Salt Dough Recipe
Here's how to make salt dough for salt dough ornaments, gift tags, garlands, handprints, and more! Salt dough ornaments are a favorite craft any time of the year, but especially around Christmas.
Supplies
- 2 cups flour (all-purpose)
- 1 cup salt
- 3/4 cup warm water
Instructions
Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a medium bowl, mix together 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of salt.
- Slowly stir in 3/4 cup of warm water.
Adjusting the Consistency
- I like my dough to be a bit more dry, as it’s easier to work with.
- After stirring the dough together, I start kneading it with my hands. If I can get all the flour incorporated without adding extra water, great! If I need a little extra water, I add it in small amounts (about 1 tablespoon or so). Adjust consistency to your liking by either adding more flour or water as needed.
Rolling the Dough
- Sprinkle a work surface with flour and roll out the dough to a 1/4" thickness. If the dough sticks to the surface, add more flour and rotate the dough quarter-turns as you roll to help prevent sticky spots.
Cutting the Dough
- Use cookie cutters to cut shapes from the dough. Place these on a parchment-lined cookie sheet to dry. Don't forget to add holes for hanging the ornaments with a toothpick or straw.
How to Air Dry Salt Dough Ornaments
- To air dry the ornaments, leave them on the parchment-lined sheets to air-dry overnight. Flip the ornaments the next day to dry out the other side. Large ornaments may take quite some time to dry (up to several days). Once the ornaments are relatively sturdy, you can hang them on your Christmas tree while you wait for them to finish drying.
How to Bake Salt Dough Ornaments
- Bake the ornaments for 30 minutes at 200° F, flip them over, and bake for another 30 minutes. Depending on your ornaments, they may need up to a few hours to dry, but small pieces will be done in about an hour.
Notes
Storing Extra Dough: If you have extra dough refrigerate it in a sealed plastic bag for up to 3-4 days. You’ll find that the dough is more wet/sticky after being stored, so plan to incorporate more flour to adjust the consistency.
Preserving the Finished Ornaments: Be sure to dry salt dough creations completely before storing and/or adding a top coat. Use a clear coat spray paint like Rust-Oleum Matte Clear or paint on a coat of Mod Podge to seal.