Dairy Food Library
When can babies have buttermilk?
Can babies have buttermilk?
Babies can have buttermilk from about 6 months as an ingredient in foods like oatmeal and purees, and in soft pancakes or muffins from 7–8 months, but not as a drink until 12 months. Choose pasteurized buttermilk, since raw buttermilk can carry harmful bacteria. Buttermilk is a dairy food and a common allergen.
How to serve buttermilk by age
Shapes and textures change as your baby’s grasp and chewing grow.
6 months
Use a small amount of pasteurized buttermilk as an ingredient in smooth foods, such as stirred into oatmeal, mashed potato or a vegetable puree, and offer it on a spoon. Do not give it as a drink, since breast milk or formula is your baby's main drink.
7–8 months
Keep using buttermilk in cooking: stir it into thicker oatmeal or lumpy mashes, or bake soft buttermilk pancakes and muffins and cut them into strips your baby can hold. Buttermilk-marinated chicken cooked until very tender and minced also works.
9–12 months
Keep using buttermilk in cooking, such as soft buttermilk pancakes cut into small pieces, baked oatmeal or tender buttermilk-marinated chicken shredded small. A spoonful stirred into plain yogurt makes a tangy dip for soft veggies.
12 months +
Toddlers can have small sips of plain buttermilk from an open cup, though whole milk or breast milk should stay the main drink. Buttermilk also works in smoothies, dressings and baked goods.
Why it’s good
Buttermilk gives babies calcium, protein, phosphorus, riboflavin and vitamin B12 for bones and growth. Cultured buttermilk often contains live cultures, though cooking destroys them. Most store-bought buttermilk is low fat and contains added salt, so it is not a replacement for whole milk in a toddler's diet.
Safety notes
- Only use pasteurized buttermilk. Raw (unpasteurized) buttermilk can carry Listeria, E. coli and other harmful bacteria and is not safe for babies or toddlers.
- Do not give buttermilk as a drink before 12 months. Like cow's milk, buttermilk can fill a baby up and displace breast milk or formula, which provide iron and other key nutrients.
- Store-bought buttermilk often has added salt. Use it in small amounts in recipes and avoid adding extra salt to baby's portion.
- Buttermilk is usually low fat. After 12 months, whole cow's milk is the recommended main milk, so use buttermilk as an extra rather than a substitute.
- Buttermilk pancakes and baked goods can contain egg and wheat too. Introduce those allergens on their own first if your baby has not had them yet.
Introduce buttermilk on its own, then keep it in
Buttermilk is made from cow's milk, and dairy is one of the Top 9 allergens. Offer it in a small amount and watch for hives, vomiting, swelling, coughing or wheezing; babies with a milk allergy must avoid buttermilk, while babies with lactose intolerance may handle it better than plain milk.
Buttermilk for babies: questions parents ask
Quick answers about buttermilk for babies and toddlers.
When can babies have buttermilk?
Babies can have buttermilk from about 6 months as an ingredient, for example stirred into oatmeal or a puree, and in soft pancakes or muffins from 7–8 months. Buttermilk as a drink should wait until after 12 months, the same as regular cow's milk.
Can babies have buttermilk?
Yes, babies can eat foods made with pasteurized buttermilk from about 6 months. Buttermilk is best used as an ingredient for babies rather than offered in a cup.
Is buttermilk a choking hazard for babies?
No, buttermilk is not a choking hazard because buttermilk is a liquid. Foods made with buttermilk, like pancakes or muffins, should still be cut into age-appropriate shapes and served soft.
Is buttermilk a common allergen?
Yes, buttermilk is a common allergen because buttermilk is made from cow's milk, and dairy is one of the Top 9 food allergens. Introduce buttermilk in a small amount and watch for any signs of reaction.
How do I serve buttermilk to a 6 month old?
To serve buttermilk to a 6 month old, stir a little pasteurized buttermilk into a smooth food like oatmeal, mashed potato or a vegetable puree and offer it on a spoon. Soft buttermilk pancakes cut into strips can follow at 7–8 months.
Can babies drink buttermilk?
Babies under 12 months should not drink buttermilk because breast milk or formula should be the main drink. Toddlers over 12 months can have small sips of buttermilk, but whole milk or breast milk is a better main drink.
When can babies have raw buttermilk?
Raw or unpasteurized buttermilk is not recommended for babies or young children at any age because it can carry dangerous bacteria. Choose buttermilk labeled pasteurized, which is what most grocery stores sell.
Is buttermilk high in sodium?
Store-bought buttermilk usually has more sodium than regular milk because salt is often added. Using buttermilk in small amounts in recipes keeps the sodium in a baby's meal low.
Can I make buttermilk at home for my baby?
Yes, a simple buttermilk swap for baking is pasteurized whole milk mixed with a little lemon juice or vinegar and left for 5 to 10 minutes. This homemade buttermilk has no added salt, which makes it a good choice for baby recipes.
The takeaway
- Babies can have buttermilk from about 6 months as an ingredient in foods like oatmeal and purees, and in soft pancakes or muffins from 7–8 months, but not as a drink until 12 months.
- Use a small amount of pasteurized buttermilk as an ingredient in smooth foods, such as stirred into oatmeal, mashed potato or a vegetable puree, and offer it on a spoon.
- Choking risk is low. Dairy is one of the Top 9 allergens: offer a small amount first, watch for a reaction, then keep it in the diet regularly.
Read next
Sources
This guide follows current advice from these organizations.
- Starting Solid Foods American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Choking Hazards Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Recommended Drinks for Young Children Ages 0-5 American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- Foods and Drinks to Avoid or Limit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Preventing Listeria Infection Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The Effects of Early Nutritional Interventions on the Development of Atopic Disease in Infants and Children Greer FR, Sicherer SH, Burks AW; American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrics. 2019;143(4):e20190281
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Updated November 2026. Reviewed by our dietitians. Based on AAP, CDC and NIAID guidance. Written for healthy, full-term babies; not a substitute for your pediatrician. If your baby was born early, has a medical condition, feeding difficulties or a known allergy, check with them first (medical disclaimer). Always stay with your baby while they eat.