Easy Salt Dough Ornament Recipe Christmas Decor
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Our easy salt dough ornament recipe is a fun holiday kids’ craft that can become a treasured keepsake or a thoughtful handmade gift.
Are you getting ready for Christmas? I’m Keri and over at One Mama’s Daily Drama, I love planning for the holidays! One of my favorite activities to do every year is to make handmade ornaments like the one we’re making today with this easy salt dough recipe.
Think about the activities you loved to do during the holidays when you were a kid. You probably made a cinnamon scented ornament or a salt dough ornament. Even if you’ve never made salt dough ornaments, this is a fun family activity and with this easy recipe, you can share the tradition with your own kids.
There are a lot of items on my tools and supplies list, but don’t let that discourage you. You probably have most of these things in your kitchen and craft stash!
How to Make Salt Dough Ornaments
I used a 2-inch circle cutter, but you can make these homemade ornaments with any cookie cutter shape.
What you need:
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Craft/DIY Tools Needed:
- Bowl or stand mixer
- Measuring cups
- Rolling pin
- Silpat (optional)
- Baking sheet
- 2-inch circle cutter
- Scissors
- Paintbrush
Supplies Needed:
These are the ingredients you’ll need. All the exact amounts are in the printable card at the bottom of this post.
- All-purpose flour
- Table salt
- Water
- Parchment paper
- Drinking straw
- White acrylic craft paint – I used Apple Barrel white
- Glitter acrylic craft paint – I used FolkArt Extreme Glitter hologram
- Ribbon – I found mine at Dollar Tree, but these are cute
Salt Dough Ornament Tips and FAQ:
Is this salt dough recipe kid-friendly?
Salt dough is great for kids’ crafts! It uses 3 ingredients found in your kitchen pantry. While it’s made from food and won’t hurt if your toddler tastes it, it is very salty and should not be eaten intentionally.
Can you make this salt dough recipe no bake?
Yes, this salt dough can be used for air-dry crafts. It will probably need to sit for several days or up to a week, depending on the humidity and temperature in your home.
What can you use to roll dough instead of a rolling pin?
Anything similar in shape can be used to roll out dough. A wine bottle or a large glass is a great alternative to a rolling pin.
What can you use to make a hole instead of a straw?
I had an extra straw from our last trip through the drive-thru, but if you don’t have a straw to cut the ribbon hole, find a small bottle cap, a chopstick, or something that’s about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch wide.
What do you do if the ornaments puff up?
These ornaments won’t rise and spread like cookies because there’s no leavening. It’s easy to knead in some air, though. Make sure you roll the dough flat and avoid over-kneading. During baking, check the ornaments for bubbles; they can be flattened with a spatula.
How do you know the salt dough is done baking?
The finished ornaments should be hard, but not browned. Avoid burning the salt dough, but remember that if you do it can be painted.
How many ornaments does this recipe make?
The number of ornaments you can make will depend on how big they are. With this recipe, we got approximately 48 of the 2-inch circles.
What other salt dough crafts can you make?
This recipe is great for any type of salt dough craft. The dough can be cut or molded into any shape before baking. Have your child press their handprint into the raw dough before baking to make a keepsake. Roll the dough into beads, then use a toothpick to create a hole before baking. Make jewelry, like a pendant necklace.
How do you preserve salt dough ornaments?
Once completely dry and cool, these ornaments don’t need extra preservatives. However, they will last longer and be more durable if you paint them or spray with a clear coat finish.
Easy Salt Dough Ornament Recipe
Equipment
- Bowl or stand mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Silpat (optional)
- Biscuit or cookie cutters
- Baking Sheet
- Paintbrush
Supplies
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Table salt
- 6 ounces water
- 1 piece Parchment paper
- 1 Drinking straw
- 1 bottle White acrylic craft paint
- 1 bottle Glitter acrylic craft paint
- 12 inches Ribbon per ornament
Instructions
- Mix the salt dough.Combine the flour, salt, and water in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Blend just until combined and knead the dough to incorporate any dry bits. Roll the dough into a ball and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven.Set the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the salt dough.Divide the dough into 2 balls and set one aside. Use a rolling pin to roll out one dough ball to approximately 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thickness. The thicker the dough, the longer it will need to bake.
- Cut out the ornaments and ribbon hole.Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter or your favorite cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Use a straw to make a small hole about 1/4-inch from the edge of the ornament. Remove the excess dough and place the cutouts on the baking sheet.
- Bake the salt dough ornaments.Bake the cutouts in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) for 45 to 60 minutes, or until they are hard but not brown. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Paint the ornaments.When the ornaments are completely cool, paint them. Use a brush to apply 1-2 coats of the white paint on the front, back, and sides. You can flip to paint the back when they’re dry to the touch, about 10 minutes. Let the paint dry completely, about 30-60 minutes.
- Add the glitter. (Optional)Use a brush to apply a coat of glitter to all sides, the same way you painted the white layer. Let the glitter dry completely, at least 1 hour.
- String the ornaments onto ribbon.Cut ribbon in lengths of approximately 12 inches. Thread a ribbon through the hole in the ornament and tie it in a knot.
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What’s Next?
If you enjoyed this easy salt dough ornament recipe then you’ll enjoy these kids’ Christmas activities too.
DIY 12 Days of Christmas Countdown Calendar
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