DIY - cinnamon applesauce ornaments

Every year, since 1998, I make a different cinnamon applesauce ornament.

I do a different shape every year. Last year I made a dove, and this year an ornament shape.

This is what you need to make your own cinnamon applesauce ornaments.

• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1 bottle (4.12 oz) ground cinnamon
• cookie cutter
• wood rolling pin & wood cutting board (wood helps absorb some of the moisture from the dough)
• drying rack
• paintbrush
• black marker
• ribbon
• scissors
• hot glue gun

Makes 12-15 ornaments.

Cinnamon can be expensive. I get mine at the local market, called the River Market, and I go to the "spice man." It's only $1 a scoop! Two scoops will give me enough for the recipe.

I have an old 3.74 oz bottle. I use that, plus a quarter of the bottle, to measure the 4.12 oz.

Also some recipes calls for glue, such as Elmer's. I don't use that, nor any glitter or sprinkles. I like the natural gingerbread look.

Mix applesauce with cinnamon to form a stiff dough. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutter.

Make a hole in top of ornament with a straw.

 I like to use a spatula to help me get the ornament off of the cutting board.

I use the straw again to push the hole out. I also like to take the handle of a paintbrush to smooth out any rough edges.

Carefully lay ornaments on a rack to dry.

I also like to take the left over dough and make a little cinnamon ball as an air freshener.

It takes a day for the ornaments to dry.

After a few a years ago I started to write the year on the back with a black marker.

The fun part is finding ribbon to coordinate with the ornament shape. I found some super cute ribbon with holiday ornaments on it. HOW PERFECT!

Cut about 6 inches or so.

One year I got ribbon tape and I loved it. Looks so much nicer when the ribbon is one nice loop instead of tying a knot. So I use a hot glue gun to glue the edges together.

As gifts for my friends and co-workers I make a little card with an image of the ornament shape for the cover.

I punch a hole in the corner and string it onto the ornament.

This year I'm super late, so they'll have to be new year's gifts.

I also tried to make a cupcake ornament.

I went against my non-decoration rule and I used some white puffy paint to make some sprinkles and a cupcake liner. The cupcake cookie cutter shape by itself didn't look like a cupcake. But I like the white icing gingerbread look.

Store your ornaments in a plastic bag or container so they'll keep their cinnamon smell for next year.

Here are the ornaments on our little white tree.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Comments

[Flora Deborah]

What a lovely idea!!
Will keep this in mind for next year :)
x

[Jeanee]

Yay Flora! The ornaments are a fun tradition. It's something you cam do with kids too!

[Anne-Marie]

Cute stuff - and what a great tradition. I can see doing that with young children for years and years (and then they come home from college and you keep that up ... and then give it to them when they get married and have their own home ... I'm probably getting carried away! LOL!).

[Jeanee]

Actually I gave the ornament recipe to a co-worker for her and her daughter to make for a school sale.

[Shelli Cater]

I Lived in NKC for many years. When you said that you bought your cinnamon from The River Market, it brought back so many fond memories of the days when I would shop for spices and spend the afternoon walking around there and finish with a meal at Cascones! Thanks for taking me back in time and for sharing so many great ideas. Now I think I'll start a tradition!...

[Darlene & Gina]

My daughter Gina made these in grade school and will be 21 this August. I keep them in a sealed plastic bag and they still smell like cinnamon and we still hang them on the tree. Fading scent yes, but how amazing that it's lasted so long. I'm thrilled she found your receipe so we can make new ones. Thanks for sharing!

[Jeanee]

Awh, thank you Darlene & Gina. So sweet.

[Lee]

Add a drop of cinnamon oil to the old ornaments to bring back the scent.

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My daughter Gina made these in grade school and will be 21 this August. I keep them in a sealed plastic bag and they still smell like cinnamon and we still hang them on the tree. Fading scent yes, but how amazing that it's lasted so long.

[Jan Avila]

I made these with a class of mine years ago. I found that they would last forever if you add white glue. All that work needs to last many years. I also added a Tablespoon of ground cloves from a discount store.

[laurenbaukus]

we made these tonight and I was surprised at how easy it really is. the smell went through the whole house! such a great idea, thanks for sharing!

[Jeanee]

Awh Lauren. So glad to hear!!!

[Lorena]

No baking necessary, or did I miss something?

[Jeanee]

No baking. Just air dry!