Snickerdoodles Without Cream Of Tartar

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Can you make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar? Yes, you can! This recipe for snickerdoodle cookies without cream of tartar makes soft, sugar-coated, chewy snickerdoodle cookies just like the traditional version! The best part? They are super easy to make, and are ready in just 30 minutes!

These snickerdoodle cookies are made with basic pantry ingredients and two secret ingredients – lemon juice and baking powder! The lemon juice combined with the baking powder acts as a perfect cream of tartar substitution, giving the cookies their signature tangy flavor and soft texture. It works with the baking powder in the recipe for the perfect leavening agent. You’ll get the classic flavor of traditional snickerdoodle cookies but without using cream of tartar! 

Our recipe stands out because it’s not just about creating a delicious cookie, but also about making baking accessible and fun. You don’t need fancy ingredients or complicated techniques to make these snickerdoodles with baking powder. All you need is a love for sweet treats and a willingness to try something new.

The dough for these homemade snickerdoodles is flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, creating a warm, comforting aroma that fills your kitchen as they bake. The cookies are then rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture, adding an extra layer of sweetness and spice. They’re perfect for serving at holiday gatherings, as an after-school snack, or just because you’re in the mood for a sweet treat.

These delicious cookies are sweet, slightly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside – kind of like a sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar, but so much better! You might even prefer the taste of these cookies over traditional snickerdoodles.

Not only does this best snickerdoodle recipe have NO cream of tartar, but it’s ready in just 30 minutes!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love Snickerdoodles With No Cream Of Tartar

• Plant-Based: This easy snickerdoodle recipe is perfect for vegans and vegetarians. With the option of using vegan butter and flax eggs, it’s a delightful treat that aligns with a plant-based diet.
• Quick And Easy: Who doesn’t love a quick and easy recipe? With just a few simple steps and a cooking time of only about ten minutes, you can have this snickerdoodle recipe with baking powder ready in just 30 minutes!
• Simple Ingredients: This recipe is made with pantry staples that you likely already have on hand. There’s no need for a special trip to the grocery store for that obscure ingredient that you really can’t use in many other recipes.
• Delicious Cinnamon Flavor And Texture: This recipe will give you that classic soft, chewy texture that we have all come to love about classic snickerdoodle cookies!
• Crowd-Pleaser: Whether you’re hosting a party or bringing a dish to a potluck, these plant based snickerdoodles are sure to please. They’re soft, chewy, and coated in sweet cinnamon sugar – great for any time of year!

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🥘 Ingredients

Make soft snickerdoodles without cream of tartar and you’re guaranteed to have a pantry friendly recipe with ingredients you already have on hand (or can easily find at any grocery store!) See the full instructions and nutritional information in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

For The Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough

• All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of our cookie dough, all-purpose flour gives structure to the cookies.
• Baking Powder: To give our cookies a little lift, we use baking powder. It helps make the cookies light and fluffy and is our cream of tartar substitute in snickerdoodles. Baking powder is a combination of baking soda and an acid (like cream of tartar!) The two create air bubbles that cause the cookies to rise.
• Ground Cinnamon: This warm spice infuses our vegan friendly snickerdoodles with a delightful, homey flavor that’s classic to this cookie.
• Unsalted Butter Or Vegan Butter: Butter adds richness and moisture to the cookies. Just make sure that you use room temperature butter for easier creaming with the sugar, and to ensure the best snickerdoodle cookie texture.
• Sugar: The sweetness in our cookie dough comes from sugar. It also helps the cookies brown and lends a beautiful golden hue. You’ll want to use cane sugar, not brown sugar, to achieve the right texture in your cookies.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract enhances the flavors in these tasty cookies, giving them a depth of sweetness.
• Lemon Juice: A little lemon juice adds the tang and slightly sour flavor you would expect from chewy snickerdoodles!
• Eggs Or Flax Eggs: Eggs add structure, leavening, and flavor to these cookies. If you’re vegan, flax eggs will work just as well!

For The Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• Sugar: An extra roll in sugar gives our easy snickerdoodles a sweet, crisp exterior. Make sure to use cane sugar and not brown sugar for the perfect coating.
• Cinnamon: More cinnamon in the coating intensifies the warm, spiced flavor that’s signature to this easy snickerdoodle cookies recipe.

🍲 Ingredient Substitutions

• Flour: You can use whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour if you have dietary restrictions. Keep in mind that this may alter the texture of your cookies.
• Cinnamon: While cinnamon is a key flavor in snickerdoodles, you can experiment with other spices like nutmeg or allspice for a different twist.
• Butter: Coconut oil can be used as a substitute for butter in this snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tartar. Make sure it is solid and not melted to keep the texture of the cookies.
• Vanilla Extract: If you don’t have vanilla extract, you can use maple syrup or almond extract as a substitute.

Cream Of Tartar Replacements For Snickerdoodles

Instead of baking powder + lemon juice, there are some other options you can try if you don’t have both of these ingredients on hand!

• Baking Powder + Vinegar: Vinegar can be used as a substitute for lemon juice as a 1:1 substitution.
• Just Baking Powder: You can use baking powder on its own as a substitute for cream of tartar in snickerdoodles. You’ll need 3 parts baking powder to replace 2 parts cream of tartar.
• Buttermilk: You’ll need 1/4 cup buttermilk to replace 1/8 tsp cream of tartar, but make sure to remove 1/4 cup of the liquid in the recipe as well.

