An easy old-fashioned craft project that has become a favorite holiday season tradition in our home. The children love making salt dough Christmas ornaments and love to give them as beautiful gifts or to hang on their own tree.
When it comes to handmade Christmas decorations, there are many creative options. But, if you are looking for something simple, there is nothing easier than making a batch of salt dough to make your ornaments.
All you will need for this salt dough ornament recipe are essential ingredients that are probably already in your pantry. With these easy step instructions, you can learn how to make this Christmas craft for a wonderful family activity that both younger and old kids will enjoy.
Table Of Contents
- Why You Will Love Handmade Christmas Craft
- Christmas Scented Salt Dough Ornament Ingredients
- Tools You May Need
- How to Make Salt Dough Ornaments
- Tips for making Old Fashioned Salt Dough Ornaments
- How Long Does it Take for Ornaments to Dry in the Oven?
- How Long Does Salt Dough Ornaments Last?
- Do I Have to Bake my Salt Dough Ornaments?
- How do You Seal Salt Dough Ornaments?
- How do You Make Salt Dough Handprint Ornaments?
- How Do You Store Salt Dough Ornaments?
- More Creative Holiday Craft Ideas
- Printable Recipe Card
Why You Will Love Handmade Christmas Craft
Easy Christmas Craft: With plenty of cold wintry days tucked away cozy inside our home, the children often want to do a fun project. This craft project is so easy that the children can make a batch of salt dough for new ornaments each year by themselves.
Simple Ingredients: This is the best salt dough recipe! Using staple ingredients plus several spices, this salt dough ornament has the smell of Christmas. Scroll to the bottom for a full printable recipe.
Homemade Gift Idea: The possibilities are endless when thinking of different ways to create homemade salt dough ornaments. Use cookie cutters to make different shapes to hang on the tree with ornament hooks or create salt dough handprint ornaments.
Christmas Scented Salt Dough Ornament Ingredients
This salt dough ornament recipe uses only a few ingredients, and if you have never learned how to make salt dough, here is what you will need to make this easy recipe.
- Flour: Generic all purpose flour is perfectly fine to use for this recipe and it is the most affordable option.
- Salt: the generic brand of table salt works for this recipe and is what preserves these ornaments year after year.
- Water: warm water is what binds the flour, salt and spices together.
- Spices: adding spices to the dry ingredieints is what makes these ornaments smell like Christmas! It is optional to add them as they will give the dough a slightly darker color, but we think it is worth it!
- Essentials Oils: completely optional but adding in a bit of orange essential oil really makes this salt dough smell amazing.
In addition to the ingredients for making salt dough, these are some of the additional materials you may need for shaping and decorating these handmade ornaments.
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You can find my favorite kitchen essentials can be located in myAmazon storefront. While I often try to link to the exact products you see in my photos and videos, my pieces are usually vintage and thrifted. However, I try to find and link replicas as much as possible, made in the USA or by other small shops, as I believe in supporting hardworking American families.
- Mixing Bowl
- Large Spoon
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters: use cookie or biscuit cutters to cut shapes for creating ornaments.
- Twine: used for hanging the ornaments.
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheet
- Rubber Stamps: the design ideas are endless with Christmas themed rubber stamps that can be imprinted on top of each ornament.
- Acrylic Paint: you can leave the salt dough ornaments in their rustic color or use acrylic craft paint for creating beautiful colors on the ornaments.
- Straw: some sort of object will need to be used to create the small hole at the top of the ornament. The best way to do this is to use a plastic drinking straw. This will ensure that the salt dough creations can be hung on the tree or even used as gift tags.
- Polyurethane Spray or Mod Podge: salt is a great preservative, but if the ornaments are being painted, the spray will help preserve them even longer.
How to Make Salt Dough Ornaments
- Mix flour, salt and ground spices: ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. If using essential oils add 10-15 drops. Stir until well combined. Slowly add in the warm water while stirring. Add just enough water until the dough forms and is close to the consisteny of play dough.
- Knead the dough. Use your hands to knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. Kneading helps to create a smooth and pliable dough resulting in a smooth ornament surface for cutting and painting ornaments.
- Roll out the salt dough on a flat surface with a rolling pin onto a sheet of parchment paper. Dough should be rolled to about 1/8″ thick but no greather than 1/4″ thick.
- Cut out ornaments shapes using cookie cutters. Once the shapes are cut out, do not remove them. Simply peel the excess dough from around them and then transfer your parchment paper to your cookie sheet.
- Make a hole. Use a drinking straw to poke a small hole in the top of the ornament so that it can be hung using twine or ribbon.
- Bake salt dough ornaments. The salt dough ornaments will need to bake low temperature of 200 degrees for about 30 minutes. Then flip the ornaments over and bake another 30 minutes. Ornaments are finished baking when they are dry and feel hard.
- Cool. Let the salt dough ornaments cool completely before painting.
- Seal. if you wish to add an extra layer of protection to dry salt dough ornaments, add a layer of polyutherane spray on each side once they have cooled and dried.
- Enjoy! Hang ornaments on the Christmas tree, use as gift tags or giveaway as special handmade Christmas gifts.
Tips for making Old Fashioned Salt Dough Ornaments
How Long Does it Take for Ornaments to Dry in the Oven?
Depending on how thick the ornaments are and whether they are smaller ornaments or larger sizes, it can take an hour or more until they are completely dry.
How Long Does Salt Dough Ornaments Last?
Salt dough ornaments can last for many years. While salt is the essential preservative in this recipe, sealing the ornaments will ensure that they last even longer.
