Can i substitute baking powder for cream of tartar in meringue

Cream of tartar and baking powder have a lot in common; you should have them both on hand if you bake pastries regularly. While these two ingredients do share some of the same properties, there are some significant differences between them and the ways that they are used. Read on to see how cream of tartar and baking powder compare to each other.

Table of Contents Show

What are the differences between cream of tartar and baking powder?
Can you use cream of tartar in place of baking powder or vice versa?
When should you use cream of tartar and when should you use baking powder?
What is Cream of Tartar?
Struggling to cook healthy? We'll help you prep.
The Best Substitute for Cream of Tartar
Other Substitutes for Cream of Tartar
Can I substitute baking powder with cream of tartar?
What can I substitute for cream of tartar for meringue?
Can I use baking powder in meringue?
How does cream of tartar work in baking powder?

What are the differences between cream of tartar and baking powder?

The main difference between cream of tartar and baking powder has to do what makes up each of these leavening agents. Cream of tartar consists of tartaric acid, which is a wine-making byproduct. It is also called potassium bitartrate. Tartaric acid is what is left behind on the insides of wine barrels after the wine has been drained from them. Its benefits include stabilizing egg whites so that they can be whipped for longer without collapsing. The result is that your baked goods have finer air bubbles that are more evenly distributed so that the baked item will have a more refined texture. In addition, cream of tartar affects the pigments in flour to make them appear whiter. An angel food cake or meringue made with cream of tartar will have a whiter appearance than one made without it.

Baking powder contains cream of tartar along with baking soda. The cream of tartar reacts with the baking soda to release carbon dioxide bubbles that result in its leavening action.

Can you use cream of tartar in place of baking powder or vice versa?

Cream of tartar makes a good substitute for baking powder in certain baking applications; in fact, you can make a form of baking powder by combining cream of tartar with baking soda. Combine 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and use that to replace a teaspoon of baking powder. Similarly, you can use baking powder to replace cream of tartar in recipes that require both cream of tartar and baking soda. Simply reverse the formula above by adding a teaspoon of baking powder in place of each 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar required in the recipe.

When using cream of tartar and baking soda in place of baking powder, add 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch to the mix. This is especially important if you do not plan to use it immediately. Moisture is what causes the two ingredients to react and release carbon dioxide. Moisture in the air can cause them to release carbon dioxide before you need them to; the cornstarch helps to prevent this.

Note that baking powder only works as a substitute in recipes that include both cream of tartar and baking soda. Cream of tartar by itself will not be a good substitute for baking powder, nor will baking powder be a good substitute for cream of tartar without baking soda.

When should you use cream of tartar and when should you use baking powder?

Add cream of tartar when whipping egg whites to make baked goods like meringues and angel food cake. It helps to stabilize the egg whites so that they are better able to hold in water and air. Its use as an egg white stabilizer is arguably the most common application for this ingredient. Cream of tartar has other applications beyond baking. It can be added to certain steamed or boiled vegetables to help them retain their color. It does this by lowering the pH in the water used to cook them. Baking powder’s main use is as an all-purpose leavening agent for everything from cakes to biscuits.

If your recipe calls for cream of tartar and you don't have it, don't panic. Here's what to substitute instead.

Whether added to snickerdoodle cookies to make them wonderfully soft, to whipped egg whites to make them stable, or to simple syrup to prevent sugar crystals from forming, cream of tartar is an all-around good thing to have on hand. But what is it about cream of tartar that makes it so magical?

What is Cream of Tartar?

Struggling to cook healthy? We'll help you prep.

Technically, cream of tartar is an acid—specifically, tartaric acid. It’s a byproduct of wine production, the residue left on the barrels, actually.

Most commonly, cream of tartar is used as a leavener, because when it’s combined with baking soda, together they produce carbon dioxide gas. That’s the same gas that’s produced by yeast in bread baking.

When it’s added to egg whites, it boosts the strength of the individual air bubbles and slows down their natural tendency to deflate. And when added to simple syrup, it prevents sugar’s natural tendency to re-bond and form crystals.

The Best Substitute for Cream of Tartar

Credit: Elizabeth Laseter

But what do you do if you don’t have cream of tartar in your pantry and your recipe calls for it? Try this simple fix:

Substitute fresh lemon juice or white vinegar for the cream of tartar

For every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar in the recipe, use 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar.

As an example, if your cookie recipe calls for 1 teaspoon baking soda, add 2 teaspoons lemon juice instead of the cream of tartar. If your simple syrup recipe asks for 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar, use 3-4 drops of lemon juice. And for the whipping egg whites? Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice per egg white.

The results will be so close, you probably won’t notice the substitution.

Other Substitutes for Cream of Tartar

While lemon juice is our top pick for a cream of tartar substitute, you can also use these other handy stand-ins.

Baking Powder. In baking recipes, if the ingredients list calls for both baking powder and cream of tartar, you can sub baking powder for the cream of tartar. Use a ratio of 1.5 tsp. baking powder to 1 tsp. of cream of tartar in the replacement.

Buttermilk. The acid in buttermilk makes it a good stand-in for cream of tartar in baking recipes, as long as you reduce the amount of liquid in the rest of the recipe. For each 1/4 tsp. of cream of tartar that the recipe calls for, remove a 1/2 cup of liquid from the recipe and replace it with 1/2 cup of buttermilk.

Yogurt. Use yogurt just as you would buttermilk, following the replacement ratio above, in baking recipes, but thin the yogurt with a bit of milk before adding to the recipe.

Corn syrup. In recipes where cream of tartar is called for to prevent crystallization, such as when you are boiling sugar, you can substitute corn syrup for cream of tartar. Follow this replacement rule: Omit the cream of tartar and substitute 1/4 of the sugar called for with corn syrup,

Can I substitute baking powder with cream of tartar?

Use 1/2 a teaspoon (2 grams) cream of tartar with 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda in place of 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder.

What can I substitute for cream of tartar for meringue?

What is a Good Cream of Tartar Substitute when Making Meringues? You can substitute lemon juice for cream of tartar when making meringues. The substitution ratio is 1:2 — for your recipe's measurement of cream of tartar, use double that amount of lemon juice.

Can I use baking powder in meringue?

The baking powder makes the meringue puff up and then hold it's shape. It also helps decrease the liquid that can sometimes form under the meringue.

How does cream of tartar work in baking powder?

The tartar also helps to increase the volume of the egg foam and keeps them bright and white. Cream of tartar is also often added to baked products to help activate the alkaline baking soda. In fact, cream of tartar mixed with baking soda is what gives us baking powder.