Mom's Best Recipes
Recipe

Festive Homemade Playdough

A bright, holiday-ready playdough that smells fresh, feels silky, and holds its shape for cookie cutters, stamps, and tiny kid masterpieces (including temporary “ornaments” for display while soft).

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
A bright red and green homemade playdough balls on a wooden table with cookie cutters and a small rolling pin
Jump to Recipe

This is playdough with main character energy. It is bright, soft, and citrus-scented enough to smell clean and fresh instead of like the inside of a flour bag. If you have kids who love rolling, stamping, and squishing, this one is a total win. If you are an adult who secretly loves rolling, stamping, and squishing, welcome to the club.

We are making a classic cooked playdough (so it lasts longer and feels smoother than no-cook versions), then dialing it into a festive vibe with bold colors and an optional citrus boost. You can keep it simple with one color, or make a whole holiday batch: red, green, white, and a little golden yellow for extra sparkle vibes.

A child pressing a star cookie cutter into a sheet of green playdough on a kitchen counter

Why It Works

  • Silky texture, less crumbly: Cooking the flour hydrates everything evenly, so you get that smooth, stretchy dough that rolls like a dream.
  • Bright citrus scent: A tiny splash of lemon juice plus citrus zest gives a clean, fresh smell that feels festive and not overly perfumey.
  • Bold color that stays put: Adding color after cooking keeps the shade vibrant. A little glycerin (optional) adds shine and elasticity.
  • Holds details well: Great for cookie cutters, name stamps, and making temporary “ornaments” on parchment for same-day display.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Best storage: Let the playdough cool completely, then store it in an airtight container or zip-top bag. I like to lightly coat the inside of the container with a drop of neutral oil if you live somewhere dry.

  • Room temperature: It often lasts 1 to 3 months in an airtight container, as long as it stays dry and you use clean hands and tools.
  • Refrigerator: It typically lasts 3 to 6 months in an airtight container (nice if your house runs warm). Let it sit at room temp for 10 to 15 minutes before play.
  • Freezer: Up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then knead until smooth. Freezing can change the texture a bit, so it may feel slightly grainier at first, but kneading helps.

Discard rule: If it smells off, shows mold, or feels slimy, throw it out.

Refresh tip: If it feels a little dry, knead in 1 to 2 teaspoons warm water or a tiny smear of oil. If it feels sticky, knead in a pinch of flour.

Food safety note: This is not meant to be eaten. If your little one is in the everything-goes-in-the-mouth phase, consider skipping strong scent add-ins and keep close supervision. Also keep this high-salt dough away from pets.

Common Questions

What makes this playdough smell so fresh?

Two small things: lemon juice (it also helps preserve the dough a bit) and citrus zest for that bright, clean scent. It’s subtle, not perfumey.

Can I make this without cream of tartar?

Yes. Cream of tartar helps with elasticity and shelf life, but you can still make good playdough without it. If you skip it, increase the lemon juice to 2 tablespoons total (instead of 1 tablespoon) or use 2 tablespoons white vinegar total. The dough may be a little less stretchy and might dry out faster over time.

My playdough is sticky. What did I do wrong?

Usually it just needs a little more cooking or a little more flour while kneading. Put it back in the pan for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring, until it forms a ball. Then knead in flour 1 teaspoon at a time (you can go up to 1 tablespoon if it’s really sticky) until it behaves.

My playdough is crumbly or dry. Can I fix it?

Absolutely. Knead in 1 teaspoon warm water at a time. If it is really dry, add a touch of oil too. Give it a full minute of kneading before adding more.

What food coloring works best?

Gel food coloring gives the brightest color with the least liquid. Liquid coloring works fine too, just expect slightly softer dough. Wear gloves if you want to keep your hands from turning Grinch-green.

Is this safe for toddlers (or pets)?

The ingredients are common pantry items, but it is still not edible. Supervise toddlers who mouth everything and skip optional fragrance add-ins. Also, this dough is very salty, so keep it away from pets (especially dogs) and discard it if a large amount is eaten.

You mentioned “ornaments.” Will these harden like salt dough?

Think of these as temporary ornaments or decorations that are best enjoyed while soft. You can let shapes air-dry for a day or two, but they may crack, soften in humidity, or get funky over time. For long-lasting, hard ornaments, use a true salt dough (see recommendations).

I am not saying I made this playdough “for the kids” and then caught myself ten minutes later making tiny wreaths with a butter knife and a cookie cutter, but I am also not not saying that. The citrus idea started as a practical fix. I wanted homemade dough that smelled fresher and lasted longer than the basic batch. A little lemon juice later and suddenly it felt like we upgraded from craft day to a full-on cozy holiday activity. Messy hands, bright colors, zero pressure. That is my kind of kitchen project.