How to Make Salt Dough Ornaments for Christmas
Simple traditions are what make Christmastime the best time of the year. From trimming the tree to making homemade treasures, kids always look forward to the season. Today, I’m sharing a simple salt dough ornament tutorial that you can make this Christmas.
When my oldest was a toddler, I had grand visions of making gingerbread houses each year.
I baked and cut out the shapes for the house and got all of the candy she would need to make her masterpiece.
It was so much work and took me so many hours to get it all baked and prepared for her to make that I never had her make another gingerbread house.
I love setting traditions for our family, but I also want it to be something that I can reasonably do each year. It is important that it is a simple tradition.
One of the things I love about salt dough ornaments is that I don’t have to have anything fancy and it doesn’t take much time to make them.
Why will you love making salt dough ornaments?
You will love salt dough ornaments because they are simple and your kids will love making them.
To be honest, I think I would make these on my own even if I didn’t have kids. They are so charming and last for years.
These ornaments are so versatile and you can make them have different scents simply by putting some essential oils in the salt dough.
- They are simple.
- This is a quick DIY
- You only need a few household ingredients
- They make great additions to gifts
Simple Salt Dough Recipe
You will only need a few basic ingredients to make these ornaments.
- Flour- This is the base for the dough and you can use whatever kind of dough you have on hand.
- Salt- I use table salt for this recipe
- Water- Brings the ingredients together
- Essential Oils- You will love making different scents for your dough.
Easy Steps for making Salt Dough ornaments
- Mix flour and salt in a large mixing bowl
- Add the water slowly and mix until the dough forms a ball
- Fold in a few drops of essential oil
- Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes
- Roll the dough out, cut with Christmas cookie cutters, poke a small hole in the ornaments for twine
- Bake in a 200°F oven for an hour or until dried out
Scent Combinations for Salt Dough Ornaments
One of the best parts of making salt dough ornaments is that you can add different scents to them so that they are even more festive!
There are a few essential oil combinations that I always gravitate toward when making ornaments.
- Pine and Orange
- Young Living’s Christmas Spirit
- Cinnamon and Orange
- Peppermint
How to make salt dough ornaments special
Salt dough ornaments are easy to make special for whatever you need them for.
It is nice to tweak them each year so they are just a little bit different.
- Add food coloring so they are colorful
- Use a patterned rolling pin to add a pattern to your ornaments
- Cut them out with a monogrammed cookie cutter to make them personal
- Use metallic food markers to decorate the ornaments
Unique ways to use Salt Dough ornaments
- Use them as gift tags and write who gifts are for on them with a food marker
- Make an advent count down by putting numbers on them and hanging them on a special tree as you go through advent
- Add them to cookie boxes when you deliver cookies to neighbors
Salt Dough Recipe for No Bake
If you would rather not bake your ornaments, but instead let them air dry, you can make no bake salt dough ornaments.
The recipe is exactly the same, but instead of baking them in a low degree oven you leave them out to air dry.
Depending on the conditions within your home, it make take anywhere from 3 to 7 days to fully dry your ornaments.
Leave them on a cookie sheet after you roll and cut them out. Set them where they aren’t in the way and let them air dry for a few days.
Once they are fully dry, you can decorate them with markers and hang them up.
Simple ways to hang your ornaments
You can make your ornaments as simple as you want. Sometimes, simple is the best.
If you want to add some charm, it can be done with the ornament hanger.
I will share a few options for hanging your ornaments. Be sure to make your hole for your hanger bigger, or smaller, depending on what you’re planning on using to hang them.
- Vintage ribbon that is frayed on the edges adds old world charm
- Simple kitchen twine keeps things neutral and farmhouse-ish
- Glittered ribbon adds sparkle when the ornaments are on the tree
- Gold ornament hooks
Tips for making salt dough ornaments
- Add the water slowly and stop when it comes together to form a ball. You don’t want the dough to be too wet and mushy.
- If you want different scents or colors, separate the dough into different balls to scent and color your dough. Then, wrap them individually in plastic wrap to chill.
- If you are baking your ornaments, be sure to check on them every 15 minutes to make sure they don’t burn or over dry and crack.
- Roll your dough out on a floured surface so your ornaments will lift off of the table easily.
- Lay them on a parchment lined cookie sheet to ensure they don’t stick while being baked or air dried.
- If you have several kids, double the batch so you have plenty of dough
How to make your Christmas tradition special
- Pour cups of homemade cocoa and marshmallows for kids to sip while they create
- Play Christmas music to listen to
- Light a beeswax candle to add ambiance
- Diffuse a Christmas scent in the kitchen
Other posts you’ll love
- Christmas Table Settings and Thrifty Tablescape Ideas
- Simple Ways to Prepare for Christmas
- 20 Simple Gift Ideas for the Homemaker
Free Christmas Printable
Enjoy this FREE printable to make your home cheery this Christmas season.
Recipe for Salt Dough Ornaments
Easy Salt Dough Ornament Garland
Materials
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup table salt
- ½ cup water
- 20 drop essential oils
Instructions
- Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Mix it well and make sure the salt is distributed throughout the flour.
- Add the water slowly until the soft dough forms. Don’t get it too wet or it will be a gooey mess.
- Then, fold in drops of essential oil to add a little festive touch.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 200-250 °F
- Once dough is chilled, roll the dough on a floured surface. Cut the dough into shapes, poke a hole for twine to go through, and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake in a 200-250 degree oven for 60 minutes.
- String them on twine or ribbon when they are cooled and hang them paired with your favorite greenery.
Notes
- Add the water slowly and stop when it comes together to form a ball. You don’t want the dough to be too wet and mushy.
- If you want different scents or colors, separate the dough into different balls to scent and color your dough. Then, wrap them individually in plastic wrap to chill.
- If you are baking your ornaments, be sure to check on them every 15 minutes to make sure they don’t burn or over dry and crack.
- Roll your dough out on a floured surface so your ornaments will lift off of the table easily.
Love this recipe. I have been looking for an easy to follow tutorial. Looking forward to making these with my toddler this year.
They really are simple to make and kids love rolling the dough out and cutting the shapes. 🙂
Love all your unique ideas on how to use the ornaments. We will be starting a new tradition this year! Thanks for all the great ideas! Keep them coming!!♥️
Love this idea!
So cute!!
-Brittany
http://www.essentiallybrittany.com/