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The Best Recipe for Playdough on the Internet!

4 min read
The Best Recipe for Playdough on the Internet!

 Ever wondered how to make playdough at home?

Playdough is surprisingly easy to make – and we show you how!

Anyone who has wondered how to make playdough at home will usually tell you that it can be very hit-or-miss. I have tried a few. This is one that I have made several times now and have not yet had a fail. AND it’s super-easy and so much cheaper than buying the store-bought version.

For our recipe on How to Make Playdough at Home – we have the normal method, the non-cooking method and the ‘Non-Cream of Tartar’ version which isn’t quite as good – but not everyone has that on hand in their pantry.  You will find Cream of Tartar in the baking area of your local supermarket.

The Best Recipe for Playdough on the Internet! | Stay At Home Mum

Playdough Little Hints!

  • Try and put down an old sheet where your kids will be playing with the playdough indoors, because it is a bitch to get out of carpet. But if that does happen to happen, pop an ice cube on the playdough, then use a brush to just brush it right out!
  • Our bulk playdough recipe below is perfect to add as a low-cost item in a Party Bag. for Kids Birthday Parties.
  • To deter kids from eating playdough and to make it smell a bit fresher – add a few drops of essential oils to the playdough mix. Eucalyptus Oil is particularly good.
  • If you want to make Edible Playdough – we have four recipes for you to try!

How to Store Your Playdough

Keep your playdough in a ziplock bag in the fridge. It will last about two weeks (then you should pop it in the compost pile and make a new batch).

More Reading:

The Best Version of Playdough on the Internet:

This is the best and easiest homemade playdough recipe to try. It is soft, durable and will last a few weeks if stored well in the fridge.

  • ½ cup salt
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • Food colouring

Add it all to a saucepan over low heat and stir with a metal spoon until very well combined. Add a few drops of lavender oil if you want or maybe a bit of rice or even glitter for sensory exploration.

Non-Cooking Version Playdough:

If you add boiling water to the above recipe, there is no need to cook it first.

Big 1kg Batch of Playdough (Perfect for Birthday Party Bags)

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil or olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons of Cream of Tartar
  • 2 cups of Plain Flour
  • 1 cup Salt
  • Food Colouring
  • 2 cups of water

Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat and stir continuously for about 3 – 5 minutes or until the mixture starts to congeal. Cool the mixture slightly and remove it from the pan.

Gently knead the playdough until it is smooth.

Playdough without Cream of Tartar:

Julia Sorban kindly submitted this great recipe which doesn’t have Cream of Tartar.

  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 tbs oil
  • 1  cup hot water

Mix flour, salt, oil and enough water to make a firm dough and knead till smooth. Store in an airtight container. Its high salt content will preserve the dough for up to 3 months. If you keep it in the fridge it will last slightly longer too. We also have a recipe for Edible Playdough.

How to Make Playdough at Home

Jody Allen
About Author

Jody Allen

Jody Allen is the founder of Stay at Home Mum. Jody is a five-time published author with Penguin Random House and is the current Suzuki Queensland Amb...Read Moreassador. Read Less

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