Making homemade play dough is one of my favorite quick projects for the kids — mostly because it keeps them occupied and it smells amazing. With a few basic pantry ingredients you can create a soft, scentable dough that feels great to squish and smells like fresh cookie dough. I’ve never liked the smell of plain, store-bought play dough; it always struck me as odd. So I set out to make a white, vanilla-scented play dough to pair with a peppermint batch for some seasonal crafts, and the result was my Taste-Safe Vanilla Play Dough. It’s pale, soft, and smells so good you’ll want to take a bite (but don’t — it’s for playing, not eating). If you prefer a different scent or color, this base mixes easily with other extracts or food-safe colorings.
Ingredients for Taste-Safe Vanilla Play Dough
- 1 cup baking soda
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons oil (vegetable or light olive oil)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup salt
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract (taste-safe)
- Optional: 5 drops white gel food coloring to brighten the dough
How to Make Taste-Safe Vanilla Play Dough
- Combine the dry ingredients: in a medium bowl mix the baking soda, flour, and salt until evenly blended.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: in a separate small bowl stir together the water, oil, and vanilla extract. If using the white gel coloring, add it to the wet mix.
- Gradually combine: pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients in three additions, stirring or folding between each addition.
- Bring together by hand: once the dough starts forming, use your hands to knead it until smooth and elastic. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour; if it’s too dry, add a teaspoon of water at a time.
This vanilla play dough is versatile: you can tint it with food coloring, add a few drops of a different extract for a new scent, or mix in a sprinkle of glitter for sensory play. Store the dough in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag to keep it soft for several weeks. When it’s time to refresh the texture, knead in a few drops of oil or a pinch of water.
Vanilla Play Dough is Great, Right? You’ll also Need to Check Out These Ideas:
How to Make a Coding Quiet Book
What You Need for a Trip to the Zoo With Toddlers
Donut Bath Bombs with Soap Glaze and Sprinkles
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