This 2-Ingredient Recipe Makes Holiday Ornaments That Smell Like Christmas

Published on December 17, 2025

The holidays are about cozying up at home, gathering with friends and family, and embracing traditions. And one additional way to spark joy and gratitude during the holiday season is to craft new holiday decor you’ll cherish for years to come. 

Pour some homemade love into your Christmas ornaments this year by following an inexpensive two-ingredient recipe. Whether you’re celebrating a “Little Women” winter or searching for a craft that sparks a new holiday tradition, cinnamon ornaments are the key to a cozy Christmas tree. 

Bake Your Own Christmas Ornaments

Powdered cinnamon and applesauce are the two ingredients that will make magical ornaments that look good enough to eat. This vintage craft has been a family holiday tradition for many decorators across the U.S., but if you don’t remember exactly how to make them, we’re here to help. 

Start by mixing about a cup of cinnamon and a cup of applesauce. You’re aiming to form a cookie dough consistency; if your dough is too wet, add more cinnamon. If it’s clumping and difficult to mix, pour more applesauce.

Once your dough is just right, it’s time to roll it out. Sprinkle the dough with a pinch of cinnamon to keep it from sticking to your counter or rolling pin. If you want to shape your dough by hand, you can dust your fingers in cinnamon, too.

Shaping and Baking

Cookie cutters are the simplest way to create classic Christmas ornaments out of your cinnamon dough. The color of the dough looks just like gingerbread, so gingerbread cutouts are one favorite way to decorate—snowflakes, stars, candy canes, and holly leaves will also make for fun ornaments.

Once you’ve cut out your ornaments, poke a small hole at the top. This is how you’ll hang your ornament later on.

Bake the cookies at around 200°F. They’ll take a few hours to dry completely; check them by gently tapping and looking for moist spots. You want your cookie ornaments to be fully dried inside and out before you hang them.

Decorating and Hanging Your Ornament Cookies

Add faux icing to the cookies with glue, paint, or glitter. Tie a ribbon through the hole you poked in each cookie ornament, and they’re ready to hang on your tree. These ornaments can last for many years; give each one a quick once-over each year to check for signs of mold or mildew. Fortunately, these cookies are easy to make again if needed.