Brave Tart author, Stella Parks, traces the snickerdoodle's evolution from "Snip Doodle" cake (a buttery cinnamon coffee cake) to cookie status. But here's the twist – the original cookie recipe called for baking powder instead of cream of tartar. Back then, baking powder was rare in households. Instead, folks used a baking soda and acid combo to get their leavening on. So the early cream of tartar recipe used a combo of cream of tartar and baking soda. Fast forward to 1891, and Cleveland Baking Powder busts out a homemade snickerdoodles recipe with baking powder in their national ad campaigns.