How to Make Traditional Dried Orange and Cinnamon Salt Dough Garland for Christmas

Published by

Kate

on

December 9, 2025

An old-fashioned holiday craft that fills the house with warmth, memory, and the scent of Christmas.

A little Christmas Magic Made by Hand

Homemade Christmas decorations are one of my favorite ways to slow down and enjoy the season. They bring so much charm and warmth to a home, and they’re surprisingly simple to make with just a few kitchen staples. This year, I put together a dried orange and cinnamon salt dough garland for our holiday décor, and it turned out to be such a beautiful, budget-friendly project. If you’re looking for an easy Christmas DIY that feels timeless, cozy, and kid-friendly, this garland is the perfect place to start.

In this post, I’m sharing exactly how to make a dried orange garland, how to create cinnamon salt dough ornaments, and how to style them together for a classic, old-fashioned Christmas look. Whether you’re decorating your tree, mantel, or a cozy corner of your kitchen, this simple DIY adds warmth, color, and a touch of nostalgia to your holiday season.

Why I Make Christmas Garland from Scratch

I make this garland from scratch because there’s something deeply special about decorating with pieces made by hand. Dried oranges, cinnamon dough, and twine may be simple ingredients, but together they bring a warmth and nostalgia you just can’t buy in a store. Making it myself lets me fill our home with natural textures, cozy scents, and the feeling of a Christmas that’s slow, intentional, and rooted in tradition.

Tools You Will Need:

Jute twine, ribbon, or thin cotton string
Skewer or straw (for making holes)
Scissors
Optional: wooden beads, bells, or greenery sprigs

Cinnamon Salt Dough + Dried Orange Slice Christmas Garland

Old-fashioned charm for the modern homemaker

Prep Time: 15–20 minutes
Cook Time: 3–4 hours +
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Assembly Time: 10–15 minutes
Total Time: About 4–5 hours
Yields: One medium-length garland, about 5–6 feet long

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon Salt Dough Ornaments

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup table salt
¾ cup ground cinnamon
¾ cup warm water (add more, a tablespoon at a time, if needed)

For the Dried Oranges

3–4 large oranges (navel or cara cara)

Instructions

1. Dry the Orange Slices

Preheat oven to 200°F.
Slice oranges ⅛–¼ inch thick. The thinner the slices, the faster they dry.
Pat slices dry with a paper towel to remove surface moisture.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 3–4 hours, flipping every hour, until they’re dry and translucent around the edges.
Let cool completely. They will continue to firm as they cool.

Tip: If some slices are stubborn and still soft in the center, leave them in the oven (turned off) overnight.

2. Make the Cinnamon Salt Dough

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and cinnamon.
Slowly pour in the warm water, stirring as it comes together.
Knead for a few minutes until smooth, adding a little flour if too sticky or a splash of water if too dry.
Roll dough out to ¼-inch thick.
Cut shapes using cookie cutters: stars, hearts, trees, gingerbread men – anything cozy and homemade.
Use a straw or skewer to punch a small hole at the top of each piece (for stringing).

3. Bake the Ornaments

Place ornaments on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 200°F for 2–3 hours, flipping halfway.
Cool completely until firm and dry.
Optional: Brush with Mod Podge matte finish to seal and strengthen.

4. Assemble the Garland

Cut a long piece of jute twine—start with 5–6 feet and adjust as needed.
Thread the ornaments and orange slices one at a time. For orange slices: poke through the dried flesh with a needle or gently thread through the existing center.
Space pieces 2–4 inches apart depending on the look you want.
Tie small knots between pieces to keep them from sliding.
Add optional touches like:
- Snippets of fresh pine or rosemary
- Wooden beads
- Mini bells
- Ribbon
- Bows

How to Use the Garland

Drape across your mantel for an old-fashioned Christmas hearth.
Wrap around the tree for a warm, natural look.
Hang above a kitchen window to catch the afternoon sunlight through the oranges.
Use shorter strands on stockings, bedposts, or wreaths.

Storage Tips

These ornaments and dried orange slices can last for years if stored properly.

Keep in a dry, cool place.
Wrap pieces in tissue paper and store in a tin or airtight container.
Add a small cotton pouch of whole cloves to maintain scent naturally.

A Note from My Kitchen Table…

This little garland is the kind of project our great-grandmothers would’ve made. And for me, it carries an even deeper memory. It was inspired by my late Aunt Ellen. I can still remember the handmade cinnamon salt dough ornaments she crafted when I was a little girl. I’d study each shape as if it were a treasure. The way they smelled, the way they looked so lovingly made. They were simple, but somehow magical.

Homemade things have a way of doing that. They hold the fingerprints of the people who shaped them. They carry stories, scents, and moments we didn’t realize were becoming memories. These tiny ornaments made of just dough and oranges and twine, feel like a thread tying me back to her, and to all the women before me who created beauty right at their kitchen tables.

As I hung this garland throughout my home, I thought about how these quiet acts become part of the rhythm our children grow up inside of. How someday they might remember the smell of cinnamon in December… the little crafts we made together… the warmth of this home we’re tending. Maybe that’s the real magic of homemaking. Ordinary hands, making ordinary things, that somehow become the memories our families carry forward.

Wishing you a Christmas season filled with warmth, wonder, and the beauty of things made by hand.

XO,
Kate