Donut Bath Bombs (with Video)
Our fizzy bath bombs are always a treat – whether we’re adding them to our bath time routine for some extra fun and relaxation, or gifting them as a thoughtful, homemade gift – so I thought, why not make a treat-inspired Bath Bomb, like a DIY Donut Bath Bomb!
Donut Bath Bomb Craft
My daughter and I love any excuse to celebrate a theme or holiday.
Typically, about a month before any given holiday you can find our house decked out with homemade decorations and our dining room table scattered with the makings of several themed crafts.
For Valentine’s Day this year, we have about 5 different Valentine’s options prepared for my daughter to dole out to family and classmates and first up for us to share with you are these super simple Donut Bath Bombs!
(These Handprint Flowers were also a hit on Valentine’s Day, as were our Rainbow Roses, I Love You This Much Kid-made Card, and our Strawberry Heart-Shaped Macarons recipe.)
You can customize the color and scent however you want – we decided to go with a pink donut with rainbow sprinkles and strawberry-vanilla scent just for fun! You could do a few different colors and scents, like chocolate donuts, vanilla donuts, etc. It would be really fun to give an assortment of bath bomb donuts to your friends – whether for Valentine’s Day or a special birthday (or even National Donut Day on June 1st? Why not!)
We started making our own bath bombs just for fun but after paying $13 for a single bath bomb at a specialty store (you know the one) I now think of it as saving money, too!
Typically, a store-bought bath bomb will run you $5+ and buying all of the ingredients for bath bombs will initially cost probably about $25 if you have none of the ingredients on hands. However, that $25 is enough to make easily 100+ bath bombs – and you can use many of these materials in different ways:
- Epsom salts can be used to make custom bath soaks, or just sprinkle it as-is in the bath after a work out or stressful day
- Citric Acid is a food additive that can be used in DIY cleaners, canning food, or you can make your own fizzy sherbet with it (it’s also used in home brewing!)
- Corn Starch is a great thickener used for sauces like gravy or with mac and cheese, or you can make oobleck with it (a fun sensory play material)
- Baking Soda is great for cleaning, is used often in baking, and you can make fun fizzy science experiments with it
- Coconut Oil is an awesome substitute for butter or oil in baking/cooking, and there are lots of holistic ways it can be used (I used to actually massage and wash my face with it when I had some post-partum pimples and we often add it to our homemade sugar scrubs)
This recipe also makes use of melt and pour soap, which is super easy to use to make customized soaps perfect for gift-giving. Personally, I feel a lot safer using it than trying to make my own soap at home and there are so many fun ways that you can use it – we also made some themed mermaid tail soaps with it recently with some soap color and biodegradable glitter!
Check out just how easy it is to make these simple donut bath bombs – and then scroll down to grab your free printable directions!
Ingredients for Donut Bath Bombs
- Citric acid
- Corn starch
- Epsom salts
- Baking soda
- Water
- Coconut oil
- Essential oils* – optional, pick them for either their scent or suggested benefits
- Pink Soap Dye
- Sprinkles, optional
- Melt and Pour Soap <– white or pink for the “frosting”
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: All essential oils have different qualities and some are not recommended for use with children. Vanilla extract is a nice alternative if you want a “fresh baked” scent.
Tools You May Find Helpful:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Silicone donut tray
- Spatula <– I like these spatulas because they are one solid piece and don’t have removable heads for bacteria to get trapped underneath. Plus they are heat-resistant and have a lifetime warranty.
How to Make Fizzy Donut Bath Bombs
Stir together the citric acid, baking soda, corn starch, and epsom salts until well combined.
Add the pink food dye directly to the coconut oil and carefully stir into the bath bomb mixture, trying to avoid adding it too quickly as that can cause a reaction/fizziness.
Slowly add your water and check the consistency of the bath bomb mixture – it should have a consistency close to wet sand.
Adjust the coloring and consistency before moving onto shaping your bath bombs.
Press the bath bomb mixture into the donut molds. Let set for 2 hours or overnight. (A silicone mold works a lot better than a metal one, but feel free to use what you have on hand.)
If your bath bomb doesn’t shape (crumbles or falls apart) it could be because you didn’t pack enough of the mixture into the mold, or the mixture is off (too dry or too wet). Adjust things slowly – after you successfully make a couple batches it will be second nature – just like baking!
When the bath bombs are set, carefully pop them out of the mold.
Place a 2 oz square of the melt and pour soap in a microwave-safe bowl and heat according to the package direction (about 20 seconds, usually).
Let cool and thicken slightly before spooning or piping onto the donuts like frosting. Add sprinkles, if desired.
Let dry before using or packaging into gifts.
Pin this easy Donut Bath Bomb recipe:
Grab your free printable instructions for our donut bath bomb craft:
Donut Bath Bombs (with Video)
Materials
- 1/2 cup citric acid
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1/2 cup epsom salts
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 tsp water
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tsp essential oils*
- Pink food dye
- Sprinkles, optional
- Melt and pour soap (white or pink), as needed
Tools
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Donut silicone mold
Instructions
- Stir together the citric acid, baking soda, corn starch, and epsom salts until well combined.
- Add the pink food dye directly to the coconut oil and carefully stir into the bath bomb mixture, trying to avoid adding it too quickly as that can cause a reaction/fizziness.
- Slowly add your water and check the consistency of the bath bomb mixture – it should have a consistency close to wet sand.
- Adjust the coloring and consistency before moving onto shaping your bath bombs.
- Press the bath bomb mixture into the donut molds. Let set for 2 hours or overnight. (A silicone mold works a lot better than a metal one, but feel free to use what you have on hand.)
- If your bath bomb doesn’t shape (crumbles or falls apart) it could be because you didn’t pack enough of the mixture into the mold, or the mixture is off (too dry or too wet). Adjust things slowly – after you successfully make a couple batches it will be second nature – just like baking!
- When the bath bombs are set, carefully pop them out of the mold.
- Place a 2 oz square of the melt and pour soap in a microwave-safe bowl and heat according to the package direction (about 20 seconds, usually).
- Let cool and thicken slightly before spooning or piping onto the donuts like frosting. Add sprinkles, if desired.
- Let dry before using or packaging into gifts.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
ARGO Corn Starch, 35 Oz
-
Rainbow Sprinkles Unpretentious Baker, Rainbow Jimmies, Gluten Free, Kosher, Clear Resealable Bag (1.5 lb)
-
Clear Glycerin Soap Base- 2lb
-
Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda, 5 lb
-
Milliard Citric Acid 2 Pound - 100% Pure Food Grade NON-GMO Project VERIFIED (2 Pound)
-
Dr Teal's Epsom Salt Soaking Solution, Pre & Post Workout, 3lbs Pack of 2
These donut bath bombs are a special treat for a relaxing night in, or make a thoughtful gift. The batch makes enough that you can do both make some for yourself and some for a friend! A cute donut craft for the donut lover in your life.
For more fun homemade bath ideas, check out our Homemade (Gluten-free) Play Dough Soap or our DIY Belle Bath Bombs.