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!

Traditional snickerdoodle cookies are one of those classic cookies that you can find in almost any bakery, any time of year. Typically, these chewy cookies are made with cream of tartar, which acts as both a leavening agent and provides a tangy flavor that you have likely come to expect in perfect snickerdoodles.

But you don’t need cream of tartar to make the best snickerdoodle cookies that you’ll want to keep eating again and again! This baking powder snickerdoodle cookies recipe uses baking powder as a substitute for the cream of tartar + baking soda in the traditional recipe.

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You’ll get all of the deliciousness of classic snickerdoodles, but you won’t have to go shopping for that obscure ingredient that you really can’t use in many other recipes.

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 snickerdoodle recipe have NO cream of tartar, but it’s ready in just 30 minutes!

✔️ What Is A Snickerdoodle Cookie?

Classic snickerdoodle cookies are different from other sugar cookies, with three main distinctions:

1. Cream of tartar is added to the cookie batter to give these cookies their distinct tang and chewy texture.
2. Unlike regular sugar cookies, snickerdoodles are rolled in cinnamon sugar.
3. Snickerdoodles have a distinct cracked top, vs. the smooth surface of a sugar cookie.

This recipe for snickerdoodle cookies with no cream of tartar is similar to the traditional version, with an easy substitution for #1 above of course!

Where Did Snickerdoodles Come From?

Snickerdoodles have been around since the late 1800s, and actually evolved from a ship doodle cake -which was a cinnamon sugar coffee cake.

The first snickerdoodles (developed by Cleveland Baking Powder in the 1890s) were actually made with baking powder! But baking powder was not a common ingredient in homes at that time, cream of tartar + baking soda was often used for rise in baking. Which is why, when the recipe for this classic cookie was developed for the masses, cream of tartar + baking soda was used instead of baking powder.

What Do Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies Taste Like?

Classic snickerdoodles taste like a sweet sugar cookie with a cinnamon flavor, but they also have a slightly tangy and sour taste thanks to the cream of tartar. They are crispy on the outside, and chewy on the inside.

🫙 What Is Cream Of Tartar?

Contrary to its name, cream of tartar is not made from cream! It’s actually a dry, powder-like substance that’s a byproduct of wine making!

Cream of tartar is often used in combination with baking soda in baking recipes. The two ingredients together act as a leavening agent in baked goods (helps them rise and become nice and fluffy). Cream of tartar can also be used as a substitute for baking powder for this exact reason. If you need a baking powder substitute, 1 teaspoon of baking powder = 1/4 teaspoon baking soda + 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar.

Other fun uses of cream of tartar include: helping to stabilize meringue when beating egg whites, helping boiled vegetables to retain their bright color (you add just a pinch during the boiling process), and as an ingredient in homemade playdoh!

What Does Cream Of Tartar Do In Snickerdoodles?

If you’re wondering why easy snickerdoodles need cream of tartar, it’s basically what gives these tasty cookies their tangy flavor and chewy texture. However, you can still get that same feel with baking powder snickerdoodles by adding a bit of lemon juice along with the baking powder to get that same tang.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• Sweet cinnamon sugar coating
• Great for the whole family
• Made with pantry staples
• Fluffy snickerdoodle recipe
• Easy recipe to make
• Simple to customize!
• Soft and chewy cookies
• Best snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tartar ever!

🥘 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.

• All Purpose Flour: The base of our Snickerdoodle cookie dough!
• Baking Powder: This 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 + Sugar: Included in the cookie dough to give the cookies their classic flavor, and you’ll also be using a cinnamon sugar mixture to coat the cookies before baking. You’ll want to use cane sugar, not brown sugar, to achieve the right texture in your cookies and for the coating.
• Butter Or Vegan Butter: Butter gives these cookies a rich and soft texture. You’ll want to use room temperature butter so that it’s easy to cream with your sugar. I haven’t tested this recipe with coconut oil (or any other oil) – but my guess is it would alter the recipe and fluffy texture of the cookie. For the best snickerdoodle cookie, use vegan butter.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract is a flavor enhancer in baked goods, and it helps to bring out the sweetness of these cookies.
• 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. Flax eggs will work just as well!

📖 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: Use rolled oats for 1/2 of the all purpose flour and make this recipe as is! You can also use oat flour for 1/2 of the all purpose flour instead of the rolled oats.
• Snickerdoodle Chocolate Chip Cookies: Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips into the batter! To keep it vegan friendly, use dairy free chocolate chips.
• Vegan Snickerdoodles: Use vegan butter and flax eggs instead of regular butter and eggs. If you just need your recipe to be egg free, but not dairy free, you can make a snickerdoodle recipe without eggs by just substituting the flax eggs for regular.
• Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies: Use pumpkin spice instead of the cinnamon in a 1:1 replacement in this recipe!

📓 Substitutes For Cream Of Tartar In Snickerdoodles

The best substitution for cream of tartar in snickerdoodle cookies (or any baking recipe) is to use baking powder (which is the key ingredient in our recipe!)

You can also use lemon juice or vinegar to give you that acidic cream of tartar taste in some recipes.

However, it won’t always work in baked goods without something like baking powder paired with it. This is because lemon juice or vinegar alone isn’t a leavening agent, it only provides the flavor of cream of tartar but won’t help your baked goods rise. You need a snickerdoodle recipe with baking powder for that!

🔪 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. Here’s how you do it:

Preheat Your Oven, Mix Dry Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F / 180 C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, set aside. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon, set aside.

Cream Butter, Sugar & Wet Ingredients: Place the softened butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, beat on a medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce speed, add the vanilla extract, lemon juice and egg. Beat 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 Topping: 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.

❓Recipe FAQs

💭 Expert Tips

• Sift flour: For best results, and for super soft and fluffy cookies, sift the flour 2-3 times before you measure it.
• Use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients – go by weight when measuring!
• Butter should be room temperature: Make sure that the vegan butter is softened at room temperature. It will help the sugar and butter cream which results in a lighter fluffier cookie.
• Chilling dough is optional: If you have time, chill the dough for at least an hour. This will help give the cookies a chewier texture.
• Under bake the cookies just a bit. It will help this chewy snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tartar stay 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 – don’t overbake your cookies or they will be too hard!
• Storage is important: Once your cookies have cooled, transfer them immediately to an airtight container to retain their moisture and soft chewy texture.
• Don’t crowd your oven: If you can, I recommend baking these cookies one pan at a time in the oven in a couple of batches. If you need to put both sheet pans in the oven at the same time, adjust your oven racks so that they’re closer to the middle vs. too far towards the top or bottom.
• 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.

🍪 More Delicious Cookie Recipes!

• Tahini Oatmeal Cookies
• Lemon Blueberry Cookies
• Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Banana Oatmeal Cookies
• Mochi Cookies
• Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
• Secretly Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

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