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 cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix together equal parts cinnamon and applesauce until well incorporated and dough forms. If too sticky, add more cinnamon.
- 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.
onel says
So cute!! I especially love the gingerman and the star, too bad I just found these cuties after Christmas 🙁
Julie says
Thanks- maybe next year :0)
Connie says
Gotta get to the store! Can’t wait to try this! Thanks:)
Julie says
You are very welcome Connie. Have fun!
J says
CUTE! How long do these last? Is this something I need to re-do each year? (although that sounds like a fun idea anyway…but just wondering…)
Julie says
That’s a great question! I packed my gingerbread men away in some tissue paper last year, and I’m planning to hang it up in the kitchen again this December. I think it should be fine as long as you wrap it and box it up carefully each year, but last year was the first year I’ve made them.
Shannon says
Just curious how these were when you unpacked them this year.. Did they keep well? Thank you Julie!
Julie says
Hi Shannon, I was so happy when I unpacked these from my big box of Christmas goodies. They did keep very well! I had wrapped them in tissue paper and then put them inside a Zip-loc bag, and then in a box so they wouldn’t get smashed just to be on the safe side.
melissa :) says
YAY! that was just the question I was going to ask, glad they last! 🙂 And BTW great blog post/pics 🙂
Mk finley says
I make these and add in clear elmers glue to make them even more sturdy 😊
Lisa says
I have some my niece made 20 years ago!! They dont smell as strong but I can still smell the cinnamon! I make them every year with my day care kids too.
Julie says
How wonderful Lisa! I bet the kiddos love them!
Kristy says
I made these back in the 90’s and they kept for about 4 years. I decorated my whole 8 foot tree with these, jingle bells, and tinsle. They never really lost their scent! Puffy paints work great to add detail and bits of color
Julie says
So fun to get them out year after year!
Ruth Ellen Epperson says
I just made a cup of hot chocolate and added cinnamon in it. The cinnamon poured out way too fast and it made me think of the apple sauce cinnamon ornaments I made with my preschool class in the early 90’s. I sent them all home and did not get to keep one. I am glad this recipe is still known. The mom’s of my students said they smelled wonderful. I cannot image doing this with 17 three year olds now!
Julie says
I can only imagine the mess with 17 three year olds! But what great memories they must have when they pull out those ornaments each year. I hope you get the chance to make these again, just for yourself… Happy baking!
Kimberly says
I’ve just found a bag I made after 35 years and they smell like I made them yesterday.
sand says
Hello everyone, mine were done 15 years ago and I’m still using them 😉 No particular thing to do
Aimee says
My daughters both made these in PreK and we hang them on our tree every year. My girls are now in third and first grade. They still smell good too. I just wrap them in tissue paper and put them in the box with the other ornaments.
Cindy says
I’ve had my gingerbread ornaments for 18 years and they look as good as the day I made them!
Melissa says
I just got done putting these in the oven. They stuck pretty badly to the parchment. I started over and kept adding more cinnamon but they still stuck. Did yours stick at all?
Julie says
Melissa, I do remember that I had to gently peel them off the parchment, but it wasn’t really a problem. I wonder if some nonstick spray would be good?
Tonya says
A friend made ornaments for a CHRISTMAS wedding.
Darlene Rodgers says
Where do you buy your cinnamon? Two cups seems to get very costly.. but I love this idea!!
Julie says
Great question! I found it at the 99 cents store.
Amy Arvin says
I found it at Costco – HUGE bottle for $3.
dafna says
may i ask why do you applesauce? ans would this be good to have it around all year long just for a nice aroma in the house? thx
Julie says
This recipe came from my son’s preschool class, and they just used applesauce. Cinnamon and apples are a nice combination :0) It mostly smells when it is baking and for a little while once it dries. If I smell the ornaments I made last year, they really just have a faint scent of cinnamon.
Bianca says
A student gave me these type of ornaments as a Christmas gift 15years ago and I wrap them carefully and put them on my tree each year 🙂
Julie says
That’s so sweet Bianca!
