So technically, this is a recipe, but not exactly edible. But I just had to share it here because it’s such an easy, sweet little handmade idea. You will love the way your house smells if you make these! Little Boy #2’s preschool teacher makes this cinnamon applesauce dough with her class every year at Christmas time, and I love hanging these ornaments on my tree. I decided to make my own batch, and here are some ideas I came up with to decorate my cut outs.
Gingerbread Man Garland
I cut out ten handsome gingerbread men from my dough and poked two holes in the middle of each with the end of a straw. I baked them and let them dry out, and then strung them together with some ribbon.
To make it easier to string your ribbon through the tiny holes, wrap Scotch tape around end of the ribbon, like a shoelace. I used cookie cutters similar to these.
These guys hang from the hood in my Lovely Little Kitchen, and I enjoy their company immensely while I do all my baking. This idea was inspired by Donna Hay.
Cinnamon and Cloves
I love how simple and natural this one is. Just use sharp scissors to trim most of the stem off the clove, and press them into the dough before it dries. Be sure to poke your hole for some twine before you bake them. Smells so heavenly!
Cute as a Button
Simply glue small neutral colored buttons onto the tree after it has dried out with hot glue. Some ribbon and a little bow finish it off.
Star With Twine
This idea works well with a star cut out. Just make holes with a straw while the dough is soft in the center of each point, and in between points. Once the star is dry, weave twine in and out of the holes and tie a loop at the top to hang it by. Once again, wrap Scotch tape around the end of your twine to make it easier to get it through the tiny holes.
If you make these cinnamon applesauce ornaments with kids, warn them that the dough is totally yucky and not to lick their fingers. It smells so good, they might just want to taste it! For an edible dough that is also great for doing cut outs with kids, try these homemade graham cracker snowflakes.
Another fun Christmas treat to make with kiddos is my Chocolate Covered Strawberry Christmas Trees!
Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups applesauce
- 2 cups ground cinnamon***
Instructions
- Mix together equal parts cinnamon and applesauce until well incorporated and dough forms. If too sticky, add more cinnamon.*** You may need more cinnamon, depending on how thin the applesauce is. I like to buy the cinnamon at the dollar store since quality isn’t important.
- Roll out dough between two pieces of parchment paper to 1/4 inch thickness.
- Cut out shapes and place them on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 200 degrees F for 2 hours.
- Allow the shapes to set out on a cooling rack for 24 hours to dry out completely.
- You can use sandpaper to smooth out the edges if they are jagged once the shapes are dry.
- Makes about 18 ornaments, depending on size.
Notes
I used cookie cutters similar to these.
Disclaimer: the links in this post for the cookie cutters are Amazon affiliate links.
Angela Spencer says
Thanks! I love the idea of decorating these with cloves and such.
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Dawn Rogers says
How do you keep the ornaments sticking from the pan when I took them out of the pan they broke any suggestions
Kelly says
Maybe a silly question, but does the applesauce attract bugs?
Julie says
That has not been a problem for us at all. I do keep them in a well sealed container when I’m not displaying them.
Sara Fullerton says
A ziplock bag will keep them bug-free. Mine are 15+ years old, still smell great, and no nibbles from pests 🙂
Marlene and Julie says
Made them. Found needs more time to dry for 1/4 inch tbickness. Next batch We’ll put on a cooling rack after the 24 hour time and will dry for 24 more hours.
Bobbi Stull says
You could lay a cord or narrow ribbon on top of holes and “tack” through holes with thread or a second color. Come from the back with your thread, go over the top of ribbon and back down the same hole on the other side of the ribbon. To make corners easier, twist the top and “tack” where the top crosses. Or cut short pieces longer than the distance between holes and “tack” both ends. The holes for “tacking” just need to be large enough for a needle, making sure the hole goes all the way through.
Joyce Rohrbach says
I had trouble too. Dough too sticky, then too crumbly. I saw in another recipe to use unsweetened applesauce. I used cinnamon applesauce. Idk.
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Jaime Caruso says
Same trouble here…was mixing like a mad scientist for over an hour and never ended up with a dough. I have no idea why unless there’s a specific type of applesauce? I used a name-brand, which did seem watery, and added more cinnamon when it hadn’t come together- no luck 🙁
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Peg Nowak says
I added about a tablespoon of Elmer’s glue to mine, just for good luck. I rolled the dough out between sheets of foil, peeled off the top foil, cut out the shapes two at a time, inverted them onto a foil lined cookie sheet, and peeled the top foil off. Boy, was that easier! It meant rolling the dough out more often, but well worth the ease of moving them! I’m just curious as to whether the ribbon holes will shrink or not once they’ve dried. We’ll see…
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Aedan says
My 12 year old grandson made these ornaments. He figured out the best way to move them to the baking sheet and maintain their shape was by rolling them out On a big zip loc baggie and then once he cut the design in the mixture with the cookie cutters he did not remove the cookie cutters but instead slid the spatula underneath the cut out and lifted the cut out keeping the cookie cutter over the cut out He then easily slid the whole thing Onto the baking sheet and then lifted off the cookie cutter They came out perfect.
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Joyce says
These were amazing! I had zero trouble with mixing / rolling / baking. I sprinkled a little extra cinnamon if I felt it was too sticky. I rolled out on my cutting board and transferred to a foil lined baking sheet that I sprayed with cooking spray. Found a new tradition! Thank you!
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Emma says
Hello,
Can you tell me how you keep the ornaments sticking from the pan when I take them out of the pan they broke any idea?
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Jill says
Her pictures are cute, but this is the worst cinnamon ornament recipe I’ve ever used. Had to add way more cinnamon than recipe called for and the dough was still too wet to properly cut out shapes. Baked for the required two hours and they’ve been drying for 3 days now and are just way too crumbly and soft. I’ll stick to my old recipe with glue
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White Sandy says
What kind of applesauce should I use? I would love to make these with my grands.
Suzanne says
This looks so good! What a fun craft to make with kids!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Julie says
I have had mine for years and years!
james says
hey i wanna thanks to you i have used this last christmas and everyone just love it