Confession: I only let my kids use homemade playdough when they were young. Commercial dough scents gave me a headache, and I hated cleaning it up. My classic homemade cooked playdough recipe has always been my favorite. It’s soft and squishy, perfect for all ages to play with. Homemade playdough is not just for kids!

Why Make Homemade Playdough?

Homemade playdough has a few benefits over commercial versions.

• The soft natural scent of homemade playdough is so much more pleasant than the smell of commercial dough.
• It is easier to clean from surfaces, especially carpet. Dried dough will dissolve easily with water and soap and not stick in carpet threads.
• You can customize your DIY playdough color to anything you choose with food coloring. Plus, this part can be a great color-mixing lesson for kids!
• Homemade playdough is cheap and easy to make, and doesn’t require a trip to the store.

One of the upsides is also a bit of a downside. Because it contains no preservatives, it can’t be used indefinitely. It should last a few weeks if stored in an airtight container.

Is this an Edible Playdough Recipe?

I’ll admit to having tasted it as a kid.

Technically, this homemade cooked playdough is safe if eaten. It uses standard non-toxic kitchen ingredients and is cooked. But I certainly wouldn’t recommend eating it on purpose. It’s not delicious and would probably give you a giant bellyache if you ate a lot of it.

It is not meant to be eaten, and I would recommend supervision if your child is prone to putting things in their mouths.

Simple DIY Playdough Recipe

Yield: 1 batch

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Active Time: 7 minutes

Additional Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 11 minutes

Difficulty: 1-easy

Estimated Cost: under $5

A classic homemade playdough recipe that makes soft, smooth dough kids will love to use. This homemade cooked playdough is simple and inexpensive. Great for all ages to squish and play!

Print

Materials

• 1c all-purpose flour
• 1c warm water
• 1/2c salt
• 1T Cream of Tartar
• 1T oil
• Food coloring as desired

Tools

• small saucepan
• wooden spoon

Instructions

1. Mix first 5 ingredients in saucepan.
2. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until ingredients are liquid.
   
   
   
3. Add food coloring as soon as mixture reaches liquid state. Keep stirring to disperse color evenly.
4. Mixture will quickly form a soft dough. Remove from heat.
   
   
   
5. No kneading is required, but squishing a few times after removing cooked playdough from the pan is recommended.
   
   
   
6. Store in airtight contaner once playdough is cooled.

Notes

The cooking process happens quickly (approximately 5 minutes, total). Keep stirring and do not try to multitask.

Opening the food coloring bottles in advance can be helpful, have them ready as soon as the mixture becomes liquid.