🔪 How To Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream Of Tartar

This easy snickerdoodle cookie recipe without cream of tartar is so simple to make! You don’t even need to chill the cookie dough like you do in most other recipes. For a complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, see the recipe card below.

Preheat The Oven And Prepare Baking Tray: Start by preheating your oven to a temperature of 350 degrees F or approximately 180 C. Get your cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper. Once done, set this aside for later use.

Mix Dry Ingredients: Grab a large mixing bowl and whisk together your flour, baking powder, and a touch of cinnamon. Set this mixture aside as well.

Beat Butter And Sugar: Now, it is time to make the dough. Put your softened butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, or use a mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer. With the paddle attachment, beat on a medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until you get a light and fluffy mixture.

Add Wet Ingredients: Reduce the mixer’s speed, and add in the vanilla extract, lemon juice, and egg. Beat these ingredients until smooth.

Mix Wet + Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined to make your snickerdoodle dough.

Make Cookie Balls: Using a 2oz ice cream scoop or a cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, do not flatten. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Make Cinnamon Sugar Mixture: In a small mixing bowl stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Gently roll each cookie dough ball in cinnamon sugar. Return all the cinnamon-sugar rolled cookie dough balls to the baking sheet.

Bake No Cream Of Tartar Snickerdoodles: Bake in the oven for 9-11 minutes. (Note: Cookies are done when the outer edges are lightly golden brown in color and the center still looks slightly undercooked.)

Let Baked Cookies Cool: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before cooling completely on a wire rack. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 5 days.

💭 Expert Tips

• Soften Your Butter! For best results, make sure that the butter/vegan butter is softened at room temperature. It will help the sugar and butter cream together, which results in a lighter fluffy texture.
• Chill The Dough: If you have time, chill the dough – you’ll need about an hour of chill time in the fridge. This will help give these snickerdoodle cookies with no cream of tartar a chewier texture.
• Avoid Overmixing: Don’t over mix the batter when adding the flour mixture, overmixing results in tough cookies.
• Don’t Overcook: Cooking times may vary based on your oven. Do not over cook the cookies, keep an eye on them and remove them from the oven when the centers are looking slightly undercooked. You may want to even under bake the cookies just a bit. This will help the cookies stay chewy, light and fluffy for a longer period of time. The longer you keep your cookies in the oven, the more crispy they’ll be in texture.
• Cookies Will Fall As They Cool: The cookies are done when the edges are slightly golden and the center is still soft. They should be puffy when they come out of the oven, and as they cool they will flatten and very slightly harden.

📖 Variations

This easy snickerdoodle recipe with no cream of tartar is super simple to customize! Here are some of our favorite variations:

• Snickerdoodle Oatmeal Cookies: If you’re a fan of oats and their heart-healthy benefits, try replacing half of the all-purpose flour with rolled oats or oat flour. This variation brings a wholesome twist and added texture to your snickerdoodles.
• Snickerdoodle Chocolate Chip Cookies: Who can resist the classic combination of cinnamon and chocolate? Add a half cup of chocolate chips into the batter for a delightful surprise. If you’re sticking to a vegan diet, make sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips.
• Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies: For a taste of fall, replace the cinnamon with pumpkin spice. This change will give your cookies a warm, seasonal flavor that pairs perfectly with a hot cup of apple cider or pumpkin latte.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Whether you’re whipping up a batch of these snickerdoodles without cream of tartar for a special occasion or just because, there are endless ways to incorporate them into your meals. Here are a few of our favorite serving suggestions:

• Breakfast: Start your day with a sweet treat by pairing these perfect cookies with some peanut butter baked oatmeal or a refreshing breakfast fruit salad. They also make a delightful companion to a cup of coffee or tea. (Learn More: How To Make Tea).
• Brunch: Why not include these chewy cookies in your brunch spread? They’d go perfectly with a silken tofu scramble, vegan protein pancakes, or a colorful strawberry smoothie bowl.
• Afternoon Snack: These snickerdoodles make a great pick-me-up in the afternoon. Serve them alongside a glass of peach milk or your favorite plant-based yogurt for a satisfying snack.
• Dessert: Of course, these snickerdoodle sugar cookies shine as a dessert. Serve them with a scoop of vegan ice cream or a dollop of coconut whipped cream for a sweet end to any meal.

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

This snickerdoodles without cream of tartar recipe is already fairly adaptable, but let’s make sure it fits all dietary restrictions. 

• Vegan Snickerdoodles: This recipe is already vegan-friendly if you opt for vegan butter and flax eggs. Just make sure to check the labels on your other ingredients to make sure they’re vegan too!
• Gluten-Free: To make these gluten-free snickerdoodles, simply replace the all-purpose flour with your favorite gluten-free flour blend. Keep in mind that gluten-free flours absorb liquids differently, so you may need to adjust the amount of flour used.
• Dairy-Free Snickerdoodles: Dairy-free is easy with this recipe. Just use vegan butter instead of regular butter. There are many great vegan butters on the market that bake just like dairy butter!

🫙 Storage Directions

• At Room Temperature: Once the cookies have cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store at room temperature for 4-5 days. To keep your cookies even more fresh, you can wrap each one in plastic wrap before transferring them to the container for storage.
• To Freeze: Let the cookies cool completely. Wrap each cookie in plastic wrap, then transfer to an airtight freezer safe ziptop bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, let the cookie thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm in the oven at 200 degrees F until just heated through. You can also bake them straight from frozen at 175-200 degrees F for 5-10 minutes until warm.

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📋 Recipe Card