[Buggylicious]

I'm looking at playdough recipes to put in old baby food jars and give out as party favours at DD's birthday party this weekend. I'm a bit confused which recipe I should use and which one really is the best. I need one that won't need refrigeration because my fridge is tiny and won't fit it in there and I need to make it a few days in advance because I'll have other stuff do do closer to that date.

So in short I need a playdough recipe that won't go funky out of the fridge.

[tick]

I've tried a few recipes and tweaked the one on the back of the cream of tartar pack to perfection IMO! I got a bit obsessed with it for a while there, haha.

Anyway...

Bring 1 & 1/3 cups of water to the boil in a small pot. Add food colouring and 1/2 cup of table salt. Simmer for a couple of mins to dissolve the salt.

In a big bowl, add a cup of plain flour, two tablespoons of cream of tartar and two tablespoons of oil. Pour boiling water mix into flour, leaving undissolved salt behind. Stir it all up and let it cool for a few mins before kneeding into a lovely smooth dough!

Double/triple volumes as necessary depending on how much you need to make.

It doesn't need refrigeration.

Sometimes I add glitter or essential oils to the dough for added excitement!

[Buggylicious]

Thank you very much! at what point do you add the essential oils? I plan to make purple lavender scented and pink strawberry scented (that one is essence does that matter?)

[tick]

Umm, not sure about the essence, can't hurt to try it! I'd add it after the mixture has cooled a little but before you start kneeding it, just because I'm not sure if boiling water would change/destroy the scent. Best to do it before kneeding too much though so it disperses through playdough nicely!

[Buggylicious]

Thanks again, I'll give it a go tomorrow

[newmummy2]

I have been using the following recipe and method for years and its never failed on me.

2 cups flour
1 cup water
1 cup fine table salt
2 teaspons oil
2 teaspoons cream of tartare
few drops of food colouring

mix all in a bowl with a blender till its smooth and creamy, pour into a non stick fry pan on low heat and stir until its gets thicker turning into playdough.
Take out of pan and put on kitchen bench letting it cool down, when cool enough knead it so its nice and soft.

this is for one batch, double triple etc for more.

I have made it and just put in a snap lock bag and it can last weeks and weeks, the kids get it out and when finished playing, put back in bag.

I think you should add essential oils when preparing instead of cooking oils, or else it will become little too oily.

Good luck with it!!

[Buggylicious]

Thank you, sounds like another good one to try, I'm guessing cooked recipes don't go funky and uncooked ones will?

[tick]

In terms of funk, it's all about getting the salt dissolved. That's why I dissolve the salt before adding to the dry ingredients - and it avoids having to cook the whole darn lot which gets gooey!

Even uncooked playdough shouldn't go funky in only a couple of days though.... unless it's really hot perhaps!

[laridae]

Yes, cooked playdough lasts longer.

I don't know if strawberry essence will give you a smell though - flavour perhaps?

[mmk]

I've only made the one on the back of the cream of tartar container, but I just used boiling water and mixed it in a bowl instead of doing it on the stove. It lasted ages, as in a couple of months maybe??? in a snap lock bag with all of the air squished out. It was just left at the top of the pantry with his playdough toys...