Use This DIY Cinnamon Ornament To Make Your Home Smell Like The Holidays

Making eco-friendly DIY Christmas ornaments is a fun holiday activity that is superb for the entire family and the planet. When you think of DIYs, you're probably picturing popsicle sticks, glue, and glitter, but we're taking this festive project to the kitchen with cinnamon salt dough ornaments. Using just cinnamon, salt, flour, and water, you create an all-natural trinket perfect for decorating the tree, stair railing, mantel, windowsill, and practically every other nook of your home.

Salt dough has existed since ancient Egyptian times and was used as clay to make items like bowls. It is soft and malleable when wet, and it dries hard. This cinnamon twist to the old recipe turns the ingredients into a warm, fragrant treat with a rich brown hue, so delectable you'll be tempted to take a bite. However, like playdough, salt dough is fun to play with — not to eat. Apart from the pantry staples, you'll need string for hanging the reusable ornaments and cookie cutters for a festive design.

Cinnamon salt dough is a low-cost DIY ornament made for your Christmas tree. This recipe requires 1 cup each of ground cinnamon, salt, flour, and water. In a medium-sized bowl, mix your dry ingredients before pouring in the water, and knead to form a ball. You can add your favorite essential oil to boost the holiday smell or let the cinnamon scent of the spiced salt dough do the talking. Next, sprinkle a flat surface with flour and roll the dough into a sheet 1/4-inch thick.

Now comes the fun part of using cookie cutters or molds to shape your ornaments. If you don't have any of these cutouts, you can achieve a similar look by printing your design on paper, tracing it onto the salt dough, and cutting it out with a knife. You can also use leaves, flowers, or your hand to stamp natural elements into the dough. Once your ornaments are formed, create a small hole with a straw or skewer where the string will hang.

Lastly, bake the cinnamon salt dough at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour to cement your design. Once the ornaments cool, tie the string to hang the decorative pieces — twine, yarn, and fabric strips complement the rustic aesthetic. You can further embellish the dried ornaments with glitter and markers, but the undecorated design stands on its own. Plus, the cinnamon fragrance will make your home smell like the holidays all season.