One of my favorite Christmas traditions is making gingerbread salt dough ornaments. It’s something I look forward to each year! There’s just something so special about the scent of cinnamon filling the house and the excitement of hanging handmade ornaments on the tree. It’s an easy, fun craft that even the kids love, and it gives our tree a cozy, homemade touch.
Every year, we pull out the gingerbread ornaments we made years ago, and they’re still going strong. If you’re looking for a simple, budget-friendly way to add a little homemade magic to your tree, this craft is for you! Plus, these ornaments last forever—making them a keepsake you’ll cherish for years.
If you’re a fan of natural, rustic touches in your holiday decor, you’ll also love my post on How to Make Dried Orange Slices for Christmas Decor. They add such a lovely, warm touch to any space, and the bright orange color pairs beautifully with the rich brown of these gingerbread salt dough ornaments. Whether you’re using them for a wreath, garland, or just scattered around your home, dried orange slices are a simple and elegant way to bring the beauty of nature indoors during the holiday season.
How to Make Your Own Gingerbread Salt Dough Ornaments
Okay, so I cannot bake cookies to save my life! Well, except for these ones my grandma used to make. Anyway, since these are not cookies and just ornaments, even I can make them easily!
Ingredients
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- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups flour
- ground cinnamon
- whole cloves
- gingerbread cookie cutter
- paper straw
- cookie sheet
- ribbon/strips of cotton/jute for hanging
Instructions
- Put salt and flour (dry ingredients) in bowl.
- Add water slowly. Mix/knead to form dough ball.
- Roll out dough ball (if it’s too sticky add flour, if it’s too dry add water) and use cookie cutter to cut out gingerbread men.
- Use straw to make a hole near the top of each gingerbread man’s head for hanging.
- Lay all ornaments out on a cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Add cloves for eyes and buttons.
- Either let air dry for several days or for about an hour at 200 degrees or so. (I’ve also read that salt dough ornaments can be microwaved a bit at at time, but I haven’t done it that way.)
- Let cool, string and hang up!
FAQs
These ornaments can last for years if properly stored. Just keep them in a dry, cool place. I love pulling mine out every year, and they still look great!
You can either air dry your ornaments for several days or bake them in the oven at a low temperature (around 200°F). If you’re in a rush, baking is quicker, but air-drying gives them a more rustic finish.
Definitely! This is such a fun craft for kids. They can help roll out the dough, use the cookie cutters, and decorate the ornaments with cloves. Just be sure to supervise with the oven if you’re baking them!
Yes! You can experiment with other spices like nutmeg, allspice, or even a little vanilla extract. Just keep in mind that cinnamon gives it that authentic “gingerbread” scent, but it’s fun to play around with other fragrances!
More Winter & Christmas Crafts & DIYS
How to Make Your Own Authentic Gingerbread Salt Dough Ornaments
Materials
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups flour
- ground cinnamon
- whole cloves
- ribbon/strips of cotton/jute for hanging
Tools
- Cookie sheet
- Paper straw
- Gingerbread cookie cutter
Instructions
- Put salt and flour (dry ingredients) in bowl.
- Add water slowly. Mix/knead to form dough ball.
- Roll out dough ball (if it’s too sticky add flour, if it’s too dry add water) and use cookie cutter to cut out gingerbread men.
- Use straw to make a hole near the top of each gingerbread man’s head for hanging.
- Lay all ornaments out on a cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Add cloves for eyes and buttons.
- Either let air dry for several days or for about an hour at 200 degrees or so. (I’ve also read that salt dough ornaments can be microwaved a bit at at time, but I haven’t done it that way.)
- Let cool, string and hang up!
Making gingerbread salt dough ornaments has become one of my favorite holiday traditions. It’s a simple craft, but it adds so much heart and charm to our Christmas tree. I love the process of making them together as a family and then seeing them hang on the tree, year after year. If you’re looking for an easy, nostalgic way to make your home feel extra festive this season, these ornaments are a must-try!
Have you ever made salt dough ornaments? Let me know in the comments below!
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I’m sharing my horrible attempt at salt dough ornaments tomorrow, I wish I would have read this post first! These look so cute and I didn’t realize it would be so easy to add the cinnamon to them. Thanks for sharing and being a part of the No Ugly Ornament Series!
Aw, Erin! I’m so sorry yours didn’t turn out! xo, S.
I used to make these with my mom as a child! Thanks for helping me rediscover how to do it. 🙂
What a great memory to have! 🙂
Love these! The first year my husband and I were married we didn’t have a lot to spend on decorating our first tree so I made a ton of these for it. We still have a few left twelve years later:)
Can’t wait to make these with my 6 year old this weekend!! And they’ll make GREAT gifts for the grandparents! How much cinnamon do you use???
Oh have fun! 🙂 Use as much or as little cinnamon as you like…totally a preference thing.
How many gingerbread men does this make? I have a class of 21.
How many ornaments will this recipe yield?
So cute! I would love to feature this idea in the gingerbread round up post I am doing for the West Valley Moms Blog. May I use one picture and link directly back to this post?
I change recipe a little I did one cup salt one cup flour and 3 tbs cinnamon. Then dryed at 200 deg 3 min one side 3 next side . But before I changed your recipe it worked good too and was happy to find it ?
It’s totally great that you changed it to work for you. 🙂
Love this idea! About how many gingerbread ornaments does this recipe yield?
Hmm. Good question. It’s been so long since we made them. I think about a dozen?