- This topic has 0 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated June 14, 2026 at 3:50 pm by .
-
Posts
-
-
Melissa Burnell
Copycat Playdough Ice Cream
Remember the bright yellow Playdough Ice Cream from your childhood? Despite the name, it didn’t taste anything like Play-Doh! This colorful favorite featured creamy vanilla ice cream loaded with pink and blue sugar cookie dough pieces, creating a fun and whimsical treat that kids (and adults!) loved.
If you’ve been craving this nostalgic flavor and can’t find it in stores, here’s an easy homemade version that tastes remarkably close to the original.
Copycat Playdough Ice Cream
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Freeze Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutesYou’ll Need:
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
- 6 drops yellow food coloring
- 1 cup sugar cookie dough
- Pink food coloring
- Blue food coloring
Directions:
- Divide the sugar cookie dough evenly into two portions.
- Tint one portion pink and the other blue, kneading until the color is evenly distributed.
- Roll the dough into small marble-sized pieces or pinch into irregular chunks.
- Place the dough pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 20-30 minutes until firm.
- Transfer the softened vanilla ice cream to a large bowl and stir in the yellow food coloring until the color is evenly distributed.
- Gently fold the frozen cookie dough pieces into the ice cream.
- Spoon the mixture into a freezer-safe container.
- Cover tightly and freeze for 4-6 hours, or until firm.
- Scoop and serve.
Homemade Churned Version
Ice Cream Base:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Yellow food coloring
Whisk together the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla until the sugar dissolves completely. Add yellow food coloring until the mixture reaches a bright yellow color. Churn according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. During the last 5 minutes of churning, add the frozen pink and blue cookie dough pieces. Transfer to a freezer container and freeze until firm.
Tips:
- Freeze the cookie dough pieces before adding them to the ice cream to prevent them from blending into the base.
- For the closest match to the original, use sugar cookie dough rather than chocolate chip cookie dough.
- A few drops of lemon extract can add a subtle bakery-style flavor similar to what many people remember from the original.
- Store tightly covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
What Did Playdough Ice Cream Actually Taste Like?
The original Hershey’s Playdough Ice Cream was a bright yellow vanilla-flavored ice cream packed with colorful pink and blue sugar cookie dough pieces. The playful colors gave it its famous name, but the flavor was sweet vanilla and sugar cookies rather than anything resembling actual modeling dough.Printable Copycat Playdough Ice Cream Recipe
Copycat Playdough Ice Cream
Bright yellow vanilla ice cream loaded with pink and blue sugar cookie dough pieces, a fun nostalgic copycat treat the whole family will love. Costs about $1.25 per serving, $10.00 total.Equipment
-
freezer-safe container
Ingredients
No churn version- 1 quart vanilla ice cream (softened)
- 6 drops yellow food coloring
- 1 cup sugar cookie dough
- pink food coloring
- blue food coloring
Churned ice cream base- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- yellow food coloring
Instructions
-
Divide the sugar cookie dough evenly into two portions.1 cup sugar cookie dough
-
Tint one portion pink and the other blue, kneading until the color is evenly distributed.
-
Roll the dough into small marble-sized pieces or pinch into irregular chunks.
-
Place the dough pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 20-30 minutes until firm.
-
Transfer the softened vanilla ice cream to a large bowl and stir in the yellow food coloring until the color is evenly distributed.1 quart vanilla ice cream
-
Gently fold the frozen cookie dough pieces into the ice cream.
-
Spoon the mixture into a freezer-safe container.
-
Cover tightly and freeze for 4-6 hours, or until firm.
-
Scoop and serve.
Churned Version
-
For the churned version, whisk together the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla until the sugar dissolves completely.2 cups heavy cream1 cup whole milk3/4 cup granulated sugar1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-
Add yellow food coloring until the mixture reaches a bright yellow color.6 drops yellow food coloring
-
Churn according to your ice cream maker's instructions, adding the frozen pink and blue cookie dough pieces during the last 5 minutes of churning.pink food coloringblue food coloring
-
Transfer to a freezer container and freeze until firm.
Equipment
freezer-safe containerNotes
Freeze the cookie dough pieces before adding them to the ice cream to prevent them from blending into the base.For the closest match to the original, use sugar cookie dough rather than chocolate chip cookie dough.A few drops of lemon extract can add a subtle bakery-style flavor similar to what many people remember from the original.
Store tightly covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.Recipe Size Alteration NoteIf you altered the ingedients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cooking/baking time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 374kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 5gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 181mgPotassium: 279mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 509IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 154mgIron: 1mgNet Carbs: 45gTried this recipe?Mention @Budget101com or tag #Budget101com!Copycat Playdough Ice Cream
Bright yellow vanilla ice cream loaded with pink and blue sugar cookie dough pieces, a fun nostalgic copycat treat the whole family will love. Costs about $1.25 per serving, $10.00 total.
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Baking Sheet
- parchment paper
- freezer-safe container
No churn version
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream (softened)
- 6 drops yellow food coloring
- 1 cup sugar cookie dough
- pink food coloring
- blue food coloring
Churned ice cream base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- yellow food coloring
- Divide the sugar cookie dough evenly into two portions.
- Tint one portion pink and the other blue, kneading until the color is evenly distributed.
- Roll the dough into small marble-sized pieces or pinch into irregular chunks.
- Place the dough pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 20-30 minutes until firm.
- Transfer the softened vanilla ice cream to a large bowl and stir in the yellow food coloring until the color is evenly distributed.
- Gently fold the frozen cookie dough pieces into the ice cream.
- Spoon the mixture into a freezer-safe container.
- Cover tightly and freeze for 4-6 hours, or until firm.
- Scoop and serve.
Churned Version
- For the churned version, whisk together the cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Add yellow food coloring until the mixture reaches a bright yellow color.
- Churn according to your ice cream maker’s instructions, adding the frozen pink and blue cookie dough pieces during the last 5 minutes of churning.
- Transfer to a freezer container and freeze until firm.
Freeze the cookie dough pieces before adding them to the ice cream to prevent them from blending into the base.
For the closest match to the original, use sugar cookie dough rather than chocolate chip cookie dough.
A few drops of lemon extract can add a subtle bakery-style flavor similar to what many people remember from the original.Store tightly covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
-
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.