It is December, it is time to counting down for Christmas, 19 days to go!!! The closer it gets, the more excited I will be!!! I have so many things to do and time is really clicking fast!!! I have my kids to help in making these easy salt dough ornaments. As the matter of fact…. the cleaning up of the “aftermath” is taking me more time 🙄 However, I love to see them having fun in the process of making these salt dough ornaments, it sure was a “Memory Making” moment!
I modified the traditional recipe of the salt dough by replacing half portion of the plain flour to cornstarch. I find the modified recipe is more compact and solid, I love it!
We made a few designs with the salt dough; plain ornaments, stamped ornaments, food colored ornaments, painted and glittered ornaments. My kids waited patiently for the salt dough ornaments to fully dried, hardened and cool down before they can paint and decorate the salt dough ornaments they have made.
The finished salt dough ornaments are not only good as the Christmas tree ornaments, but you can also basically hang them on your other Christmas decorations. You may also use it together with a gift tag in your gift wrappings.
Hope you enjoy every moment in preparing for the Christmas event!
EASY SALT DOUGH ORNAMENTS
I modified the traditional recipe of the salt dough by replacing half portion of the plain flour to cornstarch. I find the modified recipe is more compact and solid, I love it!
We made a few designs with the salt dough; plain ornaments, stamped ornaments, food colored ornaments, painted and glittered ornaments. My kids waited patiently for the salt dough ornaments to fully dried, hardened and cool down before they can paint and decorate the salt dough ornaments they have made.
Enjoy making them!
Materials
- Plain flour, 1 cup
- Cornstarch, 1 cup
- Table salt, 1 cup
- Water, 3/4 cup
- Food coloring (optional)
- Rubber stamp (optional)
- Acrylic paint (optional)
- Craft glue and Glitters powder (optional)
Tools
- Mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters
- Small drinking straw
- Baking sheet
- Baking tray
- Oven
Instructions
MORE DETAILS ON HOW TO MAKE SALT DOUGH ORNAMENTS
(1) Get ready all the materials and tools as listed above. Mix the flours and salt together.
(2)-(3) Add water to the flours and salt, don’t empty the whole glass of water at once, instead, save some for later if the dough is too dry to combine.
(4) I love to stir and combine the mixture with a chopstick so my hand won’t get sticky.
(5) The mixture will look like this, flaky and not wet.
(6) Knead with your hand until it is not sticky, add a few drops of water if they are too dry. Add some flour if they are too wet.
(7) Transfer the salt dough to the floured working top. I place it on a non-stick baking sheet so that I can transfer the cut dough onto a baking tray directly.
(8) Roll with a rolling pin until it is about 1/4″ thick.
(9)-(11) Cut the dough with cookie cutters, the kids will love to help you.
(12) a. Use a small drinking straw to punch a hole at the top of the ornament.
b. Pick up the uncut dough.
c. Transfer the cut cookie dough (together with the baking sheet) to the baking tray.
d. Set oven to the lowest temperature setting or about 220°F and bake for at least 3 hours.
e. Flip the salt dough ornaments every 30 minutes so that the bottom is drying at the same rate.
**Don’t use high heat thinking of making it dry faster, the salt dough will get some lumps if it gets heat up too fast.
f. Knead and roll flat the balance dough, repeat the process.
For more decorative option, you may add some stamped pattern on the dough.
(13)-(14) Position the rubber stamps on the dough, slowly press them into the dough by using the rolling pin.
(15)-(16) Remove the rubber stamps, cut with cookie cutters and punch the hanging hole.
You may add food coloring to the dough.
After they have baked and cooled down, paint them with acrylic paint. And/or, brush a layer of craft glue to the place you wish to glitter, sprinkle the glitter powder.
Tie a hanging string and they are ready to decorate.
Meredith
Monday 9th of December 2013
I want to do handprint ornaments in my son's class. Will it stay soft enough for me to take it to school and have them put their handprints in it? I was planning on taking them all back home to bake them and then let them decorate them during their Christmas party.
Craft Passion
Monday 9th of December 2013
You can place the dough in an air-tight container after kneading the dough. It should be OK if the container is completely sealed, just in case it get a little dry out, you may add a few tiny drops of water and knead again to soften it. It is fine for your trip back, just make sure that they don't come into contact with water :)
Ramya
Sunday 8th of December 2013
Great idea Joanne! I made some with my son tonight but found I had a lot of dough remaining. How long can I store/keep this dough to use again another time? Once the ornaments are baked, is there a shelf life time? Thanks for your wonderful creativity and generosity in sharing all your crafts with us :)
Craft Passion
Monday 9th of December 2013
You may keep the dough in an airtight container and place it in the fridge for 24 hours. They are not permanent especially if you are living in a warm and humid country. It is the same as exposing cookies in open air, they will get stale, mold and mushy eventually. But, you can pro-long the life-time of the ornament but periodically drying them in the oven