How to make homemade ornaments with flour and salt
The Best Salt Dough (for Ornaments and Crafting!) to Make with the Kids
Learn how to make classic salt dough with the kids, with baking, painting, and storage info. This method is straight forward, easy, and thorough—and they a perfect kids holiday gift for grandparents, teachers, and loved ones!
Salt Dough
This salt dough is a staple of childhood and I love doing this Christmas activity with my kids each year—and throughout the rest of the year too! We love to make salt dough handprints, ornaments, and sometimes, just any old shape they want to. It’s an easy project that we can do together—and then share as kid-made holiday gifts, keepsakes, or house decorations.
Salt Dough Recipe
Making salt dough at home is as easy as combining three pantry staples together into a dough. It’s fairly fool proof (as long as you follow the measurements!) and is a recipe that even little kids can help make.
Ingredients in Salt Dough
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- table salt
- all-purpose flour
- water
TIP: That’s it! (I buy store brand, cheap flour for this since project to keep it very budget-friendly. )
How to Make Salt Dough Ornaments Step-by-Step
Here’s a look at how to make the dough for this salt dough. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.
- Measure out the flour and water. (photo 1)
- Add the water. (photo 2)
- Stir with a wooden spoon. (photo 3)
- Keep stirring until the dough is mostly together and is hard to stir any longer. (photo 4)
- Knead a few times with hands to bring the dough together. (photo 5)
- Place dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out. (photo 6)
TIP: You can divide the dough in sections so multiple kids can have their own dough to work with.
How to Cut Out, Bake and Decorate Salt Dough Ornaments
Once you start rolling, here’s a look at what will follow if you want to make these into ornaments. (Skip the hole poking if you want to just make these as shapes for the kids to paint. )
- Roll out, changing directions occasionally, until about 1/4-inch thick. (This may not get precise if you’re working with kids and that’s okay!) (photo 1)
- Stamp cookie cutters. (photo 2)
- Remove the dough around the shapes, then either transfer the whole piece of parchment paper to a cookie sheet OR transfer just the shapes to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. (photo 3)
- Poke holes so you have a place for a string to hang as ornaments. (photo 4)
- Press in a hand to make a handprint, if desired. (photo 5)
- Bake, let cool and decorate! (photo 6)
TIP: Re-roll any remaining dough after Step 3 here to make additional ornaments.
Salt Dough Handprint Ornament
Capturing a handprint in salt dough is a perfect grandparent gift, or a keepsake ornament to make for your own tree. I love pulling out our little collection year after year. Know that getting a good print may take a few tries if doing a baby’s hand!
TIP: Check the size of your round cookie cutter against your child’s hand to make sure that it’s big enough. You may need one that’s 4-5 inches in diameter.
Best Paint for Salt Dough Ornaments
If the kids are wearing smocks, the table is protected, and you are reasonably sure they won’t paint all over their hands and faces, I like using regular acrylic craft paint since it holds up best on crafts. With younger kids who may wind up wearing more of the paint, I’d recommend tempura washable paints.
TIP: We put our paint into the base of old egg cartons since we always have those on hand. You can also use paper plates.
How to Preserve Salt Dough Ornaments
To help preserve your finished dried ornaments, you can coat with a layer or two of Mod Podge or spray with a sealer. Either work well. I’d recommend coating or sealing both sides, so do one side and let it dry, and then do the second side. If using the sealer, do it in a well ventilated area without the kids too close by.
TIP: To store these ornaments from year to year, you’ll want to wrap in bubble wrap. Store in a container that won’t be banged around, dropped or exposed to excess moisture.
Why is my salt dough puffing up?
If you mistakenly use self-rising flour, they may puff. And sometimes it happens randomly. Keep the oven temperature low and if it happens consistently, you can try baking at an even lower temperature for a slightly longer amount of time.
Tips for Making the Best Salt Dough Ornaments
- 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.
- Use paper lollipop sticks or a skewer to make your holes.
- Use a 4-5 inch round cookie cutter to make handprint ornaments.
- Tie on baker’s twine or thin ribbon to hang as ornaments.
- Try to get the dough to an even thickness before baking so the ornaments bake evenly.
- Bake for the time indicated and then longer if your ornaments still feel soft. They should be firm to the touch without much give.
- Let cool fully before painting.
- If you want to paint the background of a handprint ornament, do that before you paint the inside of the hand. Let dry before adding a second color. Some people like to paint the whole thing white or cream to give it a more finished look.
- Use acrylic craft paint for older kids who can be trusted with paint and tempura washable paints with younger toddlers.since it holds up best on crafts. With younger kids who may wind up wearing more of the paint, I’d recommend.
- To help preserve your finished dried ornaments, you can coat with a layer or two of Mod Podge or spray with a sealer.
I’d love to hear your feedback on this project and what your kids thought of it, so please comment below to share!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Author Amy Palanjian
Cuisine American
Course Holiday
Calories 1kcal
Servings 2 dozen ornaments
- ▢ 4 cups flour
- ▢ 1 cup table salt
- ▢ 1. 5 cups water
Mix the ingredients together in a large bowl using a wooden spoon. When it becomes too stiff to stir, use clean hands to bring the dough together.
NOTE: If the dough is too wet and sticky, knead in a little more flour, about 1 tablespoon at a time. If it's too stiff, add a little more water, about 1 tablespoon at a time. There is a big range in the way different flours absorb liquid, so there is a normal range of variation here. It should be easy to work with—soft and not too stiff and not excessively sticky.
Knead a few times until the dough is uniform and soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Divide dough into 2 or 4 sections and roll out to about 1/4-½ inch thick between two sheets of parchment paper. This will help prevent sticking.
Cut out with cookie cutters. Transfer shapes to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Repeat rolling and cutting out shapes to use up the dough.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Do a 4-5-inch circle and press in a child's handprint if desired.
