How to Make Dough Bird Seed Wreaths

Dough bird seed wreaths are a decorative and interesting way to attract birds to your yard, and they make a great craft project at any time of the year. The wreaths can be made with frozen bread dough, bird seed and a few hours of baking. The dough wreath is then hung from a tree branch using a metal wire baked into the wreath, where you and the birds can enjoy it.

Things You'll Need

• Frozen bread dough
• Flour
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Cooking oil
• Custard cup
• Baking pan
• Towel
• Metal wire
• Pastry brush
• Bird seed
• Corn syrup

Instructions

1. Allow 3 lbs. of frozen bread dough to thaw in the refrigerator. Use a small amount of flour to cover the cutting board and your hands to prevent the dough from sticking. Knead the dough into one large, smooth ball.

2. Divide the ball in half and place one piece in the freezer. Divide the other half into three equal sections. Roll each of the three pieces into rope shapes, 2 feet long. Loosely braid the three pieces of rope together.

3. Apply cooking oil to the outside of a 6-oz. ovenproof custard cup. Oil a large baking pan, and then place the custard cup upside down onto the center of the pan. Form a ring with the braided dough surrounding the custard cup on the baking pan.

4. Pinch the ends of the braided dough together to form one large dough wreath. Cover the wreath, custard cup and baking pan with a large, damp towel and allow the dough to rise for about 40 minutes.

5. Wrap the metal wire around a section of the wreath. Leave a long portion loose to hang the wreath from a tree. Bake the wreath in an oven at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes.

6. Sprinkle 1 cup of bird seed onto a clean baking pan. Bring 2 cups of corn syrup to a boil, and allow it to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and brush the corn syrup onto the surface of the wreath.

7. Place the wreath onto the seeded baking pan. Sprinkle more bird seed over any uncovered portions of the wreath. Allow the wreath to dry at room temperature for 2 to 3 days before hanging.

Tips & Warnings

• Use different kinds of bird seed to attract a variety of birds to your yard.

• Do not eat the bird seed wreath. It is created and intended only for feeding birds.