Essential Oil Play Dough Recipe (2024)

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Kimber|

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Add essential oils to your play dough to get a fantastic smelling play dough with all the benefits of essential oils with this easy no cook play dough recipe!

This post contains affiliate links to take you to the products I reference.

My daughter is obsessed with play dough. O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D. She would play with it morning, noon and night if I let her. But oh the smell. It isn’t bad but it is just so distinct. With this little obsession going strong I started making my own play dough. I love the recipe because it is super simple and comes out silky smooth and perfectly squishy for those little fingers. Even with the homemade stuff though it still has it’s own funky smell.

Then one day it hit me! I needed to slap my essential oils on that play dough. Or rather make a batch and incorporate it in. Not only would this be super awesome because it would smell good to me, it makes the play dough engage more of the senses as my daughter plays AND as a bonus she gets all the goodness of essential oils while she plays! Win – win! or win – win – win as it seems.

Essential Oil No Cook Play Dough Recipe

Making the dough is super simple and the oils incorporate perfectly into the recipe. I used peppermint, citrus fresh, lemon, lime, thieves, and lavender for my play dough. You can use any oil you choose, but make sure to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure that it is safe for your age child.

To start, mix the flour, salt, and cream of tarter in a large bowl. Combine the essential oil of choice with the vegetable oil and stir into the dry ingredients. Bring your water to a boil. Add any food coloring to the water and then add about 1 cup of the water, stir and slowly add the remaining water until the play dough reaches the perfect consistency and then knead the dough until smooth. Store your dough in a ziploc bag or air tight container.

***Scroll Down for FULL Printable Recipe***

Because I have grand ideas, and really just can never do things the easy way, I had to have 6 colors and flavors of play dough. I didn’t need a gazillion pounds of play dough though so I split the batch into multiple flavors.

If you are like me and want to make a bunch of different colors and flavors of dough from one batch, you can do it, but it is a bit messier and a bit more work! Just make the dough as mentioned above, but hold the oil and food coloring until the end. Once you stir in the hot water and knead the dough, split it into your desired number of colors/flavors. Take each piece and first add the oil in by flattening into a disc and adding a couple of drops (depending on the amount of dough you are working with) and continuing to knead until it is spread throughout. Then repeat this step with the food coloring by flattening adding and then kneading the dough (expect rainbow hands) until the color is evenly distributed. I wish I would have taken an after picture of my hands to give you fair warning!

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please confirm any information obtained from or through this web site with other sources, and review all information regarding any medical condition or treatment with your physician. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on this website.

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Essential Oil Play Dough Recipe (4)

5 from 2 votes

Essential Oil Play Dough Recipe

Print Review Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 10-12 drops essential oil more or less may be needed depending on the oil you choose
  • 1.5 cups boiling water
  • food coloring - optional

Instructions

  • Mix the flour, salt, and cream of tarter together in a large bowl.

  • Combine your essential oil with the vegetable oil and mix into the dry ingredients.

  • Boil the water and add food coloring directly to water.

  • Pour 1 cup of your boiling water into the mixture and stir, adding the additional 1/2 cup slowly until desired consistency is reached.

  • Knead for 3-5 minutes or until dough is smooth and perfectly squishy for play.

  • Enjoy!

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

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Essential Oil Play Dough Recipe (5)Essential Oil Play Dough Recipe (6)

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Essential Oil Play Dough Recipe (12)

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Reader Interactions

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21 Comments

  1. Kim says

    The play dough lasts, do you know how long the constituents in the oils continue to work? i.e if make lavender how long will it support calming effects

    Reply

    • Kimber says

      Hi Kim! The play dough will last around 6 months but I am really not qualified to speak on the longevity of the oils. I would think you could just knead in some more if you felt like it had all dissipated.

      Reply

  2. Kendra says

    So the picture of the several balls of dough, is that one batch? I am trying to figure out hiw much it will make, whether i need to half the recipe, and what size containers to buy – 4, 8, or 12 ounces. Any information would be appreciated!

    Reply

  3. April Szczepaniak says

    Can you put essential oils in regular play dough? Like the ones you buy in the store?

    Reply

    • Kimber says

      I haven’t done it but I don’t see any reason it wouldn’t work. Let me know if you try it!

      Reply

  4. Stephanie says

    Can I use self rising flour?

    Reply

  5. Erika says

    How do you store?

    Reply

Older Comments

Essential Oil Play Dough Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Essential Oil Play Dough Recipe? ›

Add a few drops of your choice of essential oil into the dough. The amount you use will depend on the strength of the oil you've chosen and your own preference. Start with about 6 drops and add more, if desired. Knead the oil into the dough to distribute.

How many drops of essential oil in playdough? ›

Add a few drops of your choice of essential oil into the dough. The amount you use will depend on the strength of the oil you've chosen and your own preference. Start with about 6 drops and add more, if desired. Knead the oil into the dough to distribute.

