Salt Dough Ornaments – A Simple, Sustainable Holiday Craft for All Ages

Salt dough ornaments are one of those crafts that check every box: easy, inexpensive, nostalgic, and surprisingly grounding. With just flour, salt, and water, you can turn an ordinary afternoon into a creative ritual that keeps kids engaged, invites adults to play, and uses what you already have on hand.

As we say here at the Society, wellness isn’t just about food and supplements; it’s also about connection, creativity, and shared experiences that don’t revolve around sugar or screens.

We LOVE Salt Dough!

It's super simple and made with basic pantry ingredients.

It's sustainable, using only flour, salt, water, and whatever paint or natural dyes you already have on hand.

It's low‑waste. Ornaments can be kept for years or composted at end of life (minus any synthetic decorations).

It's cross‑generational. Toddlers, teens, and grandparents can all participate at their own level.

In a season where it’s easy to default to candy and chaos, salt dough crafting becomes a grounding activity with hands in dough, stories being shared, kids learning skills, and adults remembering what it feels like to make something just for fun.

Simple and Reliable Salt Dough Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups all‑purpose flour

1 cup fine salt

1 cup warm water (add slowly; you may not need all of it)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the over to 200F.
2. Mix the dry ingredients.
   Add flour and salt to a large bowl. Stir until well combined.
3. Add water gradually.
   Pour in about ¾ cup warm water and mix. Add more, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together. You’re aiming for play‑dough consistency: soft, smooth, not sticky.
4. Knead the dough.
   Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–10 minutes until smooth. This is a great job for kids—rolling, pressing, and folding.
5. Roll it out.
   Use a rolling pin (or a clean bottle) to roll dough to about 1/8- 1/4 inch thickness. Thinner shapes bake faster and are less likely to crack or bubble.
6. Cut your shapes.
   Use cookie cutters, a knife, or a cup to cut out shapes: stars, trees, hearts, circles, or abstract “kid art.”
7. Add holes for hanging.
   Use a straw, skewer, or chopstick to poke a hole near the top of each ornament where you’ll later thread twine or ribbon.
8. Texture & personalize.
   Use whatever you have on hand for texture: forks, lace, fingers, or tiny hands. Letter stamps or a toothpick can be used to to carve initials, dates, or words. Herbs like rosemary and/or whole spices like cloves can be pressed in to the surface for an added aromatic essence.

Drying: Bake or Air‑Dry

Once your shape are made, texture is added, and the holes for hanging have been added, you have two drying options:

Option 1: Oven Bake (Faster)

Place ornaments on a parchment‑lined baking sheet.

Bake at 200°F (90–95°C) for 2–3 hours, flipping at least once during the process. (I flip every 45 minutes to create an even drying and to avoid bowing.)

They’re done when they feel dry and hard. Let cool completely before painting.

Option 2: Air‑Dry (Slower, More Gentle)

Lay ornaments on a tray or rack in a dry spot.

Turn them once or twice a day.

Let them dry for 2–5 days, depending on thickness and humidity.

Air‑drying is more hands‑off and avoids any chance of browning, but baking is perfect if you’re prepping for a gathering later that day.

Decorating Salt Dough Ornaments

There are a million sustainable ways to customize from here. And you can just use what you have rather than buying more stuff.

Acrylic paints work great for vibrant, long‑lasting color. Though they won't be compostable. So keep that in mind if you care to give these a 'second life' in your garden.

Natural watercolors are great for a softer, washed look.

Natural pigments can be made by adding turmeric, beet powder, cocoa, or matcha with a bit of water to make a 'paint.'

Edible glitter is also great for pizzazz. Just be sure to brush the surface of the ornament with a bit of water so it sticks before applying your finish.

Once dry, you can seal the ornaments with an egg white varnish made from 1 egg white and 1/2 Tbsp water, whisked together and applied with a paintbrush. 

Or you can leave them unsealed for a more rustic look (keep in a dry, cool place between seasons).

To hang, simply thread the hole with jute twine, cotton string, yarn or ribbon scraps from your wrapping stash.

If you plan on keeping the ornament as a keepsake, add a little handwritten tag on the string, or note on the back, with the year and the child’s name. 

How We Turn Salt Dough into a Holiday Crafting Station

You can adapt this into a full “crafting station” for any gathering.

Not JUST for kids.

Prep Ahead:

Make and bake a big batch of blank ornaments the day before (or morning of) your event.

Lay them out on trays or plates.

Cover your craft table with paper, old fabric, or a washable cloth.

Set Up

Paints: A few colors of acrylic or washable paints in jars or palettes.

Brushes: Various sizes, plus toothpicks or cotton swabs for detail.

Water cups & cloths: For rinsing brushes and wiping spills.

String & tags: For finishing the ornaments once they dry.

Aprons or old t‑shirts: Optional, but helpful for little ones.

Your Action Station

Kids can come and go, painting at their own pace.

Adults inevitably wander over “just to watch”—and often end up painting their own.

You can even create “stations”: one for painting, one for stringing and tagging, one for displaying finished pieces.

This station becomes more than an activity; it becomes a place of connection. Parents help kids with brushes. Grandparents paint a shared ornament. Teens customize something edgy. Stories come out about holidays past, favorite recipes, and people who aren’t physically present but very much alive in memory.

The goal isn’t “Instagram‑worthy”; it’s memory‑worthy.

Salt Dough as a New Family Tradition

If you're looking for new holiday traditions that don't involve spending extra money or eating extra sugar, salt dough is a great way to create festive, sustainable memories. 

Great for yearly ornaments. You can make a new one each year and write the year + names on the back, atching the progression of your children’s art over time. You can also use the dough to trace your child's handprint through the years.

Great for handmade gifts. Kids can make ornaments for teachers, neighbors, or family members.

Also great for stress relief. Crafting supports nervous system regulation (hands busy, mind focused, screens off), builds fine motor skills and creativity for kids, and fosters community and contribution. All key ingredients of a “well life.”

Tips for Success (and Less Stress)

Remember first and foremost to have fun!

Don’t aim for perfection. Salt dough is forgiving; cracks and odd shapes add character. 

Make extra. Some may break or get very “abstract”; having extras keeps it low‑pressure.

Keep water away from finished ornaments. Store in a dry container when the season is over.

For very young kids, give them their own small ball of dough and let them explore texture without worrying about final products.

Salt dough ornaments are more than a craft. They’re a way to slow down, put your hands in something real, and create anchors of joy and connection that you can hang on your tree, or around your home, for years to come.

If you try this, take a picture of your crafting station and tag us @alphazensociety

We'd love to see how your tribe makes this tradition its own.