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!
The Best Easy Salt Dough
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup table salt
- 1.5 cups water
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
- 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.
What type of modge podge is best to seal them with- gloss or matte? Or does it not matter? Have you found the spray sealer to be better than the regular modge podge?
I would use the spray, then the matte, then regular in order of preference.
Worked awesome. Dried mine in the dehydrator. No issues with curling.
I’ve made this today so easy to make
Will it be ok to use tomorrow or monday
Yes, just put the dough into a storage bag and seal, removing as much air as possible, or cover tightly with plastic wrap if you already rolled them out.
I’ve made this today so easy to make
Can make and use the next day
Can I use bread flour?
I haven’t tried it that way and I am not totally sure it would work the same. Let me know if you give it a try though.
The primary difference between AP flour and bread flour is the protein content. AP is typically around 10-11%, while bread flour is usually around 12-14%. The protein in flour is what turns into gluten when hydrated and kneaded, so bread flour tends to produce baked goods with a chewier texture than those made with AP flour. So while you don’t want to use bread flour for, say, baking a cake, I think it wouldn’t make much difference for a recipe like this since you aren’t going to be eating the ornaments.
I do this every year with my TK class for their handprints. Awesome project
Can you make the dough and roll it out, put it on parchment the night before??
Making it for 23 2nd grade students.
Should be fine! I would cover with plastic wrap so it stays nice and soft.
Super easy to follow but mine are baking at 3+ hours now – they’re firm to the touch but the bottom still seems undone and soft. Am I supposed to flip these at some point?
You can. There is a range in how long they take to bake so hopefully they finished up.
Could I add cinnamon to this for color and scent? How much would be ok without messing up the dough?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure, but you could start with 1/2 or 1 teaspoon and see how it is? I can’t imagine it would impact the dough’s consistency at that amount.
Can I use a Sharpie to write the date on these (concerned it might bleed)? Or do I need to use acrylic paint/paint pen?
If you are going to use a sharpie, I’d use a fine point one if possible!
I found that it was really difficult for my kids to make handprints with them. They might work better for cookie cutter ornaments.
Hi Amy – under the heading “How to Make Salt Dough Ornaments Step-by-Step” – the adding of table salt is left out. Could you add the salt to that set of instructions? I had a family member making these ornaments with my kids, and they missed adding the salt because they were following these instructions on your webpage. Thanks! Love your recipes!!
Hi- that section is just an overview and the full recipe is always at the end. I hope that helps and I will try to clarify it!
Can I make this dough ahead of time and refrigerate until I’m ready to roll it?
You can put it in a bag and seal it until you’re ready and in my experience it’s okay at room temp for 24 hours that way. The fridge should also be fine, but you’ll probably want to let it sit at room temp a bit as it will likely firm if cold.
I first made these back in 2021,,first time in my life I had ever tried something like this. After cooling for about 30-45 minutes,,me and 4 of my grands has the absolute best time painting them.
I first made these back in 2021,,first time in my life I had ever tried something like this. After cooling for about 30-45 minutes,,me and 4 of my grands has the absolute best time paint
Just made these with my three year old and she had an absolute blast! Any tips for if they puff up a bit? It’s not that big a deal, but some of the hand prints she made are a little harder to see now that they’ve been baked. I’m guessing it’s the flour — but if I do more salt than flour or maybe a little more water or something do you think that would help keep them flatter? I’m sure she’s going to want to make these like five more times at least before the season is through 😉
Check your flour isn’t self raising flour 😊
Poke fork holes maybe before baking just like a pie crust?.
You will have holes in the end result so I have never done that.