We go through Play Doh like water around here and instead of constantly buying it, I make it sometimes when we run out. Like we did a few days ago… and were in desperate need of fresh doh! So me and Willow made some this morning! It occurred to me that none of the recipes I’ve come across for making it include any of the little things I’ve learned ABOUT making it… so of course I’m gonna share…

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So here is the recipe I use:

1 cup flour (not self-rising)
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Mix it all in a saucepan over low heat until it starts sticking to itself and rolls into balls.

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Ok, so first of all, I’ve tried the non-cooked recipes and I don’t like them.

You will want to put the water in first and let the salt desolve completely for grit free doh. Then add the cream of tartar and vegetable oil and stir well before adding the flour.

If you are a baker you would think to add the flour in slowly – not the case here. If you are a stickler, sift the flour first but it really doesnt make much difference. Dump it all in at once and stir stir stir, it is done really fast.

Dont worry if you didnt stir it well enough because you can kneed any uneven spots out!

Several times I’ve made this and forgot the vegetable oil, which makes it a bit harder to stir but comes out almost exactly the same.

12 drops of food coloring is exactly enough to give the doh great color. OR a packet of Kool Aid works great too, which also makes it smell yummy! Add this into the water before adding the flour and stir well for perfect even color.

Sea salt doesn’t work as well as regular iodized table salt.

This will make exactly enough to fill 2 large size Play Doh containers.

If it gets in the carpet, and it will, a little baking soda and vinegar action will ease it right out!

Seriously, this takes 5 minutes to make – start to finish.

And this is what it will look like in the pot when finished:

Don’t be dismayed by the crud in the pot! It cleans up really well if you roll the balls around the pot (which I’ve already partially done since I didn’t think to take a picture earlier!)

And it performs exactly like the brand name stuff! Here is Willow making me a heart!

Like all the ‘play doh’ treasures my kids present me with, I kept this heart out so it will harden and I can keep it forever! Yay!