The Weekend Project: Salt Dough Ornaments and Gift Tags

Salt dough needs only flour, salt and water, and a low oven turns it into hard ornaments or gift tags. Start on November 7 or 8, 2026, and you will have a batch ready to paint well before December. Active work is about 15 minutes, plus an hour or two of baking.

What you need

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup salt and 3/4 cup warm water
• All-purpose flour, not self-rising
• Regular iodized table salt
• A rolling pin, cookie cutters, a baking sheet and a drinking straw
• Ribbon or twine, plus paint or glitter for decorating

Steps

1. Mix. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl, then stir in the warm water slowly. Begin with 3/4 cup of water and add more only if the dough is dry and flaky.
2. Knead. Dust a table or parchment with flour and knead until the dough is soft and easy to handle. Aim for a texture like play dough or sugar cookie dough.
3. Roll and cut. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch with a lightly floured pin, cut shapes, and move them to an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Make the hanging hole. Poke a hole with a straw so a ribbon can pass through.
5. Bake low. Set the oven to 200°F, bake for 30 minutes, flip the pieces, and bake 30 minutes more. Small pieces finish in about an hour. Others can need a few hours.
6. Cool, then decorate. Once the ornaments are cool, add paint or glitter.

Time and oven settings

Plan on 15 to 20 minutes of mixing and cutting. Bake time depends on thickness and size. A low oven of 200°F to 225°F works well, and it is much faster than air drying. Flipping and rotating the pieces every hour helps them dry evenly.

Thick or large pieces take longer. They can need 2 to 3 hours until the dough is completely dry. Keep the temperature low even if the ornaments seem slow. Baking “low and slow” prevents browning, curling and bubbling.

Adapting the project

• No oven: Air drying works but can take 4 to 7 days, and it is harder in cool or humid climates.
• Darker, spiced dough: Work 1 to 2 tablespoons of cinnamon into some of the dough to darken it.
• Textured designs: Press stamps, inked or plain, into the dough before baking.
• Handprints and 3D shapes: Children’s hands can be pressed into the dough before baking. Three-dimensional pieces may need longer in the oven.
• Gift tags and garlands: The same dough works for tags and garlands as well as ornaments.

Weekend schedule

Mix, cut and bake on Saturday. Let the pieces cool overnight, then paint them on Sunday. Check the underside of each piece before painting, because a damp center can leave soft spots later.

FAQ

– Why did my ornaments puff up?

The oven was probably too hot. Keep the temperature low. If puffing keeps happening, bake at an even lower temperature for a little longer.

– Do I need to roll the dough to an exact thickness?

Aim for an even thickness of about 1/4 inch. Even thickness helps the ornaments bake evenly.