Making homemade ornaments is one of our family’s favorite holiday traditions.
This easy recipe is a familiar staple in many households. Not only is it a perfect hands-on sensory experience for my toddler, but fun for the whole family.
We love to make these and decorate them for our tree, but they also make fun little gifts for our friends and family, too. They are inexpensive, super simple, and eco-friendly.
Other fun uses include decorating holiday packages, garland, wreaths or other decor.
Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments:
Prep & Cook Time:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours or 2-3 days drying time.
Supplies Needed:
- applesauce
- cinnamon
- plastic wrap
- cookie cutters
- rolling pin
- drinking straw
- colorful ribbon
- sequins, glitter, glue (optional)
The “How-to”:
1. Preheat Oven to 200 degrees. *Omit this step if you wish to dry them naturally.
2. In a mixing bowl, measure 3/4 cup applesauce and 4.12 oz cinnamon (about 1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon).
3. Mix applesauce and cinnamon with hands. You can use a fork or spatula but little hands work the best because it actually works better after it’s ‘molded’ well. Yes, its messy, but its super fun for kids.
4. Using 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll into ball and place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.
5. Roll until dough is 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Remove top piece of plastic wrap.
6. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
7. Using the drinking straw, make a hole in the top of each cutout. (This is where you’ll insert a ribbon once dry).
8. Bake for 2 1/2 hours. (*To dry at room temperature, transfer cutout to wire rack carefully and dry for 2-3 days, turning occasionally.
9. Once dry, decorate with sequins, glitter or other craft materials. Squeezable glitter glue is perfect.
10. Place ribbon through holes and hang ornaments on tree.
Note: If doubling/tripling the recipe, I found that it works better to make them batch after batch rather making all together. The dough is much easier to work with in smaller pieces.
