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Making play-dough without cream of tartar is both fun and easy! The most traditional recipe calls for flour, salt, water, and oil. However, you can also use cornstarch and conditioner to make play-dough. Food coloring or powdered Kool-Aid will add color and fragrance to your project.
Ingredients
- 1 ⁄ 2 cup (120 ml) of conditioner
- 1 cup (120 g) of cornstarch
- Food coloring
- Glitter (optional)
- 1 cup (120 g) of all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (75 g) of table salt
- 3 ⁄ 4 cup (180 ml) of water
- 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil
- 4-5 drops of food coloring or 2 packages of powdered Kool-Aid mix
Steps
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Pour 1 ⁄ 2 cup (120 ml) of conditioner into a bowl. Pick something that smells nice to you. Your play dough will also turn out the same color as the conditioner, so choose wisely. [1] X Research source If you want to make your own color, choose white conditioner.
You can use any brand of conditioner. Cheap brands work the best. [2] X Research source
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Add some food coloring, if desired. Start with 1 to 2 drops. Stir them in, then add more if you want to. [3] X Research source If your conditioner is already colored, and you want a deeper color, make sure that you use the same color of food coloring.Advertisement
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Add some glitter for sparkle, if desired. You can use the same color of glitter as your conditioner or food coloring, or you can use a different color. Extra-fine glitter will look the best, but you can use the regular, chunky kind too. Start with a pinch of glitter, then add more if desired.
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Stir in 1 cup (120 g) of cornstarch. The dough will be crumbly at first, but then it will turn smoother the longer you work with it. Once it starts to look like frosting, transfer it to a smooth counter or cutting board. [4] X Research source- If you can't find any cornstarch, try cornflour instead.
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Knead the dough, adding more cornstarch if needed. The longer you knead the dough, the more solid it will become. Plan on kneading it for about 1 minute. If the dough feels too sticky while you are kneading it, you can always add more cornstarch. [5] X Research source
If the play dough seems too firm or too dry, squeeze a dollop of conditioner into the mixture and continue kneading.
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Store the dough in a plastic container. This will help keep the dough soft when you are not playing with it and prevent it from drying out.
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Mix the water, lemon juice, and oil together in a large pot. Measure out 3 ⁄ 4 cup (180 ml) of water and pour it into a medium sized pot. Stir in 3 tablespoons (44 ml) of lemon juice. Then, stir in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil. [6] X Research source
You can use fresh lemon juice or bottled lemon juice. If you are using fresh lemon juice, be sure to strain out the pulp and seeds!
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Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until it's just about boiling. Put the pot on your stove burner and turn the heat to medium-low. Let the mixture heat up slowly. [7] X Research source
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Stir the food coloring or powdered Kool-Aid into the mixture. You can stir in 4-5 drops of food coloring to add color to the play-dough. If you want to add color and fragrance, whisk in 2 packages of powdered Kool-Aid. If you want an extra vibrant hue, you can use both! [8] X Research source
- You can adjust the amount of food coloring or Kool-Aid you use to alter the shade.
- Be sure to use unsweetened Kool-Aid, otherwise the play dough will turn out too sticky. [9] X Research source
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Mix the flour and salt together in a separate bowl. Pour 1 cup (120 g) of all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl. Add ¼ cup (75 g) of table salt. Stir them together with a spoon. [10] X Research source
- Use white, all-purpose flour, not whole wheat.
- Use table salt, not rock salt or sea salt.
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Add the flour mixture gradually to the hot liquid mixture in the pot. Make sure you pour slowly and stir continuously as you pour. This will keep hard, uneven lumps from forming in your play-dough! [11] X Research source
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Keep stirring until the mixture forms a dough ball. As you stir, the dry ingredients will absorb the wet ingredients and form into a dough ball. Once all of the liquids have been absorbed, you can stop stirring. [12] X Research source
- If the mixture seems too sticky, flatten the dough on the bottom of the pot and let it sit for a few seconds. Then, flip it over and do the same for the other side. You can flip back and forth until you reach your desired consistency.
- Be sure not to overcook the dough! Keep in mind that it will get firmer once it cools down.
