Is cream of tartar gluten-free? Yes, it’s a by-product of wine

Yes. Cream of tartar is gluten-free. It’s potassium bitartrate, a powder left behind when grapes ferment into wine.

How it’s used

• It steadies whipped egg whites for meringue and adds lift in some baking.
• Mixed with baking soda it works like baking powder, which is useful if you can’t find a gluten-free baking powder.
• In a shared kitchen, keep a clean spoon for it.

Keep reading

• Is baking soda gluten-free?
• Is baking powder gluten-free?
• Is wine gluten-free?

Sources: EU Regulation 1169/2011 (Annex II: cereals containing gluten), Coeliac UK, Codex Alimentarius (gluten-free = 20 mg/kg or less). Checked 28 September 2026. We inform, we don’t diagnose: for medical questions, your doctor or dietitian has the last word.