Cinnamon Salt Dough Ornaments: A Timeless DIY Craft for the Holidays

There’s a special magic in handmade decorations, especially during the festive season. Imagine crafting beautiful ornaments that not only mimic the charm of gingerbread cookies but also fill your home with the warm, inviting scent of cinnamon. This step-by-step tutorial will guide you through creating durable, aromatic cinnamon salt dough ornaments that you and your family will cherish for years to come. These delightful creations are perfect for adorning your tree, embellishing gifts, or even crafting into unique garlands that infuse every corner of your home with holiday cheer.

The art of making salt dough ornaments carries with it a deep sense of nostalgia and tradition. I vividly recall the pride I felt in preschool, presenting my mom with a salt dough handprint plaque for Mother’s Day. It feels like yesterday, even though three decades have passed! That cherished “crusty thing” held a special spot on a shelf at my parents’ house, a testament to the enduring nature of salt dough and the memories it preserves. This enduring quality made it the perfect project to rediscover with my own children.

Last year, we embarked on our own salt dough adventure, elevating the classic recipe with cinnamon to create truly enchanting ornaments. While the process wasn’t documented then, the joy and the beautiful results were unforgettable. Seeing my one-year-old Regan’s footprint from last Christmas captured forever in salt dough melts my heart every time. It’s a wonderful way to mark the fleeting years and hold onto those precious tiny prints.

This year, it’s time for a proper documentation, so you too can easily create these charming festive decorations.

Doesn’t that truly resemble a delicious gingerbread cookie? The cinnamon not only imbues a delightful aroma but also provides a naturally warm, inviting brown hue that perfectly mimics the look of traditional gingerbread. This gingerbread aesthetic became a central theme in our Christmas decor last year. We strung up some of our cinnamon salt dough ornaments with elegant ribbon, creating a charming garland that gracefully hung above our kitchen window, adding a touch of rustic warmth to the heart of our home.

Crafting Your Own Cinnamon Salt Dough Ornaments: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating these aromatic and long-lasting ornaments is a delightful activity for all ages. It’s a fantastic way to spend a rainy afternoon or kick off the holiday season with a fun, hands-on project. The best part? The simple ingredients are likely already in your pantry!

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Ingredients for Your Festive Salt Dough

The beauty of salt dough lies in its simplicity. With just a few basic kitchen staples, you can conjure up a batch of dough that’s both wonderfully fragrant and incredibly versatile. For these cinnamon-infused ornaments, you’ll need:

• 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of your dough, providing structure and texture.
• 1 Cup Ground Cinnamon: This is the secret ingredient for that rich, gingerbread-like color and irresistible aroma. Don’t skimp on this!
• 1 Cup Salt: Crucial for preserving your ornaments, ensuring they last for years without spoiling. Fine salt works best for a smooth dough.
• Essential Oil of Your Choice (Optional but Recommended): Enhances the festive scent. Cinnamon bark, peppermint, clove, or sweet orange are perfect for Christmas. About 10-12 drops will do.
• 1 3/4 Cups Water: The liquid binder that brings all the ingredients together to form a pliable dough.
• Parchment Paper or Cooking Spray: Essential for preventing your dough from sticking to baking sheets.
• Cookie Cutters: Unleash your creativity! We used a variety of festive shapes like these – stars, snowflakes, gingerbread men, and even pet paws!
• Toothpick: For creating neat holes to hang your finished ornaments.
• White Puffy Craft Paint: To add charming “icing” details, making your ornaments truly resemble gingerbread cookies.
• Baker’s String, Jute Twine, or Ornament Hooks: For hanging your beautiful creations.

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Begin by combining all the dry ingredients – the flour, ground cinnamon, and salt – in a large mixing bowl. Whisk them together thoroughly to ensure the cinnamon and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour. This step is crucial for achieving a uniform color and scent in your final ornaments. Once mixed, set aside about 1/2 cup of this dry mixture. This reserved portion will be used later to flour your surface for rolling the dough, preventing it from sticking.

Step 2: Infuse Your Water with Essential Oil

In a separate cup or bowl, add 10-12 drops of your chosen essential oil to the 1 3/4 cups of water. Stir gently to disperse the oil. While cinnamon essential oil would be ideal to intensify the scent, other festive oils like peppermint (which I used when cinnamon wasn’t available), clove, or sweet orange work beautifully and will still make your ornaments smell fantastic. This step ensures that the aroma is evenly incorporated throughout the dough, providing a long-lasting fragrance.

Step 3: Gradually Add Water and Oil to Dry Ingredients

Now, it’s time to bring your dough to life! Gradually pour a small amount of the essential oil-infused water mixture into your dry ingredients. Start with about half the water, reserving the rest. This controlled addition is important to achieve the right dough consistency without making it too wet too quickly.

Step 4: Mix and Knead for the Perfect Dough

Using a sturdy spoon or your hands, begin to stir the mixture. Continue adding the remaining water gradually, a little at a time, until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated and a thick, cookie-like dough forms. The consistency should be firm enough to handle but still pliable. If the dough feels too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour; if it’s too dry, add a teaspoon of water. Once combined, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface (using your reserved dry mixture) and knead for 5-7 minutes. This develops the gluten, making the dough smooth and elastic, and distributing the beautiful cinnamon scent evenly. This is truly when your kitchen starts to smell absolutely amazing – like Christmas in a bowl!

Step 5: Roll and Cut Your Festive Shapes

Sprinkle your reserved dry mixture generously over a clean cutting board or countertop. Place your dough in the center and, using a rolling pin, roll it out to an approximate thickness of 1/4 inch. This thickness is ideal for durable ornaments that aren’t too bulky. Now comes the fun part: using your favorite cookie cutters to cut out various festive shapes. Carefully transfer your cut-out dough shapes to a greased cookie sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Try to maximize your dough usage by placing cutters close together, then gather and re-roll scraps until all the dough is used.

