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    BeeyondCereal » Recipes » Cookie Recipes

    Play Dough Cookies

    Modified: Oct 18, 2023 Published: Jun 25, 2020 by Nicole Durham This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.80 from 5 votes

    Play dough cookies are a fun activity that you can eat. While I know the word "playdoh" often associated with the taste of salt, I assure you these colored shortbread cookies are far from that colored dough you buy in yellow containers.

    Recipe: $3.30 | Per Serving: $0.28 | Yields: 12 cookies

    two raw lollipop shaped playdoh cookies.

    Play-Doh sugar cookies offer a fun twist on traditional treats. Inspired by the colorful and creative possibilities of Play-Doh, they provide a unique baking experience loved by all ages.

    I remember making Play-Doh cookies at a middle school party, a memory I've cherished into adulthood. Now, I share this fun recipe with my kids, who adore shaping the vibrant cookie dough into quirky designs.

    Despite sometimes blending colors into unusual swirls, the cookies taste as delightful as they look. Their soft, buttery sweetness appeals to both kids and adults. These cookies are not just visually appealing but also delicious.

    Whether for a creative project with kids or a themed party dessert, Play-Doh sugar cookies are a colorful and flavorful choice.

    If your kids enjoy Playdoh, try my Banana Playdough, Coffee Playdough Recipe, and No Cook Pumpkin Playdough.

    Jump to:
    • 🍯 Why This Recipe Works
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions for Play Dough Cookies
    • 🍴 Recipe Tips
    • 💭 Recipe FAQs
    • ❤️ More Delicious Kid Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🍯 Why This Recipe Works

    1. It's more fun than regular Play-Doh. With regular playdough, you shape, destroy, and put away. With this colored cookie dough, you get to shape, bake, and eat. Sensory project and snack in one!
    2. They're customizable. Swap out the colors for any colors of your choice. Build your own artistic creations and watch them turn into something truly yummy.
    3. They're unique. This recipe is great because it's so unique and fun. Not many recipes let you play with your food, but this one is perfect for those that like exploring their foods.

    🥘 Ingredients

    Ingredient Notes:

    Baking powder- To help the cookies puff up slightly as they bake, you'll need some baking powder.

    Butter- For added moisture and richness, use butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter, depending on what you have on hand.

    Egg- Adding in an egg will make the cookies taste richer and help them to hold together better.

    Food Coloring- Use food coloring in your desired colors. I prefer to use gel food coloring because it's more vibrant.

    For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.

    🔪 Instructions for Play Dough Cookies

    Step 1: Cream your butter and sugars in a bowl until light and fluffy.

    Step 2: Add in the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix again.

    Step 3: Add in the flour and baking powder, mixing slowly until combined.

    Step 4: Divide the dough and color it.

    Step 5: Hand it over to kids with clean hands and let them go to town with making fun shapes.

    butterfly shaped playdoh cookie ready for baking.

    Step 6: Place them on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes depending on their thickness.

    raw playdoh cookies on parchment lined baking sheet.

    Step 7: Let cool on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack.

    Serve and enjoy.

    play doh cookie snake.

    🍴 Recipe Tips

    1. Consistency Adjustments- The consistency of this playdough cookies recipe may vary due to factors like weather, temperature, and butter softness. If the dough is too wet to shape, consider chilling it before playing or adding more flour. Adding flour gradually until the desired consistency is reached is recommended.
    2. Edible Reminder- This "playdough" cookie recipe is not intended to be eaten in its raw form due to the presence of raw egg and uncooked flour.
    3. Alternative Playdough Recipes- For edible playdough alternatives that don't require cooking, consider trying coffee playdough or ripe banana playdough recipes.

    💭 Recipe FAQs

    Can I build 3D shapes?

    Believe it or not, you can't build too crazy of a shape, but round balls or something a little more flat will work fine. Baking time will vary. But, these cookies don't puff up while baking and do hold their shape very well.

    Should I use liquid food coloring or gel?

    I've done this recipe using both and have to say that gel wins hands down. It gives a much more vibrant color without making the dough any wetter.

    Can I make the dough in advance?

    Absolutely. Just go ahead and make it. Divide the dough into balls and color each one. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you're ready to use it.

    a cookie shaped like a butterfly, flower, turtle, and snake.

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    If you tried these Play Dough Cookies, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!

    📖 Recipe

    play doh cookies shaped into lollipops and a smily face.
    Print Recipe
    4.80 from 5 votes

    Play Dough Cookies

    Not to be confused with the salty dough you play with, this is colored cookie dough that's meant to be baked and eaten! The kids will love playing with the dough and creating fun cookies!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 12 minutes mins
    Total Time 22 minutes mins
    Servings: 12 cookies
    Calories: 360kcal
    Cost Recipe $3.30 / Serving $0.28
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cups
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Electric Mixer
    • Baking Sheet

    Ingredients

    • 2 sticks butter, softened ($1.98)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar ($0.36)
    • 1 large egg ($0.30)
    • 2 Tablespoons milk ($0.01)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ($0.03)
    • 4 cup all purpose flour ($0.52)
    • ½ Tablespoon baking powder ($0.10)
    • food coloring
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 350F degrees.
    • In a mixing bowl, or in the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
    • Add in the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
    • Add in the flour and the baking powder and mix again.
    • Divide the dough into separeate bowls and add a few drops of food coloring into each bowl (about 3 drops depending on how vibrant you want the colors).
    • Shape the dough into fun shapes and then place them on a baking sheet. Allow a few inches around the cookies to them to expand as they sometimes do.
    • Bake for 8-12 minutes depending on how thick the cookies are. Cool and then enjoy.

    Notes

    Dough consistency may vary due to factors like weather, temperature, elevation, and butter softness.
    If the dough is too wet, you can chill it or add more flour to achieve the right consistency.
    The playdough recipe contains raw egg and is not meant to be eaten in its dough form.
    You can create various shapes with this playdough, but round balls or flatter shapes work well. Baking time will vary.
    Gel food coloring is recommended for more vibrant colors without making the dough wet.
    You can prepare the dough in advance by dividing it into balls, coloring each, wrapping in plastic wrap, and storing in the fridge until needed.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 12g | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 48.9g | Protein: 5.1g | Fat: 16.1g | Saturated Fat: 9.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.6g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 10.6mg | Potassium: 118.6mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 16.9g | Vitamin A: 135.5IU | Calcium: 41.7mg | Iron: 2.1mg
    Author Nicole Durham
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Diet Vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Mention @BeeyondCereal on Instagram and hashtag it #BeeyondCereal
    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used. To view how this recipe was calculated you can visit my Pricing Disclosure Page for more information.

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    The proud owner and recipe developer behind BeeyondCereal. Here, I'm passionate about showing people how to navigate the kitchen with frugality in mind, whipping up family-friendly recipes that not only save money but also bring joy to every meal.

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