April 17, 2013

Playdough Recipe {Lemon}

Homemade Playdough Recipe

How to make perfect playdough every single time - No fail playdough recipe that is super soft and lasts for months!
We love homemade playdough and are constantly trying out new playdough recipes.  I recently discovered the most simple way to make homemade playdough ever.


One day when I was making bread with JZ I watched how my Kitchen Aid mixer perfectly kneaded the bread dough.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm not so lazy that I can't knead my own playdough.  My problem is finding five minutes to mix ingredients and knead without getting pulled away by one of my boys.  I have made perfect playdough by hand before, and I have also made many batches that were dry and/or crumbly thanks to being left while I walked away to redirect one of the toddlers, help J-Bug tie his shoes, etc.

Make amazingly soft playdough with this no fail recipe!

Enter the Kitchen Aid. All I do is add the ingredients to the Kitchen Aid bowl, and five minutes later I have perfect playdough. This playdough recipe turns out every single time.


How to Make Playdough

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Ingredients:*
  • 1 cup flour 
  • 1/4 cup salt 
  • 1 tablespoon cream of tartar 
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
  • 3/4 cup boiling water 
Optional:
*I used to use a different recipe until a couple readers pointed out that they didn't care for the texture of this recipe and used much less salt.  Since then I've experimented with my playdough recipe and have found the perfect consistency for super soft playdough.

How to make playdough in the Kitchenaid


Directions:  Heat the water. I use a tea kettle. You could also microwave it. While the water is heating add the dry ingredients to the mixer. Next add the vegetable oil. I don't do anything fancy. I just add the ingredients to the mixer, and the Kitchen Aid does its magic!  I have used both the hook and paddle attachments.  Both work great, but I think I prefer the dough hook.  Once the water boils add it to the mixer bowl. JZ (5) loves to help add ingredients.

Making playdough in the KitchenAid

We've made lemon playdough a few times.  One time we added two packets of lemon Kool Aid.  Another time I added 1/4 cup of lemon juice in place of 1/4 cup of water and added yellow liquid watercolor paint.

The perfect playdough recipe

Here is why I love this playdough recipe.  Every time I make it I leave the dough to mix for different amounts of time.  Sometimes I put in a load of laundry, other times I have to tend to one of my children, and other times I am right there watching the dough mix and turn it off after only a couple minutes.  Regardless of how long it mixes the dough is the right consistency every single time.

Super soft lemon playdough recipe that lasts for many months

Bonus:  The measuring cups and spoons and the Kitchen Aid bowl go straight into the dishwasher, so clean up is a cinch.  We moms are busy!  Anything that saves time is appreciated, right?

For more playdough recipes  follow me on Pinterest. 

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How to make lemon playdough - This super soft no fail recipe lasts for many months!

More Playdough Recipes:


 How to make rainbow color surprise playdough - Kids will love the surprise color that appears from this super soft playdough recipe! 

42 comments:

  1. Did you use the paddle attachment or the dough hook? Thank you for the recipe can't wait to try!!

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    1. I've used both with success. This time I used the paddle.

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    2. Are you sure its only 1 cup of flour? As I have just made the lemon recipe and it is really runny ????

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  2. Do you use the paddle or the dough hook attachment? Thank you for the recipe can't wait to try it!

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  3. Love homemamde playdough! I bet yours smells delicious! I'd love if you shared your post with us at Eco-Kids Tuesday!! Hope to see you there!

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  4. I bet this smells amazing! I have tried to make playdough before and it turned out horrible...looking forward to this recipe. Thanks!

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  5. Now see... this is exactly why I NEED a kitchen aid!!!

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  6. We have not had success with making non cook play dough, we will be trying this recipe for sure!! Thanks for sharing, I have pinned to my Pinterest boards. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

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  7. i've never made my own playdough. i do make my own pizza dough and have often given my kids some extra to play with. thanks for linking up to #kidsinthekitchen

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  8. Ugh I've spent way to much time stirring playdough as it cooks... and it hurts!!! Excited to share this at this week's Kid's Co-op :) Krissy

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  9. stupid question of the day, does it matter what kind of flour you use? all purpose/ self rising/ ect...

