Making your own cinnamon decorations is a perfect and simple seasonal fun activity for kids and adults alike, and they make your entire house smell incredible while they are baking in your kitchen. I researched many different cinnamon decoration recipes and I highly recommend the McCormick recipe. My recipe is adapted from this recipe, with a few little tips and tricks along the way. 

  •  30 min. Prep Time

  •  2 1/2 hrs. Cook Time

  • 2 Ingredients

  • A few Simple Supplies

Ingredients and Supplies:

  • 3/4 cup applesauce

  • 2 bottles (2.37 oz. each) ground cinnamon

  • Cookie cutters

  • Large ‘milkshake’ straw (or skewer, or chopstick)

  • Colorful ribbon, twine, raffia or bakery string

  • Parchment paper (optional)

  • Large baking sheet

  • Mixing bowl

  • Rolling pin

  • Spoon (optional)

  • Vinyl gloves (optional)

Note:

  • Number of decorations depends on the size of your cookie cutters.
  • The recipe can be doubled. These make fantastic gifts!

Economy tip:

  • Consider shopping for your ingredients and supplies at the dollar store. I found jarred applesauce and ground cinnamon (as well as a bag of cookie cutters) for a dollar each at The Dollar Tree in La Plata. There is also a Dollar Tree in Waldorf.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F. 

2. Measure out ¾ of a cup applesauce and place into the mixing bowl. Pour the cinnamon on top of the applesauce.

2. Measure out ¾ of a cup applesauce and place into the mixing bowl. Pour the cinnamon on top of the applesauce.

3. Mix applesauce and cinnamon in a medium bowl until a smooth ball of dough is formed. (You may need to use your hands to incorporate all of the cinnamon….I wore thin vinyl gloves for this step, because I preferred to use my hands to mix the dough as opposed to a spoon).

4. Roll dough to 1/4” to 1/3” thickness on a sheet of parchment paper with a piece of plastic wrap over the dough (making sure to lift and smooth out any wrinkles in the plastic wrap as you are rolling). Peel off the top sheet of plastic wrap.

5. Cut the dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Press down firmly with the cookie cutters and wiggle them a little, to push the excess dough away from the shapes.

6. Gently peel all of the excess dough away from the shapes.

7. Using a large drinking straw (such as a milkshake straw, or skewer, or the pointed end of a chopstick) to cut a hole near the top of each decoration. 

8. Continue to roll the excess dough into another ball, warming it in your hands. Roll the excess dough out again and again – cutting more shapes.

I was able to cut a total of 8 (1½”) cinnamon decorations from a single batch of dough.

9. Transfer the sheet of parchment paper with the decorations, by carefully sliding it onto a baking sheet. (If you don’t have parchment paper, roll the decorations out between two sheets of plastic wrap and carefully transfer decorations by lifting the plastic wrap under an decoration and turning it onto your hand, then placing each decoration carefully on the baking sheet.)

10. Bake/dry your decorations at 200 degrees for 2 1/2 hours. Cool your decorations on a wire rack. (This is where the parchment paper comes in handy…just line the baking sheet up beside the cooling rack and gently slide the paper off the baking sheet and right onto the cooling rack.)  Or, to dry your decorations at room temperature, carefully place them onto a wire rack. Let stand 1 to 2 days or until thoroughly dry.  I prefer the oven method of drying – especially for larger, slightly thicker decorations – to ensure no moist areas remain.)

11. Insert a ribbon through the holes and tie to hang (*refer to the step-by-step photos below for the process of how I tie my ribbon).

Note:

Find creative ways to display your cinnamon decorations.

  • For a festive seasonal look and scent in your dining room, hang your cinnamon decorations on the door knobs of a pie safe, or suspend them from the drawer pulls of a sideboard, or even dangle them from the chandelier over the table (here, I have an decoration hanging from my pie safe). 

At the end of the season, wrap each decoration in tissue paper and store in a protected, dry place. When ready to display again, refresh the cinnamon scent by gently rubbing the back of the decoration with a bit of fine grit sandpaper.

*For more information on creating your own holiday crafts, please visit the CCPL catalog.

Image credits:

Unless otherwise noted below, all images were shot during the making of this blog.