My Favorite Playdough Recipe

::This recipe was requested by a reader, so here it is!::  
Kids love playing with playdough. It’s a fun and creative way for young children to make shapes and objects while also learning valuable fine motor skills.

This homemade playdough recipe is easy to make. Have your kids help make it!

Favorite Playdough
Ingredients:
  • 3 cups white flour
  • 1 1/2 cups salt
  • 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • food coloring, optional
Directions:
  1. Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat and stir constantly for about 3 to 5 minutes.  It will look runny and begin to form into a ball as you cook and stir it.  (Even if it looks too watery, just keep stirring and cooking it.)
  2. After it forms into a ball in the center of the pot and you can no longer stir it (it will get very thick), remove the pan from the heat.
  3. Remove the dough from the pan and knead it well.  You may need to add some flour to get it just the right consistency (but don’t add too much or it won’t be as soft and pliable).  I find if I cook it long enough it doesn’t need any additional flour.
  4. Cool and store in an airtight container.  I usually divide the dough into four parts (one for each of the younger children) and store each child’s dough in a resealable plastic bag.  Then I store all of their bags in a larger plastic container with a lid.  This keeps for a long time (months) if you keep it in an airtight container (in some locations, it may last longer if kept in the refrigerator).
If you’d like to make a smaller amount of dough (or make multiple colors), I use these amounts:
  • 1 cup white flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • food coloring, optional

 

**~**For extra-special playdough, add glitter and/or essential oil for scent!**~**

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10 Comments

  1. Joy, I've saved this recipe for a long time…until I had a child…wow, I see now that it's been 3 years!
    Anyway, our little one is just over a year old now and he's SO enjoying his new playdough. Thank you for sharing your recipe! (and for keeping your blog active because I refer to it often 😉
    Sarah in Virginia

    Reply

  4. Sure, Melanie! Here it is:

    Peppermint Playdough

    2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup salt
    2 teaspoons cream of tarter or alum
    2 cups water
    2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
    Drops of food coloring (I used about 5 drops of red and got a pale pink)
    2 tablespoons mint extract or other flavoring (we got some inexpensive mint extract from our local thrift grocery store)

    1. Mix the dry ingredients together.
    2. Mix the liquid ingredients together, except the mint.
    3. Stir together the dry and liquid ingredients.
    4. Cook the mixture on low to medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until it starts to form a ball in the pan. Stir constantly!
    5. Stir in the mint.
    6. Knead the dough until it is soft and smooth (this is the best part!)
    7. Cool and store in an airtight container (I save plastic food containers with lids for this, such as small sour cream containers).

    Enjoy! 🙂

    Reply

  5. Hi Joy!
    Thanks for the info. I tried this one and we just love the peppermint one a little more. This one seems a bit drier. I was wondering if you could send me the recipe for the peppermint one, please. Thank you. Melanie.

    Reply

  6. Hi Melanie!

    This is a different recipe from the peppermint one. I'm glad you liked that one! This one is just plain, and the standard recipe I usually use nowadays. You can always add some scent to it if you like (or glitter). 🙂

    Reply

  7. Hi Joy!
    Is this the same recipe as your pretty pink peppermint play dough recipe, because we loved that one.
    Thank you so much.
    Melanie.

    Reply

  8. just made this and it came out great! Do you have to store it in the fridge or can i store it in the pantry in an airtight container?
    Thanks!

    Reply

  9. I'm so glad it worked out for you, Angela! 🙂

    You can just store it in the pantry in an airtight container or even a ziplock bag. It doesn't require refrigeration.

    Reply

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