Easy No-Cook Playdough

Here it is – the traditional favourite of playdough recipes. All the ingredients can be the budget brand at your local store so no need for using your best flour or top brand salt! And of course this is a No Cook playdough so even better!

Posted January 28, 2014, Updated December 4, 2025

This lasts really well and your imagination is the limit as far as the colour, smell & sensory textures you add to it. It is high in salt so not for use with little ones who will likely think Playdough is a tasty treat!

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour
1/2 cup salt
2 TBSP Cream of Tarter
2 TBSP Oil – I use Canola or other vegetable oil
1.5 cups boiling water
Food Colouring, glitter etc etc if required

Method

In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, cream of tarter and oil.

Add the boiling water and stir continuously until it becomes sticky and combines together, add the food colouring (and other ingredients such as glitter) and stir well again.

Once cooled enough to touch begin to strongly knead the dough, this is the most important step! Keep kneading the dough until it is no longer sticky – you can always add a tiny bit more water or more flour if you feel the consistency is not right after a few minutes of kneading – but give it time to do its stuff!

This playdough will store for weeks in an airtight container – ours usually ends up with dirt, leaves, random crumbs or left in the sun before it gets to this stage but the reason this recipe is the most used one is the salt & cream of tarter help to prolong its life.

How many Mums have found themselves still at the playdough table long after the kids have left – seriously this stuff is great therapy, feels amazing and means a quick kids activity is never far away.

The mixture will be HOT when you first add the water so allow to cool sufficiently before you let little hands near it – but they will LOVE it when its warm to the touch.

Happy Playdoughing 🙂

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Happy Baking!

Anna