FOOD NEWS
The Absolute Best No-Bake Cookies Come Thanks To One Ingredient
BY Molly Harris
While most no-bake cookies consist of peanut butter, sugar, cocoa powder, oats, and butter, updated versions of the recipe often call for some cream of tartar for best results.
A byproduct of winemaking, the white, powdery substance helps the sugar granules in the cookie dough melt without crystallizing as it cooks on the stove, yielding a smooth texture.
Conversely, crystallized sugar causes a crust to form on the exterior of no-bake cookies, making them gritty. Note that you shouldn't add cream of tartar to recipes that use milk.
Cream of tartar is used to add a tangy flavor to some cookies, but no-bake cookies only need about a quarter of a teaspoon per batch, which won’t really alter your cookies’ flavor.