Cinnamon, Clove & Nutmeg Ornaments

A word right up front: these are decorations, not treats. These spiced ornaments look good enough to eat, but the dough is bound with white glue, so they’re strictly for hanging and admiring, never tasting.

What they do beautifully is smell like the holidays. A simple dough of ground cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg mixed with applesauce fills your whole home with warm, festive spice, and the scent lasts for weeks.

The method couldn’t be simpler: mix the dough, roll it out evenly, and cut shapes with cookie cutters. Poke a hole near the top with a toothpick before they dry, so you can thread ribbon through to hang them.

Then patience takes over. Leave the ornaments out to air-dry over several days, turning them daily so they dry flat and firm instead of curling. It’s a cozy, kid-friendly craft for trimming the tree or topping gifts.

Kitchen Tips

• These are not edible; the white glue is a binder, so keep them away from little ones who might taste them.
• Poke the hanging hole before the ornaments dry, since dried dough will crack if you try later.
• Turn them daily as they air-dry so they dry flat and don’t curl or warp.
• Roll the dough to an even thickness so the ornaments dry at the same rate.

Variations

• Stamp or imprint patterns into the dough before drying for texture.
• Dust lightly or paint with white accents once fully dry.
• Tie with ribbon, twine, or raffia to hang on the tree or as gift toppers.