Homemade Christmas Dog Treats: 6 Easy, Dog Safe Recipes for the Holidays
Homemade Christmas Dog Treats: 6 Easy, Dog Safe Recipes for the Holidays
Holiday baking is one of the best parts of the season, and your dog deserves a batch of their own. Homemade dog treats are simple, fun to make and a lovely way to include your pup in the festivities.
These six easy Christmas dog treat recipes use simple, dog safe ingredients you probably already have. We also cover ingredients to avoid, how many treats to give, how to store them and how to package them as gifts for the dog lovers in your life. If your dog has allergies or a health condition, check with your vet before trying new foods.
What ingredients are safe in homemade dog treats?
Good basic ingredients include oat flour or rolled oats, whole wheat or brown rice flour, eggs, plain canned pumpkin, plain unsweetened applesauce, mashed banana, grated carrot, sweet potato and plain unsweetened yogurt.
Peanut butter is a dog favorite, but always check the label. Choose a natural peanut butter with no xylitol, which may be listed as birch sugar, and ideally no added salt or sugar.
For dogs with wheat sensitivity, swap whole wheat flour for oat flour or brown rice flour. You can make oat flour by blending rolled oats until fine.
Keep it simple. Fewer ingredients make it easier to spot any food that does not agree with your dog.
What ingredients should I never use in dog treats?
Never use chocolate, cocoa, raisins, grapes, currants, macadamia nuts, xylitol or other artificial sweeteners, onion, garlic, chives or alcohol. These can be toxic to dogs.
Skip nutmeg and spice blends like pumpkin pie spice that contain it. Avoid caffeine, raw yeast dough and large amounts of salt, butter or sugar.
Be careful with dairy and fat. Some dogs have trouble digesting milk or rich foods. Plain yogurt in small amounts is fine for most dogs, but cream cheese frostings and butter heavy recipes are not ideal.
See our guide to holiday foods dogs can and can’t eat for a full list of risky foods.
Recipe 1: Pumpkin peanut butter Christmas biscuits
You need: 2 1/2 cups oat or whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup plain canned pumpkin, 1/4 cup xylitol free peanut butter, 2 eggs and a little water as needed.
Method: heat the oven to 350°F. Mix everything into a stiff dough, adding a spoonful of water at a time if it is too dry. Roll to about 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface and cut into stars, trees or bone shapes.
Bake on a lined tray for 20 to 25 minutes until firm and lightly golden. Turn the oven off and leave the biscuits inside for an hour for extra crunch.
Makes about 30 small biscuits. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks or freeze for up to three months.
Recipe 2: Apple carrot cookies
You need: 2 cups oat flour, 1 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 cup finely grated carrot and 1 egg.
Method: heat the oven to 350°F. Mix all the ingredients into a soft dough. Scoop tablespoon sized balls onto a lined tray and flatten each one with a fork.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until firm. Let them cool completely before serving.
These soft cookies are a good choice for older dogs or dogs who prefer chewy treats. Store them in the fridge for up to a week.
Recipe 3: Frozen yogurt banana bites
You need: 1 cup plain unsweetened yogurt, 1 ripe banana and 2 tablespoons xylitol free peanut butter.
Method: blend everything until smooth. Spoon into silicone molds or an ice cube tray. Star and snowflake molds make them extra festive.
Freeze for at least four hours, then pop the bites out and store them in a freezer bag for up to two months.
Frozen treats are great for keeping dogs busy and calm during holiday parties. Serve one or two at a time on a mat or outdoors.
Recipe 4: Sweet potato chews
You need: 2 medium sweet potatoes. That is it.
Method: heat the oven to 250°F. Wash the sweet potatoes and slice them into 1/4 inch rounds or long strips. Lay them on a lined tray in a single layer.
Bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, flipping halfway, until dry and leathery. Thinner slices will be crispier. Cool completely.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Supervise chewing, and choose a size that suits your dog.
Recipe 5: Turkey and rice bites
You need: 1 cup cooked plain ground turkey, 1 cup cooked plain rice, 1 egg and 1/4 cup oat flour. Use turkey cooked with no salt, onion or seasoning.
Method: heat the oven to 350°F. Mix everything together and roll into small balls about the size of a marble for small dogs or a cherry for larger dogs.
Bake on a lined tray for 15 to 18 minutes until firm and cooked through. Cool before serving.
These savory bites are high value treats for training. Keep them in the fridge for up to four days or freeze for up to two months.
Recipe 6: Candy cane shaped banana oat treats
You need: 1 ripe banana, 1 1/2 cups oat flour, 1 egg and 2 tablespoons xylitol free peanut butter. Optional: a little plain beet juice to color half the dough red.
