Christmas is only a week away! Time to start creating that cozy holiday atmosphere. What better way to do that than with these cinnamon dough ornaments, which will fill your home with a warm, spicy scent. Dough ornaments are a long-standing tradition in the mountains; these were made before ornaments could be easily purchased at stores. Foxfire contact Mary McDaries remembers when decorating the tree, they always started with strung popcorn followed by “new dough ornaments, along with some which had been saved from Christmases gone by. Then some finishing touches were made, such as our newly finished bows. The tree trimming was a special part of our Christmas when I was a little girl. It’s still special to me today, but back then, it was untainted. Sometimes I wish things could be that simple today.”

Read more in A Foxfire Christmas 

Cinnamon Dough Christmas Ornaments

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

½ cup cinnamon

½ cup salt

¾ cup water

Assorted cookie cutters, and ribbon or string

1. Measure all your dry ingredients into your bowl and mix evenly.

2. Slowly add the water in and mix into a ball of dough.

3. Sprinkle a little flour onto a surface to roll out your dough so it doesn’t stick. Using a rolling pin, or in my case, your hands, flatten out your dough to the thickness you want your ornaments.

4. Using cookie cutters, cut out the shapes you want.  Using a toothpick or straw, make a small hole for hanging your ornament.

5. Once you have cut out your shapes, you can allow them to dry on a counter for a couple of days or you can hurry it along by placing in the oven on low heat (170 degrees) for 2-3 hours.

6. Add your ribbon, hang your ornaments, and enjoy the heavenly smell!

~Bridgett Gladney