We don't have to eat everything we cook ...

It’s fun to have new ornaments. It’s even more fun to involve the kids in making them. These two recipes make fun ornaments for the tree. They’re also fun to write on with a Sharpie and use as gift tags. The cinnamon ones smell great! The bread dough ones, when coated with polyurethane spray, last more than one season. 

(When I was growing up, my mom used to make bread baskets with the bread dough. I’ve never had success at that, I don’t think I’m patient enough, basically, you use the same ornament bread dough recipe, and cut it into strips with a pastry or pizza cutter, then you “weave” the dough over an upturned oven-safe bowl or casserole dish. Bake according to ornament recipe directions, cool, remove from bowl or dish, and spray well with polyurethane.)

Cinnamon ornaments

¾ c applesauce
1 c plus 2 t ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 200°. Mix applesauce and cinnamon into a smooth ball of dough. (You may need use your hands to incorporate all of the cinnamon.) Using about ¼ of the dough at a time, roll dough to ¼" to 1/3". 

Cut dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Make a hole at top of ornament with drinking straw or skewer. Place ornaments on parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Bake 2½ hours. Cool ornaments on wire rack.

Insert ribbon through holes and tie to hang. DO NOT EAT.

Bread dough ornaments

1 c flour
½ c salt
½ c warm water
food coloring, optional

Preheat oven to 200°. Combine the flour and salt and slowly add in enough water to form the dough. Mix in food color, if using. Knead the dough for 10 minutes and then let rest for another 40 minutes.

Using about ½ the dough at a time, roll dough to ¼". Cut dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Make a hole at top of ornament with drinking straw or skewer. Place the ornaments on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Bake for 4-6 hours (or until hard). Cool ornaments on wire rack. DO NOT EAT.

If desired, decorate ornaments with paints, glue, glitter, ribbon — you name it! Let the paint and glue dry.

If desired, spray with polyurethane to seal them. Let dry.

Insert ribbon through holes and tie to hang.