Vickie bennett says
These ornaments can “revived” by sanding them to reactivate the smell. Also I use small multi-color paper clips. Insert until just a loop
of the paper clip is large enough to insert twine or ribbon can be threaded through for hanging.
Julie says
What a great tip! Thank you!
Siri says
I’m so sad, I can’t get these off of my cookie sheet without them crumbling, what did I do wrong?
Julie says
I’m not sure, Siri… Sorry! Was your dough crumbly before you baked it or did it roll out smoothly. Or was it a problem of the shapes sticking to the baking sheet? Wish I could be more helpful.
Siri says
I thought it rolled out pretty smooth, I’m definitely going to attempt again. I read a few other recipes and one put the shapes on tinfoil which I think I’ll do. I believe the issue was them sticking too much to the pan
lori says
try spraying the foil with pam
Natasha Noble says
Hi my daughter and I just made these and I burnt them to a crisp after half an hour. I’m in the UK so I guess I got the temperature wrong. I did 200 degrees Celsius I guess this is wrong!! Shame as we have used up all our cinamon now 🙁
Julie says
Oh Natasha, I’m sorry! 200 degrees Fahrenheit would be about 90 degrees Celsius. When I wrote this recipe a while back, I never thought it would be seen by anyone outside of the US. I will note that in the recipe so no one else will burn their ornaments!
Natasha Noble says
I have leftover dough so I have the second batch in at 90 degrees Celsius! I’ll let you know how we get on 🙂
Donna Robertson says
I did exactly the same thing!!! Im in the UK and baked them at 200C absolutely burnt to a crisp so redid them at 80C. The house smells amazing!! I put applesauce and whole cloves in the Nutribullet and ground till smooth before mixing the cinnamon. Fantastic smells! Im so pleased!
Lisa says
I’m confused on the twine on the Star. How do I get it all to show on the front and not every other hole?
Julie says
Lisa,
I think I just went around twice to fill in the gaps, starting in a different spot, but it’s been a little while since I made them so I’m not sure. Sorry not more helpful!
Rene says
I’m just curious, what is the purpose of using the parchment paper vs just using the counter to roll it out?? I really want to make these with my daughter to give to people in the community 🙂
Julie says
It will help keep the counter clean and make moving the cut out ornaments easier. Have fun!
Sarah says
I’m interested in making the dough ahead of time and then baking the following day. Do you think the dough needs to be refrigerated in between? Or will that ruin the consistency of the dough? Thanks!!
Julie says
Sarah, that’s a great question… I haven’t tried making it ahead so I’m not sure how it would affect the dough… I would think you could just refrigerate it and then let it come back to room temperature before rolling out, but without trying first, I’m not 100% sure.
Marilee says
The gingerbread men garland is a darling idea. I’m thinking of making mini gingerbread houses.
Sarah says
An idea on how long they last.
My parents and I made some about 30 years ago. As long as they don’t get crushed they will last a very long time. 😎
★★★★★
Cheryl Gerstenlauer says
I tried two batches and had a devil of a time moving the cut cookies! Too much applesauce….too wet. Too much cinnamon. ..too dry and crumbly. I ended up rolling out between plastic wrap, but still had an awful time moving them. I used organic cinnamon because it’s what I had. Do you think “organic” cinnamon made the difference? Not likely to try again! Very frustrated as I wanted to do with my granddaughter, but she would have heard some pretty “choice” words!! Lol Thanks.
Sarah says
Love making these with the family! Thanks for sharing some new ideas for it!
Megan Muise says
Worked wonderfully! We made ornaments for our kids gift exchange. They were able to help in the whole process and the ornaments came out beautifully. We used whole cloves to decorate and they are not only beautiful but smell great and were natural and fun to make. Thanks!
★★★★★
Nita says
I made this recipe with old spices works fine .
Heidi says
I made these last year with my son and he had a blast (he was 2) we are going to do this ever year as our new little tradition now. By chance have you used this recipe for gingerbread house molds?
★★★★★
Julie says
I have not tried these as gingerbread molds, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work? Glad you enjoyed!
Angela Spencer says
Thanks! I love the idea of decorating these with cloves and such.
★★★★★
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.
★★★★★
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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