DIY Pine Cone Christmas Tree

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Square feature photo of a Christmas tree made from different varieties of pine cones decorated with red berries.

Learn how to make a beautiful Christmas tree out of pine cones!

This rustic pine cone Christmas tree is easy to make and pretty much free if you have a pine tree in your yard.

Sadly my older pine trees don’t produce good pine cones so I bought a big bag of them for $2 at our local antique store. I know that sounds like a strange place to find pine cones, but that’s where I got them.

They were dried and ready to go and I had just enough pine cones to make this craft and one other…check out Rustic Acorn Craft for Fall. If you need to dry fresh pine cones, read below for instructions.

So let’s get started and I’ll step you through how to make a Pine Cone Christmas Tree!

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Pine cones on a cookie sheet for drying in the oven.

dry, Debug, and open fresh pine cones by baking them in a 200°F Oven on a foil-lined cookie sheet for 30-minutes or until fully opened and sap is melted.

–> FOR MORE DETAILS ON DRYING PINE CONES VISIT TIPNUT.COM

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Supplies

  • Pine cones
  • Corrugate cardboard
  • Clear packing tape
  • Scissors
  • Garden sheers
  • Red foam holly berries
  • Hot glue gun

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Closeup of five ruler box magnets made from vintage yardsticks filled with holiday miniatures on a round decorative silver metal platter hanging on a dark green wood wall. Clockwise: Magnet 1features a miniature pink deer, candy cane and red glitter pinecone, Magnet 2 had a mini red santa mailbox next to a snow flocked green brush tree, Magnet 3 had a mint green deer miniature with a white bottle brush tree with red, blue and yellow ornaments on it, Magnet 4 has a red truck with a white bottle brush tree in the back, a candy cane and red glitter pinecone, Magnet 5 has a red oil lamp miniature with a bow and red berries on it next to a green bottle brush tree flocked with snow.

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How to Make a Pine Cone Christmas Tree

First, you’ll need to make a cone out of cardboard. This will be the base of the tree.

The cardboard cone I made measures 11 inches tall x 4.25 inches wide at the base. Make your cone any height and width you like– just remember, your final tree will be larger once all the pine cones are on.

My completed tree is 12 inches tall and is 7.5 inches wide at the base.

First you'll need to make a cone out of cardboard and packing tape. This will be the base that you will hot glue pine cones to.
Made a cone out of cardboard as a base.

Gluing the Pine Cones

Hot glue pine cones to your cardboard cone starting at the bottom and work your way up. I used some whole pine cones at the bottom of mine and cut pine cones into smaller pieces as I moved up the tree. Below are tips on how to cut them.

Hot glue pine cones to your cardboard cone starting at the bottom, work your way up. I used some whole pine cones at the bottom of mine and cut pine cones into smaller pieces as I moved up the tree. Below are tips on how to cut them.
Start at the base and work your way up!

Cutting the Pine Cones

The Round Variety — I’m sure these have a name! I found these pine cones to be very tough, some prickly and they had to be cut with garden sheers.

The Round Variety -- I'm sure these have a name! I found these pine cones to be very tough, some prickly and they had to be cut with garden sheers.
Use garden sheers to cut tough pine cones.

Long Pine Cones — I figured out that I could just twist pieces off of the longer pine cones with my hands. Some of mine were so dry they crumbled. Don’t throw crumbled pine cones away, save the pieces to fill in any gaps at the end.

Long Pine Cones -- I figured out that I could just twist pieces off of the longer pine cones with my hands. Some of mine were so dry they crumbled. Don't throw crumbled pine cones away, save the pieces to fill in any gaps at the end.
Twist to separate pieces from the longer pine cones.

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Photo of a finished rustic snowflake painted in a white wash that was made from wood shims. Shown on an old wood chair with pinecones and birch logs in the foreground.

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Finish and Decorate

When finished, use small pine cone pieces to fill in any gaps. Then hot glue some foam holly berries onto your tree to decorate.

When finished, use small pine cone pieces to fill in any gaps. Then hot glue some foam holly berries onto your tree to decorate.
Hot glue pine cone pieces to fill any gaps.
DIY Pine Cone Christmas Tree PIN1 - Pinterest Pin to share.

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Photo showing a glimpse of four out of ten upcycled Christmas decor ideas.

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This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Tiffany Dickerson September 27, 2024 Reply

    I got inspired from your post. Just completed my tree and only burned myself once. It was a learning experience

    1. Dawn Stewart September 28, 2024 Reply

      That’s awesome! I’m sure it came out beautiful. I love hot glue but I still burn myself even using finger protectors 🙁

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