Scented Salt Dough Ornaments {made with essential oils}

I call these scented “salt dough ornaments”, but they’re not really a salt dough, there’s no salt in them.

They’re a much-improved version of old-fashioned salt dough ornaments.

Instead of being made from salt, they’re made from baking soda and cornstarch.

The result?  A bright white ornament that’s smoother and stronger than traditional salt dough ornaments.

And the best part?

They’re scented with essential oils.

They’ll make your home feel all warm and cozy, filled with Christmas spirit.

You can customize them to whatever Christmas scents you like: pine, spruce, fir, cinnamon, peppermint, orange, or anything else you like.

There are 15 suggested essential oil recipes below to get you started.

Supplies You’ll Need

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

baking soda

cornstarch

water

essential oil

white glitter (optional)

cookie cutter and/or cookie stamp

straw or skewer to make hole in ornament

ribbon or twine for hanging ornament

rolling pin

silicone mat or parchment paper

How to make homemade scented ornaments with essential oils

step 1:  add 1 cup baking soda to a saucepan

step 2:  add 1/2 cup cornstarch

step 3:  add 3/4 cup water

tip: Since you’re going to cook the ornament dough, tap water works fine for this.  There’s no need to use distilled water.

step 4:  put the pan over medium heat and stir well to completely dissolve the baking soda and cornstarch in the water

step 5:  Continue stirring continuously.  The mixture will boil.  It will then thicken to form ball of dough after about 5 minutes of cooking.

step 6:  Once the dough has thickened, pulled away from the sides of the pan, and is no longer sticky, remove it from the heat.  Let the dough cool slightly and then add 30-40 drops essential oil.

Here are some essential oil options, but you can use any essential oil you’d like:

• 30 drops cinnamon
• 30 drops peppermint
• 30 drops fir (choose our preferred fir: Siberian, white, Douglas, etc)
• 10 drops cinnamon + 10 drops sweet orange (also called wild orange) + 15 drops fir
• 20 drops peppermint + 20 drops sweet orange
• 20 drops sweet orange + 10 drops cinnamon + 10 drops clove
• 10 drops frankincense + 10 drops myrrh + 10 drops sweet orange
• 20 drops fir + 20 drops cedarwood
• 25 drops peppermint + 10 drops ylang ylang
• 15 drops bergamot + 10 drops ginger + 10 drops cassia + 10 drops fir
• 25 drops peppermint + 10 drops wintergreen
• 15 drops sweet orange + 10 drops fir + 10 drops spearmint + 5 drops clove
• 15 drops peppermint + 5 drops cassia + 5 drops wintergreen + 15 drops sweet orange
• 30 drops spruce + 10 drops cypress
• 15 drops grapefruit + 10 drops fir + 10 drops frankincense

step 7:  add 1-3 tablespoons white glitter, depending on how sparkly you want your ornaments

step 8:  roll the cooled dough out to a 1/4 inch thickness

tip:  Roll the dough on a silicone baking sheet or a piece of parchment paper so that it doesn’t stick to the countertop

tip:  Don’t roll the dough too thin.  If the dough gets too thin, the ornaments will be more likely to break.

step 9:  Use your cookie cutters or cookie stamps to cut out your ornaments

tip:  If you’re using a cookie cutter with an intricate design and/or cut outs, dip your cookie cutter in flour first so that it doesn’t stick to the dough.

tip:  If you’re using a cookie stamp, stamp the dough first and then use a cookie cutter to cut the dough.  Doing it this way, you’ll be able to see your design and line it up properly to cut it out.

step 10:  use a thin spatula to move the dough to a cookie sheet to dry

step 11:  use a straw or skewer to make a hole in each ornament.  Later, you’ll put a piece of ribbon or twine through these holes to hang the ornaments on the tree.

step 12:  Tidy up the ornaments as needed by using a brush to whisk away any flour from the top of the ornaments.  If needed, dampen your finger and run it along the outside of the ornaments to smooth any bumps, tears, or cracks.

step 13:  allow ornaments to dry for 24 hours.

tip:  Gently flip them over after 12 hours to allow them to dry thoroughly and evenly on both sides.

step 14:  tie ribbon or twine to create a hanger for each ornaments

How to use

• Hang ornaments on tree.
• If smell dissipates and you want to renew the scent:
  • put 20 drops essential oil in a small bowl
  • put ornament on top of essential oil
  • cover bowl with wrap or lid
  • leave it until all essential oil is absorbed by the ornament and the ornament is dry
  • hang on tree again

Where to get supplies?

This website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link. 

baking soda

cornstarch

essential oil

white glitter

cookie cutter and/or cookie stamp

straw

ribbon or twine

rolling pin

silicone mat or parchment paper

click here for a free printable of the recipe

Please join us…

we’re on Facebook here

we’re on Pinterest here

click here to sign up our email newsletter

Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information on this page are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is not a substitute for professional care.  Always consult your medical doctor regarding your medical care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Disclaimer: Please know that this website contains affiliate links. This means that should you click on certain links, and then subsequently purchase a product, I will receive a small commission. The price is exactly the same for you as it would be without the affiliate link.