Mix a classic cooked-style play dough with pureed apple pie filling and apple pie spice for a wonderfully fragrant fall dough. Shape it into red, green and yellow apples, then set up a pretend cupcake bakery.
Add 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup salt, 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp cream of tartar to a large bowl.
Spoon in 2 tbsp of pureed apple pie filling and a good sprinkle of apple pie spice.
Add food color for this batch: red, green or yellow.
Adult: pour in 3/4 cup boiling water and stir.
When it's cool enough to touch, knead the dough into a big apple ball. An adult can help with the last of the kneading.
Poke a leaf into the top of each apple for a stem.
Set the apples out with cupcake liners, sprinkles, pom poms and plastic knives and spoons.
Cut the big apple dough into pieces.
Press dough into the liners, then pour sprinkles and stick pom poms on to decorate your cupcakes.
Line up your apple cupcakes for a grown-up to admire.
In an air-tight container or zip-top plastic bag.
The author's dough was in great condition after 8 days in zip bags, both in the fridge and at room temperature, with no mold. The fridge dough was a bit harder. Adding a little alum can increase shelf life.
Not really. It has the usual play dough consistency because only a few spoons of filling go in.
💬 11 comments ✍️ 3 answered by the author 🍎 tried with 1 classes or groups
“How long does the dough keep with real apple puree? Should it go in the fridge?” · Jodi
Author Stored in Ziplocs, both fridge and room-temperature batches were in great condition after 8 days with no mold; the fridge ones were a bit harder. A little alum can extend shelf life.
“How do you store the dough for use in a preschool classroom?” · Alexandra
Author Simply in an air-tight container.
“Does the apple filling make the dough stickier than normal?” · Kandyce
Author Not really. It had the usual play dough consistency because only a few spoonfuls of filling were added.
🎉 Worked for us
The author stored four colors in Ziplocs, two in the fridge and two at room temperature. After 8 days all were fine, with no mold.
“It has been 8 days since I made these and all the 4 are in great condition”
🍎 In the classroom
A preschool teacher planned to make it with her class and hoped it would last over a week. The author stores it in an air-tight container.
“I plann on making this in my preschool classroom and hoping it will last atleast a week and a half.”
🛠️ Troubleshooting
A reader worried the apple filling would make the dough sticky. The author says it had the usual play dough consistency with just a few spoonfuls.
“Not really. It was the usual playdough consistency since we added only a few spoons.”
Read all 11 comments
Kandyce · Sep 2013
I am curious, does the apple filling make the dough stickier than normal?
TurkeyMomAuthor · Sep 2013 · replying to Kandyce
Not really. It was the usual playdough consistency since we added only a few spoons.
Tara from The Magnolia Barn · Sep 2013
I can only imagine how fabulous this smells! What fun!
Jodi · Sep 2013
when using real apple puree, how long do you find it keeps for? I imagine it would keep best in the fridge...
TurkeyMomAuthor · Sep 2013 · replying to Jodi
Hi, I made 4 colors and put 2 in the fridge and 2 at room temperature. Both were stored in Ziplocs ( air-tight plastic baggies) It has been 8 days since I made these and all the 4 are in great condition- ( the ones in the fridge are obviously a bit harder) No mold growth on the ones at room temperature. You can always add little alum to the play dough to increase the shelf life. Hope that helps!
Susan M. Grimes · Sep 2013
I was wondering about the storage and shelf life myself.
Allison · Sep 2013
I love the bright, happy fall colors! I bet the playdough smelled amazing. So much fun!
Alexandra · Sep 2013
How do you store the dough? I plann on making this in my preschool classroom and hoping it will last atleast a week and a half.
TurkeyMomAuthor · Sep 2013 · replying to Alexandra
I store simply in an air-tight container.