Did you know drinking buttermilk is a thing? I wasn’t aware until a few years ago when I took a baking class and remarked to the teacher that buttermilk is pretty amazing in baked goods for something that smells so rancid and he told me that his mother drinks a glass of it warm every afternoon. Like, by choice. I may have said something polite but as I didn’t get the nickname Deb No Poker Face Perelman for nothing, I doubt anyone missed how revolted I actually was. I have little doubt that I acted equally maturely in high school everyday when I friend of mine would get not a normal drink, like ice tea or lemonade with lunch, but strawberry milk. You know, the bright pink stuff that smelled like a melted Jolly Rancher. Why on earth would you drink strawberry milk if you could have chocolate milk? And yet, inevitably, here we are.
It turns out strawberry milk when homemade under the bossy guidance of Gabrielle Hamilton is unbelievably good, like a milkshake but one (if you mom is as awesome as I am, obviously) you can pass off as breakfast. Hamilton’s method has you macerate strawberries in sugar until all of their liquid is drawn out and they’re very syrupy. She insists that you use the best strawberries (i.e. the kind that are in season now) and says “don’t compensate with [rhymes with bitty] berries with more sugar, please.” Then, you take this glassy red bowl that smells like cotton candy, sunshine and joy itself, blend it until smooth, mix it with a combination of milk and buttermilk and let it steep overnight. In the morning, any of that remnant yogurt flavor of buttermilk is gone, leaving you with an ice-cold pitcher of slightly thick, creamy, lightly sweetened deep pink happiness.
One year ago: Strawberry Cornmeal Griddle Cakes
Two years ago: Pasta and Fried Zucchini Salad
Three years ago: Rhubarb Cream Cheese Hand Pies
Four years ago: Broccoli Parmesan Fritters
Five years ago: Dobos Torte
Six years ago: Strawberry Ricotta Graham Tartlets
Seven years ago: Lemon Mint Granita
Eight years ago: Breakfast Apricot Crisp
Nine years ago: Gateau de Crepes
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Tres Leches Cake + Taco Party
1.5 Years Ago: Gingerbread Biscotti
2.5 Years Ago: Sugared Pretzel Cookies
3.5 Years Ago: Cashew Butter Balls
4.5 Years Ago: Caesar Salad Deviled Eggs
Strawberry Milk
Source: Barely adapted from Prune
- 1 pound strawberries, trimmed and sliced
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup buttermilk
Notes
- Hamilton doesn’t have you blend the strawberries in her recipe but the photo appears to show blended strawberries so I assume it was a typo. Or not a typo. Regardless, I prefer it blended over having flavor-sapped strawberries slices floating about.
- This is a great use for ripe-to-overripe strawberries, or basically what happens to me every time I buy them at the market, get so excited that I make big plans for them and find 48 hours later that they’re nearly past their prime.
- Before you ask if you can reduce the sugar, trust me that this results in a lightly-but-not-overly-sweet strawberry milk, the furthest cry from the carton stuff. I’d warn you otherwise.
- I was nervous we wouldn’t like it and only made a half-batch. This road only leads to regret.
- Those are Duralex Picardie glasses
wow this looks so beautiful. Even with the buttermilk, I can’t wait to try it.
Question, do you think you could use powdered buttermilk?
DG in DC — As I was running to the bodega for some pretty janky buttermilk, I was thinking I really should have tried powdered instead. I find it more mild, but also better flavored. I think it would definitely do the trick.
Would I just add the powdered buttermilk to the milk and then add the water? I don’t want to ruin all that by adding the water if I should be… Thanks!
Why add water? I’d add it to the milk. My only issue with powdered buttermilk is that it’s more mild than the bottled stuff, but it also tastes better…
My kids are going to flip with joy. Thank you!
::curses her lactose intolerance::
This looks so good!
Jess — I feel like you could definitely make this with non-dairy milk. Also, you might like this Chocolate and Toasted Hazelnut Milk in the archives. ;)
Agree with Deb! Someone else on here veganized the recipe using the apple cider vinegar method to make “buttermilk.” I went the lazier route of subbing the milk and buttermilk for regular soy. It is delicious.
My grandmother used to keep a can of Strawberry Quik in the cupboard. When she would take care of us, it was the ultimate bribe to insure good behaviour.
Thank you for this! I can’t wait to try it. I have a whole thing of buttermilk left over from a recipe that I made, so this is the perfect thing. I have a feeling my kids will love it!
Hello, this looks amazing. Is it possible to macerate strawberries with honey or maple syrup? Plain sugar tends to give me migraines but I found that the alternative sweeteners that I’ve mentioned do not affect me the same.
I’ve tried it with Just Date Syrup and it’s delicious!
This looks awesome–but can you tell me the pattern name of the drinking glasses? I’m looking for something like that to replace my current glassware, and those are perfect! Thanks. :-)
Someone may have answered this already but those are duralex glasses. amazon, BB&B, Williams Sonoma all carry them. I love mine.
Looks amazing! Q – would you change the ratio of the milks when using whole milk (cream line)? Thanks!
Julie — No; I use whole milk here and everywhere.
Do you think I can substitute kefir for buttermilk? Looks delicious! I always forget the strawberries I buy too!!! :)
I bet this would be great with kefir too. Mmmmm
Mmmm, I can’t wait to try this! Would you say it’s safe to do the lemon juice + milk = buttermilk shortcut for this one, or do I go get the real thing?
Lindsay — Doesn’t lemon + milk usually curdle after time? So, I’m a little nervous about using it here.
How would you adapt this to frozen strawberries?
I think it would work fine, just a little less dynamic.
My kids would love this! Do you think I could use plain kefir instead of buttermilk?
*gasp* I thought was a sort of thing that only happened in the Carnation breakfast drinks I’d steal from my mom in the 80s. It never occurred to me to create a good version and now I’m SO EXCITED.
I’ve always thought of drinking buttermilk as a very southern thing… My (Georgian) grandmother does it regularly, as do several of my aunts. I love southern food, but have never found that one to be very appetizing. In college, I use to make milk blended with strawberries and banana, but never though to use buttermilk. I might have to try this one!
My grandparents often had a glass of buttermilk with a piece of cornbread it in. We’re from Georgia too :)
Can you use Splenda instead of sugar?
I have an aunt who eats goldfish-in-buttermilk the way us normal people eat cereal in milk, and swears its delicious. I have never dared to try. (And probably never will.)
Oh my gosh. My husband eats saltines crunched up in a bowl with milk poured over them. Results in a gloppy looking mess that I can’t look at. He loves it, though!
Do you think plain kefir might work?
Yes
I want to make this for my partner’s birthday next week but I have overripe strawberries in the fridge now. Do you think I could make the syrup up and freeze it? It looks delicious!
Yes!
Why can I not figure out what rhymes with bitty? Need the morning coffee. Ooh, or strawberry milk!
Kefir — Absolutely. I was thinking a thinned yogurt might be good too.
Actually, one more thing. Powdered buttermilk is a thing? Can you keep packets of it around and reconstitute with milk or something? I hate having leftover buttermilk sit in my fridge after using a cup, not having the time/energy to use up the rest of it. Is it worth picking up some for a recipe other than this one? For one that it is just a small component?
Leftover buttermilk: I’ve frozen it, then thawed & shaken very well & used successfully in baked goods.
I may not have as much leftovers, after trying this strawberry milk, though :)
You can make buttermilk in the exact measure you need, by adding 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or white vinegar, per cup of milk. I’ve also thinned out plain Greek yogurt as a good substitute for the tang.
do you think i could use the over-ripe strawberries that i wash and freeze here? being blended already, the thawed/frozen strawberries shouldn’t be that different in texture, right?
We make kefir here so I bet that’d be great in place of the buttermilk.
Is this the Prune cookbook that was like, open pack of saltines, place kale bits next to crackers, drizzle with some lemon juice. Serve next to a sardine sprinkled with Maldon salt? I must have waited 8 months for this cookbook, even though I had read questionable reviews of it, but ignored them all because her memoir was so amazing. It was an odd duck of a cookbook, and color me impressed that you found a good recipe. Hard to say for sure if that was a typo, given the nature of the rest of the recipes. I think I read she has a second memoir coming out and maybe Gwynyth Paltrow bought the movie rights to the first?
Molly — Yes, that one. I haven’t made a lot from it, but this is indeed a gem.
those strawberries in my fridge don’t stand a chance.
delicious! What % milk did you use?
