Salt Dough Ornament Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long do salt dough ornaments last? ›

How Long Do Salt Dough Ornaments Last? If you seal the salt dough ornaments properly with craft varnish, they'll last for decades! If you don't, expect them to start crumbling after a year or two.

My home ovens lowest temperature is 75C which is perfect for slow drying of the salt dough. If you find that your oven has the lowest temperature of above 150C then I would advise you to air dry your salt dough creations which will take considerably longer but will prevent the puffing up.

How do I preserve and store these Salt Dough Ornaments? In order to keep your ornaments and use them for several years, it is best to seal them. Painting them with acrylic paint, if you choose to, will begin the process. But a coat of Mod Podge or Acrylic sealer that is applied like a spray paint will be needed.

Ingredients for Salt Dough Ornaments

All Purpose Flour - all purpose white flour gives a smooth texture and white color to the ornaments. Salt - table salt works best for salt dough. Food coloring (optional) - you can use either gel or liquid food coloring for this.

Salt dough ornaments should also be stored properly in a dry and well-ventilated area. They could become moldy if left in contact with moisture for a long time, for example, if hung on a cold, damp wall.

Salt dough is susceptible to moisture, meaning it will pull any moisture from the surrounding air. This causes your projects to turn soggy or even crumble.

If you take good care of them and store them properly they can last a very long time! I recently saw a post from someone saying that they had some in good shape that were 35 years old. How do you know when salt dough is done? It will be hard to the touch but still light in color on the top.

The great thing about it is that the salt dough sculptures will harden if you leave them out to dry at room temperature. Depending on the size of the pieces, it will take 2 to 7 days to dry completely. Turn the pieces from time to time for faster drying. Oven dry the salt dough pieces.

Make sure your oven is set to 150°f. This is SUPER IMPORTANT. I have seen others use hotter temperatures but I haven't been able to do so without getting puffiness. So, plain all-purpose flour, 150ºf oven and 1/4 inch thickness = no puffy ornaments.

Do you paint salt dough ornaments before or after baking? ›

Once you've formed your salt dough, you can cook the creations in the oven to make them set. Once baked, they will harden and can be painted and decorated after they cooled down!

You could use acrylic paint, or even markers to decorate these ornaments. If you want your ornaments to last years and years, coat them with 3-4 very thin coats of polyurethane gloss varnish. Make sure to cover every exposed surface.

If you preserve salt dough properly, it will last for decades. Without sealant, it will begin to crumble after a few weeks.

Salt dough has been around for ages and there are many variations. My favorite versions have oil and cream of tartar in it. These two ingredients help create a smooth dough that bakes well and is perfect with cookie molds.

Why are my salt dough ornaments cracking? If your ornaments crack during or after baking, try adding a bit more water to the dough next time or cooking at a slightly lower temperature for a longer period of time.

When it comes to storing your salt dough ornaments, it's important to avoid heat and humidity. Choose a cool, dry place and opt for a sturdy container for the best protection. For the best protection, wrap each ornament in wax paper before you store them away.

The mixture cools quickly for little ones to join in but please check the temperature. If the playdough is kept in a plastic bag or an airtight container, it will last for approximately six weeks.

Baking Salt Dough Ornaments

Bake ornaments for about 1 1/2 – 2 hours. I check my ornaments after an hour. They are done when they are completely hard. If they start to brown then they are well done – and that's okay!

Yes, you can definitely make the salt dough the day before – or even a few days ahead of time. Simply wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. Then bring the dough to room temperature before working with it!