Christmas Cookies For Dogs

One of my biggest joys of the holiday season is making my dogs Christmas cookies. They know exactly what I’m making when I get a special bag of flour out of the pantry – PUPPY TREATS! They immediately start turning circles and barking. Even though they totally boss me around for 30 minutes while I’m making the cookies, I don’t mind because I’m hard pressed to find anyone more appreciative of a homemade treat.

These are made primarily with peanut butter, banana and brown rice flour. To make them holiday-hued, I used a little bit ofbeet powder! Beets are safe for dogs (and cats) to consume (source). There are all kinds of vegetable powders on the market right now that will add color to your baked goods but before using them in dog treats be absolutely sure they are safe for your dogs. The ASPCA has a helpful list of safe and unsafe plant foods.

How adorable are these cookie shapes? The pups couldn’t care less about what they look like, so this is more for pup parents to appreciate. Even though the cookie cutter set did not contain my pup’s shape (pug) I couldn’t pass it up, especially because I have friends with corgis, basset hounds and terriers. I know they’ll appreciate having dog treats shaped like their dogs.

There are lots of ways to package these cookies to give, but I personally love giving them in clear boxes, because the recipient (pet owner) can immediately see how cute the treats are. I’ve already given some “Peanut Butter Possums” in  a clear cupcake box to our friend Possum the Dog (he’s a corgi mix) and they were well-loved by both Possum and his owner.

I’ve stated this before, but it bears repeating – you are your dog’s health advocate. It’s your job to know what foods your dog can tolerate. If you have any questions about your dog ingesting the ingredients in this treat, please contact your veterinarian first.

Want more giftable goodies? 

Last year’s third day advent recipe was (a people treat!)

Five Spice Candied Pecans!

Christmas Cookies for Dogs

These cookies are made using brown rice flour, which is easy on a pup's digestion. Peanut butter and banana make this a tasty treat. Beet powder, which is optional in this recipe, will give them a holiday hue.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 3 dozen

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 1/3 cups 170g brown rice flour, plus extra
• 1/3 cup 90g plain natural peanut butter (sugar and salt-free)
• 1 egg
• 1 banana ripe
• 3 tablespoons organic honey
• 1/4 cup 25g beet powder

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine all of the ingredients except the beet powder in a large bowl. Stir together until well-incorporated. Add the beet powder and knead together with your hands. The dough should not be sticky. If the dough is sticky add extra rice flour in a little at a time and knead together with hands.
• Turn the dough out onto a large sheet of parchment paper and top with a second sheet. Roll the dough between the sheets to 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to stamp shapes from the dough. Transfer the shapes to the prepared pan. When the pan is full of cut-outs, chill them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Bake the cookies for 10 minutes for 2-inch shapes, and 12-15 for larger cookie shapes. Let cool completely before treating your canine friend.

Notes

Beet powder may be omitted from this recipe and replaced with brown rice flour. The cookies will be the color of a peanut butter cookie.

These cookies are intended to be an occasional treat and should not be used as a meal replacement.

Keyword banana cake, beet powder, brown rice flour, organic honey

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