Salt Dough Handprint Santa Ornament

This handprint Santa salt dough ornament makes a beautiful keepsake. It’s perfect for to hang on your family tree as well as to give as gifts to grandparents. We made several to share with family.

Here’s what you’ll need to make some:

Red, white, black, pink and tan acrylic paint
Paintbrush
Red Ribbon
2 cups flour
1/2 cup of salt
1/2 cup or less of water

Directions:

1. Trace your child’s hand on a sheet of paper. Make sure their fingers are well separated. Cut the hand shape out.

2. Preheat the oven to 200° F. It’s very important not to have the oven on too high. Excess heat will cause the salt dough to bubble up and fill with air. You want to dry them out thoroughly over a slow period of time.

3. To make the salt dough, mix together salt, flour, and water until dough is formed. (Note: I cut this recipe in half and it made 7 hands.) Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with flour, and continue to do so until stickiness is gone. Do not add too much flour, as this will dry out the dough and will cause it to crack before you bake it.

4. Roll out the dough to about 1/4” to 1/2″ thick with a rolling pin that has been dusted with flour. Don’t exceed 1/2″ as anything thicker than that won’t harden.

5. Place the tracing of your child’s hand on the dough and use the tip of a sharp knife to cut out hand shapes. Gently insert a straw into the top of the hand to make a hole for hanging.

6. Place the hands on an ungreased cookie sheet and place into the preheated oven. Bake for 2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before painting.

7. When cooled, paint Santa faces on as pictured. Don’t forget to write your child’s name and date on the back.

8. Attach a ribbon for hanging.

This sweet little poem goes with the ornament:

“This is to remind you

when I have grown so tall,

that once I was quite little

and my hands were very small.”

I made a printable with PicMonkey and printed the poem on cardstock to include in the gift box we gave to grandparents.