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Knead the dough ball for 1-2 minutes to finish combining it. Turn the dough ball out onto wax paper. If it's too hot to touch, let it cool down for a few minutes. Then, knead the play-dough for 1-2 minutes to complete the process. [13] X Research source
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Allow the dough to cool off before storing it in the fridge. Once the dough has cooled off, you can store it in a plastic container with an air-tight lid in the fridge. 1 batch makes enough to fill a 16-ounce plastic container. [14] X Research source
- You don't have to store the play-dough in the fridge, but it will last longer that way.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I use baking powder in place of cream of tartar?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerBaking powder is a combination of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and cream of tartar. It should work as a substitute for cream of tartar, but you may need to play around with the amount to get the texture you want.
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QuestionWhat are some good substitutes for cream of tartar?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerLemon juice and white vinegar can both act as substitutes for cream of tartar. Lemon juice will give your playdough a more pleasant scent than vinegar.
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QuestionWhat does cream of tartar do to playdough?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerThe 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.
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Tips
- If you are allergic to gluten, you can try using rice flour instead. Be aware that the dough may not have the same texture, however. [15] X Research sourceThanks
- Cocoa powder will make the dough smell like delicious chocolate. Keep in mind that it will make the dough turn brown, just like chocolate! [16] X Research sourceThanks
- For extra fragrance, add some essence or extract, such as strawberry, lemon, or vanilla. [17] X Research sourceThanks
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Warnings
- Do not use glitter in dough that will be handled by small children.Thanks
- All play dough will eventually harden or expire. If your play dough starts to smell or look off, throw it out and make a new set.Thanks
- When making play dough with kids around, it's best to stick with of non-cook versions that don't contain any toxic ingredients.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
Using Flour, Salt, and Oil
- Mixing bowl
- Pot
- Wooden spoon
- Air-tight plastic container
Using Conditioner and Cornstarch
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon
- Plastic container
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wQFsAC1_KM
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt97zl_gwnk
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wQFsAC1_KM
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt97zl_gwnk
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wQFsAC1_KM
- ↑ https://funlearningforkids.com/easy-play-dough-recipe-without-cream-tartar/
- ↑ https://funlearningforkids.com/easy-play-dough-recipe-without-cream-tartar/
- ↑ https://funlearningforkids.com/easy-play-dough-recipe-without-cream-tartar/
- ↑ http://www.food.com/recipe/kool-aid-play-dough-14788
- ↑ https://funlearningforkids.com/easy-play-dough-recipe-without-cream-tartar/
- ↑ https://funlearningforkids.com/easy-play-dough-recipe-without-cream-tartar/
- ↑ https://funlearningforkids.com/easy-play-dough-recipe-without-cream-tartar/
- ↑ https://funlearningforkids.com/easy-play-dough-recipe-without-cream-tartar/
- ↑ http://www.food.com/recipe/kool-aid-play-dough-14788
- ↑ http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/just-for-kids/allergy-free-play-dough-recipes.aspx
- ↑ http://www.learning4kids.net/2014/04/08/neapolitan-ice-cream-scented-play-dough-recipe/
- ↑ http://www.learning4kids.net/2014/04/08/neapolitan-ice-cream-scented-play-dough-recipe/
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To make play dough without any cream of tartar, start by pouring ½ cup of hair conditioner into a bowl. Make sure to pick a conditioner that has a scent you like, since that’s how your play dough will end up smelling. If you want to make your play dough a bright color, choose white conditioner and stir in 1 to 2 drops of food coloring. For sparkly play dough, add a pinch of glitter. Once your conditioner looks the way you want it to, stir in 1 cup of cornstarch. The mixture will be crumbly at first, but keep stirring and it will eventually get smoother. When the play dough looks like frosting, take it out of the bowl and knead it on a smooth, flat surface until it isn’t sticky anymore. For more advice, like how to make play dough from flour, salt, and oil, read on!
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Reader Success Stories
- "The salt, flour and oil recipe worked great. Used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil and it still turned out! It even held the food coloring and didn't color hands when played with." ..." more
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"The salt, flour and oil recipe worked great. Used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil and it still turned out! It even held the food coloring and didn't color hands when played with."
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"It worked very well. Instead of using vegetable oil, I used baby oil. It worked perfectly and kept my hands moist."
"The steps and tips helped, as it was my first attempt at making play dough."
"I liked the no-bake play dough, because it is so easy."
"Wow! Me and my friends love this! So cool!"
