Cinnamon Salt Dough Recipe for Thankful Tree Ornaments

I first made these cinnamon salt dough ornaments when my four kids were very young, during a Thanksgiving season I’ll never forget. We were living in Connecticut when a major nor’easter knocked out our electricity for days. We camped out in front of the fireplace until we ran out of firewood, and eventually, we had to leave our home.

My husband’s aunt graciously opened her home to us in Rhode Island. I packed up all four little ones and made the trip while my husband stayed behind to work. My blog was still fairly new, and I was always looking for simple ways to entertain the kids. That’s when we made these cinnamon salt dough ornaments around her kitchen table, writing what we were thankful for on each one.

I loved this thankful tree craft so much that we made it again the following Thanksgiving at my in-laws’ house in Florida. This time, my parents and in-laws joined in, and everyone wrote what they were thankful for on their ornaments. I still have those ornaments to this day! Adding water gradually helps the dough reach a soft, playdough-like texture that’s easy for little hands to shape. What started as a simple activity during a difficult week became one of my favorite Thanksgiving keepsakes.

All activities, recipes, crafts, and games with children should be supervised by an adult. Small parts are a choking hazard.

Cinnamon Salt Dough Recipe for Thankful Ornaments

Set up the Thankful Ornament Activity on Thanksgiving for Your Family to Enjoy

We made these ornaments for a thankful tree, but they also make meaningful Thanksgiving keepsakes to bring out and enjoy year after year.

What You’ll Love About this Cinnamon Salt Dough Recipe

• Bake or No-Bake – You have the option to Bake these ornaments ahead of time (or if you have time – let these ornaments air dry)
• These ornaments will last for years. If stored properly, they will be enjoyed for generations to come.

Ideas for your thankful tree ornaments

• place ornament shapes in a basket on the table
• provide paint pens, gel pens, markers, or puffy paint for guests to write on the ornaments
• Then, display everyone’s thankfulness on a tree in the middle of your Thanksgiving table to be enjoyed by all

No-Cook Salt Dough Thanksgiving Ornaments

This is a NO COOK Dough, and it dries hard. Another (faster)  alternative is to bake them; instructions on that are below.

Supplies You’ll Need Salt Dough Ornaments

You’ll need flour, salt, hot tap water, and cinnamon. Food coloring is optional. See the recipe card for exact measurements, and add extra water only if the dough feels dry.

Equipment for Cinnamon Salt Dough Ornaments

Straw

Cording or Ribbon for Hanging

Thankful Tree

Paint Pens, Chalk Markers, or Sharpies

What You Need for a Thankful Tree

You can gather twigs in the yard to make a thankful tree, purchase twigs at a craft store, or purchase a pre-lit fall tree each year.

Safety note: Always supervise children during crafts and activities. Keep small supplies away from little ones, and have an adult handle the oven if baking the ornaments.

How to Make Thankful Tree Ornaments

Step One

Combine flour and salt.

Step Two

Add hot water and optional food coloring. Without food coloring, the dough will turn a nice brown color with bits of cinnamon throughout. Knead for 5 minutes on a floured board.

Step Three

The salt dough should have a soft, playdough-like consistency. Your fingerprints should stay molded in the dough, and it should be pliable. If it feels too dry, add a little water gradually, only as needed.

Step Four

Roll the dough out like playdough.

Step Five

Shape the dough with cookie cutters.

Step Six

Don’t forget to insert a straw into the shape to create a hole for hanging

Step Seven

This will be the hole you’ll use for hanging the ornaments

You can let them air dry for 1-5 days. But, to speed up the process, bake them on a cookie sheet at 200 degrees for 3 hours

Writing on Your Thankful Tree Ornaments

Use markers, paint pens, or chalk markers to write what you are thankful for.

Melissa’s Tips for a Thankful Tree Craft Kids Love

Remember to write the date down on the back of the ornaments so you can look back on the memories each year.

How Long Do Cinnamon Salt Dough Ornaments Last?

These can be saved in an airtight container.

I’ve had mine for about ten years now. I love looking through the older ones to see what the kids were thankful for. We add new ones each year.

How Many Thankful Tree Ornaments Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe yielded nine to twelve ornaments for our tree.

How to Set Up a Thankful Tree for Thanksgiving

In years past, I have collected branches from our yard and placed them in a tall container

This year, however, I found a pre-lit battery operated fall tree at Michael’s Craft Store that I think I think I’ll use from now on

Thankful Tree Craft FAQs

Is a thankful tree the same as a gratitude tree?

Yes! Both are ways to share what you’re thankful for. For this gratitude tree craft, we write our thoughts on handmade ornaments and hang them on a tree.

Do cinnamon salt dough ornaments need to be baked?

No. You can air-dry these ornaments or bake them to speed things up. See the instructions above for both methods.

How long do thankful tree ornaments take to dry?

They can take one to five days to air-dry, depending on their thickness and room conditions. The directions above also include a baking option.

Can toddlers help with this thankful tree craft?

With close adult supervision, young children can help shape the dough and choose something they’re thankful for. Adults should handle baking and keep small supplies away from little ones. This is craft dough, not food.

More Thanksgiving Crafts You’ll Love

For more Thanksgiving crafts, try our Pumpkin Turkey Centerpiece, Water Bottle Indian Corn, and Paper Cup Teepee.

Cinnamon Salt Dough Recipe Printable

~Melissa
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