Homemade Christmas dog treats aren’t just something special to spoil your dog with over the holidays. They’re also a great gift idea. Making these Christmas cookies for dogs could even be a fun new family tradition.
Personally, I like to make some of these treats, put them in a cute Christmas tin or gift bag and bring them to holiday parties where I know the hosts are dog owners. If you do that, touch base with the owners to account for any food allergies or make sure to include a list of all ingredients used. Not only will that allow the owner to see the ingredients, but they will also be able to recreate the treats on their own.
We all love sharing the holidays with our pets, and these Christmas cookies for dogs is a healthy way to do just that. You don’t want to share fatty, processed human foods with your pet, and giving your dog the bone from your Christmas ham is dangerous. These homemade treats offer a healthy way to celebrate the season with your canine companion.
Christmas Cookies for Dogs Recipe
I use unbleached 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 instead. You may think raw honey has too much sugar, but the small amount in this recipe won’t be a problem for your dog. Raw honey offers numerous health benefits that are worth that the small amount of added sugar.
Recipe: Christmas Cookies for Dogs
These Christmas cookies for dogs would make a great treat for any pup. As I mentioned, if your dog has food allergies, you can make substitutions to meet his needs. Just be sure to cut the treats to an appropriate size for your dog, so as not to add too many extra calories to the dog’s diet.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: about 48 cookies 1x
- Category: Baked Treats
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dog Treats
- ½ cup sweet potato (cooked)
- ¾ cup unbleached flour
- ¼ cup quick oats
- 1 Tablespoon raw honey
- 1 large egg
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it off to the side.
You can boil, steam or bake the sweet potato. Just be sure that you are only using 100% sweet potato. Do not add any milk, sugar or unnecessary ingredients.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the cooked sweet potato, flour, quick oats and honey. Stir until well combined. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured working surface until it’s about 1/4-inch thick.
Use any desired cookie cutters to make shapes. Place the cookie cutouts on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you want to, you can lightly brush the tops of cutouts with beaten egg wash to give them a more golden brown look when cooked.
Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 treat
- Calories: 13
- Sugar: .5 grams
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Fat: .2 grams
- Carbohydrates: 2.6 grams
- Fiber: .2 grams
- Protein: .4 grams
- Cholesterol: 4 mg
How to store: Store leftover Christmas cookies for dogs 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.