Homemade Baking Soda Ornaments are easy to make, and help you create fun holiday memories!
This post was first published on November 25, 2013. It has been updated and republished on December 6, 2020, with more helpful baking tips, new photos, and FAQs to help you troubleshoot. This post also contains affiliate links. Read my policy page to learn more.
We are in the thick of the holiday baking season, and I love it!
Are you in the holiday baking spirit, too? If so, be sure to try some of my favorite holiday cookie recipes. These are the Best Gingerbread Cookies for Decorating - soft and chewy, yet perfect for decorating with your favorite icing. If you're looking for fast holiday cookies to make without decorations, try my Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies. We make batches and batches of these each year and they are always a favorite!
For shortbread fans, these Chocolate-Dipped Peppermint Shortbread cookies are so easy and absolutely delicious. Plus they look adorable wrapped up to give as holiday gifts!
And these Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies look so fun and festive on any holiday table. These make beautiful holiday baking gifts as well!
If you want to add another fun baking project that will last longer than cookies, try my DIY Baking Soda Ornament project!
🎄 Baking soda ornaments
The kids and I always have so much fun making these ornaments. We have been making these for over a decade!
You can probably tell, I let them pick out a few of the Star Wars cookie cutters to use in addition to our traditional Christmas cookie cutters. :)
✨ Tips to make baking soda ornaments
While these baking soda ornaments are pretty easy to make, they are just like any other baking project. There are so many factors that can affect how these turn out.
Below, I try to address some common questions I have received about these homemade Christmas ornaments over the years. As well as some helpful tips in general to help you make the best baking soda ornaments!
- Use a light-colored aluminum baking sheet. This is true for all baking. Darker baking sheets can absorb and distribute heat faster than light-colored pans.
- Make sure your baking soda is fresh. While baking soda tends to have a long shelf life, it does lose its potency over time. I bake a lot, and switch out my baking soda once a month. While you don't need to do so that frequently, if you're using baking soda that is more than a couple months old, consider getting a new box for your next baking project.
- Make sure your kitchen temperature is average. Room temperature can affect the dough, just like any other baking project.
- Place your baking sheet in the center rack. This helps ensure even baking.
- You can use traditional holiday cookie cutters or any other cookie cutters you like, but just make sure if it's a push-spring cutter (like these Star Wars cookie cutters used here) that it has a pretty easy release.
- Try not to press too hard when making pattern impressions; it's easy to push straight through the dough.
Our ornaments have lasted 9 years so far. That's a pretty long time for baking soda ornaments!
🎄 DIY FAQs
Wrap each ornament carefully in tissue paper or wax paper. Then wrap with bubble wrap. Then, place inside a sturdy box and stuff additional tissue paper or bubble wrap on the bottom, top, and around the edges. Store in a temperature-controlled space. We store ours in the basement, where it doesn't get too hot or too cold.
You may need to decrease the baking soda amount, as the air dries out baked goods faster at higher elevations. Try using ¾ baking soda instead of the usual 1 cup for your first batch, and then adjust accordingly for any additional batches you make.
What do you need to make baking soda ornaments?
You probably already have the necessary ingredients in your pantry right now. All you need to make one batch is:
½ cup cornstarch
1 cup baking soda
¾ cup water
Then you can use any cookie or pastry cutter you would like. This is SO EASY. Trust me: once you make these, you'll want to keep making more!
✅ Step-by-step instructions
Exact measurements of ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this post. Here are some helpful tips to guide you as you make this recipe.
- Combine the cornstarch, baking soda, and water in a medium or large pot over medium heat. Stir ingredients until the mixture starts to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. When the mixture begins to thicken into a smooth texture, remove from heat. Immediately form the dough into a ball and place into a glass bowl; cover with a damp cloth to allow the dough to cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees.
- After a few minutes, when dough is slightly cooled to the touch, place onto a rolling mat and knead the dough gently. Feel free to add more cornstarch if you feel the dough is too sticky to knead properly.
- Roll out the dough on the rolling mat (I use this nonstick silicone Silpat Roul'Pat) or onto a cutting board lightly dusted with cornstarch (to prevent sticking) to ¼ inch thick.
- Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Very gently, lift the shapes out and transfer them onto a prepared baking sheet covered with a Silpat or parchment paper.
- Use a straw or a lollipop stick to poke a hole in the center top of each decoration.
- Bake at 175 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your oven. Turn the sheet 180 degrees halfway through baking time to ensure even baking. If edges start to curl up during baking, gently tap down until flat.
🎁 DIY holiday ornament Ideas
- You can add further decorations by painting the ornaments, adding glitter, ribbon - you name it!
- Turn these into personalized gift tags for gifts by using monogrammed cookie cutters and stringing around gifts with festive ribbon.
Hope you enjoy this easy and fun DIY holiday ornament tutorial!
What sort of fun shapes would you use for your DIY baking soda ornaments?
More Christmas baking recipes
Baking Soda Ornaments
These homemade baking soda ornaments are easy to make. And this is a fun family Christmas project that gives you beautiful family keepsakes!