Use a paper lollipop stick or a skewer to make a hole to hang as an ornament.
If making ornaments, bake for 90 minutes to 2 hours; if baking handprints, bake for 2-3 hours. Continue baking both ornaments and handprints as needed until they are until just firm to the touch, checking every 20 minutes. (It's not a problem if yours take longer than the initial baking time—it varies based on thickness and size...which will likely vary if you are baking these with kids!) They do not need to be rock hard, but should not feel squishy. Handprints will likely take longer than smaller ornaments and may take closer to 4 hours.
Remove from oven, let cool, and paint if desired with acrylic or washable tempera paint.
Once paint is completely dry, seal with Mod Podge if desired.
Mixing Bowl
parchment paper
Mini Cookie Cutters
- Divide the recipe in half to make a smaller portion of dough if desired.
- Use paper lollipop sticks or a skewer to make your holes.
- Use a 4-5 inch round cookie cutter to make handprint ornaments.
- Tie on baker's twine or thin ribbon to hang as ornaments.
- Try to get the dough to an even thickness before baking so the ornaments bake evenly.
- Bake for the time indicated and then longer if your ornaments still feel soft. They should be firm to the touch without much give but do not need to be rock hard. It is not a sign of a problem if yours take longer than mine did to bake—flours and ovens vary!
- Let cool fully before painting.
- If you want to paint the background of a handprint ornament, do that before you paint the inside of the hand. Let dry before adding a second color.
- Use regular acrylic paint for older kids who can be trusted with paint and washable tempera paint with younger toddlers.
- To help preserve your finished dried ornaments, you can coat with a layer or two of Mod Podge or spray with a sealer.
Calories: 1kcal, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 6mg
Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!
Salt Dough Ornaments (+ How to Make Salt Dough)
Jump to How-ToSalt dough ornaments are the sweetest little homemade gift and such a fun Christmas tradition!
You can make them for the whole family or classroom with hardly any effort and there are plenty of fun personalization options. Kids will have a great time making these!
Click HERE to save this recipe for Salt Dough Ornaments to Pinterest!
Making Salt Dough Ornaments
When my daughter, Madeline, was in elementary school she received a homemade salt dough ornament from one of her friends.
I thought that was the cutest idea for kids to gift to one another and I loved that it was a fun friend gift that didn’t cost a lot of money.
Christmas crafts as gifts for school friends aren’t something I’d really considered before – surely buying stuff was easier? But after she came home with that adorable ornament, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
In years past, usually on a snowy afternoon when everyone is tired of playing in the snow, we whip up a batch of these cute Salt Dough Ornaments to hand out to friends.
We keep it simple with solid colors, and classic shapes like Christmas trees and snowflakes, but red and white candy canes or yellow bells would be super cute and festive, too.
Salt Dough Ornaments are actually really easy to make and are the perfect activity for kids to do during the month of December. Especially on days that are too cold or snowy to play outside. Usually those days are abundant here in Colorado.
When Kevin and I got married, we decided on decorating two Christmas trees each year — one downstairs in the formal living that is all matchy-matchy and perfect.
It sits in front of the windows and looks so pretty with the tree’s white lights and ornaments in shades of blue, silver, and gold glowing through the windows at night.
Even though it is a decorator tree, there are a few special-to-me ornaments on it that just happen to fit the color scheme, and every year we try to add a couple new ones.
Upstairs in the hallway outside of the kids game room is a tree with all of their collector ornaments. That tree contains all of the cute handmade things the kids made in class in years past, and multi-color lights. It’s totally tacky in the best way possible.
This year, we made a couple extra of these salt dough ornaments to put on our memory-filled tree and I look forward to more in years to come. I don’t think making salt dough ornaments is an activity that kids will ever really grow out of.
This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
Salt Dough Ingredients
This is the best salt dough recipe! If you’ve never learned how to make salt dough, don’t fret — it’s so easy to make your own homemade ornaments! Here’s what you will need to make a batch of this salt dough:
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Water
- Essential Oils for scenting (optional!)
In addition to these key ingredients to make the dough, you’ll also need some additional materials for shaping and decorating your homemade ornaments:
- mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
- rolling pin
- cookie cutters
- food coloring or acrylic craft paint (or keep them naturally colored)
- drinking straw (this helps cut the hole for threading ribbon or twine to string the ornament)
- parchment paper
- twine or ribbon
That’s it! Any other tools you use are up to your personal preference depending on how you’d like to customize your homemade salt dough ornaments.
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
Click HERE to save this recipe for Salt Dough Ornaments to Pinterest!
How to Make Salt Dough Ornaments
Salt dough ornaments are super simple to make yourself at home! Here is an overview of the steps you’ll need to follow. For full details, make sure you scroll down to the free printable recipe card which you can keep for your records and use year after year.
- To make this salt dough ornament recipe, you first need to whisk together the salt and flour.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the water and food coloring (or paint).
- Make a well in the flour mixture and slowly pour in the colored water, mixing after you’ve added half of the liquid.
- Knead the dough for about 10 minutes on top of parchment paper or baking mat until the dough is smooth and colored throughout.
- Roll out the salt dough, then cut it out using your cookie cutters of choice.
- Place the salt dough ornaments on a parchment paper lined baking tray, then cut a hole near the top with a drinking straw.
- Then, bake at 200 degrees F for an hour, or until dry (varies on size and thickness of ornament).
Can I Make Salt Dough Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make salt dough ahead of time, up to 5 day. Store it in the refrigerator in a completely air tight container or sealed ziplock bag. You can also use a vacuum sealer if you have one.
Storing it air tight is necessary because you don’t want to let the dough get dried out before you’ve had a chance to roll it!
Making salt dough ahead of time is a perfect way to eliminate some of the to-do the day you want to make the dough if you don’t have time to do it all in one day.
This works best when left naturally colored or colored with food coloring. I don’t recommend making it ahead of time if adding acrylic paint as the paint could dry out or degrade when stored for a length of time in the refrigerator.
