Remember the Morton salt-dough recipe? This satisfying project–think kneading dough without the calories–is perfect for all ages, and the decorations last forever. You can capture family moments, or go full-on arts-and-crafts to make elegant dangles for your house. You’ll need rolling pins, offset spatulas, cookie cutters, and cardboard and scissors to make other templates, if you like.  Line baking trays with parchment to make removal easier. And of course, you’ll want brushes and paints to add the finishing touches. Best to avoid colored sugars if you you want to reuse your decorations year after year.

Here’s the basic recipe:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • Water (could be about 1 cup)

Stir together flour and salt. Add a little water at a time, mixing as you pour, to form a dough. Be careful not to add too much water; you don’t want a sticky dough. If that happens, add more flour and salt in the same 2 to 1 ratio to correct. Knead 7 to 10 minutes until dough has a smooth, firm consistency. Store in plastic bag to prevent drying. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut as desired. Use a bit of water to join two pieces of raw dough together, pressing well. If you plan to hang or string together decorations, don’t forget to press out a hole for the ribbon. A large drinking straw makes a good cutter.

Pull out kitchen gadgets, such as a garlic press or cocktail strainer to add interesting textures. And embed whole spices before you bake your decorations.

You can blend in powdered spices for color: try turmeric, paprika, or cumin for earthy tones.

Air dry the decorations until they are rock-hard, about 2 days. Best to do this on cooling racks for good air circulation. Or, bake at 250 to 325 degrees until hard. This could take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours. Lower temperature if you see some edges getting color. Use skewer or knife point to deflate any bubbles that appear during baking. Paint as desired.

To go really deep: Here’s the Morton Salt Dough Handbook