How to Make Salt Dough

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Your kids will love playing with salt dough — and helping you make it too! Salt dough is fun to make and easy to create with. Let your little Michelangelo's imagination run wild as they sculpt and cut shapes out of the dough.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (201 g) salt
  • 3 ⁄ 4 cup (180 mL) water
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) vegetable oil
  • Food coloring (optional - see "Tips" for suggestions)
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Making the Dough

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    Add 1 cup (201 g) of salt, 3 ⁄ 4 cup (180 mL) of water, and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of vegetable oil bowl. Stir thoroughly until all of the clumps have been removed from the mixture. It should gain a doughy consistency. [1]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    Knead the mixture with the heels of your hands. Press, fold, and rotate the dough with your hands until it is smooth and thick. [2]
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    Make several batches in different colors. Color can be obtained easily using food coloring available in cake decorating supplies. Glitter adds a lot of pizzazz to the dough. [3]
    • Edible colors include chocolate powder, coffee, spices, beetroot water, carrot juice etc.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    It will keep for several days so long as the container is properly sealed. [4]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Making Decorations with the Dough

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    Salt dough is a great way for kids to make easy holiday decorations. It is easiest as a beginner to start with flat objects before advancing to 3D figures with details. Layering details over the initial figure should only be attempted when you feel confident about making the initial shape.
    • Use a rolling pin to flatten out the dough before you use cookie cutters.
    • To prevent your dough ball from drying out while you are working on a smaller piece, place a damp towel over the ball until you are ready to use it.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    There are several different ways that salt dough can be dried:
    • Air dry your decorations. Choose a warm, dry place to let the figures dry. Place figures on a grill to permit air circulation. This method will take about one week and is only suitable for small, flat and thin figures.
    • Air dry and use an oven. Allow for a little drying by air and then bake the figure in the oven for half an hour at 50ºC (122ºF). You can increase to 100ºC (212ºF) after the initial half hour if more time is needed.
    • Put your decorations directly into the oven. Set the oven at 180ºF (82ºC) for about 10 minutes. Dry directly on the oven rack to ensure even drying over the entire figure.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    You do not want to brown or burn the figure.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    If it sounds hollow, and will not yield to your finger, it is ready. If not, dry it for a longer period of time. Dry it at a low temperature or air dry it to avoid browning it. Placing it in the oven more than once will increase the chance of your decoration cracking.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    They can be painted once dry.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Other Ways to Use Dough

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    . Your kids can make inexpensive necklaces and bracelets that will look cute and stylish.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    Shape the dough into the different components of something (such as a head, body, arms, and legs) then stick them together! In order to keep them attached, wet both parts that you would like to stick together.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Salt Dough
    . You can give dough food figurines to your kids to play house with, or decorate your fridge by gluing magnets onto the back of the dough shapes.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Can I eat hardened salt dough?
    Community Answer
    Technically yes, but it isn't recommended. The dough becomes very hard and would probably damage your teeth.
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    Not Helpful 9 Helpful 54
  • Question
    Can I use sea salt for this dough?
    Community Answer
    Use fine table salt for the dough if you want to get the best results.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 11 Helpful 74
  • Question
    Can you use self-raising flour in salt dough?
    Community Answer
    Absolutely! I actually found self-raising flour to work even better than normal flour!
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    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips

      • If the dough is too crumbly, add more water. If it's too sticky, add a little more flour.
        Thanks
        Helpful 175 Not Helpful 41
      • You can add paint to the dough before and after you bake it. It is important to ensure that the paint is suitable for baking if you choose to paint before you bake.
        Thanks
        Helpful 130 Not Helpful 57
      • If you don't have paint, add food coloring while you are making the dough. This will give it its nice color!
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        Helpful 16 Not Helpful 9
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      Warnings

      • This dough can be toxic to animals due to its high sodium content. Keep pets away from it.
        Thanks
        Helpful 96 Not Helpful 22
      • Only use edible ingredients when toddlers are helping you to make it (i.e. no glitter or paint). Supervise the whole process to prevent attempts to eat the dough.
        Thanks
        Helpful 82 Not Helpful 38
      • Making salt dough is a messy process. Wear old clothes or an apron. Cover the areas that you are working on to protect the surfaces.
        Thanks
        Helpful 84 Not Helpful 40
      • The salt content can make it painful for those with cuts to knead.
        Thanks
        Helpful 6 Not Helpful 2
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      Things You'll Need

      • Bowl
      • Measuring cups
      • Mixing spoon or spatula
      • Food coloring (optional)
      • Glitter (optional)
      • Paint (optional)

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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.learning4kids.net/2012/12/09/how-to-make-salt-dough-recipe/
      2. ↑ http://www.learning4kids.net/2012/12/09/how-to-make-salt-dough-recipe/
      3. ↑ http://www.learning4kids.net/2012/12/09/how-to-make-salt-dough-recipe/
      4. ↑ http://www.learning4kids.net/2012/12/09/how-to-make-salt-dough-recipe/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make salt dough, first, preheat your oven to 180 °F (80°C). Then, mix together 2 cups (255 g) of flour, 1 cup (200 g) of salt, 3/4 cup (180 mL) of water, and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of vegetable oil in a bowl. Stir the mixture until it’s clump-free and doughy. Next, knead it with your hands to thicken it up. Mold the dough into whatever shape you want, then set it on a baking sheet and put it in the oven 10 minutes to dry and harden. You can also set it out for a week to air dry. Your dough is dry when you can tap it without pushing it in at all, making a hollow sound. Store any leftover dough in an airtight container for up to a week. For tips from our Baking reviewer on how to make decorations with your dough, read on!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Anonymous

        Feb 12, 2018

        "Easy to understand instructions and pics. I also liked the cooking time and added tips."
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