SallyT — I use whole milk always.
This is so fun. I want to try this with a natural sweetener. Would you say honey or maple? It would be perfect for my kids’ breakfast.
Brittany W – Because I know the feeling of missing something like this and it driving me CRAZY:
The “rhymes with bitty” is a curse word [“four-letter curse word”-ty].
And since I am responding to you anyway:
You can get powdered buttermilk at most grocery stores – it is in the baking aisle. I most often see this brand: http://www.amazon.com/Saco-Cultured-Powdered-Buttermilk-12-ounce/dp/B004AXZEW2
Bob’s Redmill also makes it. It doesn’t come in packets, but it keeps for ages in the fridge. The directions in the package are to mix it in with the dry ingredients in baking recipes and then sub water for the buttermilk. In this instance, I assume you’d just blend it with water with everything else (in my experience, powdered buttermilk can otherwise be clumpy and doesn’t dissolve by just stirring with a spoon).
And to Deb – Thanks for this! I am always drawn to strawberry milk because I want it to taste how you describe and then I remember how disappointingly artificial it actually tastes. It was on sale at a local store recently and my bf caught me gazing at the cartons in the dairy case longingly and thought I was nuts. I can’t wait to try this!
I don’t think I’ve ever had strawberry milk from real strawberries! Yum!
I’m one of those people that enjoys a nice glass of buttermilk. (ducks) I do like it cold though! Kate’s is the best for drinking straight. I also like kefir and plain unsweetened Greek yogurt.
I used to hear about my grandfather drinking buttermilk. I thought it was something from “the old country”.
i don’t know man, maybe it’s because i’m polish, but i love buttermilk, sour milk, any kind of milk, and i’ve been drinking this thing you just introduced since i was a wee one. basically any in-season fruit, some sugar, and buttermilk and voila! the most refreshing drink known to manking!
My grandmother drank buttermilk. Real buttermilk is the liquid left over after butter is made. Most commercial buttermilk isn’t quite the same. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/dining/buttermilk-often-maligned-begins-to-get-its-due.html
This looks so good, I actually have strawberries and buttermilk that I have to use up, so this is perfect! I grew up drinking buttermilk occasionally and always thougt it was a treat but my mom mixed in a ton of sugar or raspberry syrup, she makes buttermilk soup as well a hot and a cold version with semolina dumplings :)
Buttermilk is an old country thing, I think. My grampa drank the real deal in Ireland, and he drank the bottled stuff later when he came to in America.
some finns drink buttermilk as a lunch or dinner drink though I have never tasted it!
My mom made us this when we were kids. Yes, we had a Hamilton Beach blender.
I never have strawberries left–we barely get home with them because we dive in right at the market.
I wasted my youth not liking milkshake but when I was pregnant I couldn’t get enough of strawberry milk. My daughter’s 16 months and I still crave it!
In India, buttermilk is made by thinning down yogurt and is a staple drink. Lassi is exactly that, with different flavors (usually fruit) added in. It’s a very refreshing drink, super popular in summer.
I’m very curious about this process of letting fruit, milk and buttermilk steep together. I have to admit, I’m a chocolate milk girl. I drink a glass almost everyday. But I will give this a try! I wonder if mango would work similarly?
Krithika, I grew up drinking chaas or lassi as well, and thinking it was buttermilk! Though we didn’t put fruit in it in India, just salt & cumin or plain sugar. The fruit thing was something I saw in the US.
However, I didn’t learn till I was an adult that chaas and lassi are actually NOT buttermilk! Buttermilk is literally what’s left over after you churn to get butter, while the others are fermented yogurt then thinned down.
The sour-ish tang is similar in effect once drunk, but it’s subtly a different flavor, and it’s made totally differently. Mind blown!
I live in the Netherlands and drinking buttermilk here is absolutely a thing. You can even order glasses of it at restaurants. It has grown on me over the years.
My son loves buttermilk! When he was little (like 2 and 3), he would always ask for it when I made cornbread. I poured it in a shot glass the first time (since I didn’t think he would like it thus not wasting it) and he loved it and still loves to drink buttermilk from a shot glass to this day. He swears that’s what he needs the shot glass for in his dorm room at college! Ha! He would love this recipe. I’ll have to try it while he’s at home this summer. Thanks for the memories!
Carol #28 – Thank you for the buttermilk info. I had no idea that was a thing. Regarding the other comment, I get it now… Thanks!
Because I am awful, can I repost my own comment from the Twinkie Bundt recipe? Would that qualify as spamming? Hmm. http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2015/10/twinkie-bundt/#comment-10296282
Btw, grape lassi is also a thing.
This could be my replacement strawberry milkshake here in Abu Dhabi thats takes the spot of a mcdonalds shake. I know I know mcdonalds are the devil but you just can’t beat their strawberry shakes. Until now…
http://www.yankified.com
I’ve never tried drinking buttermilk, but I’m obsessed with filmjölk so maybe I have to give it a try. Regardless, can’t wait to head to the store and try this recipe!
I’m not from “the Old Country” and I actually gulp down a glass of ice cold buttermilk whenever I open a carton for a recipe. It must be ice cold and very fresh though. I also like plain Kefir. It’s like liquid sour cream … which, btw, I also sneak a plain spoon of whenever I’m using it in a recipe. And sometimes I blend a little honey, vanilla, lemon juice and zest into the buttermilk and it’s like drinking liquid cheesecake. Yum! I’m weird.
I had a roommate in college who would drink a glass of buttermilk while eating a pickle (always together and always a dill pickle) it made me want to gag… This is a version of buttermilk I might be able to handle!
My mom and aunts used to crumble a piece of cornbread into a glass, then fill the glass with buttermilk and drink it like a shake… a very southern thing, I think.
My wife loves buttermilk, and will drink it cold. My 5 year old daughter loves it to. I abhor all kinds of soured milk.
But in Denmark, in the summer time people eat or drink a milk specialty called koldskål or cold bowl.
It’s half and half buttermilk and soured milk, I think you call it junket?
The milk is mixed with vanilla, sugar, egg yolks and fresh lemon juice, and often eaten with a sweet biscuit called kammerjunker.
It is so popular in good weather that the dairies follow the weather forecast and produce cold bowl after how hot it’ll get.
We only eat it when it’s hot. That is, I don’t, it’s all just sour milk to me
Katie, I didn’t see anyone answer, but I think those are Picardie glasses made by Duralex. We have the same ones at the office and they last forever because they are tempered.
Drinking buttermilk is definitely a southern thing! I never got a taste for it, but my grandparents all love it. My granddad’s favorite snack is a big hunk of cornbread doused in buttermilk and eaten with a spoon. I’m partial to the strawberry milk :)
In response to Katie June 9, 2016
This looks awesome–but can you tell me the pattern name of the drinking glasses? I’m looking for something like that to replace my current glassware, and those are perfect! Thanks. :-)
These look like Picardie tumblers. We have a set from Williams-Sonoma. Very hard to break, wonderful glassware, too very expensive, and it comes in a variety of sizes.
I meant to write “not very expensive” there
Question: is the yield for the full recipe or the half recipe?
HoS — Whoops! This is for the full yield which means MY yield is off and should be doubled — will fix. Thank you!
Jess (3), lactose-free milk should work well in this recipe.
Didn’t you know about drinking buttermilk from your Russian husband? With a spoonful of jam in the bottom of the glass?
Even In Australia — Ha! He’s the one who’s the most grossed out by buttermilk. His family does have this thing for jam, though…
I made your wonderful broccoli slaw yesterday – it’s my go-to pot luck recipe by popular request – and I was wondering just this morning whether I’d end up throwing out the remaining buttermilk. Your timing is perfect!
This strawberry milk looks wonderful! I’ll bet chocolate milk made with chocolate syrup, buttermilk and milk would be especially tasty too. You could even blend in a banana. Think of the varieties!! Happy Summer!
I make a lot of yogurt, some of which I strain, and I’m guessing this might be a good use for the whey I’ve always got in the fridge. I use it in place of buttermilk in most of my recipes so am assuming it would work here too. The only risk would be if the whey curdled the milk but I don’t know that it would be at any more risk of doing that than kefir or yogurt. My kids love Charlie & Lola and would go bonkers at the idea of their own homemade “pink milk”.
