Soap Making Recipes

basic soap making recipes

Over the years, I have created many soap recipes some worked well others were to soft or to hard so I always went back to my basic few.  Here are 5 of the basic recipes I use when making my soap.



I have two recipe sizes that will give you approximately 15 or 30 bars of soap.

Many soap makers use canola oil as it is much cheaper to buy than Olive oil, you can use Canola oil in place of the Olive oil, just being careful not to use to much.  If your soap contains more than 70 percent Canola oil it may be soft and not as long lasting and will product those dread orange spots over time.

Recipe #1 

  • 1800 Grams Olive Oil
  • 450 Grams Coconut Oil
  • 300 Grams Palm Kernal Oil
  • 250 Grams Palm Oil
  • 250 Grams Grapeseed Oil
  • 420 Grams Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)
  • 4.5 Cups (1085 grams) Water

This is my most used recipe, it produces a hard, long lasting bar that will hold up in the shower.  If has just the perfect amount of coconut oil to give it a nice lather even in hard water.

This recipe will create approximately 30 bars.


Recipe #2

  • 850 Grams Olive Oil
  • 250 Grams Coconut Oil
  • 200 Grams Palm Oil
  • 100 Grams Almond Oil
  • 90 Grams Calendula Oil
  • 25 Grams Grape seed Oil
  • 215 Grams Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)
  • 2 – 2.25 cups (500 grams) Water

I use this recipe for Baby Soap.  This bar has a high content of Olive oil which is great for sensitive skin, but I’ve added Calendula and Almond oil which are great oils for sensitive skin as well.

This recipe will create about 15 bars.



Recipe #3

  • 1500 Grams Olive Oil
  • 188 Grams Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)
  • 2 Cups (434 grams) Water

This is what is known as a Castile Soap Recipe, made with 100% Olive Oil.  These bars will be very mild and gentle with little suds.

Recipe #4

  • 1800 Grams Olive Oil
  • 625 Grams Coconut Oil
  • 625 Grams Palm Oil
  • 4 cups (920 grams) water
  • 420 grams Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)

Recipe #5

  • 1134 grams Palm Oil
  • 907 grams Olive Oil
  • 794 grams Coconut Oil
  • 100 grams Grapeseed Oil
  • 85 grams Almond Oil
  • 4.8 cups (1125 grams) Water
  • 427 grams lye (sodium hydroxide)

Basic Cold Process Soap Making Instructions

Before starting gather all the equipment and ingredients you will need for you soap

Mixing your ingredients:

    1. Put on your protective clothing, apron, safety goggles, gloves etc
    2. Measure your water and pour it into the container you will be using for your lye/water mix
    3. Measure out your lye (sodium hydroxide)
    4. Slowly add the lye to the water, stirring to be sure it mixes well.  This should be done in a well ventilated area as the fumes can be quite strong.  This will only last for a 15 seconds or so.  Stir until the lye is completely dissolved in the water.  It will heat up to about 180 degrees and can now be put aside to cool down.
    5. While the lye/water is cooling use a scale and measure each of your soap oils and put into your stainless steel pot.
    6. Place this pot on your stove or hot plate and turn on low to heat to approximately 130 degrees.
    7. Once the oils have heated to 130 degrees take off the stove or hot plate and let them cool down to about 100 degrees.
    8. When the lye/water mix and the oils are both cooled down to about 100 degrees they are ready to be mixed.
    9. Slowly add the lye/water mix to your soap oils and stir you can use a stick blender and hand mix. Mix the soap until it traces. This is when the soap begins to thicken; you can test this by using your spoon to drizzle the liquid into the pot.  You will see a trace that stays on the surface of the soap mixture.
    10. Once the soap has traced this is the time to add your scent and color.
    11. Mix the scent and color in well
    12. Pour this mixture into the lined molds, cover with a piece of cardboard or plastic, put it to bed (place a blanket over the soap mold) and let set for a day or two.
    13. Once it has sit for a day or two, remove the soap from the mold and cut and put out to cure for 4 to 6 weeks.




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6 Responses to Soap Making Recipes

  1. Wow thanks so much .I have gotten all that I needed here.

  2. Fred Lemons says:

    Been making soap for 20 yrs, only for myself, and your #4 is very close to what I use. Get 16 4 oz bars from it but let it stay in molds for about 5-7 days and then cut. Ready in 6 wks or so. Your info is on the money. Just finiahed making a batch about an hour ago,

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