Dough Ornament Recipes

Dough ornaments are a classic holiday project that kids love and they make meaningful keepsakes you can treasure year after year. These simple, homemade decorations are perfect for Christmas, gift-giving, or adding a personal touch to your tree. Kids can take part in every step of the process, from mixing and shaping the dough to painting and decorating their creations once they’re baked. It’s a hands-on cooking and crafting activity that brings creativity, tradition, and family time together.
See below for recipes and tips on making ornaments.

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Dough Ornament Recipe

• 4 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Cup salt
• 1 1/2 Cups cold water
• cookie cutters
• Shellac
• Ribbons for hangers

In mixing bowl add flour and salt together. Slowly add water while stirring with a fork until soft dough forms. Turn out on lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, adding a small amount of water or flour, if needed. Roll dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place ornaments 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. With a drinking straw, poke holes in the top for hanging. Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool completely. You can paint ornaments or leave as is. Coat with shellac.

Cinnamon Ornament Recipe

• 1 (8 oz.) bottle of cinnamon about a ¾ Cup + an extra bottle for dusting and rolling out the dough
• 1 Cup applesauce

Mix the cinnamon and applesauce together in a large mixing bowl to form a ball. If dough is too sticky add more cinnamon. Sprinkle counter with cinnamon and roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out ornaments. Poke a small straw in the top of each ornament for hanging a ribbon through. Place your cut out designs on a cookie rack to dry several days or bake at 300 degrees for 30-45 minutes. When completely dry thread ribbon through.

Tips and Ideas for Dough Ornament Recipes

• Let creativity lead the way - experiment with shapes, textures, and colors.


• Add icing-style details - use white dimensional paint to mimic real frosting.
  


• Dress up gingerbread shapes - glue on tiny bow-tie ribbons, add buttons, or draw faces.
  


• Turn ornaments into magnets - attach small craft magnets to the back after decorating.


• Make them personal - write family members’ names or special dates on each ornament.


• Create unique gift tags - use mini cookie cutters to make small shapes for presents.


• Shape holiday wreaths - braid strips of dough into circles and decorate after baking.


• Use natural accents - embellish finished ornaments with ribbon, dried flowers, or twine.


• Add texture with kitchen tools - try forks, toothpicks, knives, or even a garlic press to create fun patterns.

Spice Ornaments

• 3/4 cup ground cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon ground allspice
• 2 Tablespoon. ground cloves
• 1 Tablespoon. ground nutmeg

Mix above 4 ingredients. Stir in one cup of applesauce. Roll out 1/4" thick and cut with cookie cutter. Poke hole with big needle. Let dry 4 to 5 days (on wire rack works well). 18 to 20 shapes.

Gingerbread Ornament Recipe

• 2 ¾ Cup flour
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 Cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2/3 Cup molasses
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• ½ Cup oil

Mix ingredients together in mixing bowl until well blended. Then chill several hours. Roll dough out on floured surface and cut out desired shapes. With a straw poke a hole at the top for threading a ribbon for hanging. Bake 300 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Once cooled gingerbread pieces will be hard and can be decorated with royal frosting.

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Related Craft Recipe Pages:
~Kids Craft Recipes, ~Arts and Crafts, ~Homemade Bubbles, ~Edible Crafts, ~Playdough, ~Dough Ornaments, ~Potpourri, ~Silly Putty, ~Finger paint, ~Homemade paint

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