Christmas Dog Treats: 6 Easy Homemade Holiday Recipes

The best Christmas dog treats are simple: a dog-safe base like oat flour or pumpkin, a little xylitol-free peanut butter, and a festive shape. Below are 6 homemade recipes with exact amounts, from gingerbread-style men to cranberry bites, plus the holiday foods to keep away from your dog and how to store a batch so it lasts through the season.

Quick Answer: The Easiest Christmas Dog Treats

If you only make one recipe, make the Peanut Butter Gingerbread Dogs (Recipe 1). They use 1 1/2 cups oat flour, 1/3 cup xylitol-free peanut butter, 1/3 cup pumpkin puree and a pinch of ground ginger. Roll, cut with a gingerbread man cutter and bake 15 to 18 minutes at 350°F. They look festive, they are sturdy enough to gift, and most dogs go wild for them.

🍪 Like these recipes? All 29 are in The Homemade Dog Treat Kitchen, a printable book with exact amounts and storage times ($9).

Holiday Safety: What Dogs Can’t Have at Christmas

Christmas baking is full of ingredients that are fine for people and dangerous for dogs. Keep these out of every dog treat, and off low counters while you bake:

• Nutmeg. Common in holiday spice blends and eggnog. Skip any “pumpkin pie spice” or “gingerbread spice” mix and add single spices instead.
• Xylitol (birch sugar). Found in some peanut butters, sugar-free candy, gum and baked goods. Always read the label.
• Chocolate, raisins, grapes and macadamia nuts. All toxic to dogs, and all common in Christmas cookies and fruitcake.
• Peppermint candy and peppermint oil. Candy canes are often sugar-free, and concentrated oils upset stomachs.
• Icing made with sugar, food coloring or royal icing. Use the dog-safe yogurt “frosting” below instead.

Small amounts of plain cinnamon and ground ginger are generally considered fine in treats. If your dog has a health condition, check with your vet before trying a new ingredient.

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6 Homemade Christmas Dog Treat Recipes

Recipe 1: Peanut Butter Gingerbread Dogs

Makes: about 24 medium cookies | Prep: 15 min | Bake: 15 to 18 min at 350°F

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups oat flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1/3 cup xylitol-free peanut butter
• 1/3 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment.
2. Stir the peanut butter and pumpkin together until smooth.
3. Add the oat flour and spices. Mix into a firm dough, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time if it crumbles.
4. Roll to 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface and cut with a gingerbread man or bone cutter.
5. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are firm. Turn off the oven and leave them inside 30 minutes for a crunchier cookie.

Recipe 2: Christmas Tree Pumpkin Biscuits

Makes: about 30 small biscuits | Prep: 10 min | Bake: 20 to 25 min at 350°F

• 2 cups oat flour
• 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1 egg

1. Mix everything into a stiff dough. Add a spoonful of flour if it sticks.
2. Roll to 1/4 inch and cut into trees and stars.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until dry and firm. These are a good base for the yogurt frosting below.

Want more pumpkin ideas? Our pumpkin dog treats guide has extra shapes and soft versions.

Recipe 3: Cranberry Oat Bites

Makes: about 20 bites | Prep: 10 min | Bake: 14 to 16 min at 350°F

• 1 cup rolled oats, blended into flour
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 2 tablespoons fresh or frozen plain cranberries, chopped (no dried, sweetened cranberries)

1. Mash the banana and stir in the oat flour and chopped cranberries.
2. Roll into 1 inch balls, place on a lined tray and flatten with a fork.
3. Bake 14 to 16 minutes. These stay soft, so keep them in the fridge.

Recipe 4: Frozen Yogurt Snowballs (No Bake)

Makes: about 15 snowballs | Prep: 10 min | Freeze: 2 hours

• 1 cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt (no xylitol)
• 2 tablespoons xylitol-free peanut butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, for rolling

1. Stir the yogurt and peanut butter together.
2. Spoon into silicone molds, or drop tablespoons onto a lined tray.
3. Freeze 2 hours, then roll in coconut for a snowy look. Keep frozen.

For more no-oven ideas, see our frozen dog treats.

Recipe 5: Sweet Potato Candy Canes

Makes: about 16 canes | Prep: 15 min | Bake: 20 min at 350°F

• 1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato (plain)
• 1 1/2 cups oat flour
• 1 egg

1. Mix into a soft dough. Split it in half and stir 1 tablespoon of plain beet juice or beet puree into one half for a natural red color.
2. Roll a thin rope of each color, twist them together and bend the top into a cane.
3. Bake 20 minutes, until firm.

Recipe 6: Dog-Safe Yogurt “Frosting”

Mix 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon tapioca starch or cornstarch until thick. Pipe onto fully cooled cookies and let set in the fridge for an hour. It stays soft, so frosted cookies are best eaten within 3 days.

Quick Comparison

How Many Holiday Treats Is Too Many?

Treats should stay at about 10 percent of your dog’s daily calories, and that includes the bites guests sneak under the table. For a small dog that may be just 2 or 3 cookies a day. Break big cookies in half, and save the frosted ones for Christmas morning.

Storage and Gifting Tips

• Crunchy baked treats: cool completely, then store in an airtight jar up to 1 week on the counter or 2 weeks in the fridge.
• Soft treats: fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: most baked treats freeze for 3 months. Thaw on the counter for 20 minutes.
• Gifting: pick the crunchy recipes, skip the frosting, and add a small label listing every ingredient so the other owner can check for allergies. Our shelf-stable dog treat recipe is the best one for mailing.

Tessa’s Holiday Baking Tips

• Make the dough a day ahead and chill it. Cold dough cuts cleaner shapes.
• Bake one test cookie first. Oat flour brands absorb moisture differently.
• Keep a “dog-only” bowl and spatula so no people-cookie ingredients sneak in.
• Put the cooling rack out of reach. Hot cookies on a low table disappear fast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can dogs eat gingerbread cookies?

Not the people kind. Store-bought gingerbread usually has nutmeg, lots of sugar and sometimes xylitol or raisins. A dog version with plain ground ginger and cinnamon, like Recipe 1, is the safe way to share the tradition.

Is cinnamon safe for dogs in treats?

A small pinch of ground cinnamon in a full batch is generally considered fine. Avoid cinnamon oil and never let your dog eat cinnamon powder straight.

Can dogs have cranberries?

Plain fresh or frozen cranberries in small amounts are fine for most dogs. Skip cranberry sauce and sweetened dried cranberries, which can be mixed with raisins.

Can I use regular wheat flour?

Yes, if your dog tolerates wheat. Use about the same amount of whole wheat flour. Oat flour is a gentle choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs.

How do I make dog treats red and green without food coloring?

Use a spoonful of beet puree for red and a little blended spinach or parsley for green. Add them to plain dough before rolling.

Are these treats OK for puppies?

Most puppies can have small pieces of the plain baked recipes. Keep portions tiny and skip anything new if your puppy has a sensitive stomach.

The Short Version

Bake with oat flour, pumpkin, sweet potato and xylitol-free peanut butter, keep nutmeg, chocolate, raisins and candy far away, and cut everything into festive shapes. Start with the gingerbread dogs, then try the dog Christmas cookies or turn a batch into DIY dog Christmas gifts. For everyday baking, our 3 ingredient dog treats are the easiest place to start.