What is an essential ingredient for making homemade play dough? ›

For the most part, homemade playdough recipes contain the same essential ingredients: flour, salt, cream of tartar, oil, water, and food coloring. It's the different measurements that can create different textures.

How much oil is in homemade playdough? ›

2 cups water 2 cups flour 1 cup salt 2 tbs cooking oil 4 tsp cream of tartar Food coloring (optional) Add food coloring to water it you wish to color the dough. Mix and heat until ingredients form a ball.

What is the best homemade playdough recipe? ›

how to make the world's best homemade play-doh. You'll need 3 cups of white all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of table salt, 3-4 tablespoons of any cooking oil (start with 3 and add more if necessary), 3 cups HOT water, and food coloring.

How to add essential oils to playdough? ›

To make multiple colors, separate balls of dough into separate bags and add colors to the bags. Knead dough in bags to avoid staining hands. Add essential oils in bags or while kneading on the wax paper. Essential oils do not work with hot dough, so use on cooler dough.

How many drops of essential oil to add? ›

When deciding how many drops of essential oil to use, there are some general guidelines to follow. You will need 6 to 10 drops for a 200 ml size fragrance diffuser, 9 to 12 drops for a 300 ml capacity, 12 to 15 drops for a 400 ml capacity, and 15 to 20 drops for a 500 ml capacity.

What oil is best for playdough? ›

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (baby oil and coconut oil work too) 1/2 cup salt. 2 tablespoons cream of tartar. 1 to 1.5 cups boiling water (adding in increments until it feels just right)

Why cream of tartar in playdough? ›

In fact, baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and cream of tartar. It is slightly acidic, and because of this, it affects the gluten structure of the playdough to make it more elastic. Tartaric acid acts as an emulsifier, so it helps prevent any added oil from separating.

What happens when you add too much oil to dough? ›

When too much oil is added, the dough will remain loose and unworkable. The only way to fix it would be to add some more flour, however you would need work the dough longer to encourage the gluten network to develop (given that some of the flour will be already coated with the oil).

How to make scented playdough? ›

How to do this activity
  1. 8 tbsp plain flour.
  2. 2 tbsp salt.
  3. 60ml warm water.
  4. 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
  5. Essential oils.
  6. Large and medium bowls.
  7. Food colouring (optional)

What are the 4 ingredients in playdough recipe? ›

Simple Homemade Playdough Recipe
  1. 1 cup flour.
  2. 1/2 cup cornstarch.
  3. 1/2 cup water.
  4. 1 teaspoon vegetable oil.
  5. gel food coloring of your choice.
Apr 29, 2022

How to make homemade playdough with 2 ingredients? ›

Instructions. Place the cornstarch in a large bowl. Mix in the hair conditioner with your hands--it will just start coming together and it will be pliable and very, very smooth. If desired, add a drop or two or food coloring.

How to make super soft playdough? ›

The BEST Play Dough Recipe
  1. 2.5 Cups Water (boiled) (Strained Winter Potpourri water)
  2. 1 1/4 Cup Salt.
  3. 1 1/2 Tbsp Cream of Tartar.
  4. 2 1/2 Cups Flour.
  5. 5 Tbsp Oil (coconut or vegetable)
Jan 19, 2021

Is it cheaper to buy or make playdough? ›

Homemade Playdough Recipe

This recipe is super quick and easy to make (you can make a batch in about five minutes) and much cheaper than buying ready-made playdough. Homemade playdough is also super easy to store. Just drop it in a ziplock bag and it will last for months!

How to add scent to playdough? ›

Mix the flour and salt in the large bowl. In the smaller bowl, combine 60ml warm water with a few drops of food colouring, and mix in the vegetable oil and essential oil if using. Pour the coloured liquid over the flour and salt, and combine with a spoon.

Is essential oil safe in playdough? ›

You can use any oil you choose, but make sure to refer to the manufacturer's instructions to make sure that it is safe for your age child. To start, mix the flour, salt, and cream of tarter in a large bowl. Combine the essential oil of choice with the vegetable oil and stir into the dry ingredients.

What essential oils are good for play dough? ›

Some fun essential oils could include: Wild Orange, Peppermint, Lemon, Rosemary, or Lavender essential oil. Combine all ingredients, except for essential oils, in a large saucepan and stir until combined. Once combined, put over medium heat. Using a spatula, continue to stir ingredients together until it forms a ball.

What essential oils are good for scented playdough? ›

Try these Optional Essential Oils for a variety of playdough batchs:
  • Lavender: for calming and promoting restful sleep.
  • Lime: for uplifting and energizing.
  • Lemon: for focus and clarity.
  • Wild Orange: for uplifting and energizing.
  • Grapefruit: uplifting and relieves tension.
  • Peppermint: invigorating and provides mental clarity.

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