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Creating handmade ornaments is something we look forward to making each Christmas season! Especially when it involves the delicious scent of gingerbread. Here’s a beautiful and simple way to craft your very own gingerbread dough ornaments with just five easy ingredients!
How do you make gingerbread ornaments?
You’ll first follow the recipe for making the gingerbread dough with applesauce and white glue being the main two ingredients that hold the dough together. You’ll use spices like cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg to create that lovely holiday scent around the home and tree.
Decorating is as simple as using 3D fabric paint which gives it a natural puffy look but dries beautifully. We used white fabric paint but you can use colored ones which would be especially fun for the kids!
Gingerbread Dough Ornaments – Ingredients:
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground allspice
- Applesauce
- White glue (like Elmers)
- Straw
- Twine
- Holiday cookie cutters
- White 3D Fabric Paint
Instructions:
This is the gingerbread dough recipe we used so make sure to follow it accurately! Here are the general steps.
- Combine the Wet and Dry ingredients: Start by mixing all the spices in a large mixing bowl. The spices give the dough its classic gingerbread fragrance and color. Gradually stir in applesauce and school glue to the spice mixture. The applesauce acts as a binder and provides moisture, while the glue ensures your ornaments will harden as they dry.
- Form the Dough: Mix until a stiff dough forms. Knead it for a few minutes to achieve a smooth consistency.
- Roll and Cut: On a piece of parchment paper, roll out the dough to about 1/4 to 3/8″ thickness – not too thin or they may break! Use cookie cutters to cut out your preferred shapes. Use a straw or something with a small circle diameter to cut out a hole at the top of each ornament for hanging.
- Bake the Ornaments: Bake the ornaments on a parchment-lined baking pan at 200 degrees for about 45 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
- Decorate: Once cooled, you can decorate your ornaments. In our case, we used white fabric paint to mimic icing, creating patterns and designs on each piece.
- String Them Up: Cut lengths of twine, thread them through the hole, and tie a knot to create a loop for hanging on the tree.
Conclusion:
Gingerbread dough ornaments are not only simple to make but are a festive and fun Christmas activity. Kids can let their creativity shine by painting on the “icing” and designing each ornament to their liking. These ornaments can be hung as beautiful decor for your Christmas tree, be used as gift tags, or serve as a heartfelt handmade gift!
Easy and Festive DIY Gingerbread Dough Ornaments
Gingerbread dough ornaments are not only simple to make but are a festive and fun Christmas activity. Kids can let their creativity shine by painting on the "icing" and designing each ornament to their liking.
Materials
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground allspice
- Applesauce
- White glue (like Elmers)
- Holiday cookie cutters
- White 3D Fabric Paint
Instructions
- This is the gingerbread dough recipe we used so make sure to follow it accurately! Here are the general steps.
- Combine the Wet and Dry ingredients: Start by mixing all the spices in a large mixing bowl. The spices give the dough its classic gingerbread fragrance and color. Gradually stir in applesauce and school glue to the spice mixture. The applesauce acts as a binder and provides moisture, while the glue ensures your ornaments will harden as they dry.
- Form the Dough: Mix until a stiff dough forms. Knead it for a few minutes to achieve a smooth consistency.
- Roll and Cut: On a piece of parchment paper, roll out the dough to about a quarter-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out your preferred shapes. Use a straw or something with a small circle diameter to cut out a hole at the top of each ornament for hanging.
- Bake the Ornaments: Bake the ornaments on a parchment-lined baking pan at 200 degrees for about 45 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
- Decorate: Once cooled, you can decorate your ornaments. In our case, we used white fabric paint to mimic icing, creating patterns and designs on each piece.
- String Them Up: Cut lengths of twine, thread them through the hole, and tie a knot to create a loop for hanging.
Agnes Hsu is a mom of three and has been inspiring parents and kids to get creative with easy activities and family friendly recipes for over 10 years. She shares her love for creative play and kids food to her 2MM+ followers online. Agnes' commitment to playful learning and kindness has not only raised funds for charity but also earned features in prestigious nationwide publications.