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Jello Playdough Recipe

Did you know that you can make homemade playdough using Jell-O? It’s so simple to make and comes together in minutes with our Jello Playdough Recipe!

RELATED: How to Make Playdough

How To Make Jello Playdough

The Jello powder not only adds bright, vibrant colors to the playdough, but it also gives it a fruity scent as well!

If you don’t already have all the ingredients on hand, a quick trip to the grocery store is all you need before whipping up a few quick batches of Jello Playdough.

Jello Play Dough

Older kids can even help measure out and mix up the playdough ingredients!

The finished dough lasts for at least a month if wrapped in plastic wrap and sealed in an airtight container.

How to Make Playdough With Jello

This Jello Playdough recipe is so quick and simple to make but will provide hours of entertainment for kids of all ages.

As a friendly reminder, please be sure to supervise kids while playing. Kids should not eat the dough. And keep out of reach of pets.

Ingredients Needed

Here are the ingredients you will need: 

  • JELLO – 3oz box of JELLO in strawberry, orange, lemon, lime, berry blue and grape. Our personal favorite scents are strawberry, berry blue, lime and grape!
  • Optional – Yellow food coloring (if you want a brighter yellow), and purple food coloring for US Jello.
  • Flour – all-purpose white flour
  • Cream of tartar
  • Salt
  • Vegetable oil – avoid olive oil as it has a stronger smell and may change the color of the dough
  • Water
Homemade Playdough with Jello

How do I store Jello playdough?

For the playdough to last as long as possible, keep it sealed tightly in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. Use plastic wrap to wrap each ball of dough and then place it into an airtight container or bag to help it stay fresh and soft. If the playdough becomes a little bit dry after some time, try adding a few drops of vegetable oil or water and knead it in.

How long does Jello playdough last?

Jello playdough can last for months! Be sure to store it properly (see the instructions above) and keep air and moisture out – the playdough should last at least one month, if not longer.

How do you make playdough soft again?

If over time, your playdough dries out or ends up a little dry after making it, try adding in a little more vegetable oil first. Knead the oil in with your hands. You can also try kneading in a little bit of water.

Homemade Jello Playdough
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Jello Playdough Recipe

A simple homemade Jello playdough recipe!
Prep Time5 minutes
Active Time10 minutes

Video

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Spoon

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 1 3oz package Jello
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil (do not use olive oil)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1-2 drops yellow food coloring *for yellow JELLO only if you would like a brighter yellow

Instructions 

  • Mix 1 cup flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1/4 cup salt, and one 3oz package of Jello together in a mixing bowl.
  • In a saucepan, add 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 cup water. For the yellow Jello only, add 1 drop of yellow food coloring. If using US grape and want a darker purple, add 1 drop of purple food coloring.
  • Add the dry mix into the saucepan and stir to combine. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until a dough forms. For the yellow Jello only, if the dough is looking more brown than yellow, add another drop of yellow food coloring now.
  • Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool. It should be a cohesive dough when done. If the dough feels too sticky to knead, return to heat and cook for a little longer. When done, set aside to cool.
  • Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, until smooth.

Notes

This recipe is for 1 scent/box of JELLO. Repeat the recipe for each box of JELLO you would like to make. 

Once cooled and kneaded, wrap each ball of dough in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or bag to keep it as fresh as possible.

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