My father-in-law drank buttermilk out of the carton. He liked it with cornbread, too.
I can’t make myself taste it, even though I love sour cream and other rancid things. ;) I’m going to have to try this, though.
I make my post-workout smoothie with buttermilk mixed with frozen banana, yogurt and some other frozen fruit every weekday. I even freeze buttermilk in the ice cube tray to make the smoothie even frostier.
It’s yummy.
I’m assuming you refrigerate it overnight, yes? (Seems obvious, but I’m used to making fermented things that stay out at room temp overnight, so just wanted to make sure.)
This looks and sounds delicious. Here’s what may a duh! question, but when you steep it overnight, is that in the fridge or out on the counter with a lid on it? Seems like it oughta be chilled, but you never know…
Thanks.
Glasses — Are indeed Duralex Picardie; I added a note at the end.
CM, pb — Yes, it steeps in the fridge; will clarify.
(Btw, if anyone is wondering why I’m answering comments individually (when I remember to) it’s because we’ll be moving to threaded comments soon and these will make more sense once we do.)
I’ve made this recipe and I don’t think she intended for you to blend the strawberries. The drink naturally turns pink if you steep the sugared strawberries in the milk… but I like the idea of blending the berries in better.
This is sounds like the perfect thing for the last of the season strawberries I have in my fridge now.
The Print feature seems to off though. It’s trying to print all the text on the page instead of just the recipe part like it normally does.
Heidi — Sorry I didn’t see your comment sooner. Print feature now fixed.
Drinking buttermilk is classically Southern. All our grandmas did it :) Ridiculously healthy, too. This is beautiful, gonna try it this weekend.
Grew up in CT ( the “southern” part) in the ’50’s and loved buttermilk as a child. It always had bits of real butter floating in it when it came from the dairy. I drank it nearly exclusively for all of my early childhood. When I “switched” to plain milk it was a shock, and always has ( and still does) seemed “watery” to me. This recipe will be great. The “secret” to buttermilk drinking is the absolute coldness factor required to drink it, and also a sweet thick snack ( PB&J comes to mind) that requires a sort of tart and really thick “washer-downer”. I could eat that combo forever. Strawberry milk ( probably on the thick side for me!) will be a real treat. Thanks Deb.
have you ever had chaas? it’s an indian buttermilk (or sometimes yogurt) drink, sometimes with cumin and salt– delightful and refreshing. a far cry from warm buttermilk :)
Your post suddenly reminded me that my grandfather had a glass of buttermilk each day. I had forgotten this ritual until now. Maybe it helped him live to 91?
I am sure this is a delicious combo. Planning to make banana bread and always struggle to figure out what to do with remaining cartoon of buttermilk. And luckily, local strawberries here are at their peak, although unlike buttermilk I seem to never have enough!
I might try playing with substituting coconut milk as a variation for my dairy-free friends.
Apparently buttermilk can be frozen. Several sites suggest freezing 1tablespoon quantities in ice cube trays, then transferring to freezer bags or snap lock bags.
Both of my grandmothers moved from Texas to California. I remember one drinking buttermilk, but not the other. I will have to pass on this recipe because of a severe strawberry allergy–sniff!
Deb! Buttermilk is really not that bad once you get over the gag reflex :-) I remember when I was on Weight Watchers *shutter* I would make a sherbet using canned pineapple and buttermilk. In those days WW really didn’t allow a lot of regular food so I lived off of orange roughy and pineapple sherbet and tuna — not all at once. Your milkshake sounds delish. I am definitely going to try it with GOOD strawberries and not the “bitty” ones.
I heard that buttermilk is pretty good for your skin!
Has anyone tried this with other fruit. My husband is allergic to strawberries. I would assume the sugar should be adjusted accordingly to the sweetness of the fruit but ripe stawberries are very sweet to begin with. I love to hear if anyone tried raspberries before I make it too sugary.
I have a friend whose favorite snack is a bowl of Doritos with a big glass of buttermilk. This sounds much better than that.
Man, someone calling food you eat ‘revolting’ and ‘rancid'(??!) just doesn’t land well! Even when humorously framed, sorry. Your readership obviously isn’t all North American, and as can be easily told from the comments, it’s a common and traditional food in large swathes of Northern and Eastern Europe. Calling it revolting is hurtful and off putting.
For a hot day, I recommend a glass of cold (real) buttermilk with elderflower syrup mixed in, or a bowl of fresh koldskål. It’s tart and refreshing x
I would agree with this :) but would gently add that this stuff is SUPER common when where you are from is not Europe.
I am sure the original poster is not prey to this bias. I also have zero proof that any of the commenters on here saying “oh yes, we drink it too!” would ever not apply that same dismay to similar comments made on African / Asian / South American / anywhere else food. But I find that this kind of surprise is mostly reserved for when European (or regional American) traditions get called out.
FWIW, I took this post as Deb making fun of HERSELF for being ill-mannered, not judging the person who drank buttermilk. BUT I also totally get Kat’s sentiment! xx
I grew up in the south where drinking buttermilk is very common. It is an acquired taste for sure, but not that different from plain Greek yogurt which I initially disliked but adore now. Many foods just take getting used to. The strawberry milk recipe is very appealing and I am looking forward to trying it.
Thanks.
In case anyone else is too lazy to go to the grocery store and up to their elbows in overripe strawberries, I can assure from very recent personal experience that this is also delicious sans buttermilk, with 3.5 cups of milk and .5 heavy cream. Looking forward to trying it the “right” way soon!
Haha, I love it. I live in Belgium where the vast majority of milk is shelf stable. The stuff in the fridge section is usually buttermilk. I’d say at least 50% of the expats I know buy buttermilk without realizing it (dutch is not an easy language) and then I get to hear about how gross the fresh milk is!! I also love it in baking (and fried chicken) but have never developed a taste for the stuff as a drink. This I’ll have to try!
Wish I would have thought of this when my kids were young, think of all the fruit/milk combinations! Blueberry comes to mind as I have some that are just past ripe in he fridge!
Yummy!! Such a simple and delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing. I’m very tempted to try it out.
I will definitely try this. I love homemade versions of things that are usually rubbish when bought from the store. i’ve made homemade chocolate milk that was stunning.
I used to be weirded out by buttermilk, but then once while visiting Germany I bought a cup of buttermilk will lemon sorbet in, like a kind of weird float. It was amazingly delicious and perfect for a hot day.
In high school I waited tables at a restaurant owned by some local dairy farmers. It was called Aldrich’s Beef & Ice Cream Parlor (really.) I remember a few older men would come in and order glasses of buttermilk which they would salt and pepper before drinking. :|
Pour yourself a short glass of buttermilk and add salt & pepper to taste. Now fix yourself a sandwich consisting of: rye bread, braunschweiger, mustard, dill pickle, and onion (lettuce, tomato, mayo optional). It is a great combination that I grew up eating from time to time.
In one of my favorite Japanese TV shows, the bartender always makes his friend a glass of strawberry milk because he doesn’t drink, but I think it’s just milk and strawberries blended fresh. Always looks so good, though.
I wonder if I could use home grown frozen strawberries?
Just made this for our twins. Steeping in the fridge as I type. I remember drinking buttermilk growing up as a South Indian Lassi-with lime juice, salt and pepper and green chilies and also at an adorable crepe place in Paris.
My family does something similar – strawberries, milk, cream, sugar, blend it – milkshake! No need for ice cream at all. If you’re using whole milk to begin with, 3 cups milk to 1/2 cup or so of cream will do the trick.
Seriously? You never drank a glass of icy cold buttermilk? I guess this means you’ve never crumbled up left over corn bread into a tall glass and poured buttermilk over it and eaten with an ice tea spoon. I always drink the first glass out of a new carton/bottle of buttermilk. It’s one of my favorite treats.
This recipe looks delicious and I will be trying it. I wonder how it would freeze? I’m thinking freezer pops :)
@49 Susan–Totally ditto your comment. It must have been my mom to get me onto buttermilk straight up.
As far as powdered buttermilk is concerned, I’ve never found it tart nor as thick or smooth as cultured buttermilk is. Proceed with caution…or just use kefir. I think that would be an excellent substitute. Thinned plain yogurt (like lassi drinks) would be just as good.
Great recipe! And now that you’ve opened the door for buttermilk, please throw a couple of scoops of a orange sherbet in the blender with a cup of buttermilk and a splash of soda. You won’t believe what a perfectly tangy and refreshing summer “shake” will result.
