Salt dough Christmas ornaments offer a delightful and cost-effective way to add a personal touch to your festive decorations. This traditional craft has enduring appeal, combining simple ingredients with creative flair to produce charming keepsakes that can decorate your Christmas tree or be gifted to loved ones. Whether you are crafting with children or looking for a relaxing solo project, salt dough ornaments are versatile, fun, and easy to customise.
What You Need to Make Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments
One of the greatest advantages of salt dough is its simplicity. The basic ingredients are common household staples, making it accessible for most families to embark on this craft together.
- Plain flour: 2 cups (about 250g)
- Table salt: 1 cup (approximately 270g) – the salt not only adds texture but helps preserve the dough
- Cold water: around 1 cup (240ml), adjusted as needed to bring the dough together
- Additional materials: rolling pin, cookie cutters, a baking tray, parchment paper, and string or ribbon for hanging
You may also want to gather paints, brushes, and varnish for decorating your ornaments once baked and cooled.
Making the Dough and Shaping Ornaments
Start by combining the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add cold water while stirring until the mixture forms a dough that is firm but pliable. If the dough feels sticky, dust your hands with flour as you knead it on a clean surface until smooth. This process usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 100°C (about 210°F).
Roll the dough out to around 1cm thick with your rolling pin. Use festive-themed cookie cutters such as stars, snowflakes, hearts, or trees to cut shapes from the dough. If you want to hang the ornaments after baking, use a skewer or pencil to make a small hole near the top of each shape.
Place the shapes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, ensuring they don’t touch to allow even drying.
Baking and Drying Tips
Bake the ornaments slowly at the low temperature to dry them out thoroughly without browning. This process should take between 2 to 3 hours depending on thickness and size. After the initial baking time, flip the ornaments over and bake for an additional hour. This ensures they are dried through and will harden properly.
Once removed from the oven, let the ornaments cool completely on a wire rack. If after cooling they still feel slightly soft, you can air-dry them for a few more days before decorating.
Decorating Your Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments
After your ornaments are fully dried, unleash your creativity with decorating. Traditional choices include:
- Acrylic paints: Bright colours or muted pastels can be applied using fine brushes for detail work.
- Glitter and glue: Add sparkle for a festive shine, applying glue only on desired areas to avoid mess.
- Natural elements: Press leaves, small twigs, or dried flowers into the dough before baking for texture and earthy appeal.
- Varnish or clear sealant: Once decorated, apply a light coat to protect the paint and strengthen the ornament for lasting use.
Thread ribbon or twine through the hole made before baking, and your ornament is ready to hang.
Adapting Salt Dough Crafts for Different Ages
Salt dough is an ideal activity for children, but supervision is important as raw dough contains salt and should not be ingested. For younger children, limit the time spent rolling and cutting, guiding them towards decorating once the shapes are baked. Older children and adults can enjoy more intricate shaping and detailed painting, making this craft suitable for family bonding sessions or quiet afternoons.
Storage and Longevity of Salt Dough Ornaments
If stored carefully in a dry environment, salt dough ornaments can last for many years, becoming cherished annual decorations. Avoid placing them in damp areas or exposing them to moisture, which can cause softening or mould. When not in use, wrap them in acid-free tissue paper or store in a sturdy box to prevent breakage.
Salt dough Christmas ornaments bring a charming homemade feel to seasonal decorating. Their ease of creation, adaptability for all ages, and potential for personalisation make them a highly rewarding craft. Whether keeping decorations simple or adding sophisticated detail, these ornaments create lasting memories and festive smiles year after year.