If you have kids, you need a good homemade play dough recipe. It’s easy to make, and a fun rainy day craft activity. I like this particular recipe because you do not need Cream of Tartar. Because I never just happen to have a bottle of Cream of Tartar hanging around and figured you might not, either.
The Peppermint Essential Oil makes the play dough smell nice and minty! Some of my kids like the scented play dough and some don’t. You can leave it out of the recipe if you want to make unscented play dough. For a yummy-smelling cocoa dough, try my favorite chocolate playdough recipe.
Try making a batch of play dough (play doh) at home. I can almost guarantee you have all the ingredients on hand already. You do have to cook this recipe on the stove. But it’s fast and painless. I promise.
Peppermint Play Dough (No Cream of Tartar) Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice OR Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- Food Coloring as desired
- Peppermint Essential Oil (5-10 drops, optional)
Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients (except for the Peppermint Essential Oil) in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until it starts to clump together. (This takes about 3-5 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to stir until the entire mixture has turned to dough consistency.
Remove from heat and allow to cool. Knead in 5-10 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil.
Store play dough in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 2 months. Refrigerate for even longer lasting dough.
Edited to add: I kept mine stored in the refrigerator for several months before tossing it out.
Edited to correct: The amount of water in this recipe should be a 4:1 ratio of Flour:Water. (Thanks to reader, Kim, for pointing out my typo)
*Tip: If dough is still too sticky after it cools, knead in small amounts of flour to get it to the right consistency.
Joanna says
Unfortunately my play dough didn’t come out right. It was a crumbly mess and never clumped up together. I’ve made home made play dough before that came out perfect but can’t find that recipe so I tried using this one. I kept stirring and stirring thinking something would happen. Eventually the flour started burning and I gave up. Such a waste of ingredients and time.
Shawnna says
Mine turned out ok but seems really salty! when I added the flour I only added one cup and it was almost too much. I will try again but it turned out good just kind of gritty.
A says
Just made this and it was a crumbly mess. I tried to knead in more water, oil, lemon juice, but it was so dense and hard it was like giving my kid breadcrumbs I had smashed together. I am curious if you tried your own recipe after making the recipe edit? This definitely doesn’t work.
Nicole says
I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you.
Piroska Toth says
The vinegar (or lemon juice) is a great idea! But the ratio of the main ingredients is off: 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of water. (not 1/2 cup of water)
Kim says
Are you sure the measurements are listed correctly? I ended up needing to use 4 cups of flour in the pot because it didn’t clump up, and I used another half cup flour when kneading it even after it cooled because it was so sticky. Every other recipe I’ve seen uses about 1 part water to 4 parts flour.
Nicole says
Hi Kim, It has been so long since I have made this particular play dough recipe that I can’t remember how much flour and water I actually used. I write down my recipe on paper before I type it up into a blog post. And now that I look at the recipe in the blog post – the 2 cups of water does seem like too much for that amount of flour. That has got to be a mistake. I’m sorry, I am going to fix it. Thank you for calling it out here in the comments so I can get it right for everyone else who may try this recipe. –Nicole
Susie says
Hi,
This morning when we opened it, it stuck everywhere like literally allover. Please tell me if you know what wet wrong. My son loves play dough. Haha I so don’t want to travel to the store to get Cream of Tarter.
Nicole says
Hi Susie,
I am sorry I have no idea why it stuck everywhere. I kept my play dough in the refrigerator and it was always firm whenever we opened it to play. I kept ours for at least 6 months in the fridge before I finally tossed it out. Did you keep yours refrigerated? Maybe that would help. -Nicole
Susie says
I needed a recipe, I ran out of Cream of Tarter. I used this one. I like it, I did need to add a bit more flour at the end and was not sure because it was sticky. However, after it cooled down it did become a great playdough
Nicole says
I’m glad it worked well for you. I always thought I “had” to have cream of tartar but I can’t tell a difference at all without it (using this recipe). We kept our playdough in the fridge for MONTHS before I threw it out. So it can last a long time if stored in an airtight container. Thank you for letting me know how things went with this project. -Nicole
Marcia says
I too would love to make this for my grandkids. I love the tip that it lasts longer in the refrigerator. I also love the optional peppermint. I will love the smell as I sit and play with them.
Jenette says
Thank you for this recipe. My girls are younger so I hate spending money on playdoh they just end up leaving out. The other recipes I found wouldn’t store long without molding. I will be making this one for sure!
Natasha Rodriguez says
Thank you our tubs have already become dry and so rough!
Janet W. says
I’d like to try and make this for my grandson to play with! It would be such a fun activity for him!
Mary Withrow says
I love scented play dough and peppermint sounds fantastic and would probley help Abagails dry hands as well! Great idea. Someone suggested sugarfree kool aid as well, but I figured it would stain the hands! lol
Betty Baez says
Wow its long lasting too! I havent tried making homemade play dough because i like you dont ever have cream of tartar laying around.
Robin Wilson says
I just love this! And I do have all the ingredients on hand except for the peppermint oil. But that is okay, I am sure my great-niece won’t mind the unscented version. Thanks so much for sharing this!