How to turn Peeps into edible play dough

No Easter candy stash is complete with Peeps, the iconic marshmallow confection. But once the egg hunts are over, the leftover ham is gone and you’re done indulging in the neon-sprinkled-coated treats, you might find yourself with extra chicks and bunnies on your hands. Instead of letting your Peeps go stale, turn them into edible play dough. Thinking ahead? You could also make a few batches now as a toy to stash in plastic eggs for kids’ Easter baskets.

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To make Peeps play dough, all you need is five marshmallow chicks (any color), three tablespoons of corn starch and two teaspoons of coconut oil. The Peeps brand has an official method for making play dough, which it explains in this video:

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Start by mixing your cornstarch and coconut oil in a large microwave-safe bowl. Then separate your Peeps, add them to the bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the marshmallow mixture with a spoon or spatula right away until everything is evenly integrated. Don’t touch it, though, because the Peeps may be hot after expanding in the microwave.

If you want, you can also add a drop of food coloring to the mixture. Otherwise, your play dough will be pastel-hued — or a lighter variation of whatever color of Peep you used to make it.

When your play dough is cool to the touch, it’s ready to be handled and sculpted into whatever shapes you want. The play dough is also edible and will harden if you leave it uncovered.

If you don’t have cornstarch or coconut oil, you can make play dough with flour, Crisco and Peeps instead, like in this recipe from Little Bins for Little Hands. TipToe Fairy has a recipe that uses Peeps, canola oil and corn starch. It also doesn’t matter what shape of Peeps you have for any of the recipes; for example, a combination of bunnies and chicks will work.

Once you’ve sculpted your masterpiece, let it air dry for 24 hours to harden. Then you can keep your creations for as long as you’d like (or eat them).