So sorry, but I’ve caught you before you put that cup of buttermilk in the blender. Whew! Please make that one-half cup of buttermilk per 2 scoops of sherbet. Thanks.
They always serve buttermilk at our annual church services where we have a noon meal. I always thought just the old Finns drank it though.
Buttermilk is the best! I usually drink it with just a dash of freshly ground pepper. It’s great poured over crumbled cornbread, too. I sometimes make cornbread solely for the purpose of eating it with buttermilk.
Oh my goodness! Buttermilk! I use it in recipes that call for it. Everyone in my family but me drank the stuff when I was growing up. It was disgusting. So one day my dad thought he’d see if I really didn’t like it and had me just drink a taste – a TASTE. It was awful. I sputtered and splattered it everywhere trying to get it out of my mouth.
But, your recipe has certainly piqued my interest. So, I’m going to try it. I love fresh strawberries. This will be interesting. Thanks so much for sharing.
this is so insanely good. dangerously good! and so simple. and i didn’t even try the “aged” version yet.
I’ve been a huge fan of your website for many years; never had a bad experience with any of your recipes, many of which have become staples in our household. I love your voice and I think your children are totally gorgeous, but I do have to agree with the hurt commenter above re: the “rancid” and “revolting” verdict on buttermilk. Not sure how to put this without coming across as a total overreactor, because I do so want you take this seriously. But here’s the thing: brown people have a long and painful history of being told our food is gross. Many of us have a raw nerve for any conversation that moves in that direction. I know you meant it as one of your usual harmless jokes, and that you have made similar judgments of widely popular All-American foods, but it’s a little different when you make the same jokes about foods that are dear to minorities (see above re: painful history, uneven balance of power etc.). I don’t want to write an entire treatise about this, jeez. I still love your website! But yes, buttermilk, which I grew up calling “moru” in Tamil and drinking cold (with finely sliced shallots and coriander leaves in it), is a beloved beverage in lots of places, and I have to say, when I read the words “rancid” and “revolting,” my heart sank a little and I felt that tiny, too-familiar twinge I often feeling reading white Americans’ food blogs: Oh, that’s right, I’m not the one she’s talking to. This conversation is not for me. (Again, I know you were expressing a personal preference! But it was still hard to read in a way that I think people in the dominant culture don’t find it hard to read when you express revulsion for one of *their* foods.)
Here in Ireland, drinking buttermilk has been a thing for generations. Prob cos of all the grass and cows! It is so alkaline, so good for your digestive system.
But I hate it. Maybe this recipe will get me liking it, and also use up the leftover when I make Soda Bread.
Looks so delicious!
Sounds delicious! I never knew buttermilk could be suitable for drinking… can’t wait to give this a try! Love that it gets a little thick. So indulgent :)
Don’t let you kids see this before you stir in the morning! No matter how much you stir, they will remember it separated, and in my case at least, deam it gross.
I live in southern California and the strawberries at the Farmer’s Market are fabulous and I overbuy. They told me the best way to store them so that they keep at least a week is to line a flat Tupperware with paper towels place a layer of strawberries (unwashed) cover with another layer of paper towels put the cover on and store in the fridge. It really works and I’ve been able to keep the strawberries fresh for 10 days.
Made this last night with some coconut milk and the vegan version of buttermilk (add coconut milk to 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar to make one cup). Drinking it right now, and it turned out fabulous! Just give it a little stir before pouring, but there was no sign of curdling or anything. Yum!
Maybe buttermilk is a southern thing? I remember in grade school we could choose between cartons of regular (white) milk and buttermilk at lunch. Buttermilk was fairly popular. My dad still drinks a glass every afternoon. Now my grandfather always drank/slurped homemade buttermilk which grandmother kept in a quart mason jar in the frig. It was really “clotted” milk though. If you think buttermilk seems rancid, then you’ve never seen anyone pour clots of into a tall glass.
Ok … you do know that buttermilk is what you get when you whip cream into butter. The separated “fat” is butter and the liquid left is buttermilk.
I regularly make butter and buttermilk from cream – there is a great local to me creamery that sells their dairy products in the grocery. It is pasteurized but not ultra and yum. Cool that buttermilk down and it is very refreshing but I mostly freeze it and use for baking. I freeze it either in ice cube trays or small paper cups. Amazon has some plain, no coating, small paper cups – they hold 1/3 cup.
This gave me an immediate jolt of nostalgia for my childhood and the Quik strawberry milk powder that my brother loved… one of those memories that immediately makes you realize how much time has passed and how all your relationships have changed. I bet your kids will remember this flavor & color.
Here’s an article about buttermilk I found interesting (& am probably not the first to post here…) http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/dining/buttermilk-often-maligned-begins-to-get-its-due.html?_r=0
I have to admit that when I was a child and my dad and I sat outdoors in the warm CA evenings, he would drink buttermilk and I would drink just milk. I could not get over the sourness in a dairy product, but time changes what we like to eat and drink sometimes and now I love yogurt, sour cream, and buttermilk. Not to mention drinks made with yogurt like smoothies and lassis. Tangy was something I did not like as a child, but I sure do now! The strawberry milk sounds so good! Thanks!
To The Posters Who Are Upset That Deb Dissed Buttermilk,
I think you may not know that the buttermilk we get in the U.S. is not the same as moru and I believe is not the same as what is used in Northern and Eastern Europe. I looked up moru and if the internet can be believed, it is thinned yogurt. I believe that the buttermilk used in Northern and Eastern Europe is churned. The buttermilk we get in the U.S. (especially in the north) is low fat (1% or 2%) milk that has been soured with a culture. I believe that the two products are so different that there is no cultural insensitivity in putting down the kind we get here. For the record I do like it as a drink, especially over day or two old cornbread.
I am firmly in the, “There are no bad ingredients, just bad cooks.” camp. However, if Deb’s food preferences lead her to share all the wonderful recipes she’s developed on this blog, the only thing I have to say to her is THANK YOU.
Drinking buttermilk seems totally normal to me, and I am kind of floored that anyone didn’t think drinking buttermilk is a thing!
While warm buttermilk doesn’t sound good to me, I do enjoy a glass of cold buttermilk, especially the full fat kind. Its tangy, kind of like kefir or unsweetened yogurt, and readily available in every grocery store here in the Carolinas. Sometimes older folks refer to regular milk as “sweet milk” to distinguish it from buttermilk, and it’s probably more popular with adults than little kids like most tangy and unsweetened dairy products. It’s not uncommon here to pour it over cornbread (which has, itself, been prepared with buttermilk) and eat it with a spoon.
Keep up the good work, Deb. Love the blog!
It’s funny, up until I moved to Ireland from Germany – which, by now, is a looong time ago – I didn’t realise that you could do anything with buttermilk BUT drink it as we neither bake nor cook with it. (I think there is a fruity buttermilk soup, but it’s not something we ever had growing up). The supermarket shelves are full of plain and flavoured buttermilk drinks, but fresh is clearly best! I’ll make this for the kids as soon as I get my hands on real buttermilk. The cultured milk version is just not quite the same.
(in case anyone on here resides on the same isle and doesn’t know it, this one is lovely:
http://www.cuinneog.com)
I can’t help wondering what would happen if you put this mixture into an ice cream maker…
I have a double batch of this steeping in the fridge right now. I got overloaded at the farmers market this morning, and my strawberries got squashed, but I think this is going to make all right with the world… It’s already delicious! Thanks deb!
Buttermilk as a drink is great :) You should try it with some orange juice.
I’m “brown” and I find the idea of drinking buttermilk straight revolting. My father, from “the old country” drinks it everyday. I guess it’s just what you’re used to. Deb, I do not feel marginalized by your comments at all. Chill. On another note, would it be blasphemous to strain out the strawberry seeds? The seeds really detract from my enjoyment of strawberry drinks.
Despite the warning otherwise, I reduced the sugar by roughly half and my husband, toddler, and I were very pleased with the results. It was still mildly sweet and well enjoyed. I made it using very ripe, freshly picked CT strawberries, so they were probably of ideal sweetness level to start with. Thanks for the delicious recipe.
This looks like something that Loa of Charlie and Lola fame would adore :) As would Miss 8 – will remember this for when strawbs are in season in Oz.
Just a guess…but I’m thinking this would churn up nicely in the ice cream maker too!
