Super easy salt dough recipe!! Salt Dough is a wonderful product that is used to create crafts, sculptures and ornaments.
It is a simple recipe and can be easily made at home using 3 basic ingredients and then placed in the oven to dry out.
Click here to download and print: Printable Salt Dough Recipe
What you will need?
1 cup salt
2 cups of flour
¾ cup of water
Salt dough is great form making ornaments. How to make Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments?
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix salt and flour together.
- Gradually stir in water. Mix well until it forms a doughy consistency.
- Turn the dough onto the bench and knead with your hands until smooth and combined.
- Make your creations using the salt dough.
- Place the salt dough creations into the oven at 180C. The amount of time needed to bake depends on the size and thickness of the salt dough creations.
Salt Dough Rainbow: once it has been dried out and hardened, it can be painted to make a homemade toy for kids to play with.
Some Ideas
- Store your salt dough in an air tight container as it keeps well for a few days.
- You can paint your creations with acrylic paints and seal with varnish or polyurethane spray.
- Salt dough can also be aired dried and is an alternative to oven drying.
- Involve the kids in making the salt dough as this encourages and promotes so many learning opportunities, plus it is so much fun!
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Ultimate Christmas Printable Activity Pack
Hi Janice, thank you for all your fabulous craft ideas!
Just wondering: would you bake the creations before painting them?
Do they shrink?
And: MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Hi Julie….and Merry Christmas to you! 🙂
With the salt dough, we painted them after putting baking them in the oven and they do shrink a little after baking. I will be posting about our salt dough ornaments tonight which will have more photos of before and after baking if this may help. 🙂
Thanks for mentioning our salt dough keepsakes Janice! I love salt dough…it is just so easy and yet fun for all ages…can’t wait to see your finished masterpieces!
The girls have made some lovely Christmas decorations from salt dough, I think that varnish might make them last a long time. Thanks for the tip. We do have problems with humidity and sometimes our salt dough swells.
how much doess this recipie yeild?
Thanks for adding our Halloween salt dough in your list
you can also use the salt dough 6o make a volcano
This stuff is GRATE it’s like clay I’m making a volcano for a project
Hi! Do you bake it at 180 degrees Celsius or farenheid? I’m only asking because other recipes suggest as low as 50 degrees Celcius.
Hi Tess, 180 degree Celsius and then turn the heat down to slow bake. I will update the post with this information. Thank you! 🙂
Thank you for the insoshons
Even though there are lots of Salt Dough recipes the best thing about this one is there are only 3 ingredients! Thanks for posting simple but super fun activities to do with the kids. I get a lot of great ideas off your website! Thanks Trina
Thank you for your lovely comment Trina! It is always nice to hear from my readers. I am so thrilled you have found us and are able to find something useful. Best wishes, Janice 🙂
This was really helpful thanks 😃
Thanks Lilyan! 🙂
I would like to know it I can use food coloring in the mix before baking it if I don’t have paint. Will this affect to processes?
Hi Robyn, I am pretty sure you will be able to add food coloring to the mix before baking it. Maybe add it to the water to keep all the quantities the same. Good luck and let me know how you go? Thanks 🙂
How long does it take to air dry?
Hi Jackie, the time it takes to air dry will vary depending on the thickness of the figurines made with the salt dough. If the weather is hot and sunny, it will be quicker than on a wet rainy day. Hope this helps and thank you for your comment! 🙂
What is the cook time plz Ivery never made this before ty
Hi Patricia, it is really hard to place a cooking time on these because it varies from oven to oven and also how thick or thin the salt dough creations are. I always place my oven on a low heating because we are only trying to dry out the salt dough not cook them. Good luck!
What type of paint can I use to decorate them? I need them for two thing, one for writing names on it (Egypcian style) and the other one for Day of the Day “Skulls”. So the first one is very straight forward and black paint, but the second one need vibrant colors, what do you suggest?
Thanks,
Laura
Hi Laura,
I have used acrylic paint when painting our salt dough ornaments. https://www.learning4kids.net/product/fluorescent-liquicryl-500ml-set-of-7-colours/ Thanks!
Hi! Can I bake this in my toaster instead? I dont have an oven.
Also, will try this with dough mixed with food coloring. Hope it turns out well as I will make it with my 33month old toddler.
Thanks for this!
Hi Ging, the salt dough cannot be baked in the toaster. I would recommend air drying in he a sunny place for a couple of days if you do not have an oven. Adding food colouring is a great idea! Thanks.
I made these last night with my puppy and had her paw print pushed into the salt dough and it turned out soooo dang adorable. Here’s a look at mine! I even zapped it in the microwave at the end to make the drying time quicker!
http://www.livelifeactive.com/2016/12/20/diy-salt-dough-paw-print-ornament/
This was really cool and was really helpful!
I remember making this stuff when was a kid. My sisters and I had a lot of fun with it. Though I remember when we were done with it, we’d stick it on the walls and ceiling of our room. I don’t think our parents had as much fun with it as we did.
Love this idea..just curious how much this recipe would make!
I love this recipe especially since you can dry the dough in the microwave!
Here’s a look at mine salt dough handprints! I made a number of interesting ideas and beautiful
Thanks so much!!! Had a great afternoon with my little sister.
Thanks so much!!! Had a great afternoon with my little sister.
First time making salt dough with my youngest 2 kids who are 5 and 3 and its sooooo easy we can’t wait to get making ty so much
180c is 350f.
Hello Janis. I was wondering how long it normally takes to bake it. That would help a lot. Your viewer, Maile.
Hi Maile, the length of time it takes to bake really depends on the size and thickness of the objects made out of the salt dough. The thicker and larger salt dough items take longer to harden than smaller and thinner salt dough. Hope this helps, sorry! 🙂
Good Morning,
Are you able to put food coloring in the dough while making it for color?
Good Morning,
Are you able to add food coloring to the dough while making it for color?
Thank you
Yes, you are able to add food coloring to the dough.
perfect, and helpful
Hi! I’m just wondering how many cut outs this recipe would roughly make? I need a recipe for a class of 26 children!
Thank you x
Hi
I am just wondering how many this recipe roughly cuts? I need to gather enough mixture for a class of 26 children!
Thank you x
Can you make the dough, then say put it in a container or ziplock bag leaving it at room temperature overnight. To roll out and cut out/cure the shapes the next morning?
Yes, you can make it the day before and store it in an air tight container or ziplock bag. Thanks.
Love this idea! Fun time making them and festive way of decorate the gifts. I am thinking we can use it as ornaments after that 😀 Thanks for the step-by-step tutorial!
Wow thank you, this sounds great will have to try it very soon 🙂
Hi can I make sculptures with this recipe?
Thanks for you question. Yes, you can make sculptures with this recipe. The salt dough sculptures will need to be dried out to harden and then you will be able to paint. Thanks.