Almond-Coconut Milk vs Buttermilk: The Ultimate Verdict

Almond-coconut milk is the best of both worlds when it comes to almond milk and coconut milk – it’s essentially just a combination of the two! This makes for a fun and interesting twist, as both of its two counterparts are massively popular dairy alternatives.

We’re going to take a closer look at it here, and also compare it to one of the most popular types of milk: buttermilk. 

Buttermilk is often used in baking, providing a unique moistening capability and a tangy, slightly sour flavor that’s often called for! It adds a special dimension to many different dishes…but is it better than almond-coconut milk?

Let’s find out!

Comparing almond-coconut milk vs buttermilk

Almond-coconut milk is a plant-based milk, coming from almonds and coconuts. It has tree nuts as an allergy, and is a great choice for vegan, paleo, and keto diets!

Buttermilk, on the other hand, has milk as an allergen, and is animal-based. Unlike almond-coconut milk, it’s not suitable for vegan, keto, or paleo diets, making it less versatile in special diets. 

	Almond-coconut milk	Buttermilk (lowfat/1%)
Type	Plant-based (nuts)	Animal-based
Allergens	Tree nuts	Milk
Vegan?	Yes	No
Paleo?	Yes	No
Keto?	Yes	No

Differences between almond-coconut nut milk and buttermilk

The main difference between almond-coconut milk and buttermilk is what they’re made from. This creates some differences in their texture and flavor.

Almond-coconut milk comes from both almonds and coconuts, whose milks are both naturally thin and prone to having their fats separate. Therefore, things like sunflower lecithin and gellan gum are often added to almond-coconut milk to give it a smooth and creamy texture – it’s a bit thicker than both the thin almond milk and carton coconut milk! 

It also boasts a delicious flavor with some nutty elements from the almonds, but has a natural boost of sweetness from the coconut milk! This gives it a little tropical vibe as well – it’s the best of both worlds!

Buttermilk is much thicker, and has a tangy and slightly sour taste that’s very different from the sweet nutty and coconuty flavor of almond-coconut milk. It’s usually used in baking, as buttermilk has a great ability of adding moistness! Plus, its tangy flavor adds a really unique and delicious dimension to whatever it’s paired with.

To make buttermilk, a probiotic culture is added to pasteurized or homogenized milk, which essentially ferments it – it’s similar to how kefir is made!

How to use almond-coconut milk vs buttermilk

You can use almond-coconut milk or buttermilk in many different ways that take advantage of their characteristics, like: 

Almond-coconut milk:

• Use as a dairy alternative.
• Blend with tropical fruits like pineapple and mango for a creamy smoothie.
• Add to pancake batter for a subtle coconut flavor.
• Use as a base for creamy curries.
• Froth for delicious lattes.
• Mix into granola or cereal.
• Make dairy-free ice cream.

Buttermilk:

• Drink it by itself.
• Use it for marinades and brines.
• Tenderize meat with it.
• Add its tangy flavor and creamy texture to recipes.
• Moisten different bakes like pancakes, cookies, and cakes.
• Use it to make thick and creamy dressings and dips.

Can you substitute almond-coconut milk for buttermilk?

For things like smoothies and drinking on their own, you can use these interchangeably. However, their flavors are very different, with almond-coconut milk being much sweeter than the tangy and slightly sour buttermilk. They also have different textures – these two things can make some heavy changes in whatever you pair them with, and buttermilk is better kept in baking recipes that call for it!

Nutrition: Almond-coconut milk vs buttermilk

Buttermilk has about 3 times as many calories as almond-coconut milk, but has less overall fat. Almond-coconut milk is super low in carbs, with just 1 gram per serving, while buttermilk has 15 grams – it’s very high in carbs!

Almond-coconut milk boasts a natural sweetness, and so has no sugar in it! Buttermilk has 11 grams per serving, but also boasts 10 grams of protein per serving versus almond-coconut milk’s very poor protein content. 

Both are great in calcium and vitamin D contents, with almond-coconut milk having more in both than buttermilk. 

Per 1 cup (237 ml/8 oz.)	Almond-coconut milk	Buttermilk (lowfat/1%)
Calories	40	120
Total fat (saturated)	3.5 g (1 g)	2.5 g (2 g)
Total carbs	1 g	15 g
Total sugars (incl. added)	0 g	11 g (0 g)
Protein	1 g	10 g
Calcium	35% DV	25% DV
Vit D	25% DV	10% DV

How to store almond-coconut milk and buttermilk

Almond-coconut milk is interesting, because storing coconut milk and almond milk separately is best done in the fridge, but almond milk is usually good for around 7-10 days while coconut milk is good for around 5 days after opening…

For best practice, keep almond-coconut milk in the fridge and try to finish it within 5-7 days!

Buttermilk should be stored in the refrigerator too, and should last you about 7 days unopened. Try to finish it within 5 days of opening for the best freshness – some brands claim they last up to 14 days after opening, but take that with a grain of salt, and always check for spoilage first if you’re keeping it for that long!

Almond-coconut milk vs buttermilk: The ultimate verdict

Almond-coconut milk provides a unique combination of almonds and coconuts, which proves to be quite a delicious and fairly nutritious milk! It’s essentially a creamier version of its two counterparts, and makes for a delicious beverage!

Buttermilk boasts a thick and creamy texture with a very unique flavor profile that works wonders in many bakes. The ability it has to add moistness to things and lend its unique tanginess is hard to replace…

I recommend you keep buttermilk for your baking needs, but almond-coconut milk takes the win for putting two powerhouse milks together into a creamy, sweet, and delicious package!

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