Salt Dough Recipe for Baby Handprint Keepsakes

This clay will dry out very hard when left out and then can be painted with acrylic paints. In my climate it takes three full days to dry out, but drying time depends on your humidity and how large your item is. To speed up the drying process, you can put it in the oven at 90 degrees for 30 minutes then shut off the oven but leave it inside with the door closed. This will cut out at least a full day of dry time. You can also dry it in the oven completely but it will still take several hours.

Salt Dough Recipe:

• 1/2 cup of table salt
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 2 tablespoons of mineral oil
• 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup water
• Optional: couple drops of food coloring

Mix all your ingredients together and knead it with your hands. If it is too wet, add a pinch more flour and if it is too dry add a bit of water. This exact recipe works for me perfectly, but again, it might vary a bit depending on your humidity and ingredients.

In the photos, I added 3 drops of electric blue food coloring, but this is optional. You can leave the dough plain and paint later after it dries out completely.

This recipe yields the size of the ball in my hand shown. It is the perfect size for just one baby handprint ornament or keepsake. Flatten the ball out and press baby's hand into it. Let dry for at least three days or dry in the oven. You can also dry in a food dehydrator if you have one.

Please keep in mind that with this and any other salt dough recipe, small cracks during the drying process is expected. If you are looking to make a more permanent and high quality baby handprint ornament or keepsake, go to the Sculpey Baby Handprint Ornament page.

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