Today I am sharing how to make salt dough ornaments. Homemade salt dough ornaments are so easy and fun to make. Getting crafty during the holiday season or anytime is so much fun.

With this simple recipe, you can’t go wrong. My boys enjoyed measuring the ingredients and mixing everything together.

All you need are three ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen right now!

CRAFT SUPPLIES:

Flour

Salt

Water

Oven

Rolling Pin

Cookie Cutters

Acrylic Paint or Puff Paint

SALT DOUGH ORNAMENT INGREDIENTS:

4 Cups Flour

1 Cup Salt

1 1/2 Cup Water

Christmas Ornament DIRECTIONS:

First mix the flour and salt together, then add the water. Second kneed the Dough together . Finally roll out the dough using a rolling pin.

Once your dough is about 1/4 inch thick use cookie cutters to make your shapes.

Don’t forget to make a hole for the string to hang the ornament.

Bake the ornaments for 2 hours at 250 degrees F

Salt dough ornaments are one of those timeless crafts that bring the whole family together around the kitchen table. The process is simple—just mix, roll, cut, and bake—but the memories made while creating them are what truly last.

Kids love pressing cookie cutters into the dough and watching their shapes transform into ornaments, and parents get to slow down and enjoy the simple joy of crafting together. It’s a perfect way to spend a cozy evening indoors when the weather turns chilly, surrounded by laughter, creativity, and the scent of baking dough.

Salt Dough Christmas Ornament Recipe:

Salt Dough Ornament Recipe By cleverlittlepumpkins.com

A simple recipe for salt dough ornaments.

Active Time2

Materials

4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cup water

Instructions

First mix the flour and salt together
then add the water
kneed the Dough together
Finally roll out the dough using a rolling pin
Once your dough is about 1/4 inch thick use cookie cutters to make your shapes
Don’t forget to make a hole for the string to hang the ornament
Bake the ornaments for 2 hours at 250 degrees F

How to Make Salt Dough Ornaments Printable

Click here to download this PDF.

Allow the ornaments to cool completely before painting. We decided to paint some of the ornaments white before painting our final design.

This is a good idea if you want your colors to be vivid. Any paint would work, but I used acrylic and puff paint for my designs.

We used a plastic tablecloth since we were using not washable paint. My boys loved this project and it got a little messy!

For a more mess free project you could probably use markers instead of paint.

What makes salt dough ornaments even more special is how long they last. With just a little care, they can be enjoyed for years to come. Each ornament becomes a keepsake—capturing the tiny handprints, favorite shapes, or creative designs your kids make each year.

Over time, they become more than just decorations; they’re little reminders of family traditions and growing up together. Every Christmas, when you pull them out of the box and hang them on the tree, you get to relive those same warm moments.

Homemade Christmas ornaments have a long history rooted in simple living and creativity. Before store-bought decorations were common, families would make their own using what they had on hand—like salt, flour, and water.

These handmade touches brought charm and warmth to Christmas trees, reflecting the heart of the holiday season: togetherness, resourcefulness, and love. Making salt dough ornaments today continues that tradition, connecting us to generations past while creating something meaningful for the future. Whether you paint them, sprinkle them with glitter, or leave them rustic and natural, each one tells a story—your family’s story.