Step 6: Poke a Hole for Hanging

Before baking, it’s crucial to create a hole in each ornament for hanging. Using a toothpick, carefully poke a hole in the top of each shape. Make sure the hole is large enough to easily thread your chosen string, twine, or ornament hook through later, but not so large that it compromises the integrity of the ornament. This is also a fantastic opportunity for personalization! My oldest had a blast cutting out most of the “cookies,” resulting in some delightfully unique shapes—some snowflakes ended up looking more like sea turtles, but that’s part of the charm! Remember, the goal here is fun and creativity, not absolute perfection.

Step 7: Bake Your Ornaments

Preheat your oven to a low temperature of 300°F (150°C). Carefully place your cookie sheets with the cut-out dough into the oven and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes. The exact baking time may vary depending on the thickness of your ornaments and your oven, so keep an eye on them. The goal is to dry them out completely and harden them, not necessarily to brown them further. Once baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. As the salt dough bakes, your entire house will be filled with the most incredible, comforting aroma – it’s truly one of the best parts of this craft!

Step 8: Decorate with “Icing” Paint

Once your baked dough ornaments are completely cool to the touch, it’s time to add the charming finishing touches. Using white puffy craft paint, carefully “pipe” on your desired designs, mimicking the look of icing on traditional gingerbread cookies. You can create intricate swirls, simple dots, festive zigzags, or even personalize them with names or dates. Let your creativity soar! Allow the puffy paint to dry completely, which can take several hours, or even overnight, depending on the thickness of your designs. This step truly transforms them into convincing gingerbread look-alikes.

Step 9: String Up Your Beautiful Creations

With the “icing” fully dry, the final step is to string up your beautiful cinnamon salt dough ornaments! Thread your baker’s string, jute twine, or ornament hooks through the holes you created earlier. Tie a secure loop or knot, and your ornaments are ready to adorn your Christmas tree, hang on a mantel, or be used as unique gift tags. Aren’t they the absolute cutest? We even made a special one with Lola’s paw print – a sweet memento of our furry family member!

Creative Ways to Display Your Cinnamon Salt Dough Ornaments

Once your charming cinnamon salt dough ornaments are complete, the possibilities for displaying them are endless! Beyond the traditional Christmas tree, these versatile creations can add a touch of rustic elegance and an intoxicating aroma to various parts of your home.

• Festive Garlands: As mentioned, string them together with ribbon or twine to create a beautiful garland for your mantel, staircase banister, or draped across a kitchen window. The repeating shapes and warm color create a cohesive and inviting look.
• Gift Embellishments: Attach them to wrapped presents instead of traditional gift tags. They add a personal, handmade touch and an extra little gift for the recipient.
• Wreaths and Swags: Incorporate them into homemade Christmas wreaths or evergreen swags for an additional layer of texture and scent.
• Bowl Fillers: Arrange a collection of your ornaments in a decorative bowl or a clear glass vase as a festive centerpiece.
• Kids’ Room Decor: Hang them on a decorative branch in a child’s room as a charming holiday accent.

More Christmas DIY Ideas to Inspire Your Holiday Season

If you’ve enjoyed crafting these cinnamon salt dough ornaments, you’re in for more festive fun! The holiday season is the perfect time to get creative and add personalized touches to your home. Here are some more DIY ideas to spark your imagination:

• DIY Christmas Decorations You Can Make Inexpensively: Discover a plethora of budget-friendly ideas to deck your halls without breaking the bank.
• Easy Tutorial: How to Make DIY Dried Orange Garland: Complement your cinnamon ornaments with the natural beauty and citrusy scent of dried orange slices.
• Easy DIY Stocking Name Tags + Personalized Printable Labels: Add a personalized touch to your family’s stockings with these simple and elegant tags.
• 5 Minute Christmas Bow Ribbon Art: For a quick and stylish decoration, try this ingenious ribbon art project.

Between the fragrant dried citrus decor and these delightful cinnamon salt dough ornaments, our house truly smells like Christmas heaven! The combination of spices and citrus creates an inviting and festive atmosphere that synthetic air fresheners simply can’t replicate.

Beyond Ornaments: Exploring More Cinnamon Salt Dough Crafts

The versatility of cinnamon salt dough extends far beyond simple ornaments. I’m incredibly tempted to take this method a step further and construct a lasting gingerbread house. Using a sturdy cookie cutter set like this one, imagine crafting walls and a roof that will endure for years, becoming a permanent and cherished part of your holiday display. While I haven’t quite mustered the courage to try it myself yet, the idea of a perpetually fragrant and perfectly preserved gingerbread house is truly captivating. Perhaps one of you creative crafters will take on the challenge?

It’s definitely a project I plan to attempt one of these days, adding another dimension to our collection of handmade holiday treasures. Now that our ornaments are beautifully crafted and ready, I absolutely cannot WAIT to decorate our Christmas tree next week!

Making Memories: The True Gift of DIY Crafts

Creating salt dough ornaments, whether with cinnamon or the traditional recipe, is more than just a craft; it’s a wonderful opportunity to build lasting family traditions. It’s the perfect yearly activity to do with children, allowing you to document how much their little hands and feet have grown each season. These tangible keepsakes will tell stories for years to come, reminding you of precious moments spent together.

Have you ever tried making salt dough before? What are your favorite holiday crafts to do with your family? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below! We love hearing about your creative adventures.

Pin It for Later!

If you loved this tutorial and want to revisit it for future holiday seasons, be sure to save it! You can pin this post to your favorite Christmas craft or DIY holiday decor board on Pinterest: