Salt Dough Recipe (2024)

Salt Dough Recipe here has been tested in my kitchen and it's work!

The result may vary depends on the way you knead the dough or set the oven temperature but keep trying if you are not satisfy with your result at first attempt.

When I bake my salt dough for the first time, the dough burst because oven temperature was too high.

However, I would say, oven-baked salt dough is one of best alternatives for easy homemade clay because it will dry super hard after baking, strong - it won't crumbly and will last for decades when you seal it with spray varnish after it's dry.

UPDATE!

I have a very good experience with salt dough recipe in this page. Look at below picture. Yes! My oven-baked salt dough animal figurine craft is more than3 years old in 2020 and it's still good - look the same as the time I finished the craft.

No baked salt dough is easy to make because it is air dry clay - no baking needed but of course it will take longer time to dry the dough. You'll depend on the sun and hot weather.

Hair dryer may helps but be careful with the wind pressure that may ruin your model.

Another thing, after making many crafts with no baked salt dough, I'd like to share with you that some craft are not good and some are good. Some of salt dough craft crumbly and some stay as it is.

Then, I've found out that those craft which was still okay because I had added (was just an experiment)few spoon of rice flour and corn flour/ corn starch to my salt dough recipe. Try this and see if your no baked salt dough will be better than before.


Salt dough recipe tools & materials

  • Measuring cup
  • Bowl
  • Cling wrap
  • Baking paper
  • Oven
  • Rolling Pin
  • Cookies cutter
  • 1 cup (250 ml) plain flour
  • 1 cup (250 ml) table salt
  • 1 cup (250 ml) boiled water
  • a small drop of cooking oil

How to make salt dough?

  • Mixflourand salt in a bowl.
  • Make a hole in the center and pour in boiled water little by little (use glove to protect your hands or spoon to mix the flour if the water is too hot).
  • Mix theflour, salt and water, add water as necessary until it's not crumbly.
  • Knead the dough about 5 minutes until it's smooth.
  • Add the cooking oil to make the dough soft, pliable and smoother.
  • Put some of the dough on the baking paper, use your rolling pin and use your cookie cutter to make various shapes for hangingdecorationsor napkin rings. You can alsomoldthe dough to make figurines or sculptures.
  • Turn on the oven to 325 degree Fahrenheit or about 160 degreeCelsius, bake the object you made as above for about 1 hour (or less depends on the size & quantity) or until it's hard.
  • Wrap the rest of the dough with cling wrap and store in a fridge.


No Baked Salt Dough

I made salt dough leaf pendant with this recipe recently but without baking.

Salt Dough Recipe (2)

We've also received requests from our web visitors to make a tutorial for rose salt dough without baking.

Many of them had a problem to keep the petals in place. It seems okay when the dough wet but crumbly when it's dry.

Tips: Try adding 2 table spoon of rice flour and corn flour to your salt dough recipe to make it stronger.

Click on the picture or link below to see rose salt dough tutorial without mold.

Salt Dough Recipe (3)

Rose Salt Dough

And, these are 12 animal signs in Chinese zodiacwith baked salt dough. It's baked in the oven at 200 deg C for 20 minutes.

Salt Dough Recipe (4)

Do you want to see how to make salt dough? Click on the picture and link below.

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Salt Dough Recipe Video Tutorial


Salt dough recipe tips:

  • If the dough in the fridge dries out, add few drops of water and knead it well before start making a model.
  • Apply thin layer of fresh dough if you see crack lines on your model after baking.
  • Painting after it's completely dry: use acrylic paints or water color.
  • Coloring salt dough before kneading: mix warm water with few drops food color of your choice but this is not a good option because you will only have 1 color every time you make the dough.

Last but not least, please check out our tutorial on how to paint salt dough.

Salt Dough Recipe (6)

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Salt Dough Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to bake or air dry salt dough? ›

My home ovens lowest temperature is 75C which is perfect for slow drying of the salt dough. If you find that your oven has the lowest temperature of above 150C then I would advise you to air dry your salt dough creations which will take considerably longer but will prevent the puffing up.

How to make salt dough step by step? ›

Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add water, a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Knead dough for 10 minutes. Wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.

