DIY Soft Gingerbread Playdough (Easy Winter Break Activity)
Try baking this gingerbread playdough recipe for the holidays!
Looking for a fun kids’ craft to keep them occupied during winter break? Consider making this homemade gingerbread playdough as a creative Christmas craft or activity. With basic pantry ingredients (which you likely already have at home) and a simple cooking method, the easy dough comes together in a cinch!
We love this homemade playdough because of its buttery soft texture and delicious gingerbread scent. Break out your rolling pins and cookie cutters for some fun device-free entertainment for the whole family as both kids and adults will love this fun holiday craft project!
Homemade Gingerbread Playdough
PrintSupplies Needed
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup salt
- 2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
Directions
1
In a medium saucepan, stir together flour, salt, cream of tartar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
2
Mix in the water and oil, then stir until the mixture thickens like a batter.
3
Cook mixture over low/medium heat on the stove until a thick dough forms.
4
Place the dough onto parchment paper and knead until smooth. Each batch yields about 2 cups of soft, fragrant, gingerbread dough.
Hip Tips for this Gingerbread Playdough recipe:
- DIY gift idea: Place your finished dough in a jar and attach a little gingerbread man cookie cutter with some ribbon for a festive last-minute handmade gift!
- Is this dough edible? Although it smells like yummy gingerbread, this dough is not meant for eating, nor would it taste appetizing because of the salt. However, I like how it’s safe for little hands and non-toxic just in case kids are tempted to taste it!
- How to store the dough to keep it fresh: Place the ball in a sealed bag or container so it can last for a few days between play sessions.
- Consider doubling this recipe for larger play dates. This recipe makes about 2 cups of dough so double the batch when more than 2 kids are playing.
- Want to make snow dough? Hip reader Sue suggested making white dough from this recipe (without the spices) and when it’s done, add a considerable amount of glitter when kneading. The glitter stays in the dough, and voila, now you have snow dough!
Though my kids have grown, we still LOVE playdough!
In fact, the last time I made this a few years ago, my then 13-year-old helped me make the batch and I could tell he was actually into it! We haven’t just sat down and played with playdough since they were little. Even as an adult, molding and working with the dough is oddly satisfying and stress-relieving, which we all need during the holidays. 😄
This recipe smells heavenly, is easy to make, and results in a super soft texture dough (which is even more of a treat when it’s still somewhat warm from the stove). Adding that little bit of oil keeps it from drying out, so playtime doesn’t have to end. Enjoy!
Try these DIY cinnamon Christmas ornaments with the kiddos!
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