain holds. As a cousin to millet, sorghum cooks and tastes extremely similar to the more widely known ancient grain.

So what is so special about sorghum? First, this specialized grain contains 10 grams of protein in every half cup. But beyond the protein count, this grain is full of Potassium, Niacin, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Magnesium, and Manganese. Also, sorghum is one of the most sustainable foods to grow, capturing carbon and requiring minimal water.

Check out The Beet's sorghum guide to learn more about this ancient grain.

Califia Farms Almond Creamer is made with real almonds and coconut cream to give a rich, full-flavored texture and has 2 grams of added sugar. The consistency is so thick it’s more like a heavy cream rather than a creamer substitute. Regardless, it froths up well and is very creamy. The almond taste is noticeable but the creamer isn’t bitter or grainy. You don’t need to use a lot of it; a little goes a long way!

Silk Original Dairy-Free Original Soy Creamer has only 1 gram of added sugar, but sadly it does not froth up well when I heated it due to a thinner, more watery consistency. It didn't combine well with coffee, no matter how much was added. Because of the underwhelming flavor, this was my least favorite.

This Natural Bliss Coconut Milk Creamer/Sweet Cream is the best one I’ve found for both frothing and taste, especially if you miss the consistency and flavor of half-and-half. It’s creamy and has a hint of coconut, but no overwhelming coconut flavor. Note: it is made with pea protein, unlike the other ones, which is probably why it’s thicker. Always check ingredients if you have food allergies because unexpected ingredients such as peas can be hiding in the product, and you would never know by the taste.

So Delicious has been marketing dairy-free frozen desserts, yogurt alternatives, and smooth plant-based beverages for over 30 years. Besides the coconut milk, they also have “Original,” “Snickerdoodle.” “Caramel” and “Creamy Vanilla” flavors. I only sampled the coconut milk flavor. This is the only one in this taste test with 0 grams of added sugar. It has a very rich coconut taste and froths up nicely in coffee like milk. It’s not as thick as some of the others but is a good alternative to ultra-sweet creamers if you want to be careful about your sugar intake. The coconut flavor is powerful but not overwhelming.

Natural Bliss Oat Milk Creamer, Vanilla Natural Flavor, with 4 grams added sugar is similar to Coffee Mate’s Coconut creamer but without the coconut flavor. It’s super-rich and creamy with a hint of oat flavor but not bitter at all. My new favorite! This is the best one I’ve found for frothing and taste especially if you miss the consistency and flavor of half and half. It’s like the real thing as it’s creamy, fluffy and not grainy. Remember to shake it up before putting in your frother. Use a little and be happy with your non-dairy latte!

The Original Oat-Ly Oat Milk Barista Edition contains 4 grams of sugar but its full-flavored taste makes it a rich choice. It doesn’t market itself as a creamer but it does advertise as the choice for the barista community. It’s slightly less frothy than real milk when mixed but the flavor is pleasant, not bitter, and I would choose it again.

Silk Oat Yeah Oat Milk Creamer, the Vanilla One has 4 grams of added sugar and is also at the top of my list. While it’s sweet, it’s also incredibly rich which means you can use less of it in your coffee. It was thick and creamy when frothed and it adds a fluffy cap to your coffee as lattes make with real cream. Note that pea protein is an added ingredient in this creamer as well. This can rival the real thing but choose this one only if you like a strong vanilla aftertaste!

The Silk Almond Creamer Vanilla boasts that it’s “America’s #1 Almond Creamer. But with 4 grams added sugar you may want to use it sparingly. It did taste sweet and was nice and thick, so someone who likes rich creamers will love it. The vanilla aftertaste was pretty strong. And it's a little too syrupy sweet for my taste.

Nutpods is the closest you'll get to the real thing! Tasters immediately gave this dairy-free creamer a 5 out 5. The texture is smooth and mixes with coffee instantly. Unlike soy creamers, this almond and coconut-based creamer doesn't separate once your done stirring. Nut Pods is the most comparable to half and half in the whole list of creamers!

Forager is cashew milk and coconut cream based that mixes for a unique and flavorful taste. The consistency was on the thinner side, and if you're a heavy cream or half-and-half devotee this is probably not the creamer for you, although those who like a lighter flavor will enjoy it.

This creamer is rich, round and doesn't taste too overtly of coconut. You only need a splash to achieve a nice, creamy effect in your coffee, and there's no watered-down consistency, so if you swear by heavy cream or half & half, give this Trader Joe's option a try! At only $1.69 per carton, this product is a steal.

The thickest consistency of the bunch, resembling a heavy cream rather than half and half. Malk has only 5 ingredients, making it super clean and healthy! The almond flavor might be overpowering to those who like less flavor in their creamer. Add the Maple Pecan flavor to your coffee for an even sweeter taste.