Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar

Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar have all that classic snickerdoodle taste without the acidic hit of cream of tartar. This recipe is made with simple ingredients and relies on cream cheese for a hint of 'tang'. Best of all they're made in one bowl, are no-chill, and bake in 10 minutes!

These snickerdoodles without cream of tartar are quite possibly the best cookie recipe on my site. They have all the classic taste of a snickerdoodle but are made with cream cheese and baking powder to replace the cream of tartar.

The best part about these classic Christmas cookies is that they're made in one bowl and bake in just 10 minutes! Made with simple ingredients, and no chilling needed, these cookies are sure to be a hit.

Bake a batch for your next cookie exchange, Christmas party, or leave a few out on a plate for Santa. He'll certainly be glad you did! (Also, don't feel like you can only bake these at the holidays, they're great all year!)

What Is A Snickerdoodle?

Snickerdoodles are a chewy cookie believed to have originated in New England. They're similar to a classic sugar cookie made with eggs, butter, sugar, and flour, but are coated in a crunchy cinnamon sugar mixture before baking.

What Is Cream Of Tartar?

Cream of tartar is a common pantry item, but you may be wondering what exactly it is.

Basically, it's a powdery, acidic ingredient that can be used to stabilize egg whites, stabilize whipped cream, and also is a traditional ingredient in snickerdoodle cookies.

Can You Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream Of Tartar?

Yes, you absolutely can! My recipe uses cream cheese to get that classic "tang" flavor and baking powder for the light and chewy texture.

Why You'll Love These Snickerdoodles Without Cream Of Tartar

• Made with pantry staple ingredients
• This recipe is no chill and made in one bowl
• These snickerdoodles are soft, chewy, and so flavorful
• Cream cheese gives them that classic tang without the acidity of cream of tartar
• This recipe takes 20 minutes from start to finish

Ingredient Notes And Substitutions

*full ingredients list and measurements can be found in the recipe card below*

• Butter: You'll need 1 stick of softened butter for this recipe. I always use salted butter, but you can use unsalted if that's all you have
• Cream cheese: The cream cheese adds that tang that you'd miss without adding the cream of tartar. There is no substitute for the cream cheese
• Sugar: These snickerdoodles without cream of tartar are made with regular white sugar, but in a pinch brown sugar will work
• Egg: An egg binds the cookie dough as well as adds moisture.
• Flour: I make my snickerdoodles with regular all purpose flour, but you can use a 1:1 gluten free flour like King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill
• Baking powder & Baking soda: Both of these work together to create the perfect snickerdoodle without cream of tartar. The baking soda helps them spread, while the baking powder keeps them puffy and soft.
• Cinnamon: No classic snickerdoodle would be complete without a crunchy cinnamon sugar coating.

How To Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream Of Tartar

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth
3. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract into the butter mixture and beat on high speed until pale and creamy
4. Next, add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined
5. Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to divide the snickerdoodle dough into 18 equal portions, and use your hands to roll them into balls
6. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the coating
7. Roll each cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar, then set them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden brown
9. Carefully pull the cookies out of the oven and let cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely

Expert Baking Tips

• Use room temperature ingredients for best results
• Don't overmix the cookie dough
• Use a cookie scoop to get uniform sized cookies
• The dough is a little sticky, so wet your hands a bit to help with the rolling
• Don't overbake, cookies are finished once the edges begin to turn golden brown

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I keep my snickerdoodles soft?

There's 2 methods I recommend:

1. Don't overbake them. Once the edges begin to turn golden, pull the cookies out of the oven. The residual heat from the tray will continue to bake them to perfection.
2. Store any leftovers in an airtight container with a slice of white bread. The bread will absorb and air and keep the snickerdoodles softer longer. (be sure to place the bread on a piece of aluminum foil or else the cookies it touches will get soggy)

What's the difference between snickerdoodles and sugar cookies?

While sugar cookies and snickerdoodles do contain many of the same basic ingredients, the one differentiating factor is that a snickerdoodle recipe typically adds cream of tartar which gives the cookies their classic tangy flavor.

Snickerdoodles are also flavored with cinnamon and rolled in cinnamon sugar while sugar cookies are usually vanilla flavored.

What is a good substitute for cream of tartar?

According to this post, you can use lemon juice or vinegar. In my snickerdoodles without cream of tartar, I used cream cheese for that tangy flavor and baking powder to achieve the right texture.

Why are my cookies flat?

If your cookies are really flat, there's usually 2 reasons.

1. The butter was too soft. If the butter is too soft, when the heat from the oven hits the dough it will just continue to spread and turn out really flat.
2. You mismeasured the flour. If there's not enough flour in the dough, then the fat won't have anything to hold it together and your cookies will spread too much in the oven and be flat.

Alternatively, you may be wondering why your snickerdoodles stayed puffy and didn't flatten out.

If this is you, the culprit is also more than likely mismeasured flour. If you packed the flour into the measuring cup you probably mixed in too much and the dough is too stiff to flatten out into the perfect cookie thickness.

How do I know when my snickerdoodles are done baking?

Snickerdoodles without cream of tartar are done baking when the edges are a light golden brown.

How to Store And Freeze

STORING: You can store any leftover snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

FREEZING COOKIES: To freeze baked cookies, allow the snickerdoodles to cool completely, and then place them into a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to three months, and pull cookies out to thaw as desired.

FREEZING COOKIE DOUGH: You can also freeze this snickerdoodle cookie dough and have fresh baked cookies whenever! Scoop the cookie dough into individual portions onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze for 1 hour.

Take the tray out of the freezer and place the frozen cookie dough balls into a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you want a cookie, pull one of the dough balls out of the freezer and bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.

More Cookie Recipes You'll Love

• Oat flour chocolate chip cookies
• No spread sugar cookies
• 2 ingredient peanut butter cookies
• Peppermint brownie cookies
• Chocolate chip cookies without brown sugar

Did you make this recipe?

If so, I would appreciate you leaving a comment and star rating down below. Also, follow me on Instagram and tag me or use #incoleskitchen so I can see what you make and share it.

Print

Check Out Latest Posts