Super Soft Playdough Recipe (2024)

ByAngela Thayer

It’s no secret that we love playdough at our house. We play with it almost every day! Since I like making different kinds of play dough, like jello playdough, marshmallow playdough, and kool-aid playdough, I wanted experiment in the kitchen and try some of my other ideas out. And it worked because I came up with a recipe for SUPER soft playdough. It is really the softest playdough we’ve ever made!

Super Soft Playdough Recipe (1)

Ingredients for Super Soft Playdough

Now that I’ve talked it up, are you ready for the recipe? Here’s what you need:

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup baby powder (this is the secret ingredient! If you don’t like using baby powder, corn starch is a good alternative)
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tablespoon of baby oil
  • 3/4 cup of water
  • food coloring (I used gel food coloring)

Super Soft Playdough Recipe (2)

Steps for Making Super Soft Playdough

  1. Start by mixing 3/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup baby powder, 1/4 cup salt and 2 teaspoons of cream of tarter in a bowl.
  2. Next, mix in the 1 tablespoon of baby oil, 3/4 cup of water, and a few drops of food coloring.
  3. Cook the mixture on the stove on low heat for a few minutes.
  4. Keep stirring and watch for it to start sticking together. If the mixture seems too dry, add in a little water.
  5. Cook the dough until it does not stick to your fingers when you touch it. If it is too sticky, try adding a Tablespoon or two of flour.
  6. Once it looks like a dough, remove it from the heat and then knead in some flour until you get a good consistency.

Super Soft Playdough Recipe (3)

This playdough feels SO soft and squishy! And it smells really great, too! We had fun being creative with the new playdough.

Super Soft Playdough Recipe (4)

Ways to Play with Playdough

We love playdough for so many reasons! When children play with playdough, they are building strength in their hands, which will help with fine motor skills and handwriting. Try the following activities with playdough:

  1. Use a roller to roll the dough flat. Then use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
  2. Roll the dough and cut it with scissors.
  3. Give them toy animals to play with the playdough.
  4. Form letters and numbers with the dough.
  5. Roll the dough into balls and smash them with your palm.
  6. Decorate the dough with small items, such as gems, pony beads, and googly eyes!

You can also add a few drops of essential oil to make it smell lovely!

Super Soft Playdough Recipe (5)

Check out how we made the dough with the video below!

Super Soft Playdough

Servings: 1 playdough

Equipment

  • 1 bowl

  • 1 spatula

  • 1 mat

  • 1 burner or stove

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup baby powder
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 tablespoon baby oil
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3-5 drops food coloring

Instructions

  • Start by mixing 3/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup baby powder, 1/4 cup salt and 2 teaspoons of cream of tarter in a bowl.

  • Next, mix in the 1 tablespoon of baby oil, 3/4 cup of water, and a few drops of food coloring.

  • Cook the mixture on the stove on low heat for a few minutes.

  • Keep stirring and watch for it to start sticking together. If the mixture seems too dry, add in a little water.

  • Cook the dough until it does not stick to your fingers when you touch it. If it is too sticky, try adding a tablespoon or two of flour.

  • Once it looks like a dough, remove it from the heat and then knead in some flour until you get a good consistency.

Notes

Store the playdough in an airtight container.

Make sure you store this in an air-tight container so it will last longer! Hope you will try this recipe out and let me know how you like it!

Super Soft Playdough Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does cream of tartar make playdough softer? ›

Cream of tartar is a powdery substance that is used in many baking recipes. It is also one of the three essential ingredients in playdough. Cream of tartar helps to make the play dough super soft and pliable. It also works with the salt, helping to preserve the playdough and prevent it from spoiling.

Is there a playdough that doesn't dry out? ›

It is soft and marshmallow-like, cleans up easily, and never dries out so you can use it again and again. Moon Dough is the latest molding compound that kids love to make their own fun creations with! My always interested in new products, 5 year old reviewer got to play with the Moon Dough Magic Zoo.

What can you add to a playdough to make it soft again? ›

The simplest way to soften playdough is by adding water. This method works best for playdough that is only slightly dry. Start Small: Add a few drops of water to the playdough and begin kneading it in. It's important to add the water gradually to avoid making the playdough too sticky.

What is the secret ingredient in play dough? ›

With this recipe the key is to really make sure you knead the dough well to avoid ending up with an end product that is too sticky or wet. The glycerine is a secret ingredient that makes the playdough extra stretchy and fun!

What is the best homemade playdough recipe? ›

how to make the world's best homemade play-doh. You'll need 3 cups of white all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of table salt, 3-4 tablespoons of any cooking oil (start with 3 and add more if necessary), 3 cups HOT water, and food coloring.

What happens if you don't put cream of tartar in a playdough? ›

The cream of tartar helps give the playdough a stiffer, stretchier texture, as well as a bit of added volume. It also acts as a natural preservative and stabilizer, helping your dough last a bit longer before it becomes crumbly or starts to go bad.

What does baking soda do to playdough? ›

A major benefit of baking soda playdough though is that it dries into a beautiful bright white and very hard material. Once dry you can color it with watercolors or acrylic paints and apparently you can even sand it (according to this video).

Why is my playdough so hard? ›

When Play-Doh dries out, it gets hard, flaky, and difficult to play with. The putty is simple: it comprises mostly water, salt, and flour. In order to make this material soft again, you'll need to work water into the dough.

What is whoa dough? ›

Whoa Dough | Plant Based Gluten Free Cookie Dough Snack Bars.

How do you make playdough less runny? ›

If the playdough is still too wet after kneading, put it back into the container and leave it alone for a few hours to dry out. Sometimes you will need to knead the playdough for a good three to five minutes after adding water.

How to harden Play-Doh quickly? ›

Cover the Play-Doh with clear nail polish for a fast-drying option. Grab a bottle of clear nail polish and spread a thin layer over your clay creation. Check the side of the bottle for the recommended drying time. This is a better solution for smaller projects.

Can you moisten play dough? ›

Simply knead the water into the dough until it returns to its normal state. If that doesn't work, try wrapping the dough in a wet paper towel and setting it aside for a few hours. This should allow the moisture to seep into the dough. It might require kneading afterward to absorb any extra water.

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