Let your kids ‘bake’ alongside you with All Natural Gingerbread Playdough — it looks, smells, and feels just like the real thing!
The days between Thanksgiving and Christmas go by in a blur for most adults. For kids, on the other hand, it can seem like an eternity, and the wait until ‘present time’ can be agonizing. One of the toughest challenges for parents of young children during the holidays is keeping them from spiraling out of control from all the constant commercial hype. It’s the perfect opportunity to channel some of that excess energy into a fun and creative project like this All Natural Gingerbread Playdough…who knows, it could kick off a lifelong passion for cooking.
This playdough is a feast for the senses — from the squooshy feel to the intoxicating holiday aroma. It looks and smells just like real gingerbread dough, but no worries, if your child is tempted to take a taste, this all natural formula won’t hurt them a bit.
Playdough is a very forgiving medium, there’s no right and wrong way to do it, so it’s ideal for little ones who are just getting the hang of eye-hand coordination. They can roll it and cut it out, or just squish it between their fingers, it’s all good. The scent will fascinate them, and if they’re at the imitation stage, they’ll be busy for hours copying your baking skills. Provide them with a hard surface, a rolling pin, some cookie cutters and an old baking sheet. Playdough is a generally mess free toy, but keep it away from upholstery and rugs.
For kids who are old enough, pull out your jar of stray buttons and beads so they can decorate their creations.
Store the dough in in an airtight baggie or plastic storage container when play time is over and it will last for several sessions. When it finally dries, just cook up another batch.
This is the easy recipe I’ve been making for years, but instead of tinting the dough with food coloring like I usually do, I went for a true gingerbread look and feel with lots of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and other warm holiday spices. The dough takes just minutes to make, but if you’ve never made it before you might be surprised to learn that it’s cooked in a saucepan. A little water and oil is added to the dry ingredients and it’s all cooked briefly, just until it comes away from the pan and forms a ball. A few seconds of kneading and it’s ready for play!
All Natural Gingerbread Playdough
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/4 cup cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 4 teaspoons ground ginger
- 4 teaspoons ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons allspice
- 2 teaspoons cardamom
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Put the dry ingredients in a medium saucepan and whisk to combine.
- Add the water and oil, and stir together.
- Cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball in the center, a silicone spoon works really well for this. It will look lumpy, but don't worry. If it seems too runny, you can add a bit more flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Turn the warm dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it a few times until it is smooth and not sticky. Lightly flour your hands if necessary.
- Store the playdough in an airtight baggie or container.