Materials
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup baking soda
- ¾ cup water
Tools
- large glass bowl
- rolling mat
- rolling pin
- cookie cutters
Instructions
- Combine the cornstarch, baking soda, and water in a medium or large pot over medium heat. Stir ingredients until the mixture starts to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. When the mixture begins to thicken into a smooth texture, remove from heat. Immediately form the dough into a ball and place into a glass bowl; cover with a damp cloth to allow the dough to cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 175°F degrees.
- After a few minutes, when dough is slightly cooled to the touch, place onto a rolling mat and knead the dough gently. Feel free to add more cornstarch if you feel the dough is too sticky to knead properly.
- Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough on the rolling mat (I use this nonstick silicone Silpat Roul'Pat) or onto a cutting board lightly dusted with cornstarch (to prevent sticking) to ¼ inch thick.
- Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Very gently, lift the shapes out and transfer them onto a prepared baking sheet covered with a Silpat or parchment paper
- Use a straw or a lollipop stick to poke a hole in the center top of each decoration.
- Bake at 175°F degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your oven. Turn the sheet 180 degrees halfway through baking time to ensure even baking. If edges start to curl up during baking, gently tap down until flat.
Notes
- Watch the mixture in the pot very carefully as it can thicken quickly.
- Always use a light-colored aluminum baking sheet, as the dark-colored pans absorb heat too quickly for these delicate ornaments.
- If your oven does not go down to 175°F, use the lowest temperature setting and adjust your cooking and baking times by lowering them a bit.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet (2 Pack), Silver -
Silpat Petit Jelly Roll Non-Stick Baking Mat
-
20 Piece Set of Christmas Cookie Cutters
-
Muso Wood Wooden French Rolling Pin for Baking,Beech Wood (French 15.75-Inch-by-1.38-Inch)
-
Williams Sonoma Cookie Cutter Star Wars Set of 8
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This post was first published on November 25, 2013. It has been updated and republished on December 6, 2020, with more helpful baking tips, new photos, and FAQs to help you troubleshoot.
Amanda says
Sarah, your experience is mine to a T. I love how easy the dough is to make, but I don't know how to keep them from cracking!!! We are making handprint ones for my student's parents, and every single one of them cracked, both batches. I did some research about the air drying, and someone said to flip them to help them dry on both sides. So maybe even a drying rack could be helpful too. I also wonder if I manipulated the dough too much. It remained a nice, moist-but-not-sticky-consistency though... Just trying to figure it out! :)
Craig says
If your oven doesn't have a low temp setting, bake a couple at a time in your toaster oven.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Great tip! Thanks, Craig!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi Sarah! Sorry to hear you are having trouble with cracking. Since you are air drying, instead of baking them in the oven as I do, it's harder to pinpoint what the problem might be. It could be that the dough is too wet/too dry or that that your room temp is too hot/too cold. You could try making them slightly thicker to see if that helps. Ours are back on our tree again, and we have used this recipe for ornaments that have lasted two years now -- but, I always dry them in the oven, so I am sorry I can't speak to the air drying method.
sarah reyes says
I am a parent volunteer with my son's. 3 year old class. I decided as Christmas gifts for the parents I would make them handprint ornaments of their child's hands. The first batch I roll ed out the dough about 1/4" think but they all cracked very badly. So the next time I rolled them out a little thinner but I am still having an issue with them cracking. Some crack a little where as some are cracking in half. I am air drying them as I have previously had many failed attempts with my own kids hand prints cracking in the oven. What am I doing wrong? I thought this would be a great idea but now I am thinking that this was not such a good idea. Help!?!
Johanna says
Can you replace the cornstarch with flour?
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi Marie! You can certainly paint them, provided yours come out fairly sturdy. If you do, just be very gentle when painting, as they can be fragile (some batches end up being more fragile than others). Have fun!
Marie says
Are these okay to paint when done?
Sabrina says
I love this idea and plan on making ornaments for family with my baby's hand and foot prints. I'd like to avoid having to paint them afterwards and I'm wondering if you've tried mixing glitter into the dough? If so, at what point - in the dry mix before cooking or kneading it into the dough? TIA
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi Sabrina! I haven’t tried glitter in the dough, so I can’t be certain. Since you are painting the dough, you might also consider adding the glitter in while the paint is still wet so that it sets in with the paint. Good luck and let me know how it goes!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi Lauren! It really depends on the batch you've made. We've made different versions before that have lasted two years so far, and the ones we made last year are still intact! I package them up very carefully in lots of tissue paper and store away where they won't get banged around. Lots of factors determine how long they last; climate/room temperature, how thin or thick your ornaments are, how they are packaged, etc. Hope that helps!
Lauren says
Hi there,
just wondering how long they last for? I have seen other recipes that say they only last for a month
Thank you
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi Michele! I hope you had fun making this with the kids! If you are worried about having these last longer, you can also add a sealant to them after you bake them. Ours have lasted a year without the sealant.
Michele says
The kids and I tried this yesterday. The dough was very nice to work with however they were SO fragile despite following the directions closely.
Helen says
Thanks for sharing how to make these DIY Baking Soda Christmas Ornaments. I liked it!
Christine says
Ah, sorry, just saw the previous comment re: cracking! My oven's lowest temp is 170, so I'll try that and see if it help.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Have fun, Angie! Let me know if drying them overnight helps!
Angie says
I'm making these today with my kiddos, and I think I'm going to let them dry overnight! They look great, I hope mine turn out!