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Sorry to keep harping on the snickerdoodles, but it bothers me tremendously that no one knows where it came from. Not only that, but I find it curious that shortening is typically the fat source in those cookies, even more curious is the fact that cream of tartar and baking soda are both used. Why not just use single-acting baking powder, since it is a combination of baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) and an acid (typically cream of tartar)?

Baking powder has been around since the mid-1800’s, so why hasn’t the recipe been adapted? Is there a particular reason that baking soda and cream of tartar are added separately? I’m going to experiment to find out. I’m going to do another 3 batches’one with baking soda only, one with baking soda and cream of tartar & one with baking powder only. And I will be using butter, since it won last time over shortening.

The debate is that snickerdoodles either came from Pennsylvania Dutch country or New England. I was thinking that maybe there was a difference in the pH of their water, which would affect the pH of the ingredients used. This presupposes that local products were used and that the water did in fact affect the wheat’s pH, or cow’s milk pH. I thought that maybe the cream of tartar was used to correct a pH imbalance, while the baking soda was just for leavening purposes.

It turns out that New England happens to have water that tests more alkaline and Pennsylvania’s water is slightly acidic, due to all the limestone. If in fact the cream of tartar was used to correct an imbalance and not to make baking powder, it would lead me to believe that the origin of snickerdoodles is New England. Although, maybe one area was known to prefer shortening over butter for economic or supply reasons. Does anyone know? Write me.

I do realize I’ve gone off the deep end with the snickerdoodles, but I like it.

Map of PA from Temple U