What is the ratio for salt dough? ›

The salt dough recipe

You want a ratio of one part salt and two parts flour. For making just a few little salt dough creations with your kids, one cup salt and two cups flour should be enough. If you want to prepare more, just increase the number of cups proportionally.

How long does it take salt dough to dry? ›

The great thing about it is that the salt dough sculptures will harden if you leave them out to dry at room temperature. Depending on the size of the pieces, it will take 2 to 7 days to dry completely. Turn the pieces from time to time for faster drying. Oven dry the salt dough pieces.

What salt is best for salt dough? ›

Just plain table salt will work. This is not the time to pull out your fancy, coarse ground sea salt or Himalayan pink salt – these will not incorporate as well into your dough and could make it look a bit chunky or off color. Best of all plain table salt is very budget-friendly.

What to seal salt dough ornaments with? ›

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.

Do salt dough ornaments go bad? ›

Sealing your salt dough ornaments prevents them from becoming moldy and or cracking/crumbling. Any environment can cause salt dough to mold, even when extra precautions are taken. Once sealed, they are guaranteed to last a lifetime. This way, you can continue to enjoy your families memories, year after year.

How to make salt dough with 3 ingredients? ›

Salt Dough Recipe for Ornaments
  1. Take one cup of plain flour (all-purpose flour), one cup of table salt and mix together in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add a little warm water. ...
  3. Knead the dough to form a ball – making sure the dough isn't too dry — or too sticky.
  4. Roll out your dough and start to cut out your shapes.

How to tell when salt dough is baked? ›

You want to bake them until they're hardened. They will harden a little more once you remove them from the oven and let them cool but you want them to have a good hard texture before you remove them from the oven. The bottoms will be slightly browned but the tops should still be dough colored.

Why are my salt dough ornaments puffing? ›

Make sure your oven is set to 150°f. This is SUPER IMPORTANT. I have seen others use hotter temperatures but I haven't been able to do so without getting puffiness. So, plain all-purpose flour, 150ºf oven and 1/4 inch thickness = no puffy ornaments.

Can you overcook salt dough? ›

If you overcook them, they tend to bubble up. As everyone's dough will be mixed differently and microwaves have different levels of power, please keep an eye on your creations when they are cooking. Take them out to check their dryness – CAREFUL - THEY WILL BE HOT!

What if salt dough is too wet? ›

If the dough is too wet and sticky, knead in a little more flour. If it's too stiff, add a little more water.

How to harden salt dough quickly? ›

Microwave. The quickest method to dry dough is in the microwave, but the dough will probably rise a bit. If you want a speedy technique and your kids aren't fussy, it takes about 1 minute – check it every 10 seconds.

Is salt dough or air dry clay better? ›

The salt dough browns slightly when baked, while the air dry clay stays a bright pure white, and I think the clay also holds the shape of the cookie cutter much sharper and more defined without any shrinkage. But what I love most about this project is how simple and how affordable it is to make.

Can you put food coloring in salt dough? ›

Kids can play with the salt dough like playdough. Once you're done playing, your salt dough can be hardened into holiday ornaments or keepsakes. Use a food cutter to make fun shapes or use your hands to make memorable handprint crafts. You can also add paint or food coloring.

Can you overbake salt dough? ›

If you overcook them, they tend to bubble up.

Does baked salt dough last? ›

In our experience, salt dough decorations will last for years once you've baked and decorated them, so they make a lovely keepsake. We've had decorations last over 20 years with no deterioration. To help them last longer, paint them with a layer of decoupage glue or clear varnish to seal the colours.

How do you know when salt dough is baked enough? ›

Bake the dough at 250 degrees F or about 2 hours. You want to bake them until they're hardened. They will harden a little more once you remove them from the oven and let them cool but you want them to have a good hard texture before you remove them from the oven.

What is the difference between salt dough and air dry clay? ›

The salt dough browns slightly when baked, while the air dry clay stays a bright pure white, and I think the clay also holds the shape of the cookie cutter much sharper and more defined without any shrinkage. But what I love most about this project is how simple and how affordable it is to make.

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