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If you want to make something super-cute this Christmas, you can’t go wrong with this gorgeous salt dough gingerbread man garland. It combines the timeless appeal of Christmas garland hanging decorations with gingerbread men to make the perfect festive decoration, and it’s easy to put together as well. So, if you’re a gingerbread fan, don’t miss out on this.
Christmas decor doesn’t get much cuter than this salt dough gingerbread Christmas garland. The instantly recognizable gingerbread men are strung up on a gingerbread garland and you can display this beautiful holiday ornament wherever you wish.
If you enjoy crafting around Christmas time, you might also like to make a crochet star garland, dried orange garland, or felt Christmas tree garland too!
Ingredients for a Gingerbread Garland
To make this holiday season favourite, you are going to need some simple baking staples, namely flour, salt, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and water. You might be wondering why you need to use ingredients like cinnamon and cocoa when this gingerbread house recipe isn’t edible, but there is a good reason!
Not only is the dry vs. wet ingredient ratio just right to guarantee a great texture, but it’s also the best mixture to get the gingerbread men the right colour and also give them a delightful cinnamon and chocolate smell. It’s very subtle but it’s definitely there. And you don’t get that subtle Christmas fragrance from any store-bought garland!
How to Make a Gingerbread Christmas Garland
Gingerbread houses and gingerbread men share the same appeal – they are both irresistible to those of us that adore the smell and taste of gingerbread!
This gingerbread recipe is especially perfect for the festive season because the garlands make cute, seasonal holiday home decor or Christmas decorations, and they’re also pretty to look at and boast a subtle yet yummy seasonal scent.
So how do you make this gingerbread holiday cheer decor for the holidays? Well, first you need to combine the ingredients with a fork, and you should end u with a crumbly dough. At this point, add a little water if it’s too dry to stick together.
Roll the dough into a ball and then roll it out and cut out gingerbread men using a gingerbread man cutter (here). Bake them until they’re hard and have a white cast on them (don’t worry – this is just the salt and you can brush a little oil over the top to disguise it).
The last step is to thread twine or string through the gingerbread men to make them into a gorgeous Christmas decor garland which you can hang anywhere in your home that you wish.
Can You Eat These?
Gingerbread is truly delicious, and we all know that, whether your preference is for gingerbread molasses cookies Starbucks style or gingerbread pizzelle cookies. But this recipe is designed with home decor and tree, wreath or mantel decorations in mind.
The recipe is made with flour, salt and water for the right consistency, along with cinnamon and cocoa powder for colour and flavour. So, this isn’t an edible gingerbread man recipe, but it’s worth making because the resulting garland is so cute!
Homemade is Best!
Yes, you can buy a gingerbread garland with gingerbread men shape pieces on Etsy or similar but you really don’t have to go that route, not when it’s this easy to make your own gingerbread man garland for Christmas, with the most basic of ingredients plus a little twine and a cookie cutter.
DIY Salt Dough Garland
Salt Dough Gingerbread Man Garland Christmas Decoration
Equipment
- Gingerbread Man Cookie Cutter Mini gingerbread man
Supplies
- 1 Cup all purpose flour
- ½ Cup salt
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon cocoa powder
- ½ Cup water
Instructions
- Combine in a mixing bowl the flour, salt, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and water. Use a fork to mix into a crumbly dough.
- The dough will look and feel dry, but it needs to stick together when you press it into a ball. If it is too crumbly, add water a teaspoon at a time until the dough comes together.
- Push the dough into a ball and roll out on a flat surface into a disk between ⅛” and ¼” thick.
- Use the miniature gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut out 25 gingerbread men.
- Place the gingerbread men onto a parchment lined baking sheet and use a straw to cut out holes in each hand of the gingerbread men.
- Bake at 275°F for 2 hours. If they are still soft in the middle after cooling down, bake for another 30 minutes or until completely solid.
- The gingerbread men will have a white cast when they are done baking. This is the salt settling, but to fix it, brush a small amount of neutral oil (vegetable, avocado, etc.) onto them. Use a paper towel to blot off excess oil to remove the shine.
- Use a darning needle to thread the string through the gingerbread men.
Notes
- This recipe makes enough for 25 mini gingerbread men. This will make a 6ft garland.
- Once completely dry, salt dough feels hard with no soft spots after cooling.
It’s one of the easiest holiday season garland ornaments ever, and you’re going to have fun making it and choosing where to display it. So, have fun making this decorated wreath as part of your Christmas decor and a very merry Christmas to you and yours!
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
