

I tracked the nice volunteer down, got the recipe and my snickerdoodle experimentation began. The tinny taste of the cream of tartar was intriguing but not overpowering. (I worked in politics before I became a chef, but that’s another story.) I was hesitant to eat from a stranger’s kitchen, but cookies. I first had a regular snickerdoodle when a volunteer dropped off a batch at the campaign office I was working on. Speaking of snickerdoodles (see what I did there?), my recipe for Lemon Cardamom Snickerdoodles is one of my all-time favorite cookies (besides Chocolate Chip, of course).

A tiny pinch added to water also helps vegetables maintain their color when they’re blanched. It has a tinny, metallic taste that’s most noticeable in Snickerdoodle cookies. In baked goods, cream of tartar is used as a leavener, to give cakes, muffins and cookies their rise. It keeps sugar from crystallizing so it’s often used to keeps candies, frostings and meringues smooth and shiny. It’s most commonly used in whipping egg whites a pinch will give whites increased volume and make them more stable so they’re less likely to fall. You can find it in the spice section of the grocery store.Ĭream of tartar has many cooking uses. It can be added to recipes like caramel or fudge to help them maintain a smooth, creamy texture.Cream of tartar, or potassium acid tartrate if you want to get chemical about it, is a fine, white powder made by purifying and grinding the crystals that form inside wine barrels during the wine-making process It’s also an ingredient in baking powder. It’s what gives them their signature tangy flavor and chewy texture.Ĭream of tartar is also useful in preventing crystallization in syrups and frostings. Snickerdoodles are a classic cookie made with cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is used to stabilize the egg whites and create a light, fluffy texture.

It helps to stabilize the egg whites and prevent them from deflating.Īngel food cake is a type of sponge cake that’s made with whipped egg whites and no fat. Uses of Cream of Tartar in BakingĬream of Tartar is a crucial ingredient in making meringue. It does this by inhibiting the formation of sugar crystals, which can cause a gritty texture in your baked goods. It helps to prevent overbeating and helps the egg whites maintain their structure.Īnother benefit of cream of tartar is that it helps prevent crystallization in syrups and frostings. It helps cakes, cookies, and other baked goods rise by reacting with baking soda to produce carbon dioxide gas.Ĭream of tartar is also useful in stabilizing egg whites, especially in recipes that call for beaten egg whites, such as meringues and angel food cakes. One of the most common uses of cream of tartar in baking is as a leavening agent. Cream of tartar is a dry, powder-like, acidic byproduct of winemaking called for in a myriad of different baking recipes (from cookies to cakes to frosting). It’s also an essential ingredient in making meringue and some candy recipes. It’s often used in baking as a stabilizer and leavening agent.Ĭream of Tartar is a byproduct of the wine-making process, and is made from tartaric acid. Cream of tartar for baking is commonly used in egg whites. What Does Cream of Tartar Do in Baking?Ĭream of tartar, also known as potassium bitartrate, is a white, odorless powder that’s formed during the fermentation of grapes.
