The Perfect BAKED Recipe for Non-Edible Gingerbread Ornaments

So, since I've fairly successfully cleaned the house today, as I promised Love, and still find myself with some extra time (even though I SHOULD be sorting beads from one of my more temporary Christmas projects, which has, at last, come to an end), I thought I'd let you in on how to make my version of gingerbread Christmas tree ornaments. :) In fact, it's such an exciting prospect that my tree is literally sparkling with anticipation. (Not really. Actually, it's just plugged into a wall, but one can dream.)

Anyway, as aforementioned, I looked all over for a "just-right" recipe for "cinnamon Christmas ornaments," but ended up putting one together myself, based off of others I'd found. Now, I want you to know that this IS safe, even though I myself wasn't so sure about it at first, and if you are worried about fumes from the glue lingering inside your oven, by all means, leave the oven's fan on for a while after you're done making these, and leave plenty of room for the kitchen to air out.

The fun thing about these is that they don't have to be just for Christmas--can you imagine these (without the extra spices alongside the cinnamon, of course) cut into hearts and decorated in red for Valentine's Day? I sure can... and if I hadn't reached my patience-for-cinnamon ornament-making quota already (they're easy; I'm just impatient), I'd definitely be considering making more for THAT holiday!

In any case, whatever you decide to make these for, and whichever cutters you decide to use, have a wonderful time, and here's the recipe:

NON-EDIBLE "GINGERBREAD" ORNAMENTS

1 cup white school glue
1 cup PLAIN, unsweetened applesauce
2 cups powdered cinnamon
2 tbsp. powdered ginger
1 tsp. powdered clove
1 tsp. powdered nutmeg

Combine the above, adding more cinnamon powder if you want the mixture to be "doughier," and adding more applesauce if you think it's too dry. The consistency is, for the most part, adjustable to what you'd like to work with, since they will dry completely in the end, if they're of any consistency which can be cut with cookie cutters. Remember to work quickly with this, and save any unused portions for later by wrapping them airtightly (is that a word? My spell check doesn't think so) in plastic wrap.

To roll these for cutting and not ruin your rolling pin, sandwich the dough in between two large pieces of waxed or parchment paper. Roll the dough flat with the rolling pin on top of this paper-dough-paper sandwich. This way, the glue won't get stuck to the rolling pin, not to mention saving clean-up time!

Use whichever cutters you'd like to shape the cookies, and transfer them onto a parchment-covered baking sheet. Don't forget to poke holes in the top of each ornament so you can hang them later!

When you are ready to bake, put them in the oven for anywhere from a half an hour to two hours at 93 C or 200 F. Obviously, you will need to keep an eye on these until you know how long to leave your particular mixture and thickness of "cookie" in your particular oven. Since you can't poke a hole in them to see when they're done, and this is more of a dehydration process than a baking process anyway, the best way to tell is to feel it with your finger--but quickly, so you don't burn yourself! If it feels done, but still a tiny bit moist or bouncy, that means that they're done. Take them out of the oven and allow them to cool. Then flip them over and let them sit for about 24 hours. After that, you can decorate them however you like, and hang them anywhere for a wonderful fragrance.

Check out two of mine (the star and the moose) on my Black Forest-themed tree! I used traditionally-shaped cookie cutters, as well as a woodland creature cookie cutter set that I got from Ikea. See? The options are endless!

 
 I hope you enjoy, and what about you? Have you ever made these before, or just wanted to? What shapes will YOU cut out next?