Is there anything more magical than walking into a home that smells like warm cinnamon, toasted citrus, and sweet ginger?
As a mom of three, I’ve found that the most memorable holiday traditions aren’t found in a big box store. They are found right at the kitchen table. This year, we are skipping the plastic and glitter in favor of a “Vintage Naturalist” aesthetic. We are embracing the Scandi-style Christmas trend—filling our tree with edible Christmas tree decorations DIY projects that are sustainable, beautiful, and fully biodegradable.
Whether you want to create stained glass cookies for hanging or simple dried orange ornaments, this guide will show you exactly how to fill your tree with treats that won’t rot or attract pests.
Don’t forget to pin this post to your “Christmas Crafts” or “Holiday Recipes” board so you can find it easily when you’re ready to bake!
[Image-1: A stunning, mouth-watering photograph of a Christmas tree branch adorned with backlit stained glass cookies, translucent dried orange slices, and a cranberry popcorn garland, styled with soft twinkling lights.]
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🧣 The “Vintage Naturalist” Approach
Why go edible? Aside from the effortless beauty of cottagecore decor, these ornaments serve a double purpose. They are an activity and a decoration.
However, I know the struggle. You spend hours baking easy gingerbread ornaments, only for them to go soggy or fall off the ribbon three days later. The secret lies in removing moisture. We aren’t just baking; we are preserving.
Essential Kitchen Tools
To make these ornaments last the whole season, you need the right gear. Here are the tools I rely on in my kitchen:
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🧣 Tutorial 1: How to Make Dried Orange Ornaments 🍊
This is the backbone of dried fruit Christmas decor. The key here is “Low and Slow.”
- Selection: Choose thin-skinned oranges or blood oranges. They let the light shine through better than thick navel oranges.
- Slicing: Slice them 1/4 inch thick. Uniformity is key for even drying.
- The Blot: Lay slices on paper towels and press firmly to remove surface juice. This saves roughly 30 minutes of oven time!
- The Bake: Arrange on a wire rack (for airflow) or parchment paper. Bake at 200°F (95°C) for 3-4 hours. Flip them every hour.
[Image-2: A close-up process shot showing orange slices laid out on a baking sheet, half of them being blotted with a paper towel to show moisture removal.]
- Nancy’s Pro-Tip: You know they are done when they feel crispy and snap slightly when bent. If they are squishy, they will mold!
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🧣 Tutorial 2: Stained Glass Cookies for Hanging 🍪
These are the showstoppers. We are using a structural dough (no leavening agents like baking soda) so they keep their shape.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter (room temp)
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Hard Candies: Jolly Ranchers or Life Savers (crushed).
Instructions:
- Mix & Roll: Cream butter and sugar, add egg and vanilla, then flour. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut: Use your cookie cutters to cut shapes. Then, use a smaller cutter or knife to cut out the center.
- The Straw Trick: Before baking, use a plastic drinking straw to punch a hole at the top of the cookie for the ribbon. Wiggle it to make the hole slightly large (it shrinks during baking).
- Fill: Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet (Essential! Do not bake directly on the pan or the candy will stick). Fill the center hole with crushed hard candies.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 9-11 minutes until the cookie is golden and the candy has melted into a glass-like pane.
[Image-3: A top-down shot of unbaked cookie dough shapes on parchment paper, with crushed red and green hard candies filling the center cutouts.]
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🧣 Tutorial 3: The Old Fashioned Popcorn Garland 🍿
This is the ultimate kid-friendly holiday craft.
- Prep the Corn: Air-pop your popcorn the night before.
- The Stale Rule: Let the popcorn sit out uncovered overnight. Fresh popcorn is soft and breaks when you thread it. Stale popcorn is tough and holds the thread.
- Threading: Use a heavy-duty thread or fishing line. Alternate popcorn with fresh cranberries or dried bay leaves for color.
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🧣 25 Edible Ornament Ideas to Fill the Tree
We’ve covered the big three, but here is the full list to get your zero waste Christmas started!
- Dehydrated Orange Slices: (See tutorial above).
- Stained Glass Cookies: (See tutorial above).
- Popcorn & Cranberry Garland: A classic for a reason.
- Cinnamon Stick Bundles: Tie 3 sticks together with red twine (smells amazing).
- Dried Apple Rings: Use the same method as oranges; dust with cinnamon before drying.
- Gingerbread Men: Make them crisp and hang with gingham ribbon.
- Whole Walnuts: Spray paint gold (optional) or leave natural and glue a loop to the top.
- Star Anise: Glue these small fragrant stars onto orange slices or hang individually.
- Pretzel Wreaths: Dip pretzels in white chocolate and add sprinkles.
- Chocolate Dipped Fruit: Dip half a dried orange in dark chocolate (eat these within a week!).
- Rosemary Wreaths: Bend fresh rosemary sprigs into circles and tie with wire.
- Chili Peppers: Thread dried red chilies for a pop of color.
- Candy Canes: Hang them securely; they reflect light beautifully.
- Meringue Rings: Pipe stiff meringue into circles and bake until hard.
- Gumdrop Snowflakes: Use toothpicks to connect gumdrops into star shapes.
- Clove-Studded Oranges (Pomanders): Use small clementines so they aren’t too heavy for branches.
- Life Saver Garlands: Simply thread the candy onto a string!
- Bay Leaf Garland: Thread dried bay leaves for a minimalist, aromatic look.
- Marshmallow Snowmen: Stack three marshmallows on a skewer and draw faces with edible marker.
- Cookie Cutter Bird Feeders: Fill cutters with solidified suet and seeds (hang these near the window!).
- Pasta Angels: Glue varying shapes of dry pasta (rigatoni, farfalle) and spray paint gold.
- Peppermint Bark Shapes: Pour melted chocolate/peppermint into molds and drill a hole carefully when cold.
- Dried Lemon/Lime Slices: Adds different shades of yellow and green to the tree.
- Cereal Loops: Great for toddlers—thread fruit loops onto pipe cleaners.
- Salt Dough Ornaments: (Technically not for eating, but made of food ingredients!)
[Image-4: A flat-lay collection of various ornaments from the list above, including cinnamon bundles and star anise, displayed on a rustic wooden table.]
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How long do dried orange ornaments last?
If dehydrated correctly (until they snap), dried fruit Christmas decor can last for years! Store them in an airtight container with a silica gel packet to prevent moisture from creeping back in.
Will edible ornaments attract bugs?
It is possible, especially with sugary cookies. To prevent this, you can seal your cookies with a thin coat of egg white or clear hairspray (note: this makes them non-edible strictly for decor). For dried fruit and spices, bugs are rarely an issue.
What is the best icing for hanging cookies?
For edible Christmas tree decorations DIY, you need icing that dries rock hard. Royal Icing (made with meringue powder) is the gold standard. It acts like glue and won’t smudge.
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3. For Garland: Use day-old popcorn. Thread using a needle and fishing line, alternating with cranberries.
4. Assembly: Thread ribbon or twine through the dried items and hang!