How Do You Add Color To Salt Dough?
There are two different ways to add customized colors to salt dough – using food coloring or using acrylic paint.
Adding Food Coloring to Salt Dough
Food Coloring To add food coloring to the salt dough, you’ll only need a few drops unless you are looking to achieve very deep colors.
You can mix different colors to create different hues beyond the typical food coloring color options.
I prefer the gel food coloring over traditional food coloring because you don’t need to use a whole bottle of coloring to achieve intensely colored dough.
What Paint Can You Use In Salt Dough?
Acrylic Craft Paint is best for using with salt dough in my experience.
For solid colored salt dough, add 3-6 ounces of acrylic craft paint to the water and mix, then combine (slowly) with the flour and salt mixture. Stir until mixed, and then knead.
When adding paint to the salt dough, make sure you cover all surfaces with parchment paper or butcher paper so you don’t end up damaging your kitchen surfaces.
You can also use an old baking mat if you don’t care about it potentially getting stained. I prefer butcher paper or parchment paper because it makes the mess easy to clean up.
When you are kneading the salt dough, you will want want to wear gloves so that the paint doesn’t transfer to your hands. You can use surgical gloves or kitchen cleaning gloves (again, they might stain!).
This time around, as you can see in my photos, I decided to add white acrylic chalk paint to my salt dough to achieve a brighter white color and a matte finish. Then, I stamped the dough using a snowflake rubber stamp.
If the dough is too sticky, simply add extra flour and salt in a 4:1 ratio (such as 4 tablespoons flour and 1 tablespoon salt) until the dough is easily handled. It should be firm but not dry.
Can You Paint Salt Dough After Baking?
Yes, you can bake salt dough after your ornament has completely dried. I recommend acrylic paint for this as well.
You can use small paint brushes to add details to your ornament, which works especially well if your ornament has three dimensional texture to it.
Can You Add Glitter to Salt Dough?
Yes! Adding glitter to salt dough gives a nice affect and can provide fun customization options. Keep reading to learn how to add glitter to salt dough ornaments – there are 3 different ways!
There are a few different ways that you can add glitter to your salt dough.
- One way to add glitter to your salt dough recipe is by adding flakes of glitter – 1 tablespoon at a time until you like the ratio of glitter to dough.
- Another way to incorporate glitter in your salt dough recipe is by adding acrylic paint that contains glitter or shimmer to your water, and then mixing that into the flour and salt when you prepare your dough. When I add paint to my dough, I add 6 ounces of paint to the recipe as written.
- Lastly, you can incorporate glitter in your salt dough ornaments by painting clear craft glue onto parts of your ornament that you want to have glitter and sprinkling loose glitter flakes on top of the glue. The ornament should be dry before this method is used.
How to Personalize Salt Dough Ornaments
You could make salt dough ornaments for your family, the classroom, coworkers – you name it!
And your limitations are only set by the cookie cutters you own. If you want to take it one step further, you can even personalize the ornaments for the recipient!
All the different combos you could make, all the Christmas cookie cutters I just happened to have in the pantry… the possibilities are endless.
Here are some of my favorite ways to personalize these salt dough ornaments:
- Take some mini ABC cookie cutters and stamp the middle with the recipient’s last name initial, monogram, or first name.
- Stamp the ornament with that year’s date, or a date of special significance.
- Lightly stamp a design within the cookie cutter using another, smaller cookie cutter.
- Hang two ornaments together on the same string, for example two shapes that have significance for the person you’re giving them to.
How to Stamp Salt Dough Ornaments with Texture
If you want to add interesting textures or patterns to the surface of your salt dough ornaments, you can do so by pressing different types of materials, tools, or other items that you might have in your home into the surface of the dough before baking.
Some great options for adding texture to your salt dough are:
- lace
- cookie stamps
- leaves
- rosemary sprigs
- pinecones
- pine needles
- rubber crafting stamps
- ribbon
- bottoms of crystal vases
Press the dough firmly with these items to leave an imprint in the dough but don’t press all the way through. You just want to create a texture on the surface that will remain after baking.
Objects or stamps with deeper more pronounced textures and grooves give the best finished appearance after baking and drying. Items that have very small, intricate details will not yield ideal results.
Scented Salt Dough Ornaments
Did you know that you can make scented salt dough ornaments, too? Adding essential oils to your salt dough will give it a great scent that you can enjoy in your home!
Have an artificial tree but love the smell of fresh, real Christmas trees?
Scented Salt Dough ornaments are a great way to give an artificial tree a natural pine scent. Simply add 5-15, depending on your preference, drops of Fir Essential Oil. I like Siberian Fir best!
Another great scent to add to salt dough ornaments is Cinnamon Essential Oil! This will make your house smell like Christmas! A Christmas-y blend that I like is Holiday Joy, which has cinnamon along with orange and a few other essential oils.
The sky is the limit, really! You can add any essential oil scent you like, it doesn’t have to be a holiday themed smell.
For best results, you will want to air dry any salt dough ornaments that you have added essential oils to so that the scent remains longer.
When adding essential oils to your dough I definitely recommend wearing gloves when handling the dough as some people are sensitive to essential oils on their skin.
Have a Salt Dough Ornament Making Party
Pair this fun activity with a mug of your favorite hot cocoa and a round or two of Christmas Book Bingo by the fire.
Grown ups will love this Spiked Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate and kiddos will like a mug of Candy Cane Hot Cocoa. If mulled ciders are more your style, try this Spiced Pomegranate Apple Cider.
Just make sure your favorite Christmas Tunes are playing in the background!
That sounds like just about the most perfect winter afternoon I could ask for. I hope it does to you too.
Looking for more fun Christmas activity ideas for kids to pair with making these salt dough ornaments? Check out my post on Tips to Prepare for a Fun Winter Break with Kids
Save this recipe for Salt Dough Ornaments to Pinterest!
