DIY Cinnamon Apple Sauce Ornaments
The holiday season calls for warm, nostalgic scents, and crafting your own cinnamon apple sauce ornaments is a perfect way to fill your home with festive cheer. These simple, fragrant decorations are easy to make, customizable, and ideal for hanging on your Christmas tree, gifting to loved ones, or using as natural holiday decor.
Why Make Cinnamon Apple Sauce Clay?
Cinnamon apple sauce ornaments are a classic DIY project that combines creativity with simplicity. These ornaments are not only beautiful but also imbue your home with a lovely cinnamon smell that lasts throughout the season.
The process is child-friendly, so it’s an excellent activity for the entire family. Plus, you can make them with just a few affordable ingredients and tools you likely already have on hand.
What You’ll Need
- Ingredients:
- 1 cup ground cinnamon (stores sell bulk cinnamon at a much cheaper price)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons white school glue (optional, for durability, but if using ornaments are not compostable)
- Tools:
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- Cookie cutters (stars, trees, hearts, or any festive shapes)
- Straw or skewer (for making hanging holes)
- Ribbon or twine for hanging
How to Make Cinnamon Apple Sauce Clay
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
Combine the cinnamon and applesauce in a mixing bowl, stirring until the mixture forms a dough. Add the glue if you’d like the ornaments to be sturdier, but not compostable. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it’s too dry, add more applesauce; if it’s too wet, sprinkle in a bit more cinnamon.
Step 2: Roll Out the Dough
Place the dough on a flat, non-stick surface (you can use parchment paper or a countertop lightly sprinkled with more cinnamon). Roll it out to about 1/4-inch thickness. This ensures the ornaments are sturdy enough to hold their shape but not too thick to dry.
Step 3: Cut Out Shapes
Use cookie cutters to cut festive shapes from the dough. I found that it was easier to add the hanging hole with a skewer while the cookie cutter was still in the dough.
Gently lift the shapes and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
If you cut outs have a few bits around the sides, it’s okay. These are easy to flake off and smooth over once the ornaments are dry.
Step 4: Dry the Ornaments
There are two ways to dry your cinnamon apple sauce ornaments:
- Air-Drying: Let the ornaments dry on the baking sheet or a wire rack for 24-48 hours, flipping them occasionally to prevent warping. (Warping occurs when one side drys faster than the other.)
- Oven-Drying: Bake the ornaments at 170°F (93°C) for 2-3 hours, flipping halfway through. Open the oven door occasionally to let the humidity escape.
Ensure the ornaments are completely dry before handling or decorating.
Decorating Your Ornaments
While cinnamon apple sauce ornaments are lovely as-is, you can personalize them further:
- Paint: Use acrylic paint to add details like polka dots, stripes, or holiday motifs. (Not compostable.)
- Glitter: Add a touch of sparkle by applying glue and sprinkling glitter over the surface. (Not compostable.)
- Ribbon or Twine: Thread a festive ribbon or twine through the hole for hanging.
Creative Ways to Use Cinnamon Apple Sauce Ornaments
- Christmas Tree Decor: Hang them alongside other ornaments for some homemade touch.
- Gift Tags: Tie them to wrapped gifts for a fragrant and decorative addition.
- Garlands: String multiple ornaments together with twine to create a festive garland for mantels or doorways.
- Air Fresheners: Place them in drawers or closets to enjoy their warm cinnamon scent year-round. Be careful to hang and not rest on wood or fabric.
A Few Tips
- Store unused dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Handle the ornaments carefully until they’re fully dried to prevent cracks.
- Avoid getting the ornaments wet after drying, as moisture can cause them to soften.
Composting Cinnamon Apple Sauce Clay
You all know that I love to be done with things once they serve their purpose. After the holiday season, I don’t want to store these ornaments or have them take up space in my small storage space for the majority of the year.
These cinnamon apple sauce clay ornaments are compostable! (As long as you didn’t add glue, paint, or glitter.) Just simply throw them into your backyard or community compost and they should break down and return to soil.
A Cozy Holiday Craft
Making cinnamon apple sauce ornaments is more than just a craft; it’s an opportunity to create a tradition with family and friends. These timeless decorations are a lovely way to add warmth and personality to your holiday season. Gather your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and enjoy the delightful process of creating your own cinnamon apple sauce ornaments!
If you’re looking for more winter and holiday crafts, check out my winter seasonal page to find more.
