Yes, you can make them without the cream of tartar, but the texture and taste will be different. Cream of tartar is the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles that differentiates them from sugar cookies. Cream of tartar gives the cookies a slightly tangy flavor and soft texture, and when combined with the baking soda in the dough, helps the cookies rise.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf you don't have any cream of tartar on hand, substitute it with 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice per 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar. That means for this recipe, you'll need 4 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you're in a really big pinch, you could also use white vinegar.