6 Christmas dog treats ideal for your best friend to join in all the festive fun. They’re easy and quick to make, made from only dog-safe ingredients, including a no-bake option and a no-oven version, plus ideas for decorating and gifting them.
Gingerbread dog cookies: the classic, made without the spices that are dangerous for dogs.
Candy cane dog treats: red and white twists with no candy and no peppermint.
Cranberry apple cookies: soft, simple and flecked with festive red.
Christmas tree cookies: naturally green from spinach, perfect for decorating.
Snowball bites: no bake, rolled in coconut and set in the fridge.
Christmas dinner bites: savory turkey, sweet potato and cranberry.
Treat limit: keep treats to no more than 10% of your dog’s daily food.
1. Gingerbread Dog Cookies
Gingerbread men your dog can actually eat. Ginger itself is safe for dogs in small amounts, so these keep the warm flavor and leave out the nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
Makes: about 24 small cookies. Time: 15 minutes prep, 20 minutes baking.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (or oat flour for a wheat-free version)
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 2 to 4 tbsp water, as needed
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix the flour, ginger and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Whisk the molasses, applesauce and egg together, then stir into the flour.
- Add water a tablespoon at a time until you have a firm dough that isn’t sticky.
- Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick and cut out gingerbread men.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until firm, then leave to cool completely on a rack.
2. Candy Cane Dog Treats
These red and white twists look just like candy canes, but the red comes from beet juice and the flavor from pumpkin and peanut butter. They’re the most eye-catching treat on the list and great for gifting.
Makes: about 20 treats. Time: 25 minutes prep, 25 minutes baking.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/4 cup xylitol-free peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 to 2 tbsp beet juice, or 1 tbsp beet powder
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix the flour, pumpkin, peanut butter and egg into a smooth dough.
- Split the dough in half. Knead the beet juice into one half until it’s evenly red, adding a little flour if it gets sticky.
- Roll small pieces of each color into thin ropes, about the thickness of a pencil and 4 inches long.
- Twist one red and one plain rope together, then bend the top over to make the candy cane hook.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until firm, then cool completely.
3. Cranberry Apple Christmas Cookies
A soft, simple cookie with red flecks of cranberry. Cranberries are safe for dogs in small amounts, but use fresh ones or unsweetened dried ones, since most dried cranberries are coated in sugar.
Makes: about 24 cookies. Time: 10 minutes prep, 18 minutes baking.
Ingredients
- 2 cups oat flour (blend rolled oats until fine)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup fresh or unsweetened dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 to 2 tbsp water, as needed
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix the oat flour, applesauce, cranberries and egg into a soft dough, adding water if it’s dry.
- Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into stars or circles.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the edges are firm, then cool completely.
4. Christmas Tree Dog Cookies
These get their bright green color from spinach, so there’s no food coloring involved. Cut them with a tree-shaped cutter and decorate with the dog-safe icing below.
Makes: about 20 cookies. Time: 15 minutes prep, 20 minutes baking.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup fresh spinach, blended with 1/4 cup water until smooth
- 2 tbsp xylitol-free peanut butter
- 1 large egg
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix the blended spinach, peanut butter and egg, then stir in the flour to make a firm dough.
- Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick and cut out Christmas trees.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until firm but still green, then cool completely before decorating.
5. Snowball Bites (No Bake)
No oven needed. These little snowballs are mixed, rolled and set in the fridge, so they’re perfect if you’re short on time or oven space on Christmas week.
Makes: about 16 bites. Time: 15 minutes prep, 1 hour chilling.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 2 tbsp xylitol-free peanut butter
- 3 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut, for rolling
Method
- Mash the banana and peanut butter together, then stir in the oats until everything holds together.
- Roll into balls about 1 inch across.
- Roll each ball in the coconut until it’s white all over.
- Chill on a plate in the fridge for at least 1 hour until firm.
For more no-bake ideas, try our frozen yogurt dog treats.
6. Christmas Dinner Dog Bites
Your dog’s own Christmas dinner, in bite size. These savory bites use lean turkey, sweet potato and cranberry, with no onion, garlic, salt or seasoning, which is what makes the human version unsafe.
Makes: about 30 bites. Time: 15 minutes prep, 25 minutes cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) lean ground turkey
- 1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato
- 1/4 cup fresh or unsweetened dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1 large egg
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper, or grease a mini muffin tin.
- Mix everything together in a bowl with clean hands.
