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The BEST homemade playdough recipe

April 18, 2017 by Meg 15 Comments

There are tons of homemade playdough recipes out there, but this one is truly the BEST playdough recipe. Just like store-bought and it lasts forever. Make it today!

There are tons of homemade playdough recipes out there, but this one is truly the BEST playdough recipe. Just like store-bought and it lasts forever. Make it today!

Note: This post contains affiliate links to products that I have used and loved. See my disclosure to learn more.

Truth: I have never bought playdough for my kids…and yet, it’s one of their favorite toys. How is that even possible?

It’s because I have an awesome homemade playdough recipe that is just as good (or better) than the name brand stuff at the store and about a gazillion times cheaper.

Now, I’ve tried lots of playdough recipes over the years, but I keep coming back to the same one. I found it on We Love Being Moms a couple of years ago (it’s their favorite out of 10 recipes they experimented with), and it’s stood the test of time for me as well.

I’ve made probably close to a dozen batches in the last three years (including this pumpkin spice version), and it’s practically perfect in every way.

(Update 6/13/2020: Three MORE years later, this is still the only recipe I use. I’ve now made it countless times. It’s great for a little homemade gift, for making play dates extra special, and for restocking my own supply whenever we want a new color…like when somebody mixes the colors all together so all we have left is brown. #lifewithtoddlers)

There are tons of homemade playdough recipes out there, but this one is truly the BEST playdough recipe. Just like store-bought and it lasts forever. Make it today!

Why is this the best playdough recipe?

  1. It’s not greasy. I hate when play dough leaves my hands or my table feeling gross from too much oil.
  2. It lasts forever. Most homemade playdough I’ve made dries out too quickly and I end up throwing it away after a few days. But this stuff is still good as new 6 months later. As long as you store it in a zippered bag (and squeeze the extra air out), it will last 6-12 months!
  3. It’s super cheap. Flour, water, salt & oil. All easy, low-cost ingredients. The only thing you may have to go to the store for is cream of tartar, and that’s certainly not going to break the bank. (Tip: I buy cream of tartar in the bulk spice section of Sprouts, and it’s cheaper than buying the bottle at the grocery store.)
  4. It only takes 5 minutes. Now, you do have to cook this recipe on the stove, but it’s so fast. Literally, you just dump everything in a pot, stir & cook until it forms a ball, and knead it a bit to smooth it out. And…done!

Convinced? Here’s how to make it:

The BEST homemade playdough

The BEST homemade playdough

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

There are tons of homemade playdough recipes out there, but this one is truly the BEST playdough recipe. Just like store-bought and it lasts forever.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable Oil
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • Food coloring (4 drops-ish)

Instructions

  1. Dump all ingredients in a pot. Order doesn’t matter.
  2. Stir everything together until it’s mostly uniform.
  3. Turn stove on to medium heat, and stir the dough begins to solidify and form a ball in the middle of the pot.
  4. Carefully (it WILL be hot), remove the play dough to cutting board (or I just slapped it down on my granite counter top). Knead until smooth and cool enough for little hands to touch.
  5. Play away!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Play Dough Tools
    Play Dough Tools
  • Play-Doh Fun Factory
    Play-Doh Fun Factory
  • Animal Cracker Cookie Cutters
    Animal Cracker Cookie Cutters
Category: Crafts & Activities
Source: We Love Being Moms
There are tons of homemade playdough recipes out there, but this one is truly the BEST playdough recipe. Just like store-bought and it lasts forever. Make it today!

Want more simple play activities for kids? Try these:

  • Sidewalk chalk games kids will love
  • Two-ingredient cloud dough
  • How to entertain kids when you’re sick or exhausted

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Filed Under: Crafts & Activities Tagged With: homemade playdough

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. April

    April 19, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    I’ve never used cream of tartar or oil in mine and it always dries out! Definitely need to give this a try. Now to go get some cream of tartar from the store. Good excuse to make snicker doodles!

    Reply
    • Meg

      April 25, 2017 at 9:31 pm

      Yeah, cream of tartar is the only thing I sometimes run out of, but I’ve started buying it from the bulk spice bins (way cheaper), and so I keep a good supply on hand now. And, yes, this playdough really does stay super soft!

      Reply
  2. Priscilla Barton

    April 19, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    Great reminder I need to make some more! So much cheaper than buying the little tubs they forget to cover up anyways! Tks!

    Reply
    • Meg

      April 25, 2017 at 9:29 pm

      I’m all for saving money! Thanks, Priscilla.

      Reply
  3. Lauren | also known as mama

    April 20, 2017 at 6:37 am

    I’ll have to give this one a try. Seems easy enough – since I always have these ingredients on hand!

    Reply
    • Meg

      April 25, 2017 at 9:30 pm

      That’s one of the things I love about this recipe. It’s super basic.

      Reply
  4. Patrice Walker

    April 20, 2017 at 12:00 pm

    My Evie and I made this same “Pluto” as she calls it, but we substituted the food coloring with kool aid packets. It made our play dough smell delicious and look vibrant!

    Reply
    • Meg

      April 25, 2017 at 9:29 pm

      Oooh, I love the idea of using Kool-aid. I made a pumpkin spice version in the fall that smelled great, so I’d love to make another good-smelling version. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  5. Rachel

    April 20, 2017 at 8:33 pm

    Eeeek! I have to give this a shot!!

    Reply
  6. Inez

    April 24, 2017 at 4:18 pm

    I’m going to try this! I’ve been hesitant to do playdough recipes that you cook but this really does sound easy. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Meg

      April 25, 2017 at 9:28 pm

      Inez, it really only takes five minutes, and I have NEVER had a batch flop. It always turns out well. I hope you do try it!

      Reply
  7. Alice

    October 14, 2017 at 5:12 pm

    Finally tried this today and it worked great. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Reply
    • Meg

      October 14, 2017 at 9:23 pm

      Glad to hear it! We still make it as our go-to recipe.

      Reply
  8. JL

    August 24, 2020 at 9:57 pm

    Have you tried doubling this recipe or do you recommend just making batch after batch. I need to make enough for 33 kindergarten student 🙂

    Reply
    • Meg

      August 25, 2020 at 10:23 pm

      You can definitely double or triple it if you use a larger pot. I usually just make small batches because my boys like to have a variety of colors, but for your situation… Yes! Make a big batch!

      Reply

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