Christmas Dog Treats Recipe - Spoiled Hounds (2024)

It’s that time of year and these Christmas dog treats are great for the holiday season. Dog lovers have the perfect excuse for baking a show-stopping and yummy treat to share with family dogs and furry friends.

These homemade dog treats smell amazing as they bake because they are basically gingerbread dog treats. Your best friend is going to be begging for them before they are even finished!

What’s great is how nutritious these are for your pet. When you are looking for the best recipe for dog Christmas treats, look no further!

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The Best Things About These Homemade Christmas Dog Treats

This easy recipe is a great way to save money! These festive dog treats are less expensive than store-bought. They are a natural treat with simple ingredients with no artificial colors or preservatives.

You can download and print the Christmas dog treats recipe with the printable card at the bottom of this post. First, I have some helpful tips and information that will make you love these holiday dog cookies even more!

Recipe Ingredients

The entire list of ingredients, quantities of each, and the step-by-step directions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. First, I want to share some additional information about the ingredients I used in the best dog Christmas cookies you’ll ever make.

Here’s a list of what you need. If you want to make organic dog treats, you will need to use organic ingredients.

• Oatmeal – Oatmeal helps regulate your dog’s blood sugar. It’s also high in soluble fiber, which is wonderful for their digestion.
• Whole Wheat Flour – It’s always best to use whole wheat flour when you can. It has more nutrients and fiber.
• Egg – This binds all the ingredients together.
• Coconut Oil – Coconut oil provides healthy fats for your dog’s body and brain.
• Water – You need just enough water to moisten the batter.
• Cinnamon – Cinnamon is safe for dogs in small amounts, like to flavor these treats.
• Ginger – This herb is wonderful for dogs who have upset stomachs.
• Tapioca Starch – Tapioca starch is a low-calorie way to add bulk to the treats.
• Greek Yogurt – Greek yogurt has more protein than traditional yogurt. It’s also thicker and has a richer flavor.
• Beet Powder or Spirulina Powder – to color the icing red or green. See other options below.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

When you make these dog treats for Christmas, here are a few notes to keep in mind.

Do not use nutmeg in these treats. Nutmeg is toxic to dogs.

If you want to use a different type of flour, take a look at this guide to the best flours to use in dog treats.

You can substitute tapioca starch in the icing with cornstarch, rice flour, or potato flour.

Instead of using red beet powder or spirulina powder to color the icing, here are some options:

• Strawberry or cherry juice for red
• Spinach or parsley juice for green
• Natural food coloring. Just make sure it is safe for dogs.

You may have to play around with the icing’s consistency based on which option you choose to use for coloring it.

This recipe makes 12 to 14 treats using a large 3-inch cookie cutter. I used paw print and snowflake cookie cutters.

About the Cinnamon and Ginger Spices for Dogs

Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties great for arthritic senior dogs or ones with muscle soreness. It helps improve cognitive functions because it’s antioxidant-rich. A small amount will help regulate blood sugar and lower insulin resistance (1/8 teaspoon for every 15 pounds of your dog’s weight).

Additionally, a Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances study revealed cinnamon has a protective effect on the performance of a dog’s heart.

Cinnamon is one of the safe spices dogs can eat. So treats with cinnamon are great for your dog. Cinnamon also adds a tasty kick to the treats.

Ginger also has antioxidants that fight free radicals and anti-inflammatory properties. It can prevent car sickness and help with gastrointestinal problems. Ginger has anti-fungal and anti-viral properties that help boost a dog’s immune system.

Learn more about ginger and dogs and you’ll see how great these Christmas gingerbread dog treats are for your spoiled hound.

Both cinnamon and ginger have great health benefits for dogs. So give your furry friend some healthy dog treats for Christmas.

Serving Size

How many holiday dog treats should you give your dog? That depends on what else they ate that day because you need to consider their entire calorie intake.

It also depends on your dog’s size. Small pets require fewer calories than larger ones. Maintaining a dog’s healthy weight is very important. Keep that in mind when feeding your dog treats in addition to their dog food.

Also, dogs shouldn’t eat too many carbs, even healthy ones from oatmeal and whole wheat flour. For this reason, I suggest only giving your spoiled hound one treat per day.

Equipment Needed

While you may have most of the kitchen items you need to make these Christmas cookies for dogs, here’s a list just in case. You can use any regular cookie cutters but dog paw and Christmas shapes give make festive treats.

• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Mixing Bowls
• Hand Mixer
• Mixing Spoon or Whisk
• Rolling Pin
• Dog Paw Print Cookie Cutter
• Christmas Cookie Cutters
• Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat

How to Make Christmas Dog Treats

These are the recipe steps and photos of the process for making the dog holiday treats. I hope they help you make this healthy dog treats recipe!

You can scroll down to the bottom of this article for a printable recipe card.

1. Place the oatmeal in a blender and pulse until it becomes flour.
2. Put the oat flour, whole wheat flour, egg, coconut oil, water, cinnamon, and ginger in a large bowl.

3. Use a mixer to mix all the ingredients together until well combined. You may need to use your hands to get everything well combined.

4. Place the dough on a flat work surface.

5. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to ¼ to ½-inch thickness, according to your preference.

6. Use cookie cutters of your choice to cut out the dog treats. Place the cutouts on a non-stick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. You can also use a greased pan if you do not have a non-stick one or any parchment paper.

7. Bake at 350 degrees farenheit for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.
8. Place the baked treats on a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Place the icing ingredients in a small bowl.

10. Stir or whisk until well blended.

11. Use a piping bag and tip for decorating dog treats with icing.
12. Place the decorated treats on a tray in a single layer. Put them in the refrigerator uncovered to allow the icing to dry and set.

How to Store Decorated Christmas Dog Treats

Store these decorated dog treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator since the icing is made with yogurt. Place wax paper between the treats to help prevent the icing from smearing.

The icing will not harden like royal icing so be careful when packing the treats, especially if giving them as a homemade gift. And for a storage tip, placing them in individual plastic bags such as cellophane cookie bags is a great idea.

Dog Treats for Christmas Gifts

These homemade dog treats make great gifts for dog owners. You can put them in dog advent calendars or under the Christmas tree. How better the celebrate the festive season than with perfect gifts for dogs wrapped up in a box with a cute ribbon?

Just keep the gift box in the fridge until giving it to someone. Make sure they know to keep it refrigerated so the yogurt icing doesn’t spoil.

Check out these Santa Dog Toys for more Christmas gifts for dogs.

How long do homemade baked dog treats last?

These homemade Christmas-themed dog treats will last anywhere from a couple of days to a week or so when stored in a sealed container in the fridge. It also depends on the number of dogs you have, how many treats you give them, and how often.

Can humans eat these Christmas treats for dogs?

Why yes, they sure can! Everything in these Christmas dog cookies is human-grade ingredients. Although folks probably won’t like them since they are gingerbread for dogs and not sweetened with molasses. I suggest making Gingerbread Cookies for people.

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More Homemade Dog Treat Recipes

Want to make more treats for your dog? Check these out:

• 3 Ingredient Dog Treats
• Blueberry Dog Treats
• Chicken Jerky for Dogs
• Dog Breath Treats
• Easter Dog Treats
• Peanut Butter Dog Cookies
• Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats
• Sweet Potato Dog Treats
• Whipped Cream for Dogs

Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!