Buttermilk cookie recipes turn an everyday pantry staple into the secret behind the softest, tangiest, most tender cookies you'll ever pull out of your oven.
If you've got leftover buttermilk sitting in the fridge after a batch of pancakes or biscuits, you're in luck — buttermilk is one of the best-kept secrets in cookie baking. It adds a subtle tang, keeps crumb texture incredibly soft, and helps cookies stay fresh for days. Below you'll find a full lineup of buttermilk cookie recipes, from classic soft-batch sugar cookies to oatmeal raisin, thumbprint, and coconut varieties — plus tips, substitutions, and storage tricks to make every batch a success.
12+ Delicious Buttermilk Cookie Recipes You Must Try Today!
A collection of soft, tangy, bakery-style buttermilk cookies for every craving — from classic to citrus to chocolate chip.
Quick Jump
Why You'll Love These Buttermilk Cookies
Buttermilk's mild acidity reacts with baking soda to create extra lift, so these cookies bake up thicker and softer than a standard butter cookie. The tang also balances sweetness beautifully, which is why buttermilk shows up so often in old-fashioned Southern baking. Here's what makes this lineup worth bookmarking:
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Buttermilk: Full-fat buttermilk gives the richest texture, but low-fat works fine too.
- No buttermilk on hand? Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of regular milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
- Butter: Use unsalted, softened butter for the best creaming and control over salt levels.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works for every recipe below; spoon and level it rather than scooping directly from the bag.
- Leaveners: Because buttermilk is acidic, most of these recipes rely on baking soda rather than baking powder for lift.
12+ Buttermilk Cookie Recipes You Must Try
Each recipe below makes roughly two dozen cookies and uses the same basic buttermilk-cookie method: cream butter and sugar, mix in buttermilk and egg, fold in dry ingredients, then bake at 350°F (175°C) until just set.
1. Classic Soft Buttermilk Sugar Cookies
Ingredients: 2¾ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in egg, vanilla, and buttermilk.
- Whisk dry ingredients separately, then fold into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Scoop onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes until edges are set.
2. Buttermilk Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients: 1½ cups rolled oats, 1¾ cups flour, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup butter, 1 egg, 1 cup raisins, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda.
- Cream butter and brown sugar, then mix in egg and buttermilk.
- Stir in oats, flour, cinnamon, and baking soda until a thick dough forms.
- Fold in raisins, scoop, and bake at 350°F for 11–13 minutes.
3. Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients: 2½ cups flour, ¾ cup sugar, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup butter, 1 egg, 2 cups chocolate chips, 1 tsp baking soda.
- Cream butters and sugars, then beat in egg and buttermilk.
- Mix in flour and baking soda until just combined, then fold in chocolate chips.
- Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes for chewy centers with crisp edges.
4. Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Drop Cookies
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp baking soda.
- Cream butter, sugar, and nutmeg, then add egg, vanilla, and buttermilk.
- Fold in flour and baking soda until a soft, cakey dough forms.
- Drop by rounded spoonfuls and bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes.
5. Buttermilk Snickerdoodles
Ingredients: 2¾ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp baking soda, 2 tbsp cinnamon-sugar for rolling.
- Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg and buttermilk.
- Mix in flour and baking soda, then roll dough balls in cinnamon-sugar.
- Bake at 350°F for 9–11 minutes until the tops crackle slightly.
6. Buttermilk Lemon Cookies
Ingredients: 2½ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup butter, 1 egg, zest of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp baking soda.
- Cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest until fragrant.
- Beat in egg, buttermilk, and lemon juice.
- Fold in flour and baking soda, then bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.
7. Buttermilk Coconut Cookies
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 cup shredded coconut, ¾ cup sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp baking soda.
- Cream butter and sugar, then mix in egg and buttermilk.
- Fold in flour, baking soda, and shredded coconut.
- Scoop and bake at 350°F for 11–13 minutes until edges turn golden.
8. Buttermilk Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, ¾ cup peanut butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp baking soda.
- Cream butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Beat in egg and buttermilk, then fold in flour and baking soda.
- Press with a fork in a crosshatch pattern and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.
9. Buttermilk Molasses Spice Cookies
Ingredients: 2½ cups flour, ⅓ cup molasses, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp cloves, 1 tsp baking soda.
- Cream butter and brown sugar, then beat in molasses, egg, and buttermilk.
- Mix in flour, spices, and baking soda until a soft dough forms.
- Bake at 350°F for 11–13 minutes for a deep, warmly spiced cookie.
10. Buttermilk Thumbprint Jam Cookies
Ingredients: 2¼ cups flour, ¾ cup sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup butter, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ cup fruit jam, 1 tsp baking soda.
- Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk.
- Fold in flour and baking soda, then roll into balls and press a thumbprint into each.
- Fill with jam and bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes until the edges are golden.
11. Buttermilk White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
Ingredients: 2½ cups flour, ¾ cup sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup butter, 1 egg, 1 cup white chocolate chips, ¾ cup chopped macadamia nuts, 1 tsp baking soda.
- Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg and buttermilk.
- Fold in flour, baking soda, white chocolate, and macadamia nuts.
- Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
12. Iced Buttermilk Cookies
Ingredients: 2¾ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking soda; for icing: 1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp buttermilk.
- Prepare and bake the base dough as in the Classic recipe (Recipe 1).
- Whisk powdered sugar with buttermilk until smooth and pourable.
- Drizzle or dip cooled cookies in icing and let set before serving.
13. Buttermilk Brown Butter Cookies (Bonus)
Ingredients: 2½ cups flour, 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup butter (browned and cooled), 1 egg, 1 tsp baking soda.
- Brown the butter in a saucepan until nutty and fragrant, then cool slightly.
- Whisk in brown sugar, egg, and buttermilk until glossy.
- Fold in flour and baking soda, then bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the chill time: Softer, wetter doughs (like these buttermilk ones) benefit from 20–30 minutes in the fridge to prevent excess spreading.
- Overmixing after adding flour: This develops gluten and leads to tougher, denser cookies.
- Using cold buttermilk with room-temp butter: Bring buttermilk closer to room temperature first so the batter blends evenly.
- Overbaking: Pull cookies when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone — they firm up as they cool.
Ways to Customize This Roundup
Quick Version
Stick to the Classic Sugar Cookie or Chocolate Chip recipe for the fastest mix-to-oven time.
Budget-Friendly Version
Oatmeal Raisin and Snickerdoodles use the fewest specialty ingredients.
Family-Friendly Version
Iced Buttermilk Cookies and Thumbprint Jam Cookies are fun for kids to help decorate.
Make-Ahead Version
Most doughs here freeze well as scooped balls — bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.
Storage & Reheating
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, layering parchment between iced or filled cookies. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months, or freeze raw dough balls and bake directly from frozen. To refresh day-old cookies, warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–4 minutes.
Master Buttermilk Cookie Recipe
The base dough used throughout this roundup — soft, tangy, and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients: 2¾ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, ½ cup buttermilk, ¾ cup softened butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt.
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Beat in egg, vanilla, and buttermilk until smooth.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt separately, then fold into the wet mixture just until combined.
- Scoop 1½-tablespoon portions onto sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set but centers look soft; cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring.
Notes: Swap in any mix-ins from the recipes above — chocolate chips, oats, citrus zest, or spices — using this same base ratio.
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Buttermilk cookie recipes are the secret to the softest cookies you will ever bake. This list has 12 sweet treats, from classic sugar cookies to chocolate chip, lemon, and peanut butter. The steps are easy and the cookies stay soft for days. Pick your favorite and start baking - your kitchen will smell amazing.