Salt Dough Decorations

Salt dough is easy and inexpensive to make and these salt dough decorations make a fun festive sensory craft. It has a similar texture to playdough so is perfect for little ones to use. Once baked in the oven or left out to dry, it is very durable and your decorations should last a long time!

I've given instructions for oven-drying the salt dough but you can also leave it out to air-dry if you prefer. It takes longer but will work!

I hope you have lots of creative fun making them!

Salt Dough Decorations

You will need:

2 cups plain flour
2 cups salt
1 cup water
drinking straw (to make the hole on the decorations)
twine

2 images showing salt dough ingredients in a bowl and the ingredients mixed together.

How to make:

Preheat oven to 150⁰C/Gas Mark 2.
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Put the plain flour and salt in a large bowl. Gently add the water whilst stirring. Continue mixing the ingredients with a wooden spoon. Add a little more water if needed to bring the dough together.

2 images showing a ball of salt dough in a mixing bowl and 2 hands kneading the salt dough.

Once the salt dough forms a ball, transfer it to a floured work surface and knead for a few minutes until the dough is soft and pliable.

2 images showing hands holding a rolling pin and rolling salt dough on a work surface. The other image shows cut out salt dough shapes and cookie cutters.

Roll out the salt dough with a rolling pin. The salt dough should be 0.5cm thick.
Cut out the salt dough using biscuit cutters.

2 images showing a star salt dough shape with a hole in the top and ready to be baked salt dough shapes on a baking tray.

Make a hole in the top of each cut out shape with a drinking straw before baking.
Using a fish slice, transfer your cut out shapes onto the lined baking tray.

2 images showing baked salt dough shapes on a baking tray and a hand holding a star salt dough decoration with a hanging loop threaded through a hole.

Bake for approximately 1 hour in total. Turn the shapes over after 30 minutes and bake on the other side for a further 30 minutes.
The salt dough is ready when it feels hard, dry and hollow to tap.
Let the salt dough ornaments cool completely before decorating them. I've left mine plain but you could paint them with acrylic paint or stick sequins and glitter on them.
Thread twine through the hole and tie it to form a hanging loop.

For edible decorations, have a look at my blog on Gingerbread Christmas tree decorations. They make wonderful gifts for children to give friends, family and teachers too!

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