How Many Ornaments Does this Salt Dough Recipe Make?
The number of ornaments you will get from this salt dough recipe varies based on the size of the ornament, however this recipe made approximately 10 three inch sized circles in my most recent batch.
After you cut out the shapes for your ornaments, combine any leftover scraps and knead until smooth and combined, then re-roll and cut out more shapes. Repeat until you don’t have any salt dough left.
What Type of Salt Should I Use?
To make this recipe for salt dough, you will use regular table salt! There is no need to buy anything special.
Tips for Making Salt Dough Ornaments
The hardest part of making these salt dough ornaments is simply making sure that your work surface remains dye-free.
I recommend covering your work surface with parchment paper or a plastic table cloth. Something inexpensive that you don’t care if it gets stained or that you can just throw away, the dollar store is great for this. Large sheets of butcher paper also works incredibly well!
Wearing gloves and aprons will help make sure that clothes and fingers aren’t dyed red and green when you’re making your salt dough ornaments.
The number of ornaments you will get from this salt dough recipe varies based on the size of the ornament, however this recipe made approximately 18 three inch sized circles in my most recent batch.
After you cut out the shapes for your ornaments, combine any leftover scraps and knead until smooth and combined, then re-roll and cut out more shapes. Repeat until you don’t have any salt dough left.
Why Does My Salt Dough Puff Up?
Are you wondering why your salt dough ornaments turned out puffy? Typically there are two things that cause salt dough to get puffy: either your oven is too hot or you used self-rising flour.
The first reason that your salt dough ornaments might be puffing is the temperature you bake at. You want your oven to be pretty low. This recipe calls for a 200 degrees F oven.
If you find that your salt dough ornaments are still turning out puffy, then try an even lower temperature. Temperatures lower than 200 degrees F work just fine for baking your salt dough and result in less puffiness. Your ornaments will just take longer to bake and dry out at the lower temperature.
The second reason that a salt dough ornament might puff after baking is because you used self-rising flour. In this recipe it is important to use all-purpose flour as it contains no leavening agents (baking soda, baking powder, etc).
Can You Air Dry Salt Dough Ornaments?
Yes you can make salt dough ornaments without baking them, however I don’t typically choose to make them that way.
No-bake salt dough ornaments take a lot longer to harden because you’re letting them dry out naturally. The benefit to making no-bake salt dough ornaments is that air drying the salt dough eliminates all chance of puffiness.
To air dry your salt dough ornaments, prepare the recipe as instructed, eliminating any cooking spray. Then, place them in a warm, dry place on a flat surface (such as a cookie sheet).
Let the salt dough air dry naturally for about 3-5 days, larger or thicker ornaments may take up to a week to air dry.
How Long Do Salt Dough Ornaments Last?
Properly prepared salt dough ornaments that have fully dried will last for decades!
The most important tip for long lasting salt dough ornaments is to make sure that you let them dry out all the way – and that you don’t let them get damp. If they dampen, they can mold.
That means, when you pack your Christmas Ornaments up after the Holidays that you need to store them in a way that they won’t get wet.
I recommend air tight plastic ornament bins rather than cardboard boxes, which can get wet and damp due to humidity or leaks in your home. You can even add silica packets to your ornament storage to help mitigate any dampness that does occur.
Salt Dough Ornaments that have gotten wet or have already begun to mold, unfortunately should be thrown out for health reasons. Better safe than sorry!
More Homemade Gift Ideas:
If you love to make homemade gifts for friends, neighbors, teachers, or anyone else on your holiday gift list, you might like to try a couple of these ideas, too.
Instead of throwing out broken bits of crayon, learn How to Make Recycled Crayons and try melting down your scraps and reshaping them into something new. For Christmas-themed crayons, look for silicone molds that are Christmas Tree or snowflake shaped.
Featuring lemon, oil, sugar and salt, this All-Natural Moisturizing Kitchen Hand Scrub is a simple DIY gift to prepare – perfect for the holiday season. Teachers will love this pampering item. For something extra special, pair it with a mani/pedi gift card or some fun new nail polish colors.
This Rosemary Mint Sugar Scrub is another homemade gift any woman in your life would love. It’s easy to make and can be used all over your body.
Homemade bookmarks make fun crafts for kids and also super cute gifts for them to pass out to friends at school; check out these 8 Cute DIY Bookmark Ideas.
And there are 45 more Homemade gift ideas here!
What are your favorite homemade holiday gifts?
Love this recipe for Salt Dough Ornaments?
Sign up for Good Life Eats email updates and never miss another update!
Materials
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup Table Salt
- 1/3 cup Water, plus 1 tablespoon
- Food Coloring or Paint
- 1 Drinking Straw
- Nonstick Baking Spray
- Parchment Paper
- 1 roll Colorful Ribbon (1/8 to 1/4-inch wide), Twine, or String
Tools
- Mixing Bowl
- Mixing Spoon
- Surgical Gloves, or kitchen gloves
- Rolling Pin
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°F. Place the rack in the center position.
- Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Next, line the work area with butcher paper to prevent your counters or table from becoming stained.
Making the Salt Dough
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt until well whisked. In a glass measuring cup, stir in the water and food coloring or paint.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and slowly pour in the colored water, starting with half the amount and adding more as needed to form a firm dough that is moist but not sticky. Stir well.
- While wearing the surgical gloves, knead the dough with your hands for approximately 10 minutes (on top of the parchment paper), or until the dough has become smooth and the color is distributed throughout.
Making the Salt Dough Ornaments
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 1/8-inch thickness on the parchment paper. Use whatever shaped cookie cutters you’d like to cut out the dough.
- Additionally, you can stamp the dough with various items to create texture or with ABC stamps to personalize the ornaments with someone's initials, last name, or year.
