2 questions about homemade playdough

[emelsea]

I make playdough from this recipe: 1C flour, 1C warm water, 1/2c salt, 2T cream of tartar, 1T veg oil, and a packet of kool-aid for coloring.

My first question is, does this need to be refrigerated? Will it spoil if it's left out?

Second question, does anyone have any ideas how to make black, licorice scented playdough?

[Amatullah0]

Originally Posted by emelsea

I make playdough from this recipe: 1C flour, 1C warm water, 1/2c salt, 2T cream of tartar, 1T veg oil, and a packet of kool-aid for coloring.

My first question is, does this need to be refrigerated? Will it spoil if it's left out?

Second question, does anyone have any ideas how to make black, licorice scented playdough?

i don't know if it spoils.

but,

theres this one spice, it tastes and i think smells like licorice. i think its aniseeed? and black(or dark, dark, dark purple) food coloring.

[2xand2y]

I don't refrigerate my playdough. I just store it in an airtight container. Eventually, it will get dry and need to be tossed but I think all playdough does that . Once I had some mold grow but I think it was played with around food (against the rules? yes, but you know how kids are).

I put a few drops of TTO in mine to help kill germs and the kids like the smell. I imagine a few drops of anise oil would scent your nicely. I found it online for $3.99/ oz.

[emelsea]

Yes! Anise oil! Thank you. Do you think anise extract would work? I think my mom has some of that because she makes anise cookies.

They make black food coloring? Can I buy it in the grocery store?

[LaughingHyena]

I find playdough last slightly longer in the fridge, but even on the shelf it lasts a couple of months. I usually end up making another batch because we have run out (due to dropping on the floor, or not cleaning out the extruders etc) rather than it going bad.

In terms of colours the paste or powder colours are a lot stronger than the little bottles of liquid. I think if you want a true black you might need to go to a craft or cake decorating place to get a string enough colour.

[luvmyrory]

I think you will have better success with longer lasting playdough if you use just food coloring in place of kool-aid.... just my personal experience... even when using food coloring (or liquid watercolor, which you can buy here, and is awesome) and some sort of extract as scent, I have better luck than kool-aid

the cream of tartar in your recipeis to help the playdough last longer with out refrigeration.

PP's are right... anise should give it some very nice licorice scent (sounds like a great idea!)

You can play around with using all the colors of food coloring to get black-- as you're doing this- mix the colors in the measuring cup you are going to use for the water, then when you get the color right add the water up to the 1C mark- that way you're not adding too much liquid when you add the food coloring and throw off the recipe.

I highly suggest ordering Liquid Water Color from Discount School Supply- you can order black, which would make your job super easy, and unless you're in Alaska/HI/ out of the country, shipping is usually unbelievably quick.

I prefer the water colors, because if I'm going for a vibrant color the food coloring can sometimes come off on LO's hands, and the watercolors don't.

If the kinds aren't super small, you might consider adding some silver glitter to your playdough- always fun to do, but especially with black playdough.

[ocelotmom]

Originally Posted by emelsea

My first question is, does this need to be refrigerated? Will it spoil if it's left out?

In my experience with kool-aid playdough, it doesn't spoil, but it will get discolored after a while (ie. a few months). I have no idea if refrigerating would help with this.

[MamaWolfe]

Originally Posted by luvmyrory

I prefer the water colors, because if I'm going for a vibrant color the food coloring can sometimes come off on LO's hands, and the watercolors don't.

I'm wondering if any kind of water color paint would work?

Thanks!