Homemade Salt Dough Ornaments: Simple Recipe & Decorating Tips

This simple homemade salt dough ornament recipe creates charming, budget-friendly Christmas decorations that are fully customizable. It’s an easy craft for kids and adults alike — perfect for making keepsakes or gifts.

What you will need: flour, salt, water, twine or ribbon, paints, glitter or any embellishments you like.

When we were newly married and living on a tight budget, I made most of our holiday décor. Little scraps of fabric and found items became meaningful decorations, and those homemade pieces still hang on our tree today. Salt dough ornaments are one of my favorite easy projects — inexpensive, sentimental, and endlessly customizable.

Tips For Making Salt Dough Ornaments:

• Use a straw to create hanging holes. A metal straw works well — press it through the dough and wiggle to enlarge the hole. You can also blow the scrap of dough out through the straw to clear it.
• Be creative with shapes: stars, trees, gingerbread people, trains — add paint, glitter, or embossing with stamps or textured objects.
• Cut a center hole or frame to insert a small photo for a personalized ornament.
• Let kids help. Cover your workspace and let them play with shaping, stamping, and decorating.

Tools you will need:

Large bowl

Rolling pin

Silicone spatula

Measuring cups (liquid and dry)

Cookie cutters

Straw (for making holes)

Do you have to bake salt dough ornaments?

No — air drying works, but it can take 5–7 days. Baking at a low temperature speeds things up and usually yields firmer results in a few hours.

How many years do these ornaments last?

When stored and handled carefully, salt dough ornaments can last for many years. Some people report theirs lasting decades.

Do you need to seal salt dough ornaments?

Sealing with Mod Podge, clear glue, or a craft sealant helps protect painted or decorated pieces and extends their life. If you prefer a natural, rustic look, unsealed ornaments can be lovely as well.

Salt Dough Ornaments Video Tutorial

How To Make Salt Dough Ornaments

1. Preheat oven to 200°F (about 95°C) if you plan to bake the ornaments for faster drying.
2. In a large bowl, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1.5 cups salt. Stir to blend.
3. Add about 1 to 1.25 cups water gradually, mixing until the mixture forms a cohesive dough that is not too wet. Start with less and add more as needed.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it out to roughly 1/4 inch thickness.
5. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet or tray.
6. Make hanging holes with a straw: press the straw where you want the hole and wiggle to enlarge. Clear any stuck dough from the straw so the hole is clean.
7. Fix any edges that shifted when making the holes, then continue to roll and cut until the dough is used up.
8. Bake the ornaments for several hours until completely dry. Baking time varies by thickness and moisture — expect 2–5 hours. Check occasionally for firmness.
9. When dry and cool, decorate as desired: paint, add glitter, glue on ribbons or pom-poms, or leave them natural for a rustic style.
10. Hang them on your tree and enjoy your handmade décor.

To store: Wrap ornaments in tissue paper and keep them in a dry, airtight container. A plastic bin works well to prevent moisture damage. Many people keep salt dough ornaments in a shoe box inside a larger storage container with other decorations.

Salt Dough Ornaments Recipe

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