Should this recipe include cream of tartar? In heirloom recipes article the ingredient list includes "1 teaspoon cream of tartar" but it is not l...

Thanks for the link--that explains the heirloom recipe article mentioned in the initial question.

The cream of tartar is included in the ingredient list on this page: http://food52.com/blog/9267-aunt-clara-s-anise-seed-cutouts

I looked at the recipe yesterday and I will swear that the cream of tartar was not included--perhaps the recipe was edited between then and now? At any rate, the cream of tartar along with the baking soda produces the equivalent of baking powder. If someone who has a good background in food chemistry reads this, I would like to hear how much of a difference it would make just to use baking soda. Would the difference be in the way the cookies rise, or would there be a taste difference as well? I know that baking soda reacts with acids in other foods like chocolate or buttermilk. But does the cream of tartar inhibit that reaction?

Biscuit recipes and snickerdoodle cookies used to call for a rather generous amount of it, too. Cream of tartar is also known as tartaric acid, and in addition to its other jobs, it also functions as a bittering agent. It adds an additional layer of flavor. Feel free to go ahead and add a teaspoon or so of it for a more traditional flair.

I am not sure which heritage recipe article you are referring to, but the anise seed cookie recipe looks fine to me. The baking soda and eggs will help the cookies rise. Cream of tartar is usually used to prevent crystallization in candy and to stabilize egg whites, and neither of those uses applies to this recipe.