A few people have asked us, “What is a good playdough recipe?”

Making playdough…What is it about play dough that is so freaking fun? The molding, the sculpting, the squishing…it never gets old. Whether you’re 3 or 103, playing with playdough is still very satisfying.

This playdough recipe is one that is pretty reliable – it’s easy and comes out perfect each and every time. The ingredients are relatively cheap and more than likely you already have the ingredients to make this playdough in your cabinet or pantry.  It’s also a versatile recipe (you can add different colors and scents to it).

The thing about making playdough is it’s a lot like artwork: It can be more about the journey and not just the destination. Sure the finished product is awesome and will provide hours of fun for the kids. But it’s also a beneficial activity to do WITH the kids. Mixing, kneading, rolling…all of those are great input activities. Plus the measuring is also a great educational tool too. I think of making and playing with play dough as a win/win activity.

Without further ado, here’s the basic playdough recipe:

Basic Playdough Recipe

1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup iodized salt
2 tsp cream of tartar (you can also substitute with 2 Tbsp baking soda, but change to 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil if you do end up using baking soda).
1 cup water
1 tsp vegetable oil
food coloring or icing color * see below
a few drops of essential oils (optional)
a few drops of fractionated coconut oil or any other carrier oil (optional)

* UPDATE: I prefer to use Wilton food coloring and icing color instead of regular food coloring. That is just my preference. I like the more vivid colors the Wilton brand has and I like combining colors and I have better success with Wilton. You can use regular food coloring. That being said, one thing I have noticed that if you do use Wilton or other icing color, it can dry out the playdough more than regular food coloring. You can add a little more vegetable oil OR you can do what I did and use a little carrier oil (I used coconut oil because that’s what I had on hand) and work it through the playdough once you are finished making all your playdough.

I usually divide each batch into fourths and put it in my plastic containers, and before I do that I will work in a little coconut oil and a few drops of whatever essential oils I want to use.  I liked this method better and it seemed to last longer with the coconut oil and also works well when I do scented playdough. I don’t mean to make the process more complicated, after all, it is just playdough, but if I am going to take the time to make it, I want it to be really good and last as long as possible.

Directions: Mix first three ingredients together. Add the next two ingredients to the mixture. Stir until well mixed. ** I sometimes use an electric mixer once all the ingredients have been added. It helps to get out any lumps and makes sure everything is well-blended.** Add the desired amount of food coloring to the mixture (keeping in mind that the finished product will be a shade darker than what it is when wet).

Pour into pot and heat on medium to medium high heat, stirring frequently. You will see the consistency start to change and it will seem a little lumpy. Keep stirring. As the mixture heats up you can see it start to stick together and become more defined in shape. Stir until you basically have a giant lump of colored dough in your pot. Remove from heat and dump out the playdough onto a cutting board or countertop to cool. Once it cools, knead the playdough a little and place in an airtight container. Some blogs say to refrigerate the playdough, it’ll last longer. I haven’t tried it. I need all the fridge space I can get.

Playdough is a lot of fun to give as a gift for birthdays or Christmas. I’ve even put it in Easter baskets! There are some really fun storage containers out there that make for a cute presentation. Include some fun cookie cutters and you’ve got a great gift for a little friend or family member.