These snickerdoodles made without cream of tartar are just as chewy, sweet, cinnamony, and a little bit tangy as the classic snickerdoodle cookie. Serve year-round or put out as holiday cookies.
Unlike Chocolate crinkle cookies, snickerdoodles are not common here in Israel.
In fact, they aren’t common outside of America and Canada at all.
So, I decided to make them myself.
I had one problem, though… cream of tartar.
Cream of tartar is almost as scarce in Israel as snickerdoodles themselves are.
At first, I thought maybe I could leave it out, but after a little research, I realized that’s not much of an option.
The cream of tartar helps the cookies rise and makes them soft and chewy.
Next, I discovered that you could use baking powder instead, as long as you also leave out the baking soda.
This is because baking powder is often made using two parts: one part cream of tartar, one part baking soda.
In fact, most recipes that give a substitute for cream of tartar recommend baking soda.
At first, I thought I had my solution too.
Then I read that cream of tartar adds the tangy flavor found in snickerdoodles. So, the search continued.
Finally, I discovered that lemon juice could be used in place of cream of tartar.
This wouldn’t work for all recipes, but it works well in baking.
It gives the acidity that interacts with the baking soda as well as the tart flavor.
The end result? Delicious snickerdoodles that are soft, chewy, and just slightly tangy.
Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. 10% of all profits are donated to charity.
WHAT YOU NEED
Dry measuring cups and spoons
Liquid measuring cup
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Mixing bowl
Baking paper
Cookie sheets
Cooling rack
TO CHILL OR NOT TO CHILL?
Oil cookies do not need to be chilled. I’ve tried chilling them as well as putting them directly into the oven.
I haven’t found that chilling made any difference whatsoever.
BAKING WITH OIL
In general, oil in baked goods makes for a superior texture than those made with butter.
Oil cakes tend to bake up taller with a better crumb. They also stay moist and tender far longer than recipes made with butter.
Furthermore, since oil is lighter than butter, the texture of oil cakes is lighter too.
Also, given that oil is 100% fat while most American butter is 15% water, it creates a more tender crumb.
This is due to the fact that the extra water strengthens the gluten, resulting in a crumb that’s more dense.
Which Type Of Oil to Use
I use neutral oils like canola oil, safflower oil, and vegetable oil. However, it’s not unheard of for oils with stronger flavors, like olive oil or coconut oil, to be used.
If using olive oil, I recommend using pure olive oil for its milder flavor and higher smoking point.
Baking with Oil Conversion Chart
If you want to convert your butter recipes to oil recipes, check out my baking with oil – butter to oil conversion chart.
HOW TO MEASURE FLOUR AND OTHER DRY INGREDIENTS
Using a dry measuring cup, scoop ingredients from the bag or spoon them into the cup.
Next, level off the ingredient by removing the excess with an upside-down butter knife.
The one exception to this is brown sugar. Brown sugar should be packed down, and then any excess should be scraped off as well.
DRY VS LIQUID MEASURING CUP
Ever wonder why measuring spoons often come with a set of measuring cups? I used to. I didn’t see why we need a set when we could have one large measuring cup.
After a quick search, I had my answer. I discovered that the large measuring cup is used for liquids, whereas the set is used for dry ingredients.
As it turns out, if you try to measure dry ingredients with a liquid cup, the measurements get messed up.
First, you pour the flour or cocoa in, next you shake it around to get it level, and then you add more.
By shaking it, you are causing the powder to settle, and when you add more, you end up using more than called for.
WHY SIFT FLOUR and Other Powder Ingredients
There are a number of benefits to sifting flour and other ingredients like cocoa:
It removes any unwanted debris and you can get a more accurate measurement than when packed tightly in a bag.
It also removes any lumps that can get into the batter and be hard to break up later, or be missed altogether before baking.
If you sift the powdered ingredients together, it helps combine them and mix more evenly with other dry ingredients like sugar.
Understanding Sugar
Sugar may seem very basic if you’ve baked before, but I’ve been asked about it in the past – so I’ll explain.
There are many different types of sugar, including white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla sugar, powdered sugar, turbinado sugar, and demerara sugar.
When a recipe (any recipe, not just mine) says “sugar” without specifying anything else, it is regular white sugar.
White Sugar
White sugar (sometimes called granulated sugar, table sugar, or white granulated sugar) is made of either beet sugar or cane sugar, which has undergone a refining process.
It is the easiest to find and most commonly used.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added to it.
It is commonly used in chocolate chip cookie recipes, and it’s rare for a recipe that calls for brown sugar not to also call for white sugar as well.
