Make your own salt dough ornaments with these simple and creative DIY ideas. There are 25 beautiful ornament ideas that you must see!
Have you ever heard of salt dough ornaments? If not, think way back to pre-school. The Play Dough years. Chances are, your teacher had you make a salt dough ornament at some point.
Maybe it was glittery, or scented. Perhaps you painted it. And more likely than not, it ended up getting wrapped up and given to your parents as a gift at some point.
This Christmas, check out your parent’s tree and see if any of those old ornaments bring your own salt dough ornament-making memories back.
But if not, and this truly is your first salt dough adventure, we’ve got answers to all your salt dough questions!
First, here’s a video peek at some of the awesome salt dough ideas you’ll be seeing here today!
Salt Dough Ornament FAQ’s:
What is the best salt dough ornament recipe?
Our favorite salt dough ornament recipe isn’t salt dough at all, actually! In fact, this “faux” salt dough recipe from the ARM & HAMMER Big Book of Baking Soda includes no salt whatsoever!
There are only (3) simple household ingredients needed, and the process is straightforward. You can add extras, if desired, such as:
– cinnamon
– food coloring
– glitter
– essential oils (peppermint is a favorite)
Ingredients:
(2) cups ARM & HAMMER baking soda
(1) cup cornstarch
(1 ¼) cups cold water (add food coloring if desired)
Method:
1. Mix ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir constantly until the mixture is the consistency of mashed potatoes (about 10-15 minutes).
3. Allow dough to cool until lukewarm to touch, then create your ornaments!
What is the classic recipe for salt dough?
Although we favor the baking soda recipe over usual salt dough, you can’t argue with a classic, either. Salt dough more readily makes thicker cookies, which is nice.
While the dough for the baking soda clay above is a pure white color, regular salt dough is off-white (like flour).
The recipe we all used back in pre-school for salt dough, is still the same recipe and ingredients that you will find most places today:
2 cups (NOT self-rising) flour : 1/2 cup salt : 3/4 cup water
How do you seal/ preserve salt dough ornaments?
These ornaments can be sealed effectively in any of the following ways:
1. Spray with a clear acrylic spray.
2. Cover the outside of the ornament with a layer of paint.
3. Cover the ornament with a coat of Mod Podge.
How long do you bake salt dough ornaments in the oven?
Turn on the oven to the lowest possible temperature and allow to pre-heat. Once preheated, turn the oven OFF.
Place your ornaments on a cookie sheet and bake for approximately 12 minutes, but the bake time will GREATLY vary depending on the thickness of your ornaments.
Thicker ornaments will take longer, up to 30 minutes. Bake until ornaments are hardened.
How do you make cinnamon salt dough ornaments?
Use either the baking soda-based dough recipe above, OR the salt dough recipe, and simply add 1-2 tsp of cinnamon to your dough mixture. There’s no perfect amount. Start with 1 tsp, and if it’s not scented (or colored) as much as you’d like, add more until you’re happy!
Do salt dough ornaments get moldy?
If either of the recipes shared here are used to create your ornaments, they should not mold!
The first recipe uses baking soda, which is actually used as a cleaner to kill mold! And the second recipe is very heavy on salt, which is the world’s first preservative! So each recipe is resistant to mold growth.
That said, make sure your ornaments are thoroughly dry before storing them to help prevent mold or any other degradation of your completed craft. And store in a dry place.
Do salt dough ornaments attract bugs?
Over many years of making DIY salt dough ornaments, I’ve never experienced these attracting bugs of any kind.
Are there no-bake salt dough ornaments?
Yes! With the recipe we recommend, ornaments can be air-dried in lieu of baked. It will take anywhere from 12 hours to several days for your ornaments to harden and cure.
How do you make salt dough ornaments shiny?
To make salt dough ornaments shine, spray with a satin or gloss acrylic spray once complete. This will also seal and preserve your ornament.
Do you paint salt dough ornaments before or after you bake them?
Paint your ornaments after they have been baked or air-dried. It is not only easier to paint a dry ornament, but it will prevent your paint from cracking and fading during the baking/drying process.
Painting the dried salt dough ornaments will also help preserve your ornaments for a long time to come!
How long do salt dough ornaments last?
In my own experience, salt dough ornaments can last YEARS, even decades! I still have at least 3 ornaments I made in pre-school and kindergarten on my own tree each year, and those were made over 40 years ago at this point!
Tips for making your ornaments last:
1. The thicker the dough, the longer the ornament will take to cure (or bake), but the more sturdy it will be, and likely last longer.
2. Seal your completed ornament with either a coating of Mod Podge or a clear acrylic spray. Coating in a layer of paint will also seal and protect your ornament.
Tools and Supplies for Creating Homemade Salt Dough Ornaments
There are some essential items you’ll need to make most any salt dough ornament idea come to life! These include:
– flour (or baking soda for the alternative recipe)
– mixing bowl
– water
– rolling pin
– baking sheet
– oven
– parchment paper
– spoon
– cookie cutters
– paint/stamps/glitter for embellishing
– toothpick for making hole for hanging
– polyurethane or acrylic spray sealant
– twine and/or Christmas ribbon
Now let’s check out all of these awesome ornament ideas!
