Cream of tartar is an age old ingredient, found in just about any Snickerdoodle recipe. The common household baker rarely knows what cream of tartar is, let alone has this acidic based salt in their spice cupboard. Suffice it to say you can still enjoy tasty Snickerdoodles even though you may not have any on hand. You may even find you like the end results best with a easy common substitution.
Cream of tartar is generally used in conjunction with baking soda when manufacture Snickerdoodle cookies. Baking soda is the leavening agent while cream of tartar has no leavening qualities at all. It is the acidic counterpart that allows the baking soda to react and not leave a bitter taste in the cookie after it is baked. Baking soda must always be used with an acid based food such as buttermilk, yogurt, fruits, and cream of tartar. A Snickerdoodle method ordinarily calls for two parts cream of tartar to one part baking soda. However, in the absence of cream of tartar you can replace this two to one method with baking powder.
Baking powder is also a leavening agent. It produces a gas during the baking process that raises the baked good in the oven. Baking powder makes a good substitution in this method because it is comfortably made of baking soda, cornstarch, and cream of tartar. If you have baking powder in your cupboard, then you have the cream of tartar necessary to make Snickerdoodles. However, although you can substitute baking powder in your Snickerdoodle recipe, you may arrive at a dissimilar accomplished result. It will taste every bit as good as you want it too, you will find that it is a thicker cookie that has spread less in the oven during the baking period. Since most citizen find this convenient in a cookie then it should not be a problem. If you have always enjoyed thinner, crispier Snickerdoodles, then stick with the original method that uses cream of tartar. Whether you are using the baking soda cream of tartar compound or the baking powder alone, you will make a crackled, spicy, sweet treat enjoyed by all.
Try these Snickerdoodle cookie recipes: one with cream of tartar and one without to see which one you prefer the most.
Snickerdoodle Cookie method - How to Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar