Baking basics
Substitutes for cream of tartar
Cream of tartar is a dry acid. It steadies whipped egg whites, keeps sugar syrups from crystallizing and, with baking soda, gives snickerdoodles their tang.
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Lemon juice or white vinegar
- How much
- 1 tsp for each ½ tsp cream of tartar
- What changes
- Steadies egg whites just as well; no taste in the finished dish.
- Best in
- Meringue, whipped egg whites, sugar syrups.
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Baking powder (when the recipe also uses baking soda)
- How much
- Replace both: about 4 tsp baking powder for 2 tsp cream of tartar + 1 tsp baking soda
- What changes
- Cookies rise fine but lose their tang and chewy crackle.
- Best in
- Snickerdoodles.
Simmerbee recipes with cream of tartar (1)
On those recipes, tap Swaps next to the ingredient for the short version.
More baking basics swaps
Baking powderBaking sodaCornstarchYeastCocoa powderChocolate and chocolate chipsVanilla extract