Community Corner
Video: Easy Christmas Cookie Ornaments
Check out our step-by-step video for making adorable—and aromatic—ornaments.
Whether you're desperate for a festive activity that'll keep the kids busy or simply looking to spruce up this year's holiday decor, these fragrant Christmas cookie ornaments are a snap to make and they'll smell fabulous for years to come. Plus, they're incredibly versatile: they can be strung up on the tree, hung from an entryway wreath, used as giftags, or piled high in a bowl and subbed-in as a spice-infused centerpiece.
Click the video below to see just how easy it is to establish a new tradition in your kitchen!
Recipe: 1 batch makes 12 ornaments
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Ingredients:
1 cup cinnamon (plus a dash for sprinkling the cookie sheets and waxed paper)
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 tablespoon of ground cloves
1/2 tablespoon ground allspice
2 Tablespoons of Elmer's (or craft) glue
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and knead the dough with your hands for two minutes until you create a Play-Doh like consistency. Wash your hands to prevent staining.
3. Cut the dough in half and place it on a piece of waxed paper that's sprinkled with cinnamon, which prevents sticking.
4. Place plastic wrap on top of the dough halves and roll it out using a heavy rolling pin until the dough is about 1/4-inch thick.
5. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out ornaments. Use a straw to punch out holes for hanging the ornaments, but be careful the holes aren't too close to the top.
6. Transfer the ornaments to a cookie sheet that's sprinkled with cinnamon and bake for 1 hour. Turn the ornaments (to prevent curling) and then bake an additional hour.
7. Cool the ornaments on wire racks and air-dry until completely hard—preferably overnight. If there are any sharp edges, you can use a piece of sandpaper to smooth them down (as necessary).
8. Decorate with glue and glitter—or whatever makes you merriest! Remind any hungry kiddos that these are NOT for eating.
9. After the holidays, store them in a sealed Zip-Loc bag to help retain that spicy scent.
Find out what's happening in East Hamptonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Mary Anne Rittenhouse and Mariel Rittenhouse Goodson co-host Feast on the Cheap, a food blog dedicated to elucidating the fine art of whipping up fabulous fare on a humble budget. The mother-daughter cooking duo stars a professional caterer with more than 25 years experience and a freelance writer who moonlights as a foodie. This video initially appeared on the Bronxville Patch, where the family lives. They also have a home in East Hampton, and even do some catering from there as well.
