These easy cinnamon ornaments only use two ingredients and are easy enough for kids to make. Use these sweet little ornaments as gift toppers or Christmas tree decor!
Why we love this project
Making cinnamon ornaments is an activity that your kids will love and your family will cherish year after year. Adults will have fun making these cuties as well so make a night out of it! There are lots of ways to decorate your ornaments, we’ll show you the simple steps and leave the creativity to you.
More Christmas Ornament Ideas – these pom pom ornaments and my popular scrabble tile ornaments are also a fun craft to do with friends and family!
Helpful Project Information:
- Age Level: 4 and up
- Mess Factor: Medium
- Level of Difficulty: Easy
- Time to Complete: Less than 30 minutes (plus bake time)
- Cost Estimate: Less than $1.00
Craft supplies you will need
How to Make Cinnamon Ornaments
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this project. Please scroll down to simply print out the instructions!
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine cinnamon and applesauce, stirring and folding with a rubber spatula.
- Knead the mixture with your hands until it forms a ball.
- Place dough between two pieces of wax paper and flatten with a rolling pin.
- Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out different shapes. Re-roll scraps and make more.
- Use a straw to create a hole for the hanger, being careful not to create the hole too close to the top of the ornament.
- Place shapes on parchment lined baking sheet. If you like, you can use whole cloves to add eyes, buttons, etc.
- Bake for 2 1/2 hours at 200 degrees. Allow to cool on wire cooling rack.
- Add a hanger using baker’s twine or ribbon. For scarves, tie a piece of scrap fabric around the neck of gingerbread characters and snowmen.
Expert Crafting Tips
- You can use a white paint pen to decorate your baked and cooled ornaments.
- These cinnamon ornaments can also be painted with acrylic craft paint.
Frequently Asked Questions
I wrap mine in tissue paper each year and make sure they are cushioned along with all my other ornaments.
Cinnamon ornaments will last forever as long as you wrap them properly! Be careful not to drop them as they could break.
Cinnamon ornaments do not rot, mold, or go bad. They will last you for years and years!
Making cinnamon ornaments every Christmas will become a family tradition you will cherish for years to come. These ornaments are so easy to make that the kids can do the entire activity!
These ornaments also make sweet gift toppers secured to a bow and you can even hang them on twine to create a garland.
More Ornament Crafts for Kids
- Pom Pom Ornaments
- Faux Stained Glass Paper Snowflakes
- Cardboard Tube Coiled Christmas Tree
- Easy Santa’s Belly Ornament
- Acorn Snowman Ornament Craft
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Cinnamon Ornaments
Supplies
- 1.5 cups of ground cinnamon
- 1 cup applesauce
- Baker’s twine
- Scrap fabric
Craft tools
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutters
- Rubber spatula
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine cinnamon and applesauce, stirring and folding with with a rubber spatula.
- Knead the mixture with your hands until it forms a ball.
- Place dough between two pieces of wax paper and flatten with a rolling pin.
- Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out different shapes.
- Use a straw to create a hole for the hanger, being careful not to create the hole too close to the top of the ornament.
- Place shapes on parchment lined baking sheet.
- If you like, you can use whole cloves to add eyes, buttons, etc.
- Bake for 2 1/2 hours at 200 degrees. Allow to cool on wire cooling rack.
- Add a hanger using baker’s twine. For scarves, tie a piece of scrap fabric around the neck of gingerbread characters and snowmen.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- You can use a white paint pen to decorate your baked and cooled ornaments.
- These cinnamon ornaments can also be painted with acrylic craft paint.
- Make them into gift toppers secured to a bow or hang them on twine to create a garland.
This post originally appeared here on Dec 7, 2020.
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Amanda Monteith says
Almost the same recipe I’ve used for years, but it’s missing 1/3 C. Of white glue ( Elmer’s). I’ve attempted to make them in years past with only 1/4 C. Glue left in bottle, dough was trashed, because it wouldn’t stay together. I find the glue is the ‘bond’ and without it, dough just doesn’t combine or roll properly. Also, how thick/ thin do you roll out dough? 1/4 to 3/8 an inch is what I’ve always done. I’ve never oven dried, always air dried for 3 to 4 days on a wire rack. My sister has tried the oven drying method, over half of hers cracked.
Amanda Formaro says
We made these two Christmases ago with this recipe and have hung them on the tree, and wrapped them and stored them each year without issue :)
Debbie says
Hi
Am i missing something. Cookies made of applesauce and cinnamon ?
Won’t they be really runny !
Amanda Formaro says
These aren’t cookies :) If you follow the instructions as listed they will work. Also you can look at the step by step photos in the post to see how it comes together.
Lizzy says
I am going to do these with my friends at our local senior citizen center ! What a wonderful craft for seniors.
Sometimes I run out of ideas.
Also I am going to try and make a pine cone mason jar candle for the holidays with my senior friends .
A big thank you for sharing your ideas!
Kortney S says
Could I make dough ahead of time and take to school for students to cut out? Could they be left out and baked later in the day?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes you can make it ahead and store in a zipper plastic bag. Yes can be cut out and saved for later in the day to be baked.
Cheryl says
How many batches would you have to make for a classroom size of 27?
Amanda Formaro says
I think two batches should be good
Donna says
Can you air dry them and if yes how long will it take
Lynn Smith says
thank you for so many crafting ideas that I can do with my 3 grandchildren.
You are an inspiration, I am so glad I stumbled onto your site recently
Big Thanks
Lynn
Angela Hanson says
Do these smell like cinnamon when they are hanging on the tree or do you have to get your nose right up on them to detect the scent?
Donna Kaiser says
This is SO cute! But I’m wondering…about how many ornaments will one batch of dough make? I’m thinking of doing this as a group project with about 25 disabled adults….
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Donna! It really depends on the size of the cookie cutters you use. To be safe I would make two batches and have extra ingredients standing by in case that’s not enough!