If you’re looking for an easy homemade playdough recipe you can put together with or without cream of tartar, you’re in the right place. Even if you don’t want to be the most popular mom ever, you’ll win the day with these two recipes for old school style playdough from my grandmother’s recipe book.
My grandmother taught Sunday school for over 25 years, so she knew every kid trick in the book – which came in handy when she needed to entertain me. I was the kid who was always bored – a fact that certainly came back to haunt me now that I have three children – who are always bored.
One of my favorite activities and memories of spending time with my grandmother, aka Mamaw, was making this homemade playdough recipe. I loved it because she let me pick the colors, and she loved it because it didn’t stain her hands or mine.
The only drawback was waiting for it to cool. (It takes about 20 minutes.) Did I mention I was also an impatient kid? Well, I was, and 20 minutes felt like an eternity. Anyway, here’s how to make the homemade playdough recipe with cream of tartar.
Ingredients Homemade Playdough (With Cream of Tartar)
1 cup flour
1 cup water
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup salt
1 TBSP vegetable oil
food coloring
How To Make Homemade Playdough Without Cream of Tartar
If you don’t have the cream of tartar, you can substitute vinegar or lemon juice.
1 cup flour
¼ cup salt
¾ cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Food coloring
Mix everything (except the food coloring) in a pan over medium heat until it starts to get thick – which will happen in minutes. Then add the food coloring and keep stirring for around two more minutes. When it starts to look like playdough, you’re done.
Let it cool on wax paper for 20 minutes. You can store it in the refrigerator in a ziplock bag.
How Much Food Coloring Do You Need?
The amount of food coloring you need will depend on what color you are going for. This was one of the few times my Mamaw played a little fast and loose with the recipe card and let me do my thing. Here’s what she has listed on her instructions:
Blue: 15 drops
Red: 25 drops
Green: 15 drops
Lime Green: 10 yellow + 2 green
Orange: 12 yellow + 5 red
Purple: 15 red + 6 blue
Hack: If you don’t have food coloring – use Kool-Aid!
Well, that does it for me today. Here’s hoping these playdough recipes will save your kids (and you) from complete boredom.
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