Dog-Friendly Holiday Recipes
Dog-Friendly Holiday Recipes – Festive Treats Your Pup Can Safely Enjoy
The holiday season is almost upon us again! Between the gift lists, garlands, and glittering lights, there’s something else most of us are planning: the menu. And if your home includes a four-legged family member (or two!), you’re probably wondering how to let them in on the fun – safely. This guide rounds up wholesome, dog-friendly holiday recipes you can make with pantry staples and a dash of seasonal cheer. We’ll walk through ingredients to embrace, ingredients to skip, simple swaps for sensitive tummies, and four crowd-pleasing treats that look adorable on your dessert display while being tailored to canine nutrition.
Looping your dog (and even the resident cat) into the celebrations can help reduce the stress of schedule changes, guests, and all that merry commotion. A special nibble that smells like the foods everyone else is enjoying makes pets feel included – which in turn often means calmer greetings at the door and fewer wiggly table-side pleas. When you can, reach for organic, minimally processed ingredients: they’re naturally flavorful and help you skip unnecessary additives. And bonus – some of these dog-friendly holiday recipes are tasty enough for humans to sample, too. Just remember: your dog’s treat portions should be modest and should complement, not replace, a complete and balanced diet.
*Quick note: If your dog has health conditions, allergies, or is on a prescription diet, check with your veterinarian before introducing anything new. Everything here is meant as an occasional treat.
Recipe 1: Banana “Doggy Donuts” with Peanut Butter Frosting
If you want something that looks bakery-level but is secretly very simple, these delightfully soft donuts are it. They’re naturally sweet from banana and honey and topped with a creamy, two-ingredient frosting that photographs like a showstopper. Yes, these dog-friendly holiday recipes can be beautiful and practical.
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 ripe bananas)
- ¼ cup peanut butter*
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Peanut Butter Frosting
- ½ cup Greek yogurt**
- ¼ cup peanut butter*
*Use natural, creamy peanut butter that doesn’t separate in the jar. Avoid peanut butter with added sugar or palm oil.
**Use plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt; ensure your dog tolerates dairy.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 6-cup donut tins and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas, peanut butter, melted coconut oil, and honey. Mix until smooth.
- Add the egg and mix just until incorporated.
- Stir in flour and baking soda until you have a cohesive batter – avoid over-mixing.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared donut tins and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean.
- Cool a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Peanut Butter Frosting
- In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt and peanut butter until smooth and creamy.
- Spread on cooled donuts with a knife or offset spatula.
Optional garnish: crushed dog biscuits, crumbled bacon, or a dusting of finely chopped, unsweetened dried coconut.
Recipe 2: Turkey & Sweet Potato Holiday Loaf (Cranberry Parsley Crown)
Think of this as the canine cousin to your classic holiday meatloaf – savory, sliceable, and hearty. It’s an elegant way to serve “the special” while staying squarely in dog-safe territory. Among our dog-friendly holiday recipes, this one is a superstar for using ingredients you likely already have on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey thigh
- 1 cup shredded sweet potatoes or yams
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh cranberries, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup homemade onion-free chicken or vegetable stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a loaf pan (or a festive, non-stick holiday cake mold).
- Line the bottom of the pan with the shredded sweet potatoes or yams.
- Pour ½ cup of stock over the sweet potatoes and drizzle the lightly beaten egg across the top.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup parsley and ¼ cup cranberries evenly across the layer.
- Distribute the ground turkey evenly over the mixture.
- Pour the remaining ½ cup stock over the turkey, then sprinkle the sea salt on top.
- Finish with the remaining parsley and cranberries as a colorful crown.
- Gently press down with a spatula to compact.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until the loaf is cooked through and the juices run clear.
- Cool completely before slicing into dog-sized portions.
Recipe 3: “Leftovers Make-Over” Thanksgiving Turkey Treats
These bite-size, protein-packed nibbles are perfect for using leftover turkey and sweet potatoes in a way that’s safe, simple, and super snackable. They bake up tender on the inside with a lightly crisp exterior – ideal for pre-walk rewards or post-nap noshing while your guests tuck into pie. Efficient dog-friendly holiday recipes like this help you minimize waste while maximizing tail wags.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shredded or ground turkey
- 1 egg
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 cup gluten-free quick-cook oats
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh or dried parsley
Instructions
- Pre-cook the sweet potato: Poke 4–5 holes with a fork and bake at 400°F for 35–40 minutes until soft, or microwave 8–10 minutes. Cool until safe to handle.
- Remove the skin and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.
- In a blender, mixer, or food processor, combine the egg and parsley; pulse until the parsley is finely chopped.
- Add the sweet potato and blend briefly to combine.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl; add turkey, oats, cinnamon, and honey. Mix with clean hands until cohesive.
- Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray (or line with parchment).
- Roll the mixture into balls slightly smaller than golf balls and space them out on the sheet.
- Bake in a 350°F oven for 15–20 minutes until set and lightly golden on the bottom.
- Cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Recipe 4: 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Oat Cut-Outs
This minimalist dough rolls like a dream and bakes into sturdy, crisp treats that hold their shape – perfect for bone, tree, or snowflake cookie cutters. Because the base is pumpkin, oats, and eggs, it’s a simple staple you can decorate (for dogs) with a swipe of yogurt or a sprinkle of crumbled, unsalted freeze-dried meat. If you’re making a holiday treat board for your pup, dog-friendly holiday recipes like this one make it a “snap” (we love a cookie pun).
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats (about 270 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pure pumpkin purée (about 227 g; not pumpkin pie filling)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C / Gas mark 4.
- Add oats to the bowl of a food processor.
- Run the machine 1–2 minutes until the oats resemble a coarse flour with a few larger flecks remaining.
- Add pumpkin purée and eggs; pulse until the dough looks uniform.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop (oat flour works great) and knead briefly until it’s no longer sticky. - Use a cookie cutter to cut shapes, dipping the cutter in flour every few treats to prevent sticking.
- Re-roll scraps and continue cutting until all dough is used.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 16–18 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. - Cool completely before serving. For extra crunch, turn off the oven and let the treats dry inside with the door cracked for 15–20 minutes.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight tin for 5–7 days, or freeze up to 2 months. This is one of those dog recipes you’ll reach for year-round—it’s flexible, cost-effective, and reliably loved by even picky eaters.
Beyond Dog-Friendly Holiday Recipes: Check out our Busy Bones and Book Your Pet’s Holiday Stay at Wagsworth Manor!
We hope these festive dog-friendly recipes help you bring your best friend a little closer to the heart of your holiday table. If you’d like to keep the good flavors rolling, ask us about the Busy Bone of the Month at Wagsworth Manor for your pup’s next visit – it’s a fun, rotating special that keeps tails wagging. And as calendars fill fast, don’t forget to book your holiday boarding or daycamp at Wagsworth Manor early to lock in your preferred dates. From our kitchen to yours, happy baking – and happiest holidays to you and your four-legged family!