Easy homemade playdough recipe

There’s no cream of tartar needed, and zero faff – making it a brilliant simple playdough recipe for toddlers, preschoolers, and even older kids who love to get stuck in.

One batch makes enough for a huge squishy ball of dough or up to 12 smaller ones, you can colour any way you like, and it stays soft and lasts for ages.

It’s ideal if you're after a homemade playdough recipe that’s mess-free and actually works.

Ready to get started? Scroll down for our quick playdough recipe – or jump straight to the fun colour and scent variations below:

Make playdough in a microwave | No cook playdough recipe | Playdough recipe without cream of tartar | Playdough recipe without salt | Plaudough recipe without food colouring | Fun playdough variations

How to make playdough

Ingredients you will need:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• ½ cup salt (65g)
• 1 cup water (240ml)
• 1 cup any type of white flour (130g)
• Food colouring (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients except the flour and food colouring in a non-stick saucepan (if you want your playdough to be all one colour, you can add the food colouring in too, or follow our steps later if you want your playdough balls in different colours)
2. Put the saucepan on the hob over a low heat and mix well
3. Remove the saucepan from the hob and add in the flour
4. Put the saucepan back on the hob over a low heat and stir continuously and the thick should begin to thicken
5. Keep stirring until the mixture has a firm (and hard to stir) texture of soft dough, then place the dough onto a plate or hard surface
6. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then knead until you have a big ball of dough
7. If you haven't added the food colouring yet, divide the big ball into smaller, separate balls
8. Add a few drops of your chosen colour to the ball and knead until the colour is well spread (tip: it's easier if you make a little hollow space in the ball, let a few drops fall in the middle of it, then work the colour through)
9. Repeat with your other dough balls

Common playdough FAQ

How to make playdough recipe in a microwave

1. Place all of the ingredients mentioned above in a plastic container and cook for 1 1/2 minutes
2. Stir, then microwave for 1 more minute
3. Follow the recipe above from step 6

How to make this playdough recipe without cooking

1. Place the flour, vegetable oil, cream of tartar and salt into a bowl
2. Boil 1 cup of water and add the food colouring to the water
3. Gradually add the coloured water to the dry ingredients, stirring as you go until it thickens to a sticky, firm dough. Tip: go slowly, you might not need all of the water
4. Follow the recipe above from step 6, making sure you knead well until all the stickiness is gone

How to make playdough without cream of tartar

Instead of the cream of tartar, you will need 3 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar. You will also need ¼ cup (22g) salt (instead of ½ cup) and only ¾ cup (180ml) water (instead of 1 cup). To make it:

1. Add the liquid ingredients to a saucepan over a medium heat
2. Slowly add the salt and flour, mixing continuously until it starts to form a ball
3. Remove from the pan and allow to cool
4. Once cool, knead really well (it will feel sticky at first)

Note: It's the preservative quality of cream of tartar that means our playdough recipe lasts for so long, so if you make it without the cream of tartar, it won't stay 'fresh' for more than a couple of weeks.

How to make playdough without salt

You will need:

• 2 cups (255g) flour
• ½ cup (200ml) vegetable oil
• Food colouring
• Water

To make it:

1. Put the flour in a large bowl, add the oil and mix well
2. Fill a small glass with water and add a drop or 2 of food colouring
3. Pour the coloured water into the bowl a little at a time
4. Keep stirring and adding water until you have a soft dough

Note: As with the recipe directly above, this version won't stay 'fresh' for more than a couple of weeks as it has no cream of tartar.

How to make coloured playdough without food colouring

Warning — it might be faffy and messy! If you don't have food colouring, you can juice vegetables to make a homemade version. Beetroot juice makes a lovely pink, and carrot juice a strong orange. To make the playdough without food colouring, repeat the steps but substitute the food colouring for the juiced vegetables.

Playdough fun variations

• Shiny dough: Add a few drops of glycerine to the mixture.
• Aromatherapy dough: Add 2 to 3 drops of lavender (relaxing) or peppermint (invigorating) essential oils
• Textured, sensory dough: Knead in rice or split peas
• Fruity sensory dough: Divide your dough into several balls and add different fruit juices and zests; smell and compare
• ‘Mud’ playdough: Add brown food colouring, or instead of food colouring, add brown paint or 2 tbsp coffee grounds
• Glitter dough: Just add glitter!

Pics: Getty

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