Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments
Bring the scent of the season into your home with these charming cinnamon applesauce ornaments. Their warm fragrance and handmade look make them a timeless addition to your cozy Christmas decor.
Yield: 20 Ornaments
Cost: $10
Equipment
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Rolling Pin
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Baking sheet
- Wax paper or parchment paper
- Cookie cutters different shapes and sizes
- Drinking straw or wooden skewer
- Ribbon or twine *optional
Materials
- 1 ¾ cups ground cinnamon (175 g)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (255 g)
- ⅓ cup white glue (80 g)
Instructions
- Mix the dough – combine the ground cinnamon, unsweetened applesauce, and white glue in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until the mixture begins to come together then knead by hand until the dough is smooth, soft, and cohesive with no dry patches remaining.
- Rest the dough – cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to allow the cinnamon to fully absorb the moisture from the applesauce.
- Roll and cut – turn the dough onto a wax paper or lightly cinnamon-dusted surface and roll to between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thickness. Press cookie cutters straight down and lift straight up to cut clean shapes. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Make the hanging hole – use a drinking straw or wooden skewer to punch a small clean hole near the top of each ornament at least 1/4 inch from the edge.
- Dry the ornaments – oven method: place in a 200°F oven for 2 to 4 hours, flipping once at the halfway point, until completely firm and dry to the touch. Air dry method: place on a cooling rack in a dry room for 1 to 2 days, turning occasionally.
- Cool and decorate – let ornaments cool completely on a wire rack before adding paint or ribbon. Decorate with white puffy paint if desired and seal with a thin coat of clear acrylic sealer once fully decorated.
- Hang and display – thread ribbon, twine, or jute cord through each hole and hang on the tree, tuck into garlands, or tie to wrapped gifts.
Notes
Dough consistency – if the dough cracks when pressed, knead in a small spoonful of applesauce. If it sticks, knead in a small pinch of ground cinnamon. The correct dough feels soft and smooth without sticking to your hands.
Roll evenly – keep the dough between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick throughout. Uneven thickness produces ornaments that dry at different rates in the same tray.
Low and slow drying – do not raise the oven temperature above 200°F. A higher temperature causes surface cracking as the outside firms before the interior is fully dry.
Storage – store fully dried ornaments layered with tissue paper in a lidded box in a cool, dry location. Properly stored ornaments hold their shape and scent for many years.