Gingerbread playdough is easy to make and a great sensory activity. It smells fantastic and is fun to play with!
You might also like our moon sand recipe, our kinetic sand box, or our homemade bubbles solution.
My youngest is in kindergarten which means cute crafts and hands-on projects all year long. His teacher sent an email out requesting some donations as they finished their gingerbread man-themed week. Mainly, she needed 16 baggies of gingerbread playdough to send home with the kids as a fun little activity for them to do over the weekend. This is RIGHT UP MY ALLEY.
I was happy to make a few batches of our favorite playdough recipe and send it in. I even went a step further and added a few accessories to create a gingerbread man! Each child received a portion of dough, a cookie cutter, and accessories.
Why I Like This Craft
- Smells amazing. Whether you make a batch of gingerbread playdough for your kids to play with at home or make baggies to give to friends as Christmas gifts, you'll love this recipe. Why? Because it's easy to make and smells H-E-A-V-E-N-L-Y!
- Tried and true family recipe. Every family has a favorite playdough recipe, and I'd imagine that 90% of them consist of the same ratio of flour, salt, cream of tartar, water, and oil as mine. This recipe has been around for decades. You can easily customize it by adding gel food coloring and scents (you can even add scent and color at the same time using Kool-aid packets). Today we're just adding spices to achieve the wonderful aroma of gingerbread. Heavy on the ginger and cinnamon, lighter on the nutmeg and cloves.
- Long shelf life. Homemade playdough will stay soft for a long time if stored correctly. If you're looking for a dough that dries and can be painted (for ornaments or other projects), try our baking soda dough.
What Others Are Saying
Thanks...My son's birthday was this weekend, and he took treats to school on Monday - this was a nice addition for the kids to take with them!---Nicole on Facebook
Made a batch with my kindergartner. We couldn't stop sniffing it it smelled so good, haha!---Laura on Facebook
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Tips and Tricks
- Cook the playdough. Some recipes are no-heat, but this one requires a couple of minutes over the stove. Just to help everything incorporate. Don't worry, it's hard to screw up this recipe. It comes together quickly and the warm dough feels nice on your hands as you knead it.
- Gift idea. I found these little bags at Target. They came in a pack of 20 for $3. The cookie cutters were $1, and I rummaged through my craft closet to find buttons and craft eyes. I wrapped the playdough in plastic wrap and then placed it inside the baggie. Just to make sure it stayed nice and soft. I hope the kids have fun playing with their dough!
- Storage tips. Homemade playdough will stay soft for a long time if stored correctly. Store gingerbread playdough in an airtight container or plastic baggies.
Ingredients
Gingerbread playdough gets its classic color and scents from cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and, of course, ginger.
- All-purpose flour
- Salt: The cheap stuff.
- Cream of tartar: This helps keep the dough stretchy and prevents it from getting crumbly.
- Ground spices: Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Water
- Oil: vegetable, canola, etc.
Supplies
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon (or Danish dough whisk)
- Measuring cups/spoons
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Gingerbread Playdough
Step 1: Grab a medium saucepan and place all dry ingredients into it (flour, salt, cream of tartar, and spices). Whisk/stir.
Step 2: Add water and oil. Stir. Heat on medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, for 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: When it looks like a thick, shaggy dough turn the heat off and spoon the dough onto your work surface.
The dough will start out thin, then quickly thicken and get lumpy, then begin to pull from the sides of the pan.
Step 4: Allow the playdough to cool for 2-3 minutes, then knead until smooth.
Gingerbread Playdough FAQs
Cream of tartar gives playdough its elasticity and makes it smooth and soft.
One batch of playdough will make 2 cups, which equals about 4 containers of storebought play-doh. I needed 16 portions for the kindergarten class so I made 4 batches.
Some recipes are no-heat, but this one requires a couple of minutes over the stove. Just to help everything incorporate. Don't worry, it's hard to screw up this recipe. It comes together quickly, and the warm dough feels nice on your hands as you knead it.
More Holiday Crafts For Kids
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Gingerbread Playdough
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
Materials
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsp. oil
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt, cream of tartar and spices in a medium saucepan.
- Add water and oil.
- Heat on medium heat, continuously stirring with a wooden spoon or Danish dough whisk.The mixture will start out thin, then thicken, and then get a bit lumpy. When the dough begins to come together and pull from the sides remove from heat. The entire cooking time should only take 2-3 minutes. It just needs to somewhat resemble a shaggy dough.
- Scoop dough out onto a work surface and allow it to for a couple of minutes, until you can handle it without burning your hands.Knead dough until smooth. Now pick up the playdough and give it a sniff. Heavenly, right? Smells just like gingerbread cookies!
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