I made this with almond milk, and it came out great!
If you ever have a chance to drink REAL buttermilk- i.e. the liquid that is leftover from churning butter- you’ll be astounded at how delicate and addictive it is. The stuff we get in supermarkets is not real buttermilk at all, unless you can get Kate’s buttermilk, which is pretty good. But the infinitely better thing to do is find a NY, NJ, or PA dairy that churns butter, drive there, and drink it fresh. You won’t believe it! You can even make your own; get some high quality heavy cream, churn some butter yourself, and what’s left will be your very own homemade real buttermilk. Here is a good set of instructions: https://snapguide.com/guides/make-old-fashioned-hand-churned-butter/
Perfect timing on this recipe, there are farm stands everywhere selling wonderfully overripe strawberries. And, yes, everything does seem to taste better in short Duralex Picardie glasses, including (for me) cold buttermilk sprinkled liberally with salt & fresh cracked black pepper, dash of hot sauce optional. I didn’t know until reading this thread that buttermilk is a Scandinavian staple, or that many folks enjoy it poured over cornbread (sounds yum). Deb, I love that you have readers from all over the world and the comments provide so many interesting perspectives on your wonderful recipes. That said, my fav comment of this thread is from the mama whose son took his toddler sized buttermilk “shot glass” to college with him!
this is so good. I made it the morning after you published it and i doubled the recipe, which yielded about a gallon. it is so delicious, refreshing, and, as you say, delightfully retro. brava.
I’m the same ethnic background as Deb, and when I have buttermilk in the house you better believe I drink a cold glass of it. I was surprised to hear anyone finding it so nasty, but hey, it’s her blog about her preferences! It’s not an oppressive posture to say you find buttermilk gross, any more than it is to enjoy it.
Not saying this to be mean to anyone, but: come on. If you don’t think your food is gross then don’t be ashamed of it no matter what someone who’s not familiar with it says! There’s a lot of contempt for my ethnic group’s heritage foods like gefilte fish, but that doesn’t dent my enjoyment of them one whit. More for me. If buttermilk is your bag, enjoy it – save some for me – but that doesn’t mean she has to.
Your note about the glasses reminded me that the other day I needed a new peeler and thought, I know Deb just mentioned a preferred peeler. I looked for a “products” page on the site to no avail. I did eventually find the peeler through the search function, but it wasn’t the most efficient process. Any chance of a page of your preferred kitchen items? Or a more obvious way to find that if such a thing already exists. Thanks for all of the great posts and lovely photos. I love Smitten Kitchen!
I just used this idea (minus the buttermilk) to make fresh strawberry frosting for a party this past weekend and it was like I had frosted my cupcakes with a strawberry milkshake and now my life will never be the same. So delicious. I’m already planning to make another batch tonight! Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve been obsessed with strawberry milk recently so when I saw this recipe, I had to try it. This was so good! Creamy, sweet – tastes like sunshine but super refreshing at the same time. I’m going to try this with Kefir next time too- we have Kefir more often than we have buttermilk.Thanks for posting this!
To Jess #3, lactose free plain yogurt thinned with a bit of lactose free milk is a great substitute for buttermilk. You get the tangy sour flavor that’s missing if you substitute just lactose free milk. My daughter is lactose intolerant and we use this instead of buttermilk in baked goods, too.
On my second batch with 2% lactose free milk and goat yogurt which is also lactose free – absolutely delicious! Thanks for posting this recipe
I am currently sitting with the strawberries in sugar. I don’t have a blender, but I’m wondering if I should even bother using the emulsion blender for this. I don’t think I want to deal with the seeds. Wonder how it would turn out if I just scooped out the strawberries from the milk in the morning.
i guess i meant immersion blender!
Do you know how long this might last in the fridge?
This could be my replacement strawberry milkshake here in Abu Dhabi thats takes the spot of a mcdonalds shake. I know I know mcdonalds are the devil but you just can’t beat their strawberry shakes. Until now.This looks so delicious. Nice post. Thanks for sharing!
Do you think you could use other fruits besides strawberries? Unfortunately the strawberry season is over in Israel :(
Do people have to get offended by everything? Come on! We are talking about buttermilk and I think it would be fair to say that lots of people from many backgrounds wouldn’t enjoy drinking it. If you can’t handle someone’s opinion on a food or beverage product without being offended, then perhaps you shouldn’t spend your time reading food blogs. Life is too short.
Hi — I have actually been out of the country since I published this (surprise trip! more on this later this week) so I am just catching up on comments now, and just reading that some took my childish arched eyebrows over drinking buttermilk as a culturally insensitive diss on the food. I’m terribly sorry if this is the way it came off, but it could not be further from where it came from. This entire post is about the absurdity of me having found something so off-putting then that I now love, hence the buttermilk in the final recipe.
I am not unaware of what it means to say “ew” to a food beloved in a culture that’s not your own; it’s both rude and childish. To be honest, I had no idea that preferences for buttermilk fell along any lines. But now I do.
But it begs more questions. Such as: Are food preferences pro/anti judgements against cultures that enjoy it? If someone (uh: me!) finds lox icky, would we assume anti-Semitism? We certainly would if they said “ew, Yiddish/shtetyl food” and dismissed the lot of it. Is the issue here — because I think it might be, but I could be wrong — that this site is large and read by people around the world, and so small things echo louder? This is an interesting topic and I’d love to hear more about what everyone thinks. I genuinely enjoy and learn from these conversations, and would never want someone to feel uncomfortable bringing something up that made them uncomfortable.
Next time would you strain the strawberry mixture or do the seeds settle at the bottom and not make the drink gritty?
On the question of food attitude sensitivities, I agree it’s rude and childish to have an “ew!” reaction to culturally iconic food, but only in the way it can be badly expressed sometimes. More generally, I think food is very personal for a lot of people, especially ones who read websites like this. I often (completely illogically) feel disappointed if someone I like has an “ew!” reaction to one of my favourite foods. Like discovering your boyfriend/girlfriend hates your favourite book or film!
Jenny — Thanks, that makes sense. Re, seeds: I’m usually insane about the grit bothering me and always sieve them out (especially with blackberries and raspberries). I didn’t here and they didn’t bother me at all, although the market berries might have tinier seeds. My mixture (that fake buttermilk, of course) was thick and creamy, so the seeds were perhaps suspended and unnoticeable. You can absolutely strain them out if they’ll bother you.
Have been making strawberry “soup” with berries (1.5 quarts) low fat buttermilk (3 cups),sugar (1/4-1/3 cup), fat free sour cream (1/2 cup) and a splash of OJ for (literally) decades, after discovering it in a ramshackle lunch place in Frederick MD while in college. Coincidently, I made a batch this weekend. Out of this world with toasted poundcake on the side. Dessert – yes. Breakfast… Oh yes !
Just made this, with frozen-from-Trader-Joes-strawberries and no rest time, and we still love it. Totally trying this with other fruits.
Deb, your response #139 is, as always, intelligent, respectful, compassionate, grounded and humane. Thanks for keeping the bar high for online discussion.
Preeta, I learned from your comment, so thank you.
Oh, the gorgeous strawberry-colored color of your strawberry milk.
Sorry, I don’t work for Pantone, and I can’t find a better description than that for this beautiful shade of pink!
Side note – I just tinged the schmooey (glaze) for a batch of scones by smashing up some strawberries in lemon juice before whisking it into confectioners sugar.
ISN’T SHE-EEE — PRETTY IN PINK :o)
I have just made this and it’s taking all of my willpower to “let steep overnight in the fridge”. I wanted to drink this straight out of the blender’s bowl and definitely NOT share this nectar of the gods with anyone :)) Deb, thank you for yet another amazing addition to my cooking repertoire :)))
I should also have said that I do not think you are ever culturally insensitive on this blog. Nor does sensitivity about food justify rudeness which sadly does sometimes appear in the comments. But rather when I read angry comments I sometimes think the author is disappointed a food blogger they admire doesn’t share their opinion about an important food in their life, and expresses their disappointment badly.
