How to Make Salt Dough Ornaments
Salt dough uses three pantry ingredients: flour, salt and water. It's easy to roll, cut with cookie cutters and bake into ornaments you can paint. It's a popular family project for holidays and handprint keepsakes.
Published · 1 min read
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Crafting time
- 30 minutes plus 2–3 hours baking
- Estimated cost
- Under $5
Table of contents
The basic recipe
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup table salt
- ¾ cup warm water
Mix the flour and salt, then add water gradually and knead for 5–10 minutes until smooth. If it's sticky, add a spoonful of flour; if it cracks, add a few drops of water.
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Materials and supplies
Tick items off as you gather them.
tools you'll need
- Mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutters
- Straw for punching holes
- Baking sheet and parchment
let's make it!
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
Mix flour and salt, add warm water gradually and knead until smooth and elastic.
Step 2: Roll and cut
Roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick on parchment. Cut shapes with cookie cutters.
Step 3: Punch a hanging hole
Use a straw to punch a hole near the top of each shape, at least ½ inch from the edge.
Step 4: Bake low and slow
Bake at 250°F (120°C) for 2–3 hours, flipping halfway, until completely hard and dry. Thicker ornaments take longer.
Step 5: Paint and seal
Once cool, paint with acrylics. When the paint is dry, seal all sides to protect the ornament from moisture.
pro tips!
Helpful craft tips
- Even thickness helps ornaments bake evenly without puffing.
- Store finished ornaments in a dry place; humidity softens unsealed salt dough.
Variations to try
- Handprint keepsakes: press a child's hand into a rolled circle of dough.
- Gift tags: stamp letters into the dough before baking.
Safety tips
Salt dough is not edible. The high salt content is harmful to pets, especially dogs, so keep dough and ornaments out of their reach. Adults should handle the oven.
Frequently asked questions
Can you air-dry salt dough?
Yes, but it takes several days and the ornaments may not dry evenly. Baking at a low temperature is faster and more reliable.
Why did my salt dough ornaments puff up?
The oven was likely too hot. Bake at 250°F (120°C) or lower and be patient.
Keep crafting
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