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Get into the holiday spirit with these 3 fabulously festive scented Christmas playdough recipes! Learn how to make peppermint playdough, Christmas tree playdough, and gingerbread playdough!

Christmas Scented Playdough (3 Recipes)

These holiday play dough recipes are based on my favorite fragrances of the season! I started with my favorite microwave play dough recipe — which only takes 2 minutes to make — and added a few festive ingredients.

In this post I’ll show you how to make:

Peppermint/Candy Cane Playdough
Christmas Tree Playdough
Gingerbread Playdough

All of these are easy to make, non-toxic, and perfect for hours of safe sensory play for kids!

For your convenience in creating this easy play dough recipe, we’ve included shop-able ad links to some of the products used; disclosure policy available here.

Peppermint Playdough

This wintery peppermint play dough smells just like a candy cane!

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
⅔ cup water
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoons cornstarch
red food coloring

Directions: Add all ingredients (except food coloring) to a microwave safe mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.

Add 2-3 drops of food coloring and stir until the dough is evenly colored. Add more food coloring as needed, a couple drops at a time. You can always add more, but if you use too much from the start, the dough could be too dark and more likely to stain, especially in “warm colors” like red, orange, etc.

Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Finish kneading by hand.

Christmas Tree Playdough

If you love the smell of a fresh cut Christmas tree, then you’ll love this pine tree play dough!

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
⅔ cup water
2 drops balsam fir essential oil*
2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoons cornstarch
green food coloring

Directions: Add all ingredients (except food coloring) to a microwave safe mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.

Add 2-3 drops of food coloring and stir until the dough is evenly colored. Add more food coloring as needed, a couple drops at a time.

Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Finish kneading by hand.

*Safety Note About Essential Oils: Balsam fir oil is generally considered safe. I highly recommend purchasing your essential oils from a trusted brand with known quality standards. As with any essential oils, perfumed soaps, lotions, etc. skin sensitivity is possible in some individuals. Always supervise children with essential oils.

Gingerbread Playdough

Nothing smells better than a batch of gingerbread cookies baking in the oven, and this play dough perfectly recreates that!

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
⅔ cup water
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 Tablespoons cream of tartar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoons cornstarch
brown food coloring (optional)

Directions: Add all ingredients (except food coloring) to a microwave safe mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.

Even without the addition of food coloring, the spices will make this gingerbread playdough a warm brown color. If you’d like a richer shade of brown, you may choose to add a bit of food coloring. Start with 2-3 drops and add more as desired.

Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Finish kneading by hand.

Stir well, then finish kneading by hand until dough is smooth. (Make sure it is cool enough to handle first.

Ways to Play

There’s no “right” way to use play dough, but these are great for making pretend Christmas cookies! We love to grab some of our favorite cookie cutters and add sprinkles!

Why Put Cream of Tartar in Playdough?

You’ll notice that we use cream of tartar in our holiday play dough recipes. Here’s why:

In addition to the salt, cream of tartar acts as a preservative, helping your homemade play dough last longer. When stored in the fridge, homemade play dough can often last for weeks!
Cream of tartar also helps create a super soft and stretchy texture, so they dough is less likely to crumble and break apart.

What Can I Use Instead of Cream of Tartar?

If you don’t have cream of tartar at home, try one of these simple substitutes:

2 Tablespoons white vinegar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice, strained first to remove the pulp

How to Store Homemade Playdough

Because the salt in this recipe acts as a preservative, your homemade playdough can last for weeks if you take care of it! We keep ours in a zip-top plastic bag or a sealed storage container with a lid.

To keep your playdough cleaner longer, always wash hands before playing with it.

If the dough ever starts to look dirty or smell weird, toss it and make a new batch!

What if My Playdough Starts to Dry Out?

Hey, it happens! As play dough is exposed to air, it will begin to lose a bit of its moisture.

To rehydrate your playdough, simply knead a little water in your dough until you have the texture you like.

Keep in mind that if your dough has completely dried out, it might not be usable again.

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Christmas Playdough (Printable Recipe Card)

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Christmas Playdough (3 Scented Recipes)

Get into the holiday spirit with these 3 fabulously festive scented Christmas playdough recipes! Learn how to make peppermint playdough, Christmas tree playdough, and gingerbread playdough!

Keyword: Christmas, play dough, sensory play

Servings: recipes

Author: Stacey aka the Soccer Mom

Cost: $10

Equipment

Microwave
Microwave safe bowls