Re: not liking certain foods/cultural insensitivity, I think the poster might have a valid point if the particular food was unique to a certain culture, but since buttermilk and it’s many similar variants are consumed by all peoples all over the world I don’t think it can be claimed that you were bashing a particular group of people’s beloved food. As you can see in the comments, many people, including many Americans born here, love it. I’m West Coast born and bred, have no particularly specific ethnic ties … no Eastern European, Russian, Southern, or South Asian roots, and I love it. In this case I don’t think the poster can claim ownership over a food that is not identified with a specific culture. That would be like saying “I’m not sure why, but I’ve always been thoroughly grossed-out by honey”, and then someone becoming upset because in their culture they put honey on everything as their standard sweetener, therefore you must be subtly casting aspersions and claiming your superiority over their food choices. The only problem with that is everyone everywhere uses honey, just to different degrees, so there can be no claim made that it’s in any way culturally directed. Furthermore, my thought when you said you hated buttermilk was, “Wow Deb, you usually mirror my tastes so perfectly. How can you be so obtusely wrong, Get with it, lady … it’s delicious!” i.e. not allowing myself to feel put down, but rather doing my own little superiority dance. haha
Your strawberry milk recipe inspired me so much I had to go make my own. Oh wow! My husband and I loved it. There was a little variation because I forgot to let the strawberries and sugar set for an hour. Neither did I blend the strawberries, so we had sliced strawberries at the bottom of the glass. And it was SO good! Thank you for the inspiration. :)
Drinking Butter Milk brings back memories of a childhood exchange summer in Spain. The highlight of my day was to be taken swimming in a massive outdoor pool – but everyday before we were allowed to swim we had to drink a glass of butter milk with nutmeg. Not a joy I remember fondly, however, I overcame my dislike of the as you say ‘rancid smell’ to get in that pool. Inspired by your recipe.
If you drink a small glass of buttermilk alongside eating Medjool dates, you (probably) won’t regret it. I wouldn’t do that in strawberry season, of course, but in December it’s a good plan.
I was nervous we wouldn’t like it and only made a half-batch. This road only leads to regret….lol…Yum! This milk looks so pretty!! Do you think it could be made vegan with non-dairy milk and coconut milk? Anyways, great inspiration for a strawberry milkshake with frozen banana!
Made this earlier this week and it was FANTASTIC. Thank you. It occurs to me that once local strawberries are gone (imminent), strawberry milk might be a perfect application for frozen strawberries…especially if you can get frozen local strawberries, as you can at many local supermarkets here in Seattle.
This seems like the strawberry version of a Mango Lassi – so… Strawberry Lassi!
Pretty blooming delicious! I think it could have withstood less sugar — will try that next time. Thanks to the posters who have so thoughtfully raised the issue of dissing other’s food tastes, especially when there is a cultural and/or racial association with the food in question. Good stuff to think about.
This 90+degree heat, and the desire to hold on to something so delicious sounding for longer than the fresh tiny strawberry season allows, has me wondering – do you think this would freeze well in a Popsicle mold? Like a strawberry creamsicle?
Hi Deb,
Am making this now. Is it OK to use fat free buttermilk? It as the only one I could find. And is there any reason not to just drink it before steeping? And any reason not to do everything in the blender, including overnight steeping? Thanks.
Marilyn — Fat free buttermilk should be fine. It gets the best flavor after steeping. Perhaps this won’t be a problem for you, but if I have a lot of liquid + some chunks, my blender isn’t nearly as effective as it is with a little bit of liquid + some chunks. I get a much more smooth puree if I add most of the liquid at the end.
It is so hot in my city that drink made me drool literally. I am def going to try this yummmm!
I am so disgusted that we seem to have come to a point where people can get offended about someone else’s food preferences. This. Is. A. Food. Blog. Labeling a dislike (read “ew”) of an ethnic food as culturally insensitive or rude or a “micro aggression” or whatever the heck is laughable. For heaven’s sake’s, everyone needs to lighten up a bit and remember that we are actually supposed to share opinions in every area of life, not just fall along with what won’t “upset” anyone else.
P.S. Deb I can’t wait to make this – looks delicious!!
Oh my goodness! This is so tasty! We made this last night and enjoyed it for breakfast this morning. Thank you!
When I was growing up or would go home for a visit, there was usually a half gallon of buttermilk in the refrigerator. My dad would stir in about a teaspoon of pepper per glassful and drink to his hearts content.
Deb –
Thanks so much for this recipe! Perfect for my strawberry milk loving husband on father’s day. You mention thinned yogurt instead of buttermilk – I keep plain greek on hand (0% and 2%). Would those work and how would you thin them?
Regarding the reaction to drinking buttermilk, I have to admit that I had a similar reaction when I once witnessed a friend drink a glass of buttermilk mixed with chocolate milk powder. Perhaps I should have been more open-minded!
Thanks again!
Made this with keifer and soy milk. Delicious! Thanks Deb!
Strawberry milk is a new recipe for me. I made shakes before but I never used buttermilk. This looks so good that I will certainly try it for my children ( and myself!). Handy recipe. Brava!
So you have this magical recipe AND one for buttermilk ice cream. Is there any way you can imagine to combine the two with the addition of chunks of fresh berries?
Deb, you’re lucky there weren’t any sambaram drinking south Indians in the class :)
Do yourself a favor and look it up please
http://www.mytaste.in/s/sambaram.html
My family loves strawberry milk and as I don’t use white sugar generally so I replace granulated sugar with 1/2 frozen banana and little bit of molasses or honey. I’ll try to make strawberry milk this weekend again.
How wonderful!
Buttermilk drinking is very Finnish way. Here are mainly two kinds of buttermilk, the “regular” and the one you’ll get after churning the butter. Both are good and full of calcium.
What reminds me of this, is that when the summer comes and the blueberries are ready the kids will go and collect the first ripe blueberries and crush them with milk. It is called blueberry milk. Simple and good.
With buttermilk you can use any kind of berries and fruits. And there is a nice recipe buttermilk pie from Mrs Margot Henderson (You Are All Invited, see Amazon).
And, if you have heartburn, try drinking buttermilk, it helps.
Growing up in St. Louis, we often had strawberries and Smetina (a local brand of sour 1/2 & 1/2 – like sour cream, but made with 1/2 & 1/2). Sounds like this would be similar (although ours was eaten with a spoon, not blended to a liquid).
Although I sort of cringe at the IDEA of buttermilk (for no good reason), I love it with cucumber and dill in soup!
Can you let it steep longer than overnight? I am hoping the answer is yes, as I made a batch last night that I plan on smuggling into the movies with my step son tonight. Would it need more milk for when we drink it?
Sara — Absolutely.
My 13 yr old loved this, ty for sharing!
this was delicious- i made it as posted. then i made it again with equal parts milk/buttermilk and it was still delicious, but with less fat. and to answer comment #172, it will keep for several days. just stir and drink.
For your next buttermilk adventure, try mixing it with tomato juice and a bit of salt.
Heavenly! Softest, most velvety texture. The most perfect pink treat :)
For those who want to know: I made this with yogurt whey and unsweetened, vanilla soy milk. Was phenomenal. We polished off the entire thing for breakfast. No curdling, which was a question someone wondered about with whey. And a wonderful tang. Thick too. Delish.
I have been makin strawberry milk with frozen strawberries – great on those hot summer days, AND with frozen strawberries you get a consistency that is close to an ice cream shake, yet with a fraction of the calories.
On a side note, in Southern Germany, one brand of buttermilk we have still has itsy bitsypieces of butter in it, just like it used to be when they handmade buttermilk way back. SO good, seriously!
I came across this the day after the “Strawberry Moon” (apparently June’s full moon marks the traditional beginning of strawberry season)–perfect timing!
I used to make something similar when I was in college. It was very refreshing on a hot day and a great way to use strawberries.
I made this on the weekend with luscious local strawberries. Even used the red and white straws to be matchy matchy. It was a hit. I know of only one dairy in our area that makes 2% buttermilk–it’s hard to find anything except 1%. I will use the recipe again with raspberries and peaches when they come into season. Thanks for sharing.
I used a little bit less than 1/2 a cup of sugar, and used 1/2 whole milk, 1/2 1% milk. It was still quite rich and delicious and the sweetness was not too low.
I didn’t have strawberries on hand, but I had quite a few raspberries, newly defrosted, awaiting something else. Just to experiment, I quartered your delicious recipe and substituted raspberries instead, with outstanding results. I used a touch of honey and a bit of stevia in place of the sugar. I loved it and have made it a second time. Try it, you’ll like it.
