This salted dough ornaments were recently on an episode of
The Chew and I thought that they would be fun to make with my daughter and share here! Even though they are not "sweets" and are not even edible, they are
dough, cut with cookie cutters, and baked! I wasn't sure how much the recipe would make and I didn't want to make a ton, so I cut the recipe in half. I found this recipe from
The Chew, and they got the idea from
Katy Elliot. The recipe below will make 16 mini sized ornaments and 1 handprint.
Salted Dough Ornaments
(slightly adapted)
1/2 cup ap flour
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup water
cookie cutters
ribbon to hang ornaments with
For such a small amount of dough, I just mixed it by hand and kneaded it until it came together nicely, about 6 to 8 minutes. If desired, add food coloring. Roll to about 1/4 inch thick. If they are too thin they will curl up. Cut with cookie cutters.
For hand ornament- Gently press hand into dough. Trace around hand with flat end of a plastic spoon or gently with a dull plastic butter knife, being careful not to cut your child! Trace well enough to get a good enough line to finish cutting once the hand is removed. Depending on the age of the child, they may be able to do this themselves or with very little help. For very young children, you may just have to try and trace the pressed indention or just make a traditional handprint on a round shaped cookie.
Before baking, using a straw, make holes in the dough to accommodate a ribbon to hang the ornament from. If you wish to include a name or date, that would be stamped on using rubber stamps before baking also.
Bake on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in 200 degree oven for 4 to 6 hours. Mine were still slightly soft at 5 hours and baked for the full 6 hours. Let cool completely. Decorate as desired with markers, crayons, glitter, whatever your child can dream up! Let them have fun with it!
Once decorated, the original recipe suggests coating with varnish. I am using an uv protectant acrylic spray since that is what I have on hand. Lay ornaments on newspaper and spray outside or in very well ventelated area. Make sure the first side is dried well before flipping to spray the second side.
I made wall hangings with dough like this about 12 years ago with my older kids. We first colored the dough and then I hand shaped the dough into an oval and made the handprint on the oval. I also sprayed those with the acrylic spray and they have lasted well all this time!
Not only are these ornaments fun to make and great memories for the tree, they also make great tags on Christmas presents. The handprints make great keepsakes for Moms, Dads, Grandmas, and Grandpas and would be fun to make an updated one each year!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!
){kind=link}