Written by Tanya Ott Published on in Decorating, Uncategorized
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This recipe for Salt Dough Ornaments takes me back! Salt Dough ornaments are so easy to make and to customize to your own decorating style. And they last for ages so you can use them year after year! I like to leave them natural and add lots of spices but you can paint them as well!
Salt Dough Ornaments that we all made as kids are not the type of recipe that you normally see on this blog.
But I made them last week and I enjoyed it so much that I made a second batch!
This is the perfect craft to do with kids or on your own. It was so relaxing for me to make new Christmas decorations and my house smelled amazing while they baked.
My husband almost ate one because he thought that I was making gingerbread.
What do you need to make this recipe for Salt Dough Ornaments?
This recipe couldn’t be easier. You only NEED three base ingredients:
- Flour
- Salt
- Water
Scaling this recipe is easy too. Just remember, 2:1:1. That’s 2 parts flour, 1 part salt and 1 part water.
That’s it! Make as much or as little as you would like with these proportions.
I like to add a ton of spices to mine so that my tree smells like Gingerbread every time that I walk by.
I added a mixture of ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg but feel free to personalize the spices in your dough or leave them out completely if you want a white, unscented dough.
What tools do I need for this recipe?
You probably have everything you need to make these salt dough ornaments.
You’ll need:
- Flour
- Salt
- Water
- Desired spices
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheets
- Piping tip or skewer
- Parchment or silpat, optional but recommended
- Cookie cutters, biscuit cutters or a glass to cut the dough
- Small craft decor pieces for imprints, optional
- Twine, string or ribbon
- Acrylic paint, optional
- Sealer, ie Mod Podge or Acrylic spray sealer, optional
Watch the full video on each of these items was used for my salt dough decorations.
How to add color to your Salt Dough Ornaments
I love the natural finish of these Salt Dough ornaments for my tree and other decorations. But if you prefer to add color, it is easy to do!
Just use acrylic paint to either add small details of color or paint the entire ornament. It is totally up to you!
Kids absolutely love to paint salt dough decorations and you can let their imaginations run wild.
If I were to paint my ornaments, I think that a little color inside the imprints would be perfect!
How do I preserve and store these Salt Dough Ornaments?
In order to keep your ornaments and use them for several years, it is best to seal them. Painting them with acrylic paint, if you choose to, will begin the process.
But a coat of Mod Podge or Acrylic sealer that is applied like a spray paint will be needed. I prefer the spray sealer because it is faster and easier.
To seal your salt dough ornaments, lay them on a surface that is covered with newspaper (I do this in the garage to control overspray and ventilation.)
Spray all of the ornaments on one side with a light coat of sealer. Allow to dry for 30 minutes and then repeat with a second coat. Allow to dry completely until they are no longer tacky.
Turn the ornaments over and repeat the process.
I have chosen not to spray my ornaments yet because sealing them means that I won’t be able to smell the wonderful spices that I added! I will seal them after I take them off the tree and before storing them for next year.
Airtight Storage
These ornaments should be stored airtight to keep humidity and bugs or rodents from getting to them.
We have salt dough ornaments that my kids made more than 20 years ago and even one that my husband may over 40 years ago!
The trick to keeping them for so long is to store them in resealable bags. I make sure to get ALL of the air prior to zipping the bag closed.
The huge amount of salt in this dough will act as preservative. This will keep mold and mildew from being able to grow on your salt dough. If there is excessive moisture, however, you may still have problems.
Make sure to store your ornaments airtight and in a climate controlled space if possible!
Recipe by Tanya Ott
Servings
4
servings
Prep time
30
minutes
Cooking time
40
minutes
Ingredients
250 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
1 cup table salt
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon, optional
2 teaspoons ground ginger, optional
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Add all dry ingredients to a medium bowl. Sift together until well incorporated.
- Pour in the water and mix until a dough forms.
- Dump onto a floured surface and need until the dough comes together.
- Roll out to between 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch thick. Cut with desired cutters. Imprint designs, write names, initials, or make a design, if desired. Make a hole in the top to hang from.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes for small ornaments and 14 to 18 minutes for large ornaments. BONUS – Your house will smell amazing if you added spices!
- Cool completely and then thread string, twine or ribbon through the hole. Use to decorate your home!
- You can follow the optional step of sealing the ornaments that is listed above, if desired.
