Gingerbread Play Dough

 

I like to pin things on Pinterest and think about making them for an extended period of time. . .this particular activity has been on the pinboard and in the works in my mind for about a year, and I finally did it yesterday to rave reviews from the boys, particularly 2-year-old Josh.  If the first thing your toddler says when he wakes up in the morning is, "Mommy, can I make some more gingerbread?" you know you have a win!  So, I wanted to share the recipe because this was easy, painless, inexpensive and once again. . .TOTALLY WORTH IT because it is making the "baby" incredibly happy so mommy can work on Christmas cards!!  This would make a fun gift for any child- just seal in a mason jar or some Gladware and attach a cookie cutter with a bow.  Include one of our favorite books- The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett for an even more special gift!

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Gingerbread Play Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup salt
• 4 teaspoons cream of tartar (or 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp)
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves (optional)
• 1/4 cup canola or other vegetable oil
• 2 cups boiling water

Whisk together flour, salt, cream of tartar, and spices in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.  Add the boiling water and start your mixer on low.  Add the oil.  Mix until the dough has an even consistency, scraping the side of the bowl if necessary so that you have one nice ball of dough adhered to the hook.  Allow to cool a bit and play away with rolling pins, cookie cutters, plastic knives and lots of imagination!  Store in an airtight container.

Makes approximately: 4 cups- enough for 2-4 kiddos to play happily!

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A few notes- it does use a lot of spices, but the good news is that every year at holiday time, ALL of these spices are available for special purchase at Aldi!  They go quickly, but right around Thanksgiving you will see a special cardboard display appear with all of these guys plus some extracts you can't get year-round for a great price.  We make our own imitation playdoh year round, so I stock up on Cream of Tartar at Aldi when it is there and super inexpensive!   And if you have never used Cream of Tartar before (frankly, I had no idea what it was until I made a filling with it a few years ago) it's actually white and powdery and you find it in the spice aisle.  Go figure.  Cream of Tartar.  Not creamy.  Not Tartar-y. Discuss.

Hope you have as much fun with this as we did! :)