This salt dough Thanksgiving handprint keepsake was inspired by our friends that celebrate Thanksgiving. (You can view our collection of keepsakes HERE.)

We made this keepsake last year, but never got around sharing it! But how cute is this Thanksgiving handprint keepsake?
You will need:
- 1 cup of flour(all purpose)
- 1 cup of salt(fine)
- about 1/2 cup of water
- paint/markers
- string
- photo
OR, just get this set, follow my instructions and paint it orange afterwards!
What to do:
Prepare your salt dough by mixing the flour, salt and water. It should be playdough-like in texture. Add more water if it is too dry or more flour if it is too sticky. Roll it out until about a centimeter thick, try to get a oval/circular shape, or just cut it into the desired shape.
Place on baking paper for easy transfer to the cookie sheet. Let your child press his/her hand in the middle of the shape, hard enough so that the indentation of the fingers can be seen. Use a circular cookie cutter or glass to make the whole in the middle of the palm. Press the wording ‘Give Thanks’ and the date with these Letter Cookie Stamps

Add to a cookie sheet. Then bake for about 3 hours on low. That is 70/80’C or 160’F for 3 hours or until dry and hard. Let it cool down for a good while. Tip: let it lie face down(handprint down) in case it needs a bit more drying at the back.

Once completely dry, paint or colour the handprint so that it resembles a turkey.
Add a photo to the back(you can use glue or sticky tape to attach the photo) and the string.
There you have a lovely Thanksgiving keepsake to treasure! You can varnish the keepsake if you are scared it will crumble(which never happened with us, but could happen in high humid areas).

Thanksgiving Handprint Keepsake

Salt dough keepsake in the shape of a turkey, to be used as a cute photo frame!
Materials
- 1 cup of flour(all purpose)
- 1 cup of salt(fine)
- 1/2 cup of water
- paints
- string
Tools
- child's handprint
- oven
- round glass/cookie cutter
- cookie stamps
- photo
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt.
- Add the water and mix well.
- Roll out the dough to 1 cm thick.
- Form the shape(oval or circular).
- Press the hand so that the imprint is clear.
- Use the glass/cookie cutter to make circle for the photo.
- Add the date with the cookie stamps and other words.
- Add holes for the string.
- Bake the keepsake for 3 hours at low heat(80'C or 160'F).
- Take out of the oven, turn upside down and leave overnight to cool.
- Add the photo(attaching it to the back and covered up with cardboard with strong glue).
- Add the string.
- Paint.
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Nadia van Zyl says
Makes around two keepsakes if hands are small.
Mandy says
Is the salt dough recipe per each kid craft or does it make more than one?
Nadia van Zyl says
One big-ish hand, two small hands
Gloria says
How baby do you typically get from one batch? Thanks!
Nadia van Zyl says
Yes, it will be fine. If you have time, it can air dry too, just takes a few days and you must turn it over after a few days to allow the back to air dry too
Jay says
This is amazing! Would I be able to take this at home and bake it? I will be doing this with my students but we don’t have a an oven at the school. It will be sitting for a while until I get out of work. Is that possible? Thank you!
Nadia van Zyl says
Glue, sticky tape or dots.
Priscilla says
How do you stick the photo to the keepsake?