Cinnamon & Clove Salt-Dough Ornaments

By ldelmas

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour1 cup iodized table salt2/3 cup ground cloves2/3 cup ground cinnamon1-1/4 cup water

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°F. In stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, salt, cloves, and cinnamon on low speed until well combined. Slowly add the water until the dough starts to come together. Move the dough to a floured work surface and knead until the mixture is elastic and smooth. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle it with a little flour until the stickiness is gone. (Be careful not to add too much flour, however, as it will dry out the dough and cause it to crack.) Using a rolling pin that's been dusted with flour, roll out the dough until it's about 1/4” thick. Then, use cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes. Make a hole towards the top of each shape with a straw. Move the ornaments to an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 2 hours. Transfer the ornaments to a cooling rack and allow them to harden. (This could take one or two days.) After they're dry, you can decorate the shapes, if desired. Then, spray with a couple layers of shellac to preserve. When dry, thread a piece of ribbon through the hole at the top for hanging and tie.