- Combine any scraps that are leftover and knead, then re-roll with the rolling pin and cut out additional ornaments. Repeat until all of the dough has been used.
- After cutting the ornaments, transfer the cut shapes onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Use the straw to cut a small hole near the top (where you’d like to hang the ornament from). Discard the small circular piece of dough that you remove to create the hole.
Baking the Salt Dough Ornaments
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour, or until dry.
- Flip the ornaments half way through baking so that the underneath side can dry out as well.
- When done baking, remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- After cooling, thread the ribbon or string through the holes and tie to hang.
Notes
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
- Do not ingest this dough. It is not intended for eating.
- Salt dough ornaments are fatal to pets, their body’s cannot handle the salt , so they should be sure to hang them high and out of your pet's reach.
WHAT PAINT CAN YOU USE IN SALT DOUGH?
Acrylic Craft Paint is best for using with salt dough in my experience. For solid colored salt dough, add 3-6 ounces of acrylic craft paint to the water and mix, then combine (slowly) with the flour and salt mixture. Stir until mixed, and then knead.
If the dough is too sticky, simply add extra flour and salt in a 4:1 ratio (such as 4 tablespoons flour and 1 tablespoon salt)
When adding paint to the salt dough, cover all surfaces with parchment paper or butcher paper so you don’t end up damaging your kitchen surfaces. Wear surgical gloves when kneading the dough so paint doesn’t transfer to your hands.
WHAT PAINT CAN YOU USE IN SALT DOUGH?
Do I have to add the paint? No - feel free to use food coloring or don't add any coloring and hand paint the ornaments after they've dried.
CAN I MAKE SALT DOUGH AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, up to 5 days. Store it in the refrigerator in a completely air tight container or sealed ziplock bag. You don’t want to let the dough get dried out before you’ve had a chance to roll it!
This works best when left naturally colored or colored with food coloring. I don't recommend making it ahead of time if adding acrylic paint.
HOW MANY ORNAMENTS DOES THIS SALT DOUGH RECIPE MAKE?
The number of ornaments you will get from this salt dough recipe varies based on the size of the ornament, however this recipe made approximately 10 three inch sized circles in my most recent batch.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Gel Food Coloring
-
Adjustable Rolling Pin with Removable Rings
-
Non-slip Silicone Pastry Mat
-
Christmas Cookie Cutters Set
-
Mini ABC and Number Cookie Cutters
-
Baking Sheet
I originally shared this fun recipe for Salt Dough Ornaments on Food Fanatic, but I thought you’d like to see it here on Good Life Eats.
DIY salt dough crafts, 10 ideas, workshops
You can make a huge number of crafts from salt dough, for example: flowers, animals, various figures, inscriptions, numbers, toys, paintings and anything you want! Modeling from salt dough is called bioceramics. The advantage of salt dough is that it is convenient to work with, this material is absolutely harmless and crafts made from it will delight you for several years. In this article, we will look at how to make crafts from salt dough with your own hands.
Contents
- 1 How do you make salt dough?
- 1.1 Recipe
- 2 How to dry salt dough?
- 3 How to color salt dough?
- 4 Salty tests
- 4.1 Master class
- 5 Caterpillar caterpillar salt dough
- 7.1 Master class
- 8 Roses from salty dough
- 8.1 Class
- 9 Hedgehog from salty dough
- 9000 9.1 Class
- 9000 9000 10. 1 10.1 Master Class
- 11.1 Class
006
- 17.1 Master class
How to make salt dough?
You will need: a glass of wheat flour, a glass of extra salt, half a glass of cold water, a bowl.
Recipe
- Take a bowl.
- Pour out a glass of flour.
- Add a glass of extra salt.
- Fill with cold water.
- Knead the dough.
The finished salt dough should not stick to your hands or crumble. It should be cool and comfortable to sculpt. I recommend watching the video master class!
SALT DOUGH | How to make DIY salt dough | Easy salt dough recipe.
Watch this video on YouTube
How to dry salt dough?
There are two most common ways to dry salt dough. The first way: the finished craft will dry itself. The main thing is that direct sunlight does not fall on it, otherwise it will crack. The craft can be put on a flat surface and wait a few days. The second way: the finished craft is dried in the oven for 3 to 6 hours (depending on the size of the craft). Drying takes place intermittently. One approach is 1-2 hours. For quick drying in one go, set 75-100 degrees in the oven, and then the craft will dry in an hour. At a temperature of 120 degrees, the craft will dry in 30 minutes, but it is better to dry it naturally.
How to color salt dough?
There are two most common ways to color salt dough. The first way: after drying, the finished craft is painted with acrylic paints or gouache using a brush. The second way: food coloring is diluted in water, then added during the preparation of the dough. When the craft is completely painted and dried, it must be covered with a transparent manicure or furniture varnish in 2-3 layers. Each layer must dry before applying the next. In this way, the craft will last for a long time.
Salt dough star
You will need: colored salt dough, stack, clear nail polish, toothpick.
Workshop
- Roll into a ball.
- Make a cake out of it.
- Cut out the star with a stack.
- Lubricate the corners of the sprocket with a wet finger to make them smooth.
- Make points with a toothpick.
- Make your eyes smile with a stack.
- Attach small flat balls of a different color with water to decorate the star.
- Dry the craft.
- Lacquer over and allow to dry completely.
Salt dough star is ready!
Salt dough caterpillar
You will need: colored dough, knife, pva glue, toothpick, pendant, clear nail polish.
Workshop
- Roll out the sausage.
- Cut it into 6 equal parts.
- Roll into balls.
- Glue 5 balloons together.
- Glue on the head.
- Blind the nose and eyes, then glue them on.
- Use a toothpick to pierce the hanging area.
- Dry the craft.
- Lacquer over and allow to dry completely.
- Attach the hanger.
Salt dough caterpillar is ready!
Salt dough apple
You will need: colored salt dough, pva glue, clear nail polish.
