Out of Cream of tartar, one case

Cream of tartar substitute for snickerdoodles

2 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 2 options

Use Baking powder

1 tsp for every ½ tsp cream of tartar + ¼ tsp baking soda

In snickerdoodles, replace the cream of tartar and the baking soda together with baking powder: 1 tsp baking powder for every ½ tsp cream of tartar plus ¼ tsp baking soda, and leave the soda out. The cookies rise, but they lose the tang and some of the chew that cream of tartar gives. Do not drop the cream of tartar and keep the soda.

Verdict —: You'll taste it
The tweak —: Leave out both the cream of tartar and the baking soda. Keep the total near 1 to 1 ¼ tsp baking powder per cup of flour, and for tang add ½ tsp lemon juice or swap 2 tbsp of the sugar for brown sugar.
Best for —: classic snickerdoodles
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full cream of tartar card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Cream of tartar substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of cream of tartar	Verdict
1	Baking powderclassic snickerdoodles	1 tsp per ½ tsp cream of tartar + ¼ tsp baking sodaYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
2	Tartaric acidsnickerdoodles that should taste the same	½ tsp per 1 tspTweak it	Tweak it
Not a swap	Lemon juice or vinegar	not a swapNot for this	Not for this
Not a swap	Baking soda alone	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option2 options

Baking powder

a cinnamon sugar cookie; the sour-tangy edge is gone

Baking powder is baking soda with its acid already mixed in, so it replaces the cream of tartar and the soda as a pair and gives the same lift.

Best for: classic snickerdoodles, snickerdoodle bars, any cookie that lists cream of tartar and baking soda
Prep: Leave out both the cream of tartar and the baking soda. Keep the total near 1 to 1 ¼ tsp baking powder per cup of flour, and for tang add ½ tsp lemon juice or swap 2 tbsp of the sugar for brown sugar.
Where it fails: Flavor and texture, not rise: the cookie is slightly cakier and less chewy, and it does not taste like a snickerdoodle to someone who knows them.

Tartaric acid

the same tang

The acid cream of tartar is made from, at about twice the strength. It is the one swap that keeps both the rise and the tang.

Best for: snickerdoodles that should taste the same, bakers who keep it for winemaking or candy
Prep: Use half the amount the recipe gives for cream of tartar and keep the baking soda as written. Whisk it into the flour.
Where it fails: Used 1:1 it tastes harsh and metallic. Few kitchens have it.

Lemon juice or vinegar

a little tang, without the lift

These replace cream of tartar in meringue, where the acid stabilizes egg whites. In cookie dough the job is different: the acid has to fire the baking soda in the oven.

Best for: meringue, not cookie dough
Where it fails: A wet acid reacts with the baking soda as soon as the dough is mixed, so much of the gas escapes before baking. Use baking powder for the rise; ½ tsp lemon juice on top of it is only for flavor.

Baking soda alone

flat and soapy

Leaving the cream of tartar out and baking the recipe as written with only its baking soda is the most common mistake.

Best for: nothing here
Where it fails: The soda has no acid to react with: the cookies come out flat, with the soapy taste of leftover baking soda.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeCream of tartar

Snickerdoodles are the one cookie where cream of tartar is a flavor as well as a leavener. With baking soda it makes the dough rise; what is left over gives the faint sour tang and helps keep the cookie soft and chewy. A substitute can match the rise more easily than the taste.

Tips for substituting cream of tartar

5 tips

The conversion is 1 tsp baking powder for every ½ tsp cream of tartar plus ¼ tsp baking soda. A recipe with 1 tsp cream of tartar and ½ tsp soda takes 2 tsp baking powder.
A common full batch uses 2 tsp cream of tartar and 1 tsp baking soda with about 2 ¾ cups flour. The straight conversion is 4 tsp baking powder; staying near 1 to 1 ¼ tsp per cup of flour puts it at about 1 tbsp, which avoids a baking powder taste.
For tang, add ½ tsp lemon juice to the dough, or swap 2 tbsp of the white sugar for brown sugar. Neither is the same as cream of tartar; both are closer than nothing.
Chill the dough 30 minutes before rolling it in cinnamon sugar. Baking powder dough spreads a little differently, and cold dough holds its shape.
Pull the cookies when the edges are set and the centers still look soft. Without cream of tartar they are less chewy, and overbaking makes that worse.

Questions

4 questions

Can I just leave the cream of tartar out of snickerdoodles?

Not on its own. The cream of tartar is the acid that makes the baking soda work, so leaving it out and keeping the soda gives flat, soapy cookies. Take both out and use baking powder: 1 teaspoon for every ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar plus ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.

Will snickerdoodles taste the same with baking powder?

No. They rise, but the tang is gone and the crumb is a little cakier, so they taste like a soft cinnamon sugar cookie. Adding ½ teaspoon of lemon juice or swapping 2 tablespoons of the sugar for brown sugar brings back some of the tang.

I already baked a batch without cream of tartar and it came out flat. Can I fix the rest of the dough?

Partly. The remaining dough still has its baking soda and no acid. Work in ½ teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar for each ¼ teaspoon of baking soda that portion of dough contains, and bake it straight away, because the two react as soon as they meet. Nothing can be done for the cookies already baked.

Can I use lemon juice in place of cream of tartar in snickerdoodles?

Not as the leavening acid. Lemon juice reacts with the baking soda while you mix, and the gas is gone before the cookies reach the oven. Use baking powder for the rise, and add ½ teaspoon of lemon juice only for flavor.