Cream of Tartar Substitutes
Cream of Tartar or Tartaric Acid might sound like a specialty item, but it’s actually just a simple ingredient in a lot of baked goods. It helps egg whites whip up nicely, and it is a leavening agent.
The trouble is, it’s one of those things you don’t realize you’re out of until you’re halfway through a recipe. The good news? There are easy substitutes you probably already have on hand.
Whether you’re making meringue, cookies, or a light, airy cake, running out of cream of tartar doesn’t have to derail your plans. Or make you drive to the grocery store.
Lemon juice, vinegar, or baking powder can all step in when needed. This simple guide will show you the best swaps and how to use them, so you can continue without a trip to the store.
Why You Need Cream of Tartar
An Acidic ingredient, Cream of Tartar serves a few purposes in the kitchen.
Here are a few reasons why you need it:
- It helps cakes rise and makes them fluffier. Cream of tartar is an acid that reacts with baking soda to form carbon dioxide. This increases the batter’s volume and gives it a moist, delicate texture.
- It prevents sugar crystallization. Cream of tartar prevents homemade candies from forming a gritty texture. Adding it to a sugar syrup breaks down the sugar molecules and keeps them from crystallizing.
- Cream of tartar adds a tangy flavor to cookies and activates the baking soda. It adds a subtle, tangy taste to cookie recipes like snickerdoodles and sugar cookies. Cream of tartar also activates the baking soda, resulting in a chewier cookie.
- Cream of tartar helps egg whites whip up to their best potential.
Common Substitutes for Cream of Tartar
Here’s a quick rundown of the most common ones and when to use them as a substitute.
Baking Powder
Baking powder contains both cream of tartar and baking soda, so it can step in when your recipe calls for both. It’s especially useful in baked goods where cream of tartar acts as a leavening agent, like cakes and muffins.
Baking powder is made up of one part baking soda and two parts cream of tartar, you can swap ¾ teaspoon of baking powder for a recipe that calls for ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda.
Lemon Juice
When cream of tartar is used to help stabilize egg whites in recipes like meringue or angel food cake, lemon juice makes a good substitute. It will add a hint of lemon flavor, which can be a nice addition depending on the dish. Use four times the amount of lemon juice as you would cream of tartar. For instance, if your recipe calls for ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar, swap in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
White Vinegar
White vinegar is the least distinctive tasting vinegar compared to other vinegars, though it can still come through slightly in a dish. It works well as a substitute in recipes where stabilizing egg whites is important, like meringues or angel food cake.
Use four times the amount of vinegar as cream of tartar. So if the recipe calls for ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar, replace it with 1 teaspoon of vinegar.
“I was making meringue for a pie and realized halfway through that I was out of cream of tartar. I subbed in white vinegar and crossed my fingers; it worked like a charm. The peaks were glossy and stiff, and no one could tell.”
— Bella Bucchiotti, xoxoBella
Buttermilk
Buttermilk has a similar level of acidity to cream of tartar, making it a good substitute in recipes where cream of tartar acts as a leavening agent — think pancakes, cakes, biscuits, and breads.
Since buttermilk is a liquid rather than a powder, you’ll need to adjust your recipe. To match the acidity, use ½ cup of buttermilk for every ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar. Be sure to reduce other liquids in the recipe by ½ cup to balance it out, whether that’s milk, water, oil, or eggs.
Yogurt
Yogurt’s natural acidity makes it a good substitute for cream of tartar in recipes like pancakes, muffins, cookies, and cakes. Because yogurt is thicker, it can affect the texture of your baked goods, so it’s best to thin it with water until it reaches a buttermilk-like consistency.
Be sure to reduce the other liquids in your recipe by the amount of yogurt you use. For every ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar, swap in ½ cup of thinned yogurt.
Corn Syrup
Some candy recipes incorporate cream of tartar because it helps stop sugar from crystallizing when making fudge or caramel. If your recipe involves boiling the sugar, you can skip the cream of tartar by replacing ¼ of the sugar with the same amount of corn syrup.
Leave It Out
In many recipes, you can skip cream of tartar without much impact. It’s usually fine to leave it out when it’s meant to stabilize egg whites or prevent crystallization in frosting, syrups, or icing. However, if cream of tartar is being used as a leavening agent in baked goods, it’s best not to omit it, leaving it out could change the final result.
Final thoughts
Running out of cream of tartar doesn’t have to derail your kitchen plans. There are plenty of easy substitutes that can help you achieve great results. Keep these simple alternatives in mind for the next time you’re in a bind, and you can keep baking without missing a beat.
