5 homemade festive dog treats to whip up for your pup this Christmas

Make your dog their own Christmas treats with these tasty and festive recipes.

A huge Christmas dinner surrounded by loved ones is what many of us picture when we think of the holidays.

Whether you’re going all out with a giant turkey with all the trimmings or whipping up a vegan nut roast with plant-based sides, you can almost guarantee that the dogs in your family will be sat whimpering at your heel all evening, desperate for a bite.

Christmas is the season of giving and sharing, so it makes sense that your pooch gets their own dedicated doggy treats over some scraps from the table - and remember, there are many dangers in festive human foods that dogs simply shouldn’t eat.

Chocolate, raisins and candy are especially toxic for pets, but onions, garlic and stuffing can also contain ingredients that could make dogs sick. It's also incredibly important to never feed your dog anything with poultry bones in, as these can splinter and shatter when chewed, causing damage inside their mouth and digestive system.

That’s why we’ve searched high and low for the tastiest Christmas morsels that you can create in your own kitchen for your family pups, so you don't have to part ways with your own dinner!

Remember to consult your vet before feeding to dogs with health issues.

1. Gingerbread cookies for dogs

• 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour

• 1 ½ cup oat flour (made from rolled oats)

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tbsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• Pinch of ground clove

• Pinch of allspice

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 3/4 cup applesauce

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• OPTIONAL: carob chips for gingerbread eyes and buttons

Combine all the ingredients and mix to combine. Roll out gingerbread and cut into gingerbread people or your choice of shapes. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes or until just starting to get golden around the edges for a soft cookie, or until they're crunchy for a longer shelf life.

Check out the full recipe by Kiki Kane here.

2. Rudolph's carrot cookies

• 1 cup brown rice flour

• 1 cup grated carrot

• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350°. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl for unified consistency. Roll out the dough and cut into shapes of you choice, then bake for 20 minutes until browned.

Check out the full recipe by Wagabonding here.

3. Doggy candy canes

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup non-fat powdered milk

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 cup warm water

• 1 chicken bouillon cube

• 2 large eggs

• 2 