Method: heat the oven to 350°F. Mix into a dough and divide it in half. Color one half with a few drops of beet juice. Roll each half into thin ropes, twist one red and one plain together and bend into candy cane shapes.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until firm. Cool on a rack.
Beet juice is a natural, dog safe coloring. Skip food dyes and icing sugar, and never use real candy canes, which can contain xylitol.
What are the best tips for baking dog treats?
Roll dough evenly so every treat bakes at the same rate. Two wooden spoons on either side of the dough make an easy thickness guide.
Bake longer and lower for crunch. Hard, dry biscuits last longer and are less likely to mold. Leaving them in a cooling oven helps remove extra moisture.
Size treats for your dog. Small dogs need tiny treats, about the size of a fingernail for training. Big dogs can have larger biscuits, but watch that they chew rather than gulp.
Keep a separate set of cookie cutters and trays for dog baking if you like, and label containers clearly so no one mistakes dog biscuits for people cookies, or the other way around.
How many homemade treats can my dog have?
Treats should make up no more than about 10 percent of your dog’s daily calories. For a small dog, that might be one or two small biscuits a day. Larger dogs can have a few more.
Introduce new treats slowly. Start with one small piece and watch for stomach upset over the next day before offering more.
Adjust meals on heavy treat days. If your dog gets extra treats during the holidays, reduce their regular food slightly to balance it out.
Ask your vet before giving homemade treats to dogs on prescription diets or with conditions like pancreatitis, diabetes, kidney disease or food allergies.
How should I store homemade dog treats?
Homemade treats do not contain preservatives, so they spoil faster than store bought treats. Let them cool completely before storing to prevent moisture and mold.
Crunchy biscuits keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, in the fridge for up to two weeks and in the freezer for up to three months.
Soft and meat based treats should go in the fridge and be used within a few days, or frozen.
Label containers with the date and throw out any treats that smell off, look moldy or have changed texture.
How do I give homemade dog treats as gifts?
Homemade dog treats make thoughtful gifts for friends, neighbors, dog walkers, groomers and anyone with a dog in their life.
Package them festively in mason jars, kraft paper bags or tins with a bow on the outside. Avoid loose ribbon and string inside the package, which dogs can swallow.
Always include an ingredient label. Some dogs have allergies, and owners will want to know exactly what is inside. Add the date and storage instructions.
Pair your treats with a Happy Yay bandana for a gift the whole family will love.
Can kids help make dog treats?
Yes. Dog treats are a great baking project for kids, since the ingredients are simple and there is no raw sugar or chocolate to resist.
Give kids safe jobs like mixing, rolling dough, choosing cookie cutter shapes and decorating jars. An adult should handle the oven.
Teach kids which foods are safe for dogs. It is a good moment to explain why chocolate, grapes and some other foods are never shared with the dog.
Let kids give the first treat to the dog with a sit and a gentle hand. It is a sweet holiday tradition.
- Keep ingredients simple and check every label for xylitol.
- Plain pumpkin, peanut butter, oats and eggs make a reliable base.
- Skip chocolate, raisins, nutmeg and sweeteners, even in tiny amounts.
- Treats are extras. Keep them to about 10 percent of daily calories.
- Homemade treats make great gifts in a jar with an ingredient label.
Bake a little joy
Homemade dog treats are a simple way to share the holiday spirit with your pup. Keep the ingredients simple and safe, the portions small and the fun big.
From all of us at Happy Yay, happy baking and happy tail wags.
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Frequently asked questions
What can I put in homemade dog treats?
Safe basics include oat or whole wheat flour, eggs, plain canned pumpkin, xylitol free peanut butter, banana, unsweetened applesauce, carrot, sweet potato and plain yogurt.
Is peanut butter safe for dogs?
Plain peanut butter without xylitol is safe for most dogs in small amounts. Always check the label for xylitol, which may be called birch sugar.
Can dogs eat cinnamon or nutmeg?
Skip nutmeg completely, since it can be harmful to dogs. Cinnamon is not considered toxic in small amounts, but it is not needed and can irritate some dogs, so most recipes leave it out.
How long do homemade dog treats last?
Crunchy biscuits last up to two weeks in the fridge and three months in the freezer. Soft or meat based treats last a few days in the fridge.
How many homemade treats can I give my dog?
Keep all treats to about 10 percent of your dog’s daily calories. For most dogs, that means a few small treats a day.
Can I use regular flour for dog treats?
Whole wheat, oat and brown rice flour are common choices. Use oat or rice flour if your dog is sensitive to wheat.
Can I color dog treats for Christmas?
Use natural colors like a little beet juice for red or spinach puree for green. Skip artificial food dyes and sugary icing.