Play Dough Bakery

If you're looking for a fresh way to play with play dough, try setting up a bakery scene! We had a lot of fun playing with these ideas! I made one batch of fresh, homemade play dough, and I kept one half the color of flour and the other half I turned into chocolate dough by mixing it with natural, unsweetened cocoa powder.

Here's the recipe thanks to The Mama Notes, one of my personal favorites!

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup salt

• 4 tsp cream of tartar

• 2 cups water

• 2 tbs of vegetable oil 

• Essential oils, food coloring if desired, or cocoa powder to make the chocolate dough

To make the dough, combine all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Continually stir until the dough starts to form. The edges will start to easily separate from the pan and become a soft, play dough consistency. Turn of the heat and let it start to cool. If you're only creating one color, add it now with any essential oils you'd like to use. Mixing it in the pot makes it easier to keep your hands clean from the dyes. If you're planning to make multiple colors, take it out of the pan and set it on the counter to cool. Divide the dough into as many parts as you'd like and color each separately. To make the chocolate dough, I put my dough into a ziplock bag with the powder, zipped it closed, and kneaded in the powder. I added more powder until I got the color I was looking for.

Once your dough is ready, try out these different ideas to set up your bakery!

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies - Black Bean "Chocolate Chips"

Sprinkle & Chocolate Chip Donuts - Foam Ball "Sprinkles" and Black Bean "Chocolate Chips"

Cinnamon Rolls - Twine "Icing"

Birthday Sprinkle Cake with Candles - Foam Ball "Sprinkles"

I got the idea to try a "cake" because of the container I put my play dough in. This is a Pyrex tupperware dish that looks like a miniature baking dish. It's the perfect size, and it shapes the dough into a cake. We may not all have this exact Pyrex tupperware dish at home, but you might have something else that can do the job!

Sprinkles Cookies - Foam Ball "Sprinkles"