When a recipe calls for “brown sugar” but doesn’t specify what type (light or dark), it is referring to light brown sugar.
In my recipes, you can use whatever type of brown sugar you have on hand, whether it is dark brown sugar, light brown sugar, or demerara sugar – which is very common in Israel.
Just keep in mind that the flavor and color will be slightly different, depending on what you choose to use.
Turbinado Sugar
Turbinado sugar is better known as “raw sugar”. But, despite this name, the sugar is not really “raw.”
Instead, it’s partially refined sugar that retains some of the original molasses.
The term “raw sugar” may also give off the impression that it is somehow healthier.
In reality, turbinado sugar is nutritionally similar to white sugar.
Demerara Sugar
Demerara sugar is very popular in Israel and is especially delicious in tea, but is also used for baking.
Unlike white sugar, demerara sugar undergoes minimal processing and retains some vitamins and mineral.
However, it is still not much healthier than white sugar.
Vanilla Sugar
Vanilla sugar is not very common in the States. However, it is common in Israel and parts of Europe.
This is sugar that sat for an extended period of time with vanilla beans, giving it a vanilla flavor.
Caster Sugar
This type of sugar is common in the United Kingdom.
It has a grain finer than white (granulated) sugar and larger than powdered sugar.
Caster sugar is often called for in recipes for delicate baked goods like meringues, souffles, and sponge cakes.
You can use a 1:1 conversion rate between caster sugar and white (granulated) sugar.
Powdered sugar
Powdered sugar, sometimes known as confectioners’ sugar, is a sugar with a powdered texture.
This sugar is rarely, if ever, used for baking. Instead, it is used for dusting desserts and making frosting and icings.
In some countries, you can also find powdered vanilla sugar.
It is made the exact same way regular vanilla sugar is made. However, the sugar used is powdered instead of granulated.
Vanilla Extract vs Vanilla sugar
In my recipes, I don’t specify what kind of vanilla to use.
The reason for this is that in the States, vanilla extract is exclusively used.
Meanwhile in Israel, along with many European countries, vanilla sugar is common.
In most, if not all recipes, both vanilla extract and vanilla sugar can be used.
In recipes where vanilla sugar can be used instead of extract, you can replace them 1:1.
Replacing Sugar with Honey
If you’d prefer to use honey instead of sugar, you can do so with pretty good results.
Honey can be two or even three times as sweet depending on the honey, so for every 1 cup of sugar, you can use 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey.
Since honey adds liquid, you need to remove some to balance it out. For every cup of honey, remove a 1/4 cup of liquid.
Also, it burns faster than granulated sugar, so you want to lower the baking temperature by 25 F or 14 C. In addition, check it early and often to avoid burning or overbaking.
DO EGGS NEED TO BE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE?
The short answer is “no”. While a side-by-side comparison shows that baking with eggs at room temperature makes a better crumb, it’s not otherwise noticeable.
What are Eggs used for?
Eggs do three things in most recipes: they help bind the ingredients together, act as a mild leavening agent, and they add moisture.
EGG FREE OPTION
Eggs can be substituted with 1/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce per egg. This means for recipes calling for 2 eggs, you’d need 1/2 cup of unsweetened apple sauce.
The reason applesauce makes a good binder is that it’s high in pectin. Pectin is a naturally occurring starch in fruits and berries that acts as a thickening agent and stabilizer in food.
This happens when combined with sugar and acid (if the fruit or berry isn’t naturally acidic).
Just keep in mind that it may change the flavor slightly.
ARE EGGS DAIRY?
No, eggs are not dairy. Dairy is milk and any food products made from milk, including cheese, cream, butter, and yogurt.
So, while eggs are an animal product, they are not dairy. In fact, eggs fall under the protein food group.
BAKING POWDER VS BAKING SODA
I’ve had a number of comments asking me questions about baking soda and baking powder.
I’ve also noticed that if the wrong one is used, things don’t come out as they should.
Using baking soda instead of baking powder can give your recipe a terrible metallic taste, while using baking powder instead of baking soda leaves your baked goods looking flat.
BAKING SODA
Baking soda is a leavening agent, which means it helps things rise.
It does this by creating carbon dioxide when it reacts to an acid, such as cream of tartar, lemon juice, yogurt, buttermilk, cocoa, and vinegar.
When the carbon dioxide is released, it causes the familiar texture and crumb in pancakes, cakes, quick breads, soda bread, and other baked and fried foods.
