Salt Dough, a tutorial

Let me begin by saying this homemade playdough is not green-friendly. I have utilized commercial food dyes and plastic storage bags. I apologize. But it is quick and easy and will provide your children with hours of cheap entertainment for mere pennies, pennies you can spend on gas instead (which you will use less of because you will be at home playing with salt dough). Does that balance out somewhere within the universe?

Another plus: this is the best homemade salt dough recipe ever.

Okay, let's get started. Here's the recipe (I've written it inside the lid for the playdough toys box):


The quantities listed in this recipe are how much I use per color. The dough is colored later, so I usually double it (I wouldn't do more than double it per batch, unless you have a huge pot and biceps of steel and can really give that dough a stir) and we usually end up making two or three double batches so we can make four or six colors.


Kids love dumping all the ingredients into the pot for you. It's the best part. Don't be fooled by whatever chemical reaction is taking place here to cause that purple tinge. I'm sure Alton Brown could explain what's happening, but all we the home viewers need to know right now is that there has not been any coloring added to the pot yet!


ingredients + whisk = a nice smooth batter


Stir that batter continually until it turns into this, a dough-y, not-too-dry ball of stick. It might even look too wet in places, but better too wet than too dry - it'll get drier as you work with it.


Turn the dough out onto a kneading board, divide it into as many color pieces as you like, cover the ones you won't be kneading right away with a wet towel, and make a little well in the dough to add your food coloring. I bet there are all kinds of great vegan options here, I was in too big a hurry to google.


Whatever you use to color the dough, however, make sure you fold the dough over and around the coloring before you start kneading so as to prevent staining your hands pretty colors. You could use plastic gloves if you wanted but I don't like them so I just knead carefully at first.


Once the dye is no longer exposed, get in there and knead that puppy (you remember, fold over, push, turn, repeat) until the color is nice and uniform.


Stored in plastic ziplock bags between play sessions, this very smooth salt dough will withstand regular beatings for months before turning brittle. So invite the neighbor kids, turn on the yoga music, and break out the plastic utensils! Kids of all ages love dough therapy.