Easy Cinnamon Playdough Recipe

Looking for a simple and delightful activity that combines creativity with sensory play? This cinnamon playdough recipe is perfect for little hands and brings the warm, comforting scent of cinnamon to playtime this Fall or Winter season.

Cinnamon Playdough Recipe

This is the perfect cozy fall recipe for homemade playdough! Another option is our gingerbread playdough recipe.

💡 Perfect for fall and early learning activities, make sure to add our free printable playdough mats.

Supplies:

1 cup flour
½ cup salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Brown food coloring (optional)

How To Make Cinnamon Playdough

Watch the Video:

Step 1: Add the flour, salt, cornstarch, cinnamon, and cream of tartar to a medium saucepan. Stir to combine the dry ingredients.

Step 2: Add the water and vegetable oil to the dry mixture. Place the saucepan over medium heat, and stir the mixture frequently for 4-5 minutes until a dough ball forms.

Step 3: Remove the saucepan from the heat and place the dough ball on a piece of parchment paper to cool.

Step 4: If you’d like to add a splash of color, wait until the dough is cool enough to handle. Add 8-10 drops of brown food coloring, then knead the dough to combine.

Step 5: Once the dough is completely cool, it’s ready for play! To keep it fresh, store the playdough in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

💡 When stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator, this cinnamon playdough lasts about 1-2 weeks. Over time, the playdough may dry out or lose its scent, but if it starts to get too dry, you can add a little water or a few drops of vegetable oil to revive it. Always check for any signs of mold or spoilage.

Tips and Tricks For The Best Cinnamon Playdough

Use Fresh Ingredients: Make sure your ingredients are fresh for the best texture and longevity. Old flour or cornstarch might affect the consistency of the playdough.
Cook on Medium Heat: Keep the heat at medium when cooking the playdough. High heat can cause the mixture to cook too quickly, leading to a tough or uneven dough.
Stir Continuously: Keep stirring the mixture while cooking to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan and to ensure even cooking.
Adjust Consistency as Needed: If your playdough seems too sticky after cooling, you can knead in more flour until it reaches the desired consistency. Conversely, add a small amount of water or oil if it’s too dry.
Avoid Overcooking: Overcooking can make the playdough too dry and crumbly. Once a dough ball forms, it can be removed from the heat.
Use Parchment Paper: Cooling the dough on parchment paper prevents it from sticking to surfaces and makes cleanup easier.
Incorporate Essential Oils: For an added sensory experience, mix in a few drops of cinnamon essential oil (in addition to the ground cinnamon) for a more aromatic scent.
Food Coloring Tips: If you add food coloring, gel-based food coloring tends to work better than liquid for more vibrant colors without altering the dough’s consistency.

Fun Things To Do With Cinnamon Playdough

Here are a few ways to extend the fun and learning with your cinnamon playdough:

Shape Learning: Use cookie cutters to create shapes and help younger kids learn to name and recognize shapes. Add our printable Shapes Playdough Mats.
Playdough Math: Roll the playdough into small balls and use them as counting tools for simple math activities.
Imprinting: Gather leaves, sticks, or other natural items and press them into the playdough to create fun textures and patterns.
Letters and Numbers: Use cookie cutters to work on letter and number recognition, spell names, or simple words.

💡 Explore more fun playdough activities here.

Free Printable Sensory Play Guide

More Fun Sensory Play Activities For Fall

Check out all our fall activities for preschoolers including…

Printable Preschool Activities Pack

Get ready to explore this year with our growing Preschool STEM Bundle! It includes 20 fun preschool themes.

💡Includes apples, pumpkins, general fall, fall on the farm, Thanksgiving, Winter themes, and more!

This is an ” I can explore” series! Each unit contains approximately 15 activities, with instructions and templates as needed. These include sensory bins, experiments, games, and more! Easy supplies keep it low-cost, and book suggestions add to the learning time.