Last Updated
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine.
Unique, handmade ornaments are truly a special thing. Whether you receive one as a gift, or make it yourself, homemade ornaments are a symbol of the memories we create each year during the holidays.
Each year, I like to make a few new ornaments. I saw this tutorial over at Hello Homebody, and had to give it a try. However, it got me wondering about using candies other than peppermints. I love the peppermints, but I like variety. I was hoping that I could create a stained glass look with other types of hard candy.
So, I headed over to Dollar General to pick up some of their Sweet Smiles hard candy and their DG Party ribbon since I already had everything else we needed. I love the great prices at Dollar General, although I have to say I was surprised the first time I walked in there. It’s not your standard dollar store – it’s more of a general store with good prices.
They had everything I needed, so I was excited to head back home and give the project a try!
Supplies
- Sweet Smiles Hard Candy (I used Hostess Mix and Peppermint Twists)
- Cooking Spray
- Metal Cookie Cutters
- Cookie Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Toothpick
- DG Party Tinsel Ribbon
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 325 F.
- Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Spray your cookie cutters with oil, then lay them out on the pan. It’s best to choose shapes that are on the simpler side. More complex shapes are more likely to break.
- Arrange your candy in the cookie cutters. I recommend doing only one type of candy per pan. The different types of candy we used melted at different rates.
- Place the pan in the oven for 3 minutes, then check every minute until the candies are melted together. You’ll want to remove the pan as soon as all of the candies have melted together for the best looking ornaments. If you leave the candy in the oven for too long, the candy will bubble and the colors in the peppermint will run.
- After removing the pan from the oven, allow the candies to cool just slightly then use an oiled toothpick to create a hole at the top for the ribbon. Make sure it’s big enough to thread a ribbon through.
- Once the ornaments are mostly cool, pull the edges of the cookie cutters to the side to loosen them and lay them out.
- Thread a ribbon through each ornament, then add to your Christmas tree.
- I like placing the ones made with the colored hard candy right next to a light because it does look somewhat like stained glass!
I have read on other similar posts that people have had trouble getting candies to melt. The Sweet Smiles Hard Candies and Peppermints from Dollar General melted great!
Learn more about Dollar General Brands! For more information, be sure to check out Dollar General on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
