Pinecone scales close up when cold and wet, locking in bugs and dirt. Baking them will open up their scales to release anything trapped and create a nice full shaped cone. This is sure to fill your home with the most incredible holiday fragrance. It’s 100% all natural & toxin free (as long as your pine trees are pesticide free).
clean & bake
Hand pick any needles or leaves that may be stuck inside of the scales. Brush any dirt or debris off of the pinecones. Sometimes this can become very sticky depending on how sappy they have become. Remember if the cones become wet or damp the scales will close up and it makes them harder to clean.
Just bake at 200-225*
About an hour for larger cones and less for smaller ones.
I use an old cookie sheet lined in parchment paper.
tips
The sap will melt and leave an all natural shine to your cones. They can become brittle if baked too high for too long.
Do not leave them unattended, and monitor closely. Ensure sap does not leak onto your oven’s heating element and become a fire hazard.
When the sap has melted take your pan out of the oven. Remove the parchment paper lined with cones and place in an area to cool and dry for a few hours.
If you have store bought pinecones they most likely have already been debugged and are ready to craft with.
Happy Crafting!