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  10. What does the cream of tartar do?

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  11. I would love to try this. How long is the shelf life for this? What do you store it in to make sure it doesn't dry out?

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  12. I would love to make this! What is the shelf life of this playdough recipe? What's the best way to store this so it doesn't dry out?

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  13. I love the idea of making this in my Kitchen Aid mixer rather than on the stove! And the lemony dough looks wonderful. I bet it smelled wonderful, too.
    Beautiful photos, Allison!

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  14. Hmmm...my first comment disappeared. As I was saying, I love this idea! Making play dough in the mixer instead of on the stove. Brilliant. Love my Kitchen Aid. I use it almost every day for something.
    Also, your photos are gorgeous!

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  15. What a fabulous idea! I made play dough for the first time today and my hand/wrist hurt after stirring. It was well worth the time, though. My 7 and 2 year old played with it for an hour! This is definitely worth a try. I don't have a kitchenaid, but I do have a Bosche. Surely, it will work just as well!

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  16. This was SO easy and it came out perfect. THANK YOU! Krissy

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  17. What a great idea to use the mixer for playdough, Allison! Lemon would be perfect for summer, too! I featured your post and photo in my Montessori-Inspired Summer Playdough Activities at http://livingmontessorinow.com/2013/06/10/montessori-monday-montessori-inspired-summer-playdough-activities/

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  18. I'm Hooked!!!!!This is a keeper!!!Always turns out...even with the kids measuring!!!

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  19. you just made my life sooo much easier! I doubled the recipe and that makes enough for a classroom of 16 preschoolers! Thank you! Thank you! Thank You!

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  20. Mine turned out really sticky. I followed it to a T.

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    1. Mine turned out runny, so I added an extra half a cup of flour. It may have been because I used baby oil instead of vegetable oil. With the extra flour it is lovely and fluffy and my daughter is enjoying playing with it now!

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  21. I got my kids ages 9,7,5,and 2 to all knead their own dough. They loved it!

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  22. Dear Allison - Thank for sharing this great idea. I made my first batch tonight (for school). No more pains in my hands. Just Awesome!!!!

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  23. Hey! I've been using this recipe for quite a while but today I used your revised recipe for the first time... and it came out very sticky! Are you sure it is only 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar? Hmmm, I wonder what I did wrong?? I will have to play around with it! Thanks :)

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    1. Oh bummer. :( We haven't had an issue with stickiness. Did adding flour help?

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  24. We have used this recipe for years in our Kindy/Pre-Primary. We use 2 Tbls of Cream of Tartar and one of the EAs swears by dissolving the salt in the boiled water before adding it to the flour. Also, always use Plain Flour and if you are using paint or liquid dyes you might need less water.

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  25. This is the only way I will make play dough now! Thanks so much for the idea! Came out perfect!

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  26. I want to make the play dough pink, any ideas??

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    1. Pink liquid watercolor paint would work, or a small amount of red food coloring.

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  27. Mine came out really sticky, I decided to knead in some cornstarch, and it eventually came together beautifully.

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  28. I added more flour since it was sticky, but my kiddos think the kitchen aid mixer is magic so it's great thank you!

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  29. How long will this keep if stored in tupperware?

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    1. It depends on your climate. Here in San Diego I've kept playdough fro almost a year without issue.

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  30. Thanks for sharing the recipe, it looks moist and delicious!

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  31. I just found and used your recipe today. I was going to use my mom's old recipe in the kitchen aid and see if it worked... I'm so glad you tested and shared this recipe. It turned out just perfect. And I can't believe it's so soft.

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  32. Wow!
    And thanks for offering a fabulous idea!
    As you have used kitchenaid stand mixer to make this delicious recipe. I also want to buy kitchenaid stand mixer In India. Can you give me information of kitchenaid website in India?

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  33. great idea! TOO CUTE! Thanks for posting!

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  34. Do you store yours in the icebox? Also if your adding lemon juice or other wet colorings and smells it will make your dough thinner. Either reduce boiling water or add more flour.

    Mine came out so soft like a cloud!! Thanks for the recipe 😄

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  35. Great idea. I will make it for my kids,
    I hope they like it.

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