Make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar and get delicious cookies, but without the distinct tangy aftertaste that comes from cream of tartar. Use baking powder instead of cream of tartar and baking soda to discover the cookie you can’t stop eating.

Snickerdoodle cookies are my daughter’s favorite cookie. With that tangy cinnamon sugar sweetness, they have a distinct flavor, thanks to cream of tartar.

So what happens if you don’t have cream of tartar? Can you still make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar? You can make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar, but they won’t be quite the same. The tangy flavor that characterizes old-fashioned snickerdoodles will be absent.

The cookie will taste like a chewy sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon and sugar. Still delicious. And many people prefer this cookie recipe to the tangy aftertaste of traditional snickerdoodles.

So if you are out of cream of tartar, I have you covered. Look for the baking powder snickerdoodle recipe (without cream of tartar and baking soda) at the end of the post.

What do Classic Snickerdoodles Taste Like?

When I think of a snickerdoodle cookie,  I imagine a cookie rolled in a ball and then coated with cinnamon and sugar.

The baked cookie has a top that has crinkled and cracked. The edges are crispy and the center is soft and chewy.

It tastes like cinnamon and sugar, but it has a distinct tangy, somewhat sour aftertaste.

Snickerdoodle cookies made without cream of tartar will still taste amazing. But they will taste closer to chewy sugar cookies than traditional snickerdoodles.

Were the First Snickerdoodles Made Without Cream of Tartar?

According to Stella Parks, author of Brave Tart, snickerdoodles evolved from a nineteenth century “Snip Doodle” cake.  The Snip Doodle was a cinnamon coffee cake made with butter and dusted with sugar.

Over time, the Snip Doodle cake evolved into snickerdoodle cookies. The earliest recipes called for baking powder, not cream of tartar.

In fact, in 1891 Cleveland Baking Powder used the snickerdoodle recipe with baking powder in their national advertising campaigns.

The first baking powder was invented in 1843 to help bread rise without yeast. Over the next decades, food scientists experimented with different substances to find the best chemical formula that would help baked goods rise.

When snickerdoodle cookies evolved, baking powder was not a common household pantry item. Home cooks were accustomed to using baking soda and an acid together to get a leavening reaction.

The combination of cream of tartar and baking soda leavened cookies just as well as baking powder. 

Since cream of tartar and baking soda were more common than baking powder, they were used in the early version of the cookie recipe.

What was in Early Baking Powder?

The product sheet for Cleveland Baking Powder boasted that the baking powder was “perfectly wholesome” with its only ingredients being cream of tartar, soda, and a little flour for strength.

Cream of Tartar Substitutes

Baking powder is a great substitute for baking soda and cream of tartar in baking. It is what you will use in this recipe.

Lemon juice can also replace cream of tartar for some things, such as stabilizing egg whites. However, because it is liquid, it doesn’t always work consistently in baking.

What is the Chemistry of Cream of Tartar and Baking Soda?

Baking soda is alkaline and cream of tartar is acidic. The acid released when cream of tartar dissolves in a batter reacts with baking soda to produce carbon dioxide. This combination becomes the leavening agent in the cookie.

When cream of tartar and baking soda are used, three things happen.

1. The cookie rises as it cooks and then falls as it cools.
2. Cracks appear in the cookie.
3. A tangy aftertaste mingles with the cinnamon sugar taste.

Cream of tartar also weakens gluten. As the gluten weakens, the cookie can become more tender. It can also make the crumb fine, tight, and whiter.

Fortunately, baking powder can fulfill the function of the combination of cream of tartar and baking soda.

Pro Tips (for all snickerdoodle recipes)

I recommend these special tips and techniques for any snickerdoodle recipe on this blog. You may think this is a unique way to make cookies. It is. And you will be able to taste the difference in this cookie versus all the other snickerdoodles you’ve eaten.

To read more about these techniques, go to my post on the best classic snickerdoodle cookies.

Sift the flour before you measure it.

When you sift the flour back and forth between two bowls, it makes a huge difference in the softness and fluffiness of the cookie.

I usually sift the flour 4 to 6 times, but you can get away with 3 or 4 times. Use a strainer and two big bowls. It is easy and only takes about 3 minutes. It is well worth this short amount of time.

Weigh the ingredients. Don’t measure by volume.

You will get consistent results if you weigh ingredients — especially the flour. Digital kitchen scales are inexpensive, yet so effective.

No one scoops and measures flour with the same results. But everyone can weigh 396 grams of flour with the same results.

Use the right ratio of cinnamon to white sugar.

Use a 1:3 cinnamon sugar ratio. This is 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to every 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) of sugar. This is the ideal ratio to taste the cinnamon, but not be overwhelmed by it.

Stir the cinnamon-sugar mixture together in a small bowl.

Calibrate your oven. Make sure you are baking at the right temperature.