This is absolutely dreamy. And thanks for the sugar comment – I am one to typically reduce amount of sugar called for in recipe, but the full 1/2 cup is perfect here. I let my strawberries marinate in the sugar for several hours in the refrigerator. So summery and perfect. Thank you!
This was delicious; it reminds me of the licuados I loved getting in Mexico. Do you think the results would really differ if you skipped the marinating the strawberries and sugar step and just zapped everything together in the blender, then left in the fridge overnight? I think I’ll try it next time and see if this can be streamlined without compromising the results…
THIS was a worthy use of my last farmers market strawberries of the season and that little bit of leftover buttermilk in the fridge. sadly the time when you are gearing up for strawberry season up north it is ending here in the south so this was posted just in time for me. I wonder how peach milk would taste. I’m on it!
I tried and loved it.
I actually like the sourness of the buttermilk (did you know that the Dutch as a whole nation drink it with every sandwich lunch?) and I often mix it with strawberries, peaches, bananas etc. to make a quick dinner in summer. No sugar though, I try to go without added sugar as far as I can. And again – I like the sour taste quite a bit, so fresh. Yummy.
Whenever my mom made cornbread (real cornbread, not that Yankee abomination), my dad would always end the meal by eating a glass of buttermilk with cornbread crumbled into it.
this looks so amazing! I have so many good elementary school memories of buying just milk and it was always either chocolate or strawberry! never could decide on a favorite.
I really love it! Strawberry is awesome :)
Made this a few times, we loved it and our finicky 6 year old grand daughter loved it. I was overly generous with the strawberries, thinking it couldn’t hurt, but kept the sugar and the milks the same.
The Ads- AAAAGH! One banner right above the logo- three down the side. This new font is huge and while I could use eyeglasses, I don’t think I will ever bother to read comments, or make any in future. I used to read them religiously…but now with only 3 or fewer on my screen… it would take forever… sad. Will miss that.
This looks wonderful! I’ll definitely have to give it a try! I usually just buy Promised Land Strawberry Milk. It is sooo good! 🍓🍓🍓
Thank you for the recipe! It’s so delicious. I love how fresh it is ! I will try this at home.
I have made this twice now and it’s a perfect recipe. The buttermilk adds a wonderful depth of flavor that makes you feel like you a drinking something more indulgent. I’ve used powdered buttermilk both times and it turned out just fine, especially after the rest period overnight in the fridge. I’m not a milk drinker but I can’t help sneaking an extra glass when I serve this to my kids. Well done Deb!
This was absolutely delicious:-). We felt very decadent, but it is really quite healthy and we are making it again.
this is fantastic. i’ve made it half a dozen times at least. after following the recipe exactly the first time, i’ve switched to equal parts milk and buttermilk; it’s the tiniest bit tangier, but lower in fat and tastes great. i’m also not sure it’s necessary to macerate the strawberries since they will be sitting (pureed) in the milks overnight.. i can’t detect any difference when i dont macerate them. a food processor, btw, works just as well as a blender. and if you want it to be even thicker and richer, try increasing the strawberries by 25%. delicious every way!
This is absolutely delicious and so refreshing. I like it as an appetizer of sorts before I am awake enough to cook breakfast.
Move over Strawberry Quick! Seriously- this looks amazing! Thank you for the nostalgia blast + real food. :D
Hi Deb, i made this and i loved it. It really tasted like a pink clood. So yum. I first used the full amount of sugar and it was really super good. And then i realized that i keep craving for it and especially since strawberries are so abundant right now – i cant stop myself to make it each and everytime i buy strawberries. So i reduced the sugar content – and sub part of it with honey and it was still thick and dreamy…
So, if i sub the strawberries for cherries do you think i can get an equally dreamy cherry milk? I would love, then to add chocolate to it and make a chocolate cherry milkshake
Or any other summer fruit imaginable? Like peach, apricots…etc?
I’ve never tried it with anything else, but cherries sound lovely. What you want is a fruit that’s going to release most of its flavor just in macerating — I’m not as confident that peaches could, but perhaps if they were almost overripe and you gave it a lot of time.
This. Is one of the most delicious drinks I’ve ever had. And so simple to make too! I absolutely LOVE the frothy and thick texture it has. Just like a milkshake/smoothie, but with absolutely no need for yoghurt or ice cream! I am head-over-heels in love.
This stuff is RIDICULOUSLY good!!! Made it for our 2 year old… Her face lit up when she tasted it :) thanks for such a great recipe
What do you think about making this with peaches? Good, ripe ones, of course. Would they be acidic enough?
Oops, ignore my question. Just saw previous posts…
I was SO excited for this and doubled it for a Christmas party for my husband’s work. I freaked out in the morning when I checked it in the fridge because it had separated and looked ruined. Frantically I shook and whisked it back together, and I’m so glad I did. It is just magical. Thick, rich and just the right amount of sweetness.
I don’t know if Australian buttermilk differs from what the recipe was designed for, or whether there was some other unexpected cause of my troubles, but each time we went to drink some from the fridge it had to be shaken back together. No real problem, and totally worth it for its yumminess.
Delicious and so easy! Borderline healthy, too. ;-)
What is the Swedish equivalent to buttermilk, does anyone have any idea?
Do you have kefir? If not, maybe yogurt thinned with a little milk. It’s basically milk with a little tang and sometimes some thickness to it.
Ah I think its equivalent here is filmjölk! Thanks Deb!
This is steeping right now but we all had a quick sample right out of the blender and loved it. Has anyone tried freezing this? Am thinking of would be nice to have ready made in the freezer vice defrosting frozen strawberries and then steeping overnight . . .
I made this a couple of days ago! Delicious but I did find it too sweet. Next time, I would definitely use less sugar!
I’ve got this steeping right now and am looking fwd to having it for breakfast! I don’t understand the maceration step, though. If you’re going to puree the berries into the milk anyway, wouldn’t all of their juices be incorporated in that step, vs trying to draw them out with the sugar?
Maceration draws out more liquid than blending, it also makes it blend more smoothly. Hope you enjoy!
Nice. Used only 1/4 cup sugar and wouldn’t add more or less. Thanks for great recipes.
Holy crap this stuff is delicious. I whipped this up last night and just took a taste this morning and loved it! I was a little worried the sad, winter berries that are in the store right now wouldn’t be up to the challenge of strawberry milk, but it’s great! I added the extra step of straining the strawberry purée to remove some of the seeds and I’m glad I did. Will definitely be making this again.
I know this is borderline blasphemous, but for those of us who are allergic to milk but would do just about anything to enjoy anything resembling a milkshake, any ideas or suggestions on using almond milk or something like it?
I just stumbled upon this post and was looking through the comments to see if anyone has replaced the milk with almond milk… I hope you try it and share the outcome! If not, I will probably try it in the next couple of weeks and leave a comment to yours :)
Totally works with almond milk, just a little thinner.
Used Kefir instead of Buttermilk. I usually drink plain Kefir but this was a great way to change it up while also controlling sugar. Thanks!
I’ve just made this from two discounted punnets of strawberries which looked well past their prime, but it turned out just the skins were a bit unattractive. I did pour a small glass to drink straight away, and think the slightly sour flavour is an asset. Hopefully it is still there tomorrow.
Is this cultured buttermilk? Or fresh?
It’s from the grocery store so not fresh.
Wondering if you can swap out the whole milk for heavy cream (lower the carb load a bit).
Thanks
Yes, but it would be very thick and creamy.
This is very tasty! I made it with milk and plain, rich yogurt.
This was delicious! I was tempted to cut the sugar but didn’t because of the note…that being said, I did actually find it too sweet- I tend to find things overly sweet plus I was serving to my kids. I would make again but prob halve the amount of sugar.
I just discovered this recipe about 4 weeks ago. I made it for my teenage grandson who used to get warmed strawberry milk before bed when he was little, we loved it. Made my next batch for a family party and my granddaughter loved it too along with her mom. Now just made my third batch. As you can see it’s a big hit. Should be even better in strawberry season. Thank you!
Oh.Em.Gee. We made this last night for a nice Sunday breakfast treat and it’s already gone. This stuff is incredible. Not overly sweet but nice and thick – it’s just perfect for a summer morning. I already can’t wait to make another batch.
Currently obsessed. The buttermilk is the perfect touch. Probably going to keep a pitcher of this in the fridge all summer. In case anyone is curious about substitutions, I’ve made this with skim milk and Truvia sugar substitute and it was still delightful.
Wow, this is dynamite! It was really hard not to suck this down right after mixing. But do wait for it to steep overnight – the strawberry flavor definitely gets amplified. I might have gone very slightly over a pound on berries, but otherwise stuck to the recipe. I blended the berries in a Vitamix on the smoothie setting. That is probably responsible for some of the thickening (from the dense foam) in my batch, but I am surprised by how thick this is. It is almost like a shake. I think I would prefer a thinner consistency for something labeled “milk”, but am not going to add more milk and dilute this fabulous flavor. Might try replacing half the buttermilk with milk and reducing the sugar by a couple of tablespoons to compensate, to get a thinner consistency.
Make this regularly and want to add that I up the buttermilk ratio when I can — 1.5 cups of buttermilk to 2.5 cups of milk. Also, I freeze it in ice pop molds as well. It is a neighborhood fav.
Oh wow that sounds so good.
This is a revelation, compared to commercial strawberry milk, and I’ve made it a couple of times. More berries don’t hurt it :)
Can you use frozen strawberries?
Absolutely – I do do frequently
I haven’t but I think you could.
to say i made *this* recipe is a little bit of a stretch as I subbed basically all the ingredients BUT my subs worked out great and it was super delicious. hopefully these subs are helpful to the next person.
the cooking-in-covid smitten-kitchen strawberry milk edition:
• 1lb frozen strawberries
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 3 cups homemade cashew/almond milk (1cup unroasted unsalted nut mix soaked for a couple hours > almonds skinned > add 4 cups water then blend in vitamix > strained with nutbag)
• 1 cup siggi’s nonfat plain drinking yogurt
directions:
• gently gently warmed up strawberries with the sugar. simmered for maybe a little too long tasted a little too “cooked”). removed from heat and let cool for about 1 – 2 hours. i forget.
• poured everything in a big jug, crushing the strawberries as they were plopping through a narrow funnel opening
• shook the hell out of it, plopped in fridge overnight, and had 2 big cups today!
notes:
• dang, this stuff is SO GOOD
• a liiittttllllleee tooo sweet. you know when you order 50% sugar at boba places and some places still make it just a teeny tiny bit too sweet? that’s how this was for me. like it’s just a littttlllleee too cloying.. just a teeny tiny bit so.
for next time, like tonight actually:
• gonna go with 1/4 cup white sugar and 2 T. wild honey to cut the cloying factor, hopefully this will be optimal sweetness factor
• make sure sugar does not cook AT ALL, just defrost and add sweeteners then macerate for 1 – 2 hours at room temp
• really needs a tiny pinch of salt
This works great if you use monk fruit instead of sugar. Just sayin’ for diabetics. It’s delicious…you won’t taste a difference.
Delicious! I doubled the amount of strawberries in the batter and have no regrets.
Oops, this was meant for the strawberry cornmeal pancake recipe. Don’t know how to delete.
YES! We have left over buttermilk from your salad dressing, and left over strawberries we mixed with sugar because they were going bad (so glad to hear this happens to you too!), so yes, we are having pink milk tomorrow.
Can you use frozen strawberries?
I made this as is and it was spectacular! Tasted like strawberry ice cream/gelato, except softer.
Finally got around to making this. Simple but earth shattering. This will go on my mandatory summer list with fried green tomatoes , a great BLT, and peach shortcake. Make it with good quality local strawberries. You will not regret it.
This has to be the highest calling for those strawberries that are headed to mushville. This stuff is so freaking delicious!! I use 4c milk and 4T powdered buttermilk. Powdered buttermilk is a staple in my fridge. This recipe was my intro to using it in beverages. We look forward to strawberry milk every summer now!
Thank you for this recipe! I had buttermilk from a salad dressing recipe in this month’s bon appetit and farmers market berries dying in the fridge. My husband and I had a glass before it even made it to the fridge. So yummy.
My daughter will love her “princess milk” in the morning. It’s divine. I used coconut sugar bc it’s what we had in the house. So good.
This was so good and better the longer it sits. I used half the sugar and it was sweet enough.
revelation!! i love strawberry milk and have been making it for several years now, though i prefer 1/2 milk and 1/2 buttermilk rather than the 3:1 called for in the recipe. BUT, the other day i had 1/2 lb. of sad looking strawberries so i decided to make SM. i didnt have any fresh buttermilk, but i did have powdered buttermilk (saco brand, available all over). so, i used 2 cups of milk, the berries, some sugar and 4 Tablespoons of powdered buttermilk. i noticed while spinning it in my food processor, that the liquid was rising higher and higher up the sides of the bowl. the next day, when i went to drink it, i discovered it was incredibly thick! 3 days later, it’s still thick and rich tasting. clearly, the powdered buttermilk behaves differently than fresh. it was twice as delicious as usual, if that’s even possible. i highly recommend trying it this way. it was sooo hard not drinking glass after glass…..
I usually replace buttermilk with 2 T vinegar and fill the rest of the cup with milk for recipes Iike pancakes and such. Think it would work or would it be too gross? I mean it does the trick when I’m baking and achieves the same consistency and flavor (-ish). I want to make this but don’t want to bother with ordering buttermilk during a pandemic… :)
Have you ever tried freezing these into pops? Thinking they would be delicious but not sure how they would freeze.
Thanks for another wonderful recipe! It’s so, so good. I know this is likely too late for much of the country, but it’s finally strawberry season in Maine. For the last couple years I’ve been freezing puréed, macerated portions of fresh picked berries so we can make this year-round. Works a treat! I use ziplocks, freeze them flat, stack them in the door of the freezer (yay, deep freeze). January pick-me-up for the sunlight-deprived munchkins…
So delicious, I look forward to making this every strawberry season!
I added chia seeds and it makes a great breakfast drink!
– I use oat milk and once I made it with thinned yogurt and once with buttermilk.
I have drunk buttermilk since I was a little girl and I love it. I imagine it is an acquired taste but I do not remember acquiring it! I’m from South Carolina.
Your writing is as delicious as your recipes; always makes me chuckle or smile. But I don’t get what’s wrong with buttermilk. I grew up drinking it. It’s tangy, low-cal, good protein. Love it.
Ran into a lady at the store. Asked her, if I bought green onions, would she take half? Cuz the pkg was too big and they’d spoil. In return, she held strawberries in her hand and said: if you follow Smitten Kitchen, look up strawberry milk. You won’t regret it. Food-sharing makes for a nice day.
I made these last night, sampled this morning – SO GOOD!
I’m very glad I tried them.
(And I made biscuits for breakfast w/some of the leftover buttermilk. Mmmm.)
Can I substitute yogurt for the buttermilk ?
I’ve been known to take a swig straight from the carton (my husband hates it) and I’m neither a grandma or from the south. Try buttermilk as a topper to steel cut oats – crazy good.
Years ago (about sixty) we had strawberries and Smetina (local St. Louis brand of sour cream from Raskas Dairy – actually sour 1/2 and 1/2, but delicious!) as a breakfast side dish with toast or bagel, maybe some eggs. Flavor profile sounds very close. Will need to buy strawberries (and buttermilk) today!
Yum! I blended in a mini processor, which left quite a few seeds. Next time I’ll use my standard-size food processor or maybe strain it. Or ignore the seeds (haha). I used half the sugar indicated, and it was fine, although I do believe most people would want it a bit sweeter–maybe 6 Tbs instead of the 8 called for?
Summer in a glass. I use our stick blender for this, and it’s so easy!
We make this every year now along with your strawberry cake after picking berries at a local farm. And if somehow, there is any strawberry milk leftover, it’s turned into popsicles!
Deb, this is the perfect example of why I treasure the e-mails I get from you. It’s like little presents in my inbox!! I would never have thought of this – or if I saw it, I would not have thought it would be good – but your description makes me want to try it and to plant strawberries in my garden just so I can have ‘strawberry milk’ season at my house. Thanks for continuing to try new things and share them with the rest of us!!!
Just made this for my daughter who’s getting her wisdom teeth out today. Frozen strawberries because it’s January in upstate New York. It’s delicious (stole a sip this morning)! And I’ll bet it will make my post-operative daughter much much happier. She’s taking her copy of Keepers back to uni and so is her bestie :)
I’m wondering if the strawberries are already in the blender, why not add the 2 milks to the blender, then mix for a few seconds (?) THEN add everything to a pitcher. This sounds really good!