After posting peanut butter play dough for the instructables community, I was excited to whip up a batch of chocolate play dough for my son so I could add it here. Unlike the peanut butter one, this has virtually no redeeming nutritional quaility and is practically candy so it's not made half as often. But it does make a nice treat and could even make a fun gift for Valentine's Day. It's an almost guaranteed smile-getter!

Step 1: Gather Ingredients

You will be needing powdered sugar, powdered milk, cocoa powder, corn syrup, a stick of butter or margarine, flavoring or extract of your choice, and perhaps you will want flour for kneading. That's up to you.

Step 2: Break Out the Electric Mixer, Measure, and Blend!

Okay, so you don't NEED to break out the mixer, but the kids like to and it will make it a whole heck of a lot easier on you if you do!

Here is your recipe...

3 cups powdered sugar
6 Tbs cocoa powder
3/4 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup stick butter OR margarine at room temperature (butter does work better for this)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla (or other flavoring)

You will also want up to an extra cup of powdered sugar, powdered milk, or flour for kneading.
(I like to use flour for the texture, but the other 2 options do happen to taste better.) This is going to end up making you a little over 2 cups of play dough.. a pretty fair amount for around 3 or 4 kids to play.

Mix the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and powdered milk in a medium bowl and set aside. Then combine the corn syrup, butter, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat on low speed until creamy and well combined. If you would like to use another flavoring instead of vanilla, go right ahead! You could end up with chocolate cherry, chocolate mint, or even a chocolate orange play dough! I haven't tried making chocolate mint yet, but i am pretty sure you want only about a quarter teaspoon of flavoring for that.

Once your wet mix is ready, you can add the powdered mix in about one third at a time. It doesn't have to be perfectly mixed because you will have to finish it off kneading it by hand on a well powdered surface. It should appear something like thick chocolate frosting before you start to work it. A little powder mix not quite blended in yet is also fine.

Step 3: Knead Your Dough

Knead the dough on a well powdered surface. The choice of powder is up to you. I have found flour to be the easiest, but it does take away from the taste. When I use real butter, it has seemed that I have had to add less powder than with margarine. Gradually add more as you work your dough and knead it until you are happy with the consistency.

Step 4: Play Play Play!

Now you can play with this fun chocolate dough! Break out the cookie cutters, molds, and other supplies. Play with it in any way you would regular play dough and even eat a bit as you do. :) You can bring out candies, nuts, and other things to decorate creations if you wish. I pass on that myself because it's candy as is, and I don't want to encourage eating a TON of it. (I swear that's a tummy ache waiting to happen.) Supervision recommended with this one!

Step 5: Storage

If you want, you can save leftover dough in a baggie or container. It's best kept in the fridge, and I think it's a good idea to toss this one before the week is through.