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How to Make The Best Birdseed Ornaments Recipe

One of our favorite ways to support our feathered friends in the winter months is by making homemade birdseed ornaments. They are so fun to make and are a great project to put together with the help of kids of all ages. You can easily make it a family event! A wide variety of birds enjoy the ornaments, which makes them a great gift to give to your feathered friends and fellow bird lovers too.

What do you use to make birdseed ornaments?

The best part about this birdseed ornament recipe is the simple ingredients list. Unlike other crafts for birds that involve messy peanut butter, corn syrup, or vegetable fat, this project uses just one bowl and comes together quickly and easily. All you need to get started is wild birdseed mixture, powdered gelatin, cooking spray, a cup of cold and hot water, a baking sheet, your favorite cookie cutters, twine, and a small piece of parchment paper, and that’s it for this easy project.

What Alternatives and Substitutions Can I Use?

Corn Syrup: Although this recipe does not include corn syrup, many others you will find do. It’s often used as an added binder and as not a necessary ingredient, which is why it’s not included in this recipe. Honey should not be used as a sweetener substitution for bird products.

Geltaine: You can replace the gelatin in this receipt with 1 1/2 tablespoons of Agar Powder as long as you are making the ornaments when the temperature won’t exceed 50 degrees F.

Hollow Orange Skins: Instead of fussing with cookie cutters, use hollowed-out orange skin halves. Use a skewer to punch a hole into either side of the orange skin cup to thread natural twine through to hang. A great way to make the project even simpler.

Coconut Oil: If you choose to use the hollowed-out orange cup instead of the cookie cutter, you can replace the gelatine with coconut oil. The oil will remain solid as long as the temperatures remain below 50 degrees F.

What is the best time of year to make birdseed ornaments?

Winter is the best time of year to create homemade bird seed ornaments. Between the holiday season and the first signs of spring, there isn’t an abundance of food available to backyard birds. The finished ornaments help birds through the cold winter months, while also being a charming and wonderful gift for any bird lover.

Bird Seed Ornament Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups of Wild Birdseed

1/2 cup of Powdered Unflavored Gelatin 

I cup of Cold Water

1 cup of Boiling water

Nonstick Spray

Bird Seet Ornament Tools:

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Medium Bowl

Cookie Cutters

Cookie Sheet

Parchment Paper

Spatula

Twine

Scissors

Straws or Chop Sticks (to make holes in the ornaments)

The Simple Steps to Make The Bird Seed Ornament Recipe

Step 1: Fill a teapot with water and bring it to a boil.

Step 2: While the water boils, In a large mixing bowl, combine the gelatin and the cold water. Stir to combine. Some lumps will remain.

Step 3: Add the boiling water and continue to mix until the gelatin melts. No lumps will remain.

Step 4.: Add one cup of birdseed to the water and gelatin mixture at a time. Stir to mix the ingredients well to ensure the gelatine coats all of the seeds.

Step 5: Set the cookie cutters on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Fill each cookie cutter about 2/3 full with the birdseed mixture.

Step 6: Press the mixture down into the cookie cutters with your fingertips or the back of a spoon. Add more seed mixture to keep the cookie cutters 2/3 full.

Step 7: With a straw or the tip of a chopstick, widdle a hole into each ornament for the twine. Make sure to include the hole in the thick edge of the ornament.

Step 8: Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for a few hours until they harden or overnight. Once they have set, gently remove the ornaments from the cookie cutters.

Step 9: Thread the twine through the holes and hang them on tree branches in your yard.

How to Use Your Bird Seed Ornaments

Once your birdseed ornaments have solidified and you’ve removed them from the cookie cutters and added the piece of twine, hang them from the tree branches in your own backyard for the wild birds to enjoy. Watch as all kinds of birds frolic in your garden.

How to Store & Can I Freeze the Birdseed Ornaments?

You can keep the ornaments in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. They will last at room temperature that is 50 degrees F or higher they will keep for up to 7 days. You can freeze the ornaments in a freezer-proof container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Remove the ornaments from the freezer and allow them t thaw in the refrigerator before hanging them up for the birds to enjoy.

Gifting

This fun craft makes a great gift. Consider giving the completed ornaments as tokens of affection for Valentine’s Day or as unique holiday gifts. Instead of gifting a soup mix, gift a bird seed ornament mix with instructions on how to craft the ornaments themselves. Just print the recipe card as part of this article.

The Best Birdseed Ornament Recipe

The Best Birdseed Ornament Recipe

Yield: 6+
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 5 minutes

Share your love and care with your bird friends this winter when you make birdseed ornaments. You only need a few simple ingredients to create these simple and sweet treats for your feathered friends. Making birdseed ornaments is a wonderful way to celebrate the midwinter months while remembering that the energy and liveliness of spring is just around the corner.

Instructions

  1. Fill a teapot with water and bring it to a boil.
  2. While the water boils, In a large mixing bowl, combine the gelatin and the cold water. Stir to combine. Some lumps will remain.
  3. Add the boiling water and continue to mix until the gelatin melts. No lumps will remain.
  4. Add one cup of birdseed to the water and gelatin mixture at a time. Stir to mix the ingredients well to ensure the gelatine coats all of the seeds.
  5. Set the cookie cutters on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Fill each cookie cutter about 2/3 full with the birdseed mixture.
  6. Press the mixture down into the cookie cutters with your fingertips or the back of a spoon. Add more seed mixture to keep the cookie cutters 2/3 full.
  7. With a straw or the tip of a chopstick, widdle a hole into each ornament for the twine. Make sure to include the hole in the thick edge of the ornament.
  8. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for a few hours until they harden or overnight. Once they have set, gently remove the ornaments from the cookie cutters.
  9. Thread the twine through the holes and hang them on tree branches in your yard.

Notes

1. Consider using silicone cookie cutters or molds for easier ornament removal.

2. Although this is a gelatin-based recipe, you can try replacing the gelatin with coconut oil. The coconut oil will become soil in the refrigerator but will liquefy in warm weather.

3. Instead of using packaged wild birdseed, you can replace the seed with raw sunflower seeds or other raw and unsalted nuts instead.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 80Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 53mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 9g

This recipe is for a craft and is not intended for human consumption.

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