25 BEST Salt Dough Ornament Ideas
Making salt dough ornaments each year is a tradition many of us may remember as a kid. These DIY ornaments give an updated spin on the classic recipe.
Salt dough ornaments can be scented. This recipe uses a festive cinnamon scent. They were also made to look just like real gingerbread cookies.
Use a classic salt dough recipe to make mini houses. You can definitely add a ribbon for hanging, or a magnet to the back.
But, aren't they just adorable free standing?
Why not turn your salt dough recipe into donut ornaments? This is so creative and would look great on a themed tree.
They really do look good enough to eat!
You can never go wrong with gingerbread men during the holidays. These salt dough gingerbread men ornaments couldn't be cuter!
Combine salt dough ornaments with wooden beads for a fun, rustic decoration for your holiday home.
This salt dough ornament is a classic having been used over 30 years by Julie's family. And, you only need a few ingredients to make them!
This salt dough ornament recipe is an easy, handmade recipe that's great for kids and adults. The chocolate version of the recipe is definitely my personal fave!
Salt dough ornaments don't have to just be used for Christmas.
This creative blogger used them in a DIY mobile that's perfect year-round. Isn't it beautiful?
Learn how to preserve your salt dough ornaments with Mod Podge.
Seen here used as special, personalized gift tags...a reminder that salt dough isn't only for ornaments, it can be used in many different and fun ways!
Create salt dough ornaments to use for a special DIY Christmas card holder wall hanging. This is such a great idea!
Oh, and if this one has you thinking about that stack of Christmas cards that usually ends up sitting haphazardly on the kitchen table, check out this post with 51 incredible Christmas card display ideas!
This tutorial for salt dough ornaments is a great one to make with kids. It's quick and easy.
Plus, they can use their imagination to decorate them with paint, embellishments, or whatever supplies you have on hand.
You can also use classic salt dough ornaments in a garland, perfect to drape across a mantel, or on a tree.
This snowflake version is so pretty.
Give your salt dough ornaments texture by using a rubber stamp. This wood grain stamp looks so pretty on a Christmas tree cut-out.
You can whiten your salt dough ornaments with this simple DIY tutorial.
Another great idea for salt dough ornaments is to get the kids involved by adding their fingerprints to the ornaments.
What a great gift idea for grandparents, parents, or teachers!
Santa is certainly a Christmas star...so why not commemorate the big man with a Santa star salt dough ornament? Sounds like a great idea to me!
Never forget those precious little footprints! Capture them in salt dough with these cute lil penguin ornaments.
These salt dough ornaments are super easy to make! You can't leave them natural, or paint them after baking.
The great thing about salt dough ornaments is they can be painted with acrylic paint and made into all kinds of shapes and designs.
These are SO professional looking, right?!
So easy, and such an adorable idea! Stamp your salt dough to create a whole collection of ornaments to "spruce" up any Christmas tree!
Salt dough ornaments can be used in more ways than just hanging them on a tree. This blogger added magnets and hung them on the refrigerator! Love it!
I try to create handprint ornaments each holiday season with my kids, but we haven't tried salt dough handprints yet...I think this is the year!
Such a precious way to preserve those sweet little paw prints, right?
Santa + handprints + salt dough?! Sounds like a Christmas trifecta to me! Aren't these Santa "paws" the most adorable holiday craft?!
Handprints + salt dough + a nativity scene? Recipe for an awesome keepsake to hang on your own tree each year, or gift to grandparents, godparents or other special people in your child's life.
Speaking of paw prints, we immortalized our guinea piggies' paw prints using our favorite, simple "salt dough" recipe, which is actually not salt dough at all!
Check out the recipe we shared at the top of this post...this "play clay" is made with baking soda, cornstarch and water. It creates a super white dough.
And these paw print keepsakes turned out beautifully! The kids now love hanging them on our tree each year.
And if you’re on the lookout for other fun Christmas crafts? We’ve got you covered! Check these out, too:
- 29 Best Christmas Handprint Crafts: Easy, Cute & Fun!
- Easy Christmas Gift Tag Duck Tape Craft
- 81 Best DIY Felt Christmas Ornaments
- Christmas Gift Wrap with Pom Pom decorations
- 75 Easy Christmas Crafts That Bloggers Love.
- Christmas Gift Tags From Vintage Christmas Bulbs
- DIY Melted Crayon Ornaments in 4 Easy Steps!
- 17 BEST Christmas Ornament Storage Ideas & Solutions
Pin these DIY ornament ideas for later! Make one? Leave a comment on the pin! That helps others know whether they’d like to try one of these Christmas crafts, too!
Before you leave…it’s hard to enjoy the holiday season when we look around and all we see is clutter. Take control of the clutter, so you can truly relax this Christmas – our free Christmas decluttering guide will help! I’ve reserved a free copy for you. Grab it here! ⤵
Joan Thomas says
Thank you so much 😊
Heather Thibodeau says
You are so welcome Joan!