Baking soda works well with sourdough because sourdough is acidic. When combined, it makes a lighter product with a less acidic taste, since baking soda is alkaline.
A good rule of thumb is to use around 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda per 1 cup of flour.
BAKING POWDER
Baking powder is also a leavening agent and it’s a mixture of baking soda, cream of tartar, and sometimes cornstarch.
Most baking powder sold is double-acting. This means that the leavening occurs in two steps.
The first time it’s activated is when baking powder gets wet, which is why you cannot prepare some batters ahead of time to bake later.
The second time is when the baking powder is exposed to heat. This happens when the batter is being baked or fried.
Since baking powder already contains an acid, it’s most often used when a recipe does not call for an additional acidic ingredient or too little of one.
A good rule of thumb is to use around 1 teaspoon of baking powder per 1 cup of flour.
WHY SOME RECIPES CALL FOR BOTH
Some recipes call for both baking powder and baking soda when the carbon dioxide created from the acid and baking soda is not enough to leaven the volume of batter in the recipe.
Too much baking soda gives a terrible metallic taste, so baking powder is added to give it more lift.
WHICH ONE IS STRONGER?
You may have already guessed the answer since baking soda is used to make baking powder, and you need more baking powder per cup of flour. But I’ll tell you anyway.
Baking soda is four times stronger than baking powder.
That’s why you will more often than not see recipes that only call for baking soda rather than recipes that only call for baking powder.
HOW LONG DO THEY LAST?
BAKING SODA
Baking soda is good indefinitely past its best by date, although it can lose potency over time.
A rule of thumb is two years for an unopened package and six months for an opened package.
However, to be honest, I’ve used very old baking soda with good results.
BAKING POWDER
Like baking soda, baking powder is good indefinitely past its best by date, and can lose its potency over time.
For both opened and unopened, it’s ideal to use it within nine months to a year.
While storing it, make sure to keep it in a dry place and away from humidity.
HOW TO TEST IF IT’S STILL GOOD
BAKING POWDER
To test baking powder, pour 3 tablespoons of warm water into a small bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and stir.
If the baking powder is good to use, it should fizz a little.
BAKING SODA
To test baking soda, pour 3 tablespoons of white distilled vinegar into a small bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and stir.
The mixture should rapidly bubble if the soda is fresh.
Baking with Humidity
Humidity can have a big impact on how your baked goods come out.
This is because when humidity is extremely high (think 70 percent or more), baking ingredients like flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda soak up moisture from the air.
This can negatively impact the outcome of your cakes, cookies, yeast breads, and quick breads.
There are some things you can do to try to save your baking.
Try to counterbalance the additional moisture
To help counterbalance the additional moisture your dry ingredients soak up from the air, try reducing the amount of liquid in the recipe by about one-quarter.
If the batter or dough looks too dry once all the ingredients are mixed together, add an additional liquid tablespoon at a time until you have the desired consistency.
This is not usually possible to do for cookies, but it does work for cakes and breads.
Store Ingredients in the Fridge
If flour and sugar are stored in the refrigerator or freezer rather than in a cupboard or pantry, they are better protected from humidity.
As an added benefit, keeping these ingredients cool also helps keep them fresher longer, in addition to helping them stay bug-free.
For the best results, let them warm to room temperature before using.
Bake for Longer
If you bake your goodies for a few extra minutes, it can help the liquid to cook off.
To avoid overbaking, continue testing for doneness every couple of minutes for breads, quick breads, cakes, cupcakes, and muffins. Cookies, on the other hand, need to be checked every minute.
Use Air Conditioning
To help lower humidity levels on humid summer days, air condition the room for at least an hour before you start baking.
Cooler air isn’t able to hold as much moisture as warm air.
Store your baked goods in an airtight container
Humidity can also ruin your fresh-baked goods because when they are left out, they can absorb moisture.
To avoid this, store them in an airtight container or resealable bag.
Adjusting for a Convection Oven
An ordinary oven cooks by enveloping food in hot, dry air. This air heats the outside of the food, and then slowly penetrates to the inside of the food until it’s cooked all the way.
Now, in a convection oven, the fan produces extra energy. It takes the hot air and blows it around, producing around 25 to 30 percent more energy, depending on the fan’s power.
Regular ovens also can have hot spots, but the fan in a convection oven will circulate the air to help even out the temperature variances.
Since convection ovens produce more heat, you need either lowering the temperature or shortening the cooking time to compensate.
When recipes specify temperatures and cooking times, it’s for conventional ovens. Of course, this is unless the recipe is specifically for convection ovens.
The simplest method is to set the oven 25ºF to 50ºF lower than the recipe says.
A simple rule to follow is to lower the temperature by 25ºF when baking cookies and pies, but 50ºF when roasting meats. Some convection ovens offer separate settings for baking and for roasting.
You can also leave the temperature the same and instead shorten the cooking time by 25 percent. For example, if your recipe calls for 60 minutes in the oven, check the food after 45 minutes instead.
However, keep in mind, some convection ovens actually make a heat adjustment for you. That is, if you set a convection oven for 350ºF, it might actually set itself to 325ºF to compensate. So, check your manual before making adjustments.
TROUBLESHOOTING
WHY IS IT TAKING LONGER THAN DESCRIBED TO BAKE?
Over time, the thermostat on ovens gets a little off,causing some ovens to run hot and others to run cool. This is why recipes tend to say things like “10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.” So, if it takes you longer than expected, that’s fine, don’t worry about it. Just keep baking until ready.
WHY DID MY RECIPE COME OUT TOO DRY?
Just like some ovens run cool, others run hot. If your oven runs hot, bake these at a lower temperature. Ideally, you should get an oven thermometer to know what temperature you’re really baking at.
HOW TO STORE COOKIES
Let cookies cool completely. Place in a resealable bag or an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to a week.
HOW TO FREEZE COOKIES
Let cookies cool completely. It is best to freeze cookies on a tray so that they freeze as individuals and then move to a resealable freezer bag.
If this is not practical for you, place cooled cookies in a resealable freezer bag and freeze that way.
Cookies will keep for up to 3 months. After that, the quality begins to degrade.
When thawing baked cookies, remove from bag and let sit at room temperature.
If desired, you can gently reheat thawed cookies to mimic that fresh-baked taste and texture: place them in a 275°F or 140°C oven until soft.
Recipe Tip:
If you love the idea of snickerdoodles but rather not have a tangy flavor, no problem. Just drop the lemon juice.
This will give you a cookie that is pretty similar to a chewy sugar cookie with a touch of cinnamon.
Snickerdoodles without cream of tartar
Classic snicker doodles but made without cream of tartar
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (350 grams)
- 1 ½ cups white sugar (300 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup oil (175 milliliters)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Cinnamon-Sugar for Rolling:
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Add eggs, oil, vanilla, and lemon juice to the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
- Line two baking pans with parchment paper.
- Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl.
- Create tablespoon sized balls and roll them in the mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. Bake on the middle shelf for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling wrack.
Recommended Products
Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a small commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 118Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 69mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 1g
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to hashtag a photo #thetasteofkosher on Instagram.
CarriefromKY
Tuesday 11th of January 2022
I am going to fill these with my homemade dulce de leche. Yummm!!!
ElissaBeth
Thursday 17th of February 2022
Sounds like a delicious idea!
CarriefromKY
Tuesday 11th of January 2022
I love to cook/bake and these cookies are so much fun to make. I look for different recipes all the time and I love this one. I made one tweet that worked out great. I used half melted butter and half coconut oil. They are wonderful!! Thanks bunches!
ElissaBeth
Thursday 17th of February 2022
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
Blazer
Friday 19th of March 2021
How much baking powder would I need if I used it instead of lemon juice?
ElissaBeth
Sunday 21st of March 2021
Technically, you can use one tablespoon of baking powder instead of the lemon juice but I wouldn't recommend it. First of all, that would be a lot of baking powder, you'd lose the classic flavor, and you'd lose the necessary liquid. If you want to leave out the lemon juice I'd recommend replacing it with water instead. White vinegar may work as well but I've never tried it.
LM
Sunday 24th of January 2021
Not sure why the dough didn’t turn to brown in color before rolling the balls with sugar and cinnamon :(
ElissaBeth
Sunday 24th of January 2021
The brown color is from the cinnamon. It will and should be a sugar cookie color before being rolled in the cinnamon and sugar.
chloe
Sunday 25th of October 2020
So thankful for all these dairy free recipies. Ive just made these with my 5yo and theyre delicious! We're from the uk so no idea what snickerdoodles are but we love all things cinammon-y. We did almost end up with a tray bake because i didnt realise they would spread so much, the picture looks tall and less flat. I did make each ball 40g though, which made 20 over all, so possibly a little big :/ still fab and such an easy process too. Thankyou
ElissaBeth
Monday 26th of October 2020
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed them :) Since you both love cinnamon you may like my dairy free cinnamon rolls they're also pretty easy to make :)