Cream of Tartar isn't one of those ingredients we always keep on hand, which makes a sudden craving for snickerdoodles a little tricky! This recipe skips the cream of tartar and uses baking powder instead.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the butter mixture and beat until well combined.
Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out dough. Roll the dough into balls in the palm of your hands.
Whisk the topping ingredients together in a small bowl and roll each cookie dough ball in the topping to coat.
Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart.
Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Cookies should be thick and puffy and sink a bit as they cool.
Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
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Notes
The cream of tartar is what adds that classic tang to snickerdoodle cookies. We actually like them better without it, but that's personal preference. Add in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice with the egg and vanilla, if you'd like to add that classic flavor back in.For extra spice, add 1/2 teaspoon (or more, to taste) of cinnamon directly to the cookie dough.