This play dough recipe is inspired by the Christmas-flavoured sugar I make each year to go on our Christmas-movie-popcorn. The sugar smells exactly like Christmas, with a blend of herbs and spices that fills the house with a festive feeling and, as I often have play dough on my brain, I thought why not try it for a Christmas play dough recipe?
Do you think of play dough as a Christmas tradition? Maybe not, but I’m pretty sure there will be a moment on Christmas Day when this dough will be exactly what’s needed. Play dough is just fantastic – a super sensory play material that feels good, smells good, doesn’t make too much mess and my kids love it. So, it’s going to be my Christmas rescue remedy this year. If I need some peace to carve the turkey, or I’d like to linger a little longer over my coffee after dinner, or the children could do with a relaxing transition between all the excitement and bedtime – Christmas Day play dough to the rescue! I’ve made it, wrapped it and hidden it away, and I’ll bring it out – along with some Christmas cookie cutters, ribbons and bows for the perfect festive play activity just when it’s needed.
Here’s the recipe with the special blend of herbs and spices that smells exactly Christmas in our house.
Christmas Day play dough recipe
Start by filling your salt with all the Christmas flavour. Take one cup of salt and add:
1. the zest of an orange or two clementines
2. some vanilla pod
3. a good grating of nutmeg
4. three cloves
5. some ground cinnamon
6. a bay leaf
Blitz this with a blender until everything is chopped, mixed and smelling wonderful.
Add two cups of plain (all purpose) flour…
two tablespoons of vegetable oil and two tablespoons of cream of tartar.
Pour in one and a half cups of boiling water…
and some food colouring. Red? Gold? Green? Then mix it and form it into a dough.
Add some extra shine to the play dough recipe by pouring in a little glycerine.
Add a good dash of glitter – it is a Christmas Day play dough recipe after all. Knead the dough for a few minutes and then you’re done. Wrap the play dough in a plastic bag and it will last into the new year.
The Play Dough Recipe Yearbook
Coming to Nurturestore in the new year: my new book! The Play Dough Recipe Yearbook will be bursting with play dough recipes and play ideas. It’s due out in January. Pop your address in the box below to sign up for my e-newsletter if you’d like to be the first to know about it. There’ll be fantastic play dough recipes to last you all year long!
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awesome, I love this – especially the idea of it smelling of christmas
This seasonal play dough recipe is such a lovely idea! The holiday scents always bring back wonderful memories for me. This is a great way to create special new memories for kids! Thanks for sharing!
[...] Christmas Day play dough recipe [...]
Oh, I love this play dough recipe Cathy! LOVE! I bet it smells amazing!
It does, it does Crystal. You should give it a try.
Hi, I was doing this receipe in a rush this morning and added all the spices but managed somehow to forget the salt. I now have a very sloppy dough. I don’t want to throw it away but Ive added lots more flour and after a short while of playing it’s back to putty? Do u know of anything I can do at this stage I rectify it? It does smell lovely though. Thank you.
Oh no Paula! The only thing I can think of is to make another batch (so you have the boiling water agent going in), add in your sloppy dough and add in the salt you missed out first time. I don’t think you’re going to get your current dough to work without the salt, and adding it in at this stage won’t work as there’s no water to dissolve it.
[...] Little Bugs, Silver noodle star ornaments from Pink and Green Mama, Christmas Day Play Dough from Nurture Store , Paper plate Christmas tree from Easy Child Crafts, Printable Nativity Pre-K Pack from Over the [...]
I love this!! I’m planning on making this to put in the goody bags for my son’s Christmas party. Will this recipe be enough for 19 kids or should I double it? I’ll obviously be giving small portions. Thanks!
Hi Lauren. I think I would certainly double and maybe even triple it for 19 kids, depending on how generous the portions will be. Hope all the kids like it!