Salt Dough Ornament Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to tell if salt dough ornaments are done? ›

If you take good care of them and store them properly they can last a very long time! I recently saw a post from someone saying that they had some in good shape that were 35 years old. How do you know when salt dough is done? It will be hard to the touch but still light in color on the top.

The salt dough recipe

You want a ratio of one part salt and two parts flour. For making just a few little salt dough creations with your kids, one cup salt and two cups flour should be enough. If you want to prepare more, just increase the number of cups proportionally.

Mod Podge.

It's important to seal your ornaments once they're dried, so that they don't absorb moisture from the air. Use Mod Podge (in matte) to seal the dough and give them a more finished look.

If you have thin ornaments for the tree then in the oven they may only take an hour or two. However, if you are drying something thicker like a sculpture or a candle holder then this will take much longer and it may be better for you to dry using the air drying method.

If you overcook them, they tend to bubble up.

Note: The dough should be soft and not too stiff or sticky. If it's difficult to work with, adjust the texture by adding a spoonful of water (if it's too stiff) or a spoonful of flour (if it's too wet or sticky) at a time.

If the percentage of salt added to a dough becomes too high, excessive dehydration will eventually kill the yeast and bacteria. Most scientists believe that at 2% of the flour weight or less, salt alone does not significantly alter either the yeast's gassing power or the bacteria's acid production.

Salt dough is susceptible to moisture, meaning it will pull any moisture from the surrounding air. This causes your projects to turn soggy or even crumble.

If the dough is too wet and sticky, knead in a little more flour. If it's too stiff, add a little more water. There is a big range in the way different flours absorb liquid, so there is a normal range of variation in liquid needs. It should be easy to work with—soft and not too stiff and not excessively sticky.

You'll make salt dough according to the recipe, cut your shapes, and then bake it. Then you'll paint and Mod Podge the resulting ornaments.

Why are my salt dough ornaments puffy? ›

Make sure your oven is set to 150°f. This is SUPER IMPORTANT. I have seen others use hotter temperatures but I haven't been able to do so without getting puffiness. So, plain all-purpose flour, 150ºf oven and 1/4 inch thickness = no puffy ornaments.

Ingredients:• 2 cups flour• 1 tablespoon cream of tartar• 2 tablespoons canola oil• 1 cup boiling water• ½ cup Epsom salt• Food coloringInstructions:1.

Lay down one piece of parchment paper on the table and pull a small hand size amount of dough on paper. Lay second sheet of parchment paper on top of dough. Roll out dough till its about 1/8 inch thick. This is important because if you make the dough too thick it will crack and not create rad looking ornaments!

Why are my salt dough ornaments cracking? If your ornaments crack during or after baking, try adding a bit more water to the dough next time or cooking at a slightly lower temperature for a longer period of time.

Instructions. In a medium bowl mix 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of salt, & 3/4 cup cinnamon. Knead for 15-30 seconds to create a workable dough. Next, roll out your dough & use your Christmas cookie cutters to create the shapes for your ornaments & use a chopstick to create a hole at the top of the ornament.

The great thing about it is that the salt dough sculptures will harden if you leave them out to dry at room temperature. Depending on the size of the pieces, it will take 2 to 7 days to dry completely. Turn the pieces from time to time for faster drying.

Tips for Making the Best Salt Dough Ornaments

If it's too stiff, add a little more water. There is a big range in the way different flours absorb liquid, so there is a normal range of variation in liquid needs. It should be easy to work with—soft and not too stiff and not excessively sticky.

It needs to be not too crumbly, but not too sticky. To make coloured dough, cut the amount of water in half and replace with paint. Add this slowly to your dry mix of salt and flour until it reaches the correct consistency. You could also add bio-degradable glitter to make the dough sparkly.