Are you looking for a last-minute gift idea for a dog or dog owner? Homemade dog treats for Christmas are a unique way to show that you care while providing a handmade gift that both dog and owner are sure to love.
Homemade dog treats also make for a very thoughtful and inexpensive present for the dog or dog owner on your list. They're simple to make, and you can cater them to any dog's nutritional needs.
Instead of purchasing a generic gift, homemade treats are something that you’re making all on your own. You’re creating something from scratch – taking your time and energy to make a gift that you know the recipient will appreciate.
If you are planning to give these (or any) treats to a dog that is not yours, be sure that you check with the owner to make sure the dog doesn’t have any food allergies. If you want the gift to be a surprise, simply attach a note with the list of ingredients to the treats so the owner can check for themselves.
Dog Treats for Christmas Recipe
Personally, I like to make some of these treats, put them in cute Christmas tins, and bring them to holiday parties where I know the hosts are dog owners.
You should keep the treats small so they can be used for any size dog. I like to use a fun mini dog cookie cutter to consistently get equal treat sizes and shapes.
I will also include a copy of the recipe with these treats. This is not only so the owners I'm gifting this to can make them by themselves later but also so they can see all the ingredients.
PrintRecipe: Dog Treats for Christmas
I use whole wheat flour in my recipe, but if your dog has allergies you could use coconut flour, almond flour, chickpea flour or quinoa flour instead.
You could also substitute canned pumpkin or mashed banana for the applesauce.
You may think raw honey has too much sugar, but the small amount in this recipe won't be a problem for your dog. It also offers numerous health benefits that are worth the small amount of added sugar.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: about 72 treats 1x
- Category: Baked Treats
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: Dog Treats
Ingredients
Treats
- 1 ⅛ cup self rising, whole wheat flour
- ⅛ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- ⅙ cup water
Icing & Decorations
- ¼ low-fat Greek yogurt
- ½ tsp honey
- dried cranberries
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375˚ F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and set it aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and oats. In a separate bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, honey, applesauce and water.
Add both mixtures together and mix until it forms a stiff dough. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/4″ thick.
Cut the dough with cookie cutters and place these dog treats for Christmas on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet. You can also use a pizza cutter or butter knife to cut the dough into small pieces.
Bake the treats for 15-18 minutes until they begin to turn golden brown. Allow them to cool completely before decorating.
If you choose to, you can put icing on the cookies. Drizzle icing over the cookies or use the icing to draw designs.
To make the icing, combine the yogurt and honey in a mixing bowl. Use a small piping bag or a plastic storage bag, like I do in the video above.
I just cut a small piece off of one corner of the bag, and use it as a DIY piping bag. As you can see in my photos, I use dehydrated cranberries to decorate the cookies after icing them.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 treat
- Calories: 18
- Sugar: 1.9 g
- Sodium: 4 mg
- Fat: .4 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.3 g
- Fiber: .1 g
- Protein: .4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
How to store: Store leftover dog treats for Christmas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 12-14 days. Remember that homemade treats do not have the preservatives that store-bought products do.
They will not last as long. If you'd like, you can freeze these treats in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
For More Information
We publish many homemade dog food and treat recipes every month. For more recipes, pet food cooking tips, and advice, see our “Recipes” section. If you're new to the home-cooked dog food world, I recommend you read more about “How Much To Feed” to understand serving sizes, “What Supplements To Use” to create well-balanced meals, and “How To Store” for tips on simple and easy homemade dog food storing in a fridge or a freezer.
