Cream of tartar substitute

Also called potassium bitartrate.

Use lemon juice or white vinegar: 1 teaspoon for every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar. For whipped egg whites you can also leave it out, but the foam will be less stable.

3 options, scored for what you are making · Checked

Out of cream of tartar mid-recipe?

Tell Sous Chef what you are missing. It swaps the ingredient and rewrites the steps that use it, and keeps your original recipe.

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What are you making?

  1. Lemon juice

    Great fit

    2 tsp lemon juice

    For this dish: Any weak acid stabilizes the foam, so lemon juice is the standard swap.

    How: Use 2 teaspoons for every 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar. For egg whites, King Arthur suggests starting with 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per egg white when the recipe calls for a pinch to 1/8 teaspoon.

    What changes: Adds liquid and some lemon flavor, so keep amounts small. Extension charts use a little more, 1 1/2 teaspoons per 1/2 teaspoon; use the higher amount when it must react with baking soda.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  2. White vinegar

    Great fit

    2 tsp white vinegar

    For this dish: Works well in meringue, with no lemon flavor.

    How: Use 2 teaspoons for every 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar. Start with the smallest amount that works.

    What changes: Neutral in color. The vinegar smell usually fades in baking, but too much shows in flavor. Extension charts use up to 1 1/2 teaspoons per 1/2 teaspoon.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

  3. Leave it out

    Works

    Leave it out

    For this dish: Still whips, but with less stability, so serve it soon.

    How: Skip it when the recipe uses it only to steady whipped egg whites.

    What changes: Egg whites still whip to stiff peaks, but the meringue is less stable and can collapse or weep sooner.

    No major food allergens in these ingredients. Check labels on packaged products.

Scores are our editorial judgement from the sources below, not lab tests.

What cream of tartar does in a recipe

Cream of tartar is potassium bitartrate, a dry acid made during winemaking. In egg whites, the acid lowers the pH and makes the foam more stable. In baking powder, it is the acid that reacts with baking soda. In syrups and candy, it helps prevent sugar crystals, and in snickerdoodles it adds tang.

Swap it in your recipe with Sous Chef

A substitution is more than one ingredient line. The steps that use it change too. Sous Chef edits both on a working copy of your recipe, so the original is always one tap away.

You ask Sous Chef

"I don't have cream of tartar."

Sous Chef edits the recipe

1 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp lemon juice
Added to the steps: Use 2 teaspoons for every 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar. For egg whites, King Arthur suggests starting with 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per egg white when the recipe calls for a pinch to 1/8 teaspoon.
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When not to substitute

Do not leave it out in snickerdoodles or homemade baking powder, where it supplies the acid. Skip substitutes in candy and caramel recipes that depend on exact acidity, and use a different tested recipe instead.

Common questions

What can I use instead of cream of tartar in meringue?

Lemon juice or white vinegar. Use 1 teaspoon for every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar, or start with 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon per egg white. You can also leave it out and accept a less stable foam.

How much baking soda goes with cream of tartar for baking powder?

Use 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for each 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Bob's Red Mill's recipe has the same 2 to 1 ratio.

Is cream of tartar the same as baking powder?

No. Cream of tartar is only the acid. Baking powder is baking soda, an acid like cream of tartar, and a starch.

Can I use baking powder instead of cream of tartar?

Only when the recipe also uses baking soda, as in snickerdoodles. Replace each 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar plus 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 1 teaspoon baking powder, the same 2 to 1 ratio used to make baking powder at home. For meringue, use lemon juice or white vinegar instead.

Related

Sources

Cook with what you have.

Import any recipe into Sous Chef and ask for the swap. It rewrites the ingredient list and the steps, and never loses the original. Free on iPhone.

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