- Roll into 1-inch balls, or press into the mini muffin tin.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cooked through with no pink in the middle, then cool completely.
No oven? Flatten the mixture into small patties and cook them in a non-stick pan over a medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until cooked through.
Keep These Out of the Mixing Bowl
Christmas baking for people is full of ingredients that are dangerous for dogs. Check every recipe and every packet before you start.
Nutmeg: it contains myristicin, which can cause vomiting, a racing heart and seizures. It’s the main reason ordinary gingerbread isn’t safe for dogs.
Cloves and allspice: these can upset the stomach, so leave them out too.
Xylitol (birch sugar): found in some peanut butters and sugar-free products. It’s extremely poisonous to dogs, so always check the label.
Chocolate and cocoa: toxic in any form, including cocoa powder and chocolate chips.
Raisins, currants and grapes: common in Christmas cakes and cookies, and they can cause kidney failure.
Macadamia nuts: can cause weakness, vomiting and tremors.
Real candy canes and peppermint oil: candy is all sugar and may contain xylitol, and concentrated peppermint oil can upset a dog’s stomach.
For a full list, see our guide to foods toxic to dogs.
How to Decorate Christmas Dog Treats
Decorated treats look great in photos and as gifts, and you can do it without sugar or artificial coloring.
Dog-safe icing: mix 1/4 cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt with 1 to 2 tbsp tapioca starch or cornstarch until thick enough to pipe. Check the yogurt has no xylitol or added sugar.
Natural colors: a few drops of beet juice for pink or red, blended spinach for green, a tiny pinch of turmeric for yellow and mashed blueberries for purple.
How to pipe: spoon the icing into a small sandwich bag, snip off one corner and pipe lines, dots or snowflakes onto completely cooled cookies.
Let it set: leave iced cookies in the fridge for a few hours until the icing firms up, and keep them in the fridge afterwards.
Christmas Dog Treats as Gifts
Homemade dog treats make a lovely present for friends with dogs, the dog walker or your dog’s best friend at the park.
Best treats to gift: the gingerbread, candy cane, cranberry apple and Christmas tree cookies. Once baked and fully cooled, they keep at room temperature for about a week.
Give these the same day: the snowball bites, Christmas dinner bites and anything iced with yogurt need to stay in the fridge, so hand them over fresh.
Packaging ideas: clear cellophane bags tied with ribbon, glass jars with a festive fabric lid, or small cookie tins lined with parchment paper.
Add a label: write “For dogs,” the ingredients and the date it was made. This matters for anyone whose dog has allergies.
Make them last longer: for gifts made in advance, turn the oven off after baking and leave the cookies inside for an hour or two to dry out. Drier, crunchier cookies keep better.
How Many Christmas Treats Can My Dog Have?
Treats, including these, should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily food. For a small dog, that’s usually one or two small cookies a day. A large dog can have a few more.
Introduce one new treat at a time and watch for any tummy upset. If your dog has a sensitive stomach, our pumpkin dog treats are a gentle option.
How to Store Homemade Christmas Dog Treats
Baked cookies: an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Snowball bites and iced cookies: the fridge for up to 5 days.
Christmas dinner bites: the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: all six freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
FAQ
Can dogs eat gingerbread?
Not ordinary gingerbread. Most recipes contain nutmeg, cloves or allspice, plus a lot of sugar. Dog gingerbread made with ginger and no other spices, like the recipe above, is safe in moderation.
Can dogs eat candy canes?
No. Real candy canes are pure sugar, can splinter into sharp pieces and may contain xylitol. Our candy cane dog treats only look like them.
Are cranberries safe for dogs?
Yes, in small amounts. Choose fresh or unsweetened dried cranberries, and avoid cranberry sauce, which is high in sugar.
Is cinnamon safe for dogs?
A small pinch in baking is generally fine, but larger amounts can irritate the mouth and stomach. That’s why it’s optional in the gingerbread recipe.
Can I use regular white flour?
Yes, all-purpose flour works in any of these recipes. Oat flour is a good swap for dogs that don’t do well with wheat.
How far ahead can I make Christmas dog treats?
The baked cookies can be made a week ahead, or up to 3 months ahead if you freeze them.
The Bottom Line
Pick one or two of these Christmas dog treats, keep nutmeg, xylitol, chocolate and raisins well away from the mixing bowl, and your dog gets a festive treat of their own. Bake an extra batch, bag it up with a ribbon, and you’ve sorted presents for every dog you know.