Master class
- Blind half an apple, make the inner part flat, pressing it to a flat surface.
- Blind a thin flat center and glue to the main part.
- Roll up 6 seeds and a stick, then glue to the apple.
- Blind the leaves, then glue them.
- Dry the craft.
- Lacquer over and allow to dry completely.
Salt dough apple is ready!
Salt dough elephant
You will need: colored salt dough, pva glue, clear nail polish.
Master class
- Blind the body of an elephant by rolling an elongated ball.
- Shape 4 legs into plump sausages.
- Blind the proboscis.
- Blind the ears of an elephant in this way: roll up 2 flat cakes, glue to them the cakes of the same shape of a smaller size in a different color.
- Make a small ponytail.
- Blind your eyes.
- Assemble the elephant in the following sequence: glue the legs to the body, then glue the proboscis, then the ears, eyes and tail.
- Dry the craft.
- Lacquer over and allow to dry completely.
Salt dough elephant is ready!
Salt dough roses
You will need: salt dough, foil, candy bowl or similar plastic container, gouache, brush, clear nail polish, modeling board, knife or glass.
Workshop
- Fill the vase with foil.
- Roll into balls. For one rose you will need 5 balls, for a leaf - 1 ball.
- Blind the leaves, draw stripes in a stack.
- Flatten the balls and form a rose. Twist one cake into a tube, then attach the cakes on opposite sides, forming petals.
- Attach roses and leaves to foil.
- Dry the craft.
- Color the craft and let it dry completely.
- Varnish the craft and wait until it dries completely.
Salt dough roses are ready! I recommend watching a video tutorial on how to make a rose!
Workshop: Modeling a rose with thin petals from salt dough. Master class for modeling roses.
Watch this video on YouTube
Salt dough hedgehog
You will need: salt dough, nail scissors, pva glue, acrylic paints or gouache, nail polish brush.
Workshop
- Blind the body of an oval hedgehog.
- Make an elongated tip.
- Make 2 small balls and glue the eyes in place.
- Roll up the ball a little more and glue it as a spout.
- Make needles by cutting the dough. The cuts should be made in rows, the needles should be staggered.
- Dry the craft.
- Paint over and dry completely.
- Lacquer over and allow to dry completely.
Salt dough hedgehog is ready!
Owl (eagle owl) from salt dough
You will need: salt dough, PVA glue, nail file, nail scissors, acrylic paints or gouache, brush, wooden board with pendant, transparent nail polish.
Workshop
- Blind the body of an owl in an oval shape.
- Blind the eye in this way: make a round cake and glue the pva, then take a piece of dough, form a small strip, wrap it into a tube and glue it as a pupil.
- Blind the other eye in the same way.
- File small stripes from the pupil to the outer shell.
- Make rays around the eye by pressing on the dough with a nail file.
- Take your scissors and make cuts to form owl feathers. This process is painstaking, the main thing is not in a hurry.
- Arrange the cuts in rows. Feathers should be staggered.
- Glue the craft to the board.
- Shape the legs of the owl and glue them on.
- Shape the owl's wings, make feathers with scissors and glue them on.
- Attach the "hair" in the same way.
- Dry the craft.
- Color the owl and let it dry completely.
- Varnish the craft and wait until it dries completely.
Salt dough owl is ready!
Salt Dough Fruit Basket
You will need: salt dough, the base on which the craft will be attached, for example, a plank or plate, a stack or a knife, a sheet of paper, a simple pencil, a garlic crusher, a rolling pin, pva glue , acrylic paints or gouache, brush, transparent nail polish, carnation.
Workshop
- Draw a basket on paper or print out the template.
- Roll out the dough thinly.
- Glue the center of the sheet onto the plank.
- Attach paper template.
- Cut out the basket with the tip of a knife.
- Pass the dough through a garlic press to form strips, then twist the flagella.
- Lubricate the handle of the basket with glue and place the flagella on it.
- Glue the flagella to the headband.
- Draw a grid on the basket with the tip of a knife, making it look like a weave.
- Roll out the sheet and cut out 9 leaves with a knife.
- Draw stripes on the leaves with the tip of a knife.
- Glue 3 leaves on the sides and top center of the basket.
- Make 4 large circles and glue them like apples.
- Make a small indentation with a stack in the center of each apple and glue on a carnation.
- Make 3 small circles and glue them as plums.
- Make about 20 small balls and glue like a bunch of grapes.
- Dry the craft.
- Paint over and dry completely.
- Lacquer over and allow to dry completely.
Salt dough fruit basket is ready! I recommend watching the video tutorial!
#Salt dough/ Basket with vegetables.
Watch this video on YouTube
Salt Dough Cat
You will need: salt dough, knife, rolling pin, simple pencil, sheet of paper, sandpaper, acrylic paint or gouache, brush, clear nail polish, glue gun or PVA base for crafts e.g. board with frame, clear nail polish .
Master class
- Draw a cat or print out a template.
- Roll out the dough thinly.
- Attach the template and cut out the cat.
- Dry the craft.
- Sand the craft with sandpaper, removing any roughness.
- With a simple pencil, transfer the desired pattern onto the cat's body.
- Paint with paints and allow to dry completely.
- Coat the craft with varnish and wait until it dries completely.
- Glue the cat onto the frame base.
Salt dough cat is ready! I recommend watching the video tutorial!
Cat souvenir (Laskutok) | Salt dough modeling 1 part
Watch this video on YouTube
Salt Dough Pencil
You will need: water, flour, extra salt, a cardboard jar for the frame, PVA glue, scissors, a piece of decorative cord or crepe paper, a brush, gouache , button, stacks, acrylic varnish for crafts, toothbrush.
Master class
- Knead the salty dough in this way: pour a glass of flour, a glass of salt, add water, then knead until the desired consistency of modeling. Separate part of the dough, add beige gouache, then knead.