Use an oven thermometer and find out how accurate your oven temperature is. When you calibrate your oven, you will get more consistent baking times.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

The #1 reason to use a liner is so the cookies can cool for a few minutes on the baking mat without sticking to it.

I recommend using a Nordic Ware baking pan with a parchment sheet on it for best results. It is my favorite way to bake cookies. Or line the pan with a silicone baking mat. (Affiliate links)

If you use a regular baking sheet, you must transfer the cookies to a wire rack before 3 minutes have passed.  Otherwise, the cookies will stick to the pan and you will have to scrape them off.

Don’t overbake the cookies.

Bake the cookies just until the edges are set, but the very center of the cookie isn’t quite done yet. The cookie won’t be doughy, but will have a nice golden brown color. The residual heat from the pan will finish baking the cookie centers when you take them out of the oven.

If you cook the cookies too long, they will get hard and dry very quickly. Keep your cookies soft by not over-baking.

Rest the cookies before eating them. (Yes, you need willpower.)

This step is optional. However, I discovered that cookies taste amazing after they have rested a few hours in an airtight container. Or even better, they have been frozen for a day or so, and then brought back to room temperature. 

They are soft, chewy, fluffy — everything you want in delicious snickerdoodles.

All of these tips will help make your cookie recipe stand out. However, you will notice a difference in your cookies even if you try only a couple of the tips.

Instructions for the Best Snickerdoodle Cookies

These directions will yield soft, thick, chewy snickerdoodle cookies. Some of the steps will be unique. But if you want the perfect cookie, the one everyone talks about, then follow the steps.

Prep Work

• Take the butter out of the fridge and bring it to room temperature. The ideal butter temperature is between 62 to 65°F (16 to 20°C).

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (225°C).

• Grab two big bowls and a mesh colander (or flour sifter). Sift the flour into a large bowl. Then sift it into the second bowl. Repeat the sifting once more. The flour will be light and airy.

Mixing the Batter

• Measure the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) into a bowl. Stir a couple of times. Set it aside.

• Cream the sugar and butter in a separate large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer for 1½ to 3 minutes, or until the texture progresses from sandy to creamy.

• Add the vanilla and the cold eggs into the butter mixture. (Remember, the eggs should come straight from the fridge.) Blend on low speed until the eggs are mixed into the cookie batter.

• Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until the flour is thoroughly mixed in. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to get all of the flour.

Scooping, Coating, and Baking

• Use a heavy-duty baking tray, like a Nordic Ware baking sheet. Line the cookie sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

• In a small, shallow bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon together with a spoon until blended.

• Use a 2-tablespoon muffin scoop to scoop out the dough. (This size scoop will give you a large, thick cookie.)

• Roll dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture a couple of times until the ball is completely coated. Place it on the lined baking sheet.

• Repeat rolling out all the cookie dough balls. Space them about 2 inches apart. A half-sheet baking pan will hold 6 cookies.

• Bake in the hot oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set, but the middles don’t look entirely done yet. They should not be doughy but slightly underbaked. The baking time will vary based on dough thickness and your oven temperature.

• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. This gives the cookies a chance to finish baking with the residual heat from the pan and solidify.

• After 5 minutes, transfer the cookies from the cookie sheet to the cooling rack.

Cooling and Resting

The cooling and resting phase is one of the most important but often skipped parts of making cookies. It takes patience, but you will love the taste of the cookies if you do it.

• Cool the cookies on the wire rack until they are completely cool. This could take 30 to 60 minutes, depending on your kitchen temperature.

• When the cookies are cool, place them in an airtight container for 1 to 2 hours. (Or freeze them overnight. See instructions below.)

• After the cookies have rested in the closed container, serve them. You will love the soft and chewy texture and unbelievable taste.

Freezing the Cookies

My favorite time to eat the cookies is after they have been frozen overnight and then thawed. Try it if you are patient enough.

• After the cookies are completely cool, stack them in columns of 3 or 4.

• Double wrap them in plastic wrap.

• Place the cookies in an airtight freezer container.

• Freeze at least overnight, but several days is fine too.

• Remove from the freezer several hours before serving them. Allow the cookies to come to room temperature. If you have a lot of cookies, thaw them overnight. If you want to eat just one, thaw it for an hour.

What to Serve with Snickerdoodles (or any chewy cookie)

• Hot chocolate. Hot chocolate is the way to go if you are eating these holiday cookies in the winter. Try hot chocolate made with chocolate chips for a quick, tasty drink.

• A cold glass of milk. Classics are always the best. Or try almond milk or chocolate almond milk. In our house, some people think dunking a cookie is the best part.

Can you Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar?

You bet! And they will taste great. Enjoy the recipe below.

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• Try our famous pumpkin snickerdoodles, a twist on the classic cookie. The pumpkin puree and brown sugar make a slightly darker cookie. Roll them in sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.