Do I Have to Bake my Salt Dough Ornaments?
To air-dry salt dough ornaments, set them out to dry until the salt dough hardens in a warm, dry place for several days. How long it takes them to dry will depend on the humidity, air temperature, and thickness of ornaments.
How do You Seal Salt Dough Ornaments?
Using spray poly, spray a thin coat on each side of the ornament. A thin layer of Mod Podge would also work; paint a thin layer on each side of the ornament to seal and protect it.
How do You Make Salt Dough Handprint Ornaments?
- Roll out the salt dough as directed above to about 1/2″ in thickness.
- Press the hand in the dough and gently press down to create the indention of the handprint.
- Cut around the salt dough handprints using the rim of a glass or large round cookie cutter.
- Follow the directions in the recipe for baking, decorating, and sealing.
How Do You Store Salt Dough Ornaments?
Salt dough ornaments should be wrapped in tissue paper or newspaper to help protect them from being damaged. Store in a cool, dry place where they will not get smashed or destroyed.
More Creative Holiday Craft Ideas
One of my favorite holiday traditions is making homemade ornaments, and it is always a wonderful time to gather and make holiday gifts. If you love this easy craft idea, you may also enjoy these great ideas.
- How to Make Chocolate Scented Salt Dough Recipe
- Old Fashioned DIY Icicle Ornaments
- Handmade Clay Ornaments
- DIY Wax Dipped Primitive Window Candle
Printable Recipe Card
How to Make Christmas Scented Salt Dough Ornaments
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Active Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Learn how to make Christmas scented salt dough ornaments. This easy, old fashioned, handmade recipe is a great craft idea for kids and adults.
Materials
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground clove
- 2 tsp nutmeg
- 10 drops Orange essential oil (optional but it adds to the amazing smell)
Tools
- Mixing Bowl
- Large Spoon
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters: use cookie or biscuit cutters to cut shapes for creating ornaments.
- Twine: used for hanging the ornaments.
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheet
- Rubber Stamps: the design ideas are endless with Christmas themed rubber stamps that can be imprinted on top of each ornament.
- Acrylic Paint: you can leave the salt dough ornaments in their rustic color or use acrylic craft paint for creating beautiful colors on the ornaments.
- Straw: some sort of object will need to be used to create the small hole at the top of the ornament. The best way to do this is to use a plastic drinking straw. This will ensure that the salt dough creations can be hung on the tree or even used as gift tags.
- Polyurethane Spray: salt is a great preservative, but if the ornaments are being painted, the spray will help preserve them even longer.
Instructions
HOW TO MAKE SALT DOUGH ORNAMENTS
- Mix2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt and 2 teaspoon each ground spices: ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. If using essential oils add 10-15 drops. Stir until well combined. Slowly add in the 1 cup of warm water while stirring. Add just enough water until the dough forms and is close to the consisteny of play dough.
- Kneadthe dough. Use your hands to knead the dough for 5-10 minutes. Kneading helps to create a smooth and pliable dough resulting in a smooth ornament surface for cutting and painting ornaments.
- Rollout the salt dough on a flat surface with a rolling pin onto a sheet of parchment paper. Dough should be rolled to about 1/8″ thick but no greather than 1/4″ thick.
- Cutout ornaments shapes using cookie cutters. Once the shapes are cut out, do not remove them. Simply peel the excess dough from around them and then transfer your parchment paper to your cookie sheet.
- Makea hole. Use a drinking straw to poke a small hole in the top of the ornament so that it can be hung using twine or ribbon.
- Bakethe salt dough ornaments. The salt dough ornaments will need to bake low temperature of 200 degrees for about 30 minutes. Then flip the ornaments over and bake another 30 minutes. Ornaments are finished baking when they are dry and feel hard.
- Cool. Let the salt dough ornaments cool completely before painting.
- Seal.if you wish to add an extra layer of protection to dry salt dough ornaments, add a layer of polyutherane spray on each side once they have cooled and dried.
- Enjoy!Hang ornaments on the Christmas tree, use as gift tags or giveaway as special handmade Christmas gifts.
Notes
How Long Does it Take for Ornaments to Dry in the Oven?
Depending on how thick the ornaments are and whether they are smaller ornaments or larger sizes, it can take an hour or more until they are completely dry.
How Long Does Salt Dough Ornaments Last?
Salt dough ornaments can last for many years. While salt is the most important preservative in this recipe, sealing the ornaments will ensure that they last even longer.
Do I Have to Bake my Salt Dough Ornaments?
To air-dry salt dough ornaments, set them out to dry until the salt dough hardens in a warm, dry place for several days. How long it takes them to dry will depend on the humidity, air temperature, and thickness of ornaments.
How do You Seal Salt Dough Ornaments?
Usingspray poly, spray a thin coat on each side of the ornament. A thin layer of Mod Podge would also work, just paint a thin layer on each side of the ornament to seal and protect it.
How do You Make Salt Dough Handprint Ornaments?
- Roll out the salt dough as directed above to about 1/2″ in thickness.
- Press the hand in the dough and gently press down to create the indention of the handprint.
- Cut around the handprint using the rim of a glass or large round cookie cutter.
- Follow the directions in the recipe for baking, decorating, and sealing.
How Do You Store Salt Dough Ornaments?
Salt dough ornaments should be wrapped in tissue paper or newspaper to help protect them from being damaged. Store in a cool, dry place where they will not get smashed or destroyed.
Did you make this project?
Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram
This post was originally posted on November 21, 2018, and updated on October 30, 2021.