- Roll out the flatbread to a thickness of 10-15 mm.
- Apply PVA glue to the outer rim of the jar and wrap with dough. Cut off the excess with a stack, and smooth the joints with a damp brush.
- Create a small dotted texture with a toothbrush on the surface of the dough.
- Knead the brown dough, roll it into a 10-15mm thick cake.
- Cut a 5 cm strip of brown pastry and glue it to the bottom of the jar.
- Make 2 large owl eye bases with white dough, then glue them on.
- Make a beak out of brown dough and glue it on.
- Make eyes out of turquoise dough and glue them on.
- Roll up 8 strips of pink dough, twist them into 4 ropes and make a bow, then leave it to dry for 2 hours.
- Shape owl wings into droplets from brown dough, then glue them on.
- Braid the beige dough and glue it to the neck of the jar.
- Roll up a sausage from white dough, trace the texture of lace with a stack and glue it as a collar under the beak.
- Leave the craft in a warm place for a day.
- Paint the underside and wings with brown gouache and decorate with white dots.
- Draw pupils and eyelashes with black gouache, wait until the paint dries, then paint white highlights on the eyes.
- Glue a pink bow over the wing.
- Glue a button with a corrugated stripe bow onto the lace.
- Varnish the craft and wait until it dries completely.
Salt dough pencil is ready!
Salt dough dachshund
You will need: salt dough, simple pencil, scissors, cardboard, paints, brush, string, toothpick, foam sponge, clear varnish, PVA glue.
Tutorial
- Draw a dachshund on cardboard as shown.
- Cut out the template.
- Roll out the dough to a thickness of 5 mm and cut out the dachshund according to the pattern.
- Roll up oblong eyes, then glue them on.
- Blind eyelids and glue over eyes.
- Mark the paws, nose, mouth, ear and body contours with a toothpick.
- Roll it into an oval, then glue it on the ear and smooth the seam with a wet finger. In the same way, add volume to the back of the dachshund and the tail.
- Mark the stripes in different directions along the perimeter of the entire dachshund, in such a way that the stripes resemble wool.
- Dry the figurine.
- Paint the figurine then leave to dry.
- Glue a piece of string to the back of the craft for further hanging.
- Varnish the craft and wait for it to dry.
Salt dough dachshund is ready!
Salt dough mushroom mushroom
You will need: salt dough, light bulb, paints, brush, foil, cardboard, masking tape, superglue, PVA glue, paper napkins, clear varnish, stack.
Master class
- Cover the light bulb with adhesive tape, then cover with dough and dry the workpiece.
- Cut out a cardboard ring and put it on the light bulb as a base for the hat.
- Make a hat out of crumpled tissues, then secure with tape.
- Wrap the hat in foil.
- Roll out the dough to a thickness of 5 mm and wrap around the hat.
- Remove the cap from the stem, cover the bottom with dough and make the strips into a stack.
- Glue the hat onto the leg.
- Shape the fungus into handles, legs and spout, then glue them onto the PVA.
- Blind the caterpillar and glue it to the hat.
- Dry the figurine.
- Paint the figurine then leave to dry.
- Varnish the craft and wait for it to dry.
Salt dough mushroom is ready! I recommend watching this video!
Salt dough modeling: Basket with mushrooms. Master class for adults and children.
Watch this video on YouTube0002
You will need: salt dough, paints, brush, foam sponge, stack, thin string, toothpick, black helium pen, PVA glue.
Master class
- Roll 2 balls for snout and use a toothpick to make nostrils.
- Blind the muzzle, glue the snout and eyes over it.
- Blind the ears into a triangular shape, glue them, then mark the stripes in a stack at the junction of the ears and head.
- Make a heart and glue it on the bottom side.
- Make indentations around the edge of the entire circle.
- Use a toothpick to make 2 holes at the top for attaching the rope and 2 holes at the bottom for the legs.
- Roll up the handles and glue them in such a way that they hold the heart.
- Blind the hooves and make holes in them for the rope.
- Dry the blanks.
- Paint the blanks black and let dry.
- Rinse off the paint from the convex parts of the workpiece under running water with a sponge, and wait for it to dry.
- Prime the figures with a sponge and white paint.
- Color the pigs.
- Draw fine details with a black helium pen.
- Varnish the craft and wait for it to dry.
- Glue on the wool threads as hair.
- Make a rope pendant.
Funny salt dough pigs are ready! I recommend watching this video!
Salt dough cat
Watch this video on YouTube
Salt dough fish
You will need: salt dough, baking sheet, rolling pin, knife, sheet of paper, acrylic paints, brush, ribbon, water, shoehorn, pencil, sandpaper, clear nail polish.
Master class
- Draw a fish or print out a template.
- Sprinkle a baking sheet with flour.
- Roll out the dough on a baking sheet.
- Lay the paper fish template on top of the rolled out dough.
- Cut out the fish along the contour with a knife, remove the excess dough to the side.
- Make a thin strip and attach it in a semicircle with water, separating the face and body.
- Make a heart shape and attach with water as fish lips.
- Blind eyes and seal with water.
- Form the pupils by pressing the back of the pencil onto the dough.
- Make 2 holes with a suitable round object on the fish's fin.
- Form the scales of the fish using a shoe spoon.
- Make eyelashes and stripes on the fins with the tip of a knife.
- Dry the craft.
- Smooth out any irregularities on the craft with sandpaper.
- Color the craft and wait for it to dry completely (about 24 hours).
- Coat the craft with varnish and wait until it dries completely.
- Attach a ribbon for further hanging.
Salt dough fish is ready! I recommend watching the video tutorial!
Dough fish.wmv
Watch this video on YouTube
I recommend watching a photo gallery of ideas for creating crafts from salt dough!
Salt dough crafts are perfect as a gift for any occasion. Think about what your relatives and friends love the most, then mold it and make a pleasant surprise for your loved ones with your own hands.
Salt dough for children
Wheat flour 1 tbsp Salt (fine) 1 tbsp Water is cold 0.5 - 1 tbsp Food coloring 3 - 5 ml.
Salt dough can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time. Our dough is ready for new masterpieces! Sip with pleasure!
Colored salt dough made from natural dyes
Children often taste different objects while learning about the world around them. This can happen with salt dough too. If you are making a craft with a small child who still puts everything in his mouth, then we recommend using natural food coloring so as not to worry.
Ingredients:
- Flour (high quality) - 150 gr.
- Cold water - 100 gr.
- Salt (not iodized and crushed) - 150 gr.
For natural dyes:
- Turmeric (yellow) - 3 tsp.
- Raw beetroot juice (pink) - 3 tsp.
- Cocoa (brown) - 3 tsp.
- Flour (thickener for beetroot juice) - 2. 5 tsp.
- Salt (thickener for beetroot juice) - 1.5 tsp.
Cooking method:
Step 1. Weigh and pour out the required amount of flour and salt.
Step 2. Salt is dissolved in water to the maximum. If all the salt has not completely disappeared, then this is not a problem.
Step 3. Pour the flour into the already salty water.
Step 4. Thoroughly stir the flour to remove any lumps. It is best to use a wooden spoon.
Step 5. Knead the dough on a clean table. You should get a mass that will not stick to your hands.
Step 6. Now color the finished dough. We divide the lump into 4 equal parts. We leave one lump of the original color.
Step 7. To create a pink dough, peel the beets and pass them through a fine grater, squeeze out the juice. Mix vegetable juice with 1.5 tsp. salt and 2.5 tsp. flour. Mix well and get a thick mass of bright color. Then we roll out the already prepared white ball a little and place the pink mass in the middle. We collect the edges and roll out the dough between the palms, crushing a little, until the bright paint disperses. When everything is ready, place the ball in a box with a screw cap so that the surface does not become crusty while the rest of the dyes are being made.
Tip: Since the beetroot juice stains, it's best to use gloves to avoid getting dirty.
Step 8. We make yellow dough. Add 5 tsp to the required amount of turmeric. water and mix. After you get a thick mass, repeat the steps that were performed to create a pink dough.
Step 9. To get a natural brown dye, mix 4 tsp. water with cocoa and again repeat the already familiar steps.
Step 10. Store in a plastic bag or container with a lid in the refrigerator. We got 4 lumps of dough in different colors: white, yellow, brown and pink. Create new and interesting crafts for the joy of the whole family!
Salt dough for modeling at home
Making salt dough at home is quite simple and does not take long. The composition of this recipe includes only natural ingredients, so the "plasticine" is absolutely harmless and will suit even the smallest children. Thanks to vegetable oil, salt dough will not stick to your hands and dry out during use.
Ingredients:
- Salt - 200 gr.
- Flour - 400 gr.
- Water - 200 ml.
- Vegetable oil - 60 ml.
Method of preparation:
Step 1. We prepare all the necessary ingredients for the dough.
Step 2. Pour salt and flour into a clean deep bowl. We mix everything well.
Step 3. Pour water to salt and flour, stir thoroughly so that the mass is without lumps.
Step 4. Add vegetable oil and mix everything again until the dough becomes elastic.
Tip: If small lumps of dough separate during kneading,
add a little water. If it sticks to your hands, add flour.
Step 5. Make a ball out of the dough and knead it in your hands. As soon as the ball stops spreading and keeps its shape, the dough is ready.
Eco-friendly molding material is ready! Realize your most interesting ideas with your child! Good luck with your crafts!
Salt dough recipe with wallpaper paste
This salt dough recipe is not entirely natural, as it contains wallpaper paste. Thanks to him, the mixture sets and dries faster. Such material can be safely stored in the refrigerator in an airtight package for about 2 weeks, and it will not lose its properties. If you are making a craft with young children, then it is better to choose a salt dough recipe made from natural ingredients to avoid unpredictable situations.
Ingredients:
- Salt - 200 gr.
- Flour - 200 gr.
- Water - 125 gr.
- Wallpaper paste - 1 tbsp.
- Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp.
Preparation:
Step1 . Getting ready for work. We measure the right amount of flour, salt and water, using a measuring cup.
Step 2. Mix salt, flour, water and glue. If the dough is too liquid, then add a little more salt and flour until the mixture becomes dense.
Step 3. Knead the dough with your hands until it becomes elastic and loses its stickiness.
Step 4. When the mass reaches the desired consistency, wrap it in a plastic bag (you can use a plastic container with a lid) and send it to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Step 5. Now you can get the salt dough and start sculpting! Good luck!
Homemade Salt Dough Play Doh
Today there are many variations of salt dough available in any store. The most popular "plasticine" among modern children is Play Doh. Our recipe will help you save money on a new toy for your child, while not depriving him of modeling material. Citric acid, which is part of the test, is absolutely safe for the palms, and glycerin will give crafts an unusual glow.
Ingredients:
- Salt - 0.5 tbsp.
- Flour - 1 tbsp.
- Water - 0.5 tbsp.
- Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp.
- Dyes.
- Glycerin - 1 tsp.
Method of preparation:
Step 1. Take a saucepan or saucepan and mix all the ingredients necessary for the dough there.
Step 2. Put the container on medium heat.
Step 3. Pour water into the pot one spoon at a time, stirring constantly.
Step 4. Cook the dough for about 5 minutes until it becomes homogeneous and translucent.
Step 5. Add dyes.
Tip: if you want the whole dough to be the same color, then add
one dye to the whole mass. If several colors are needed, then divide the
dough into the required number of parts and add a dye of a different color to each.
Step 6. Remove the dough from the pan and place it on a board lightly dusted with flour.
Step 7. Knead until the material is homogeneous.
The dough turns out beautiful, elastic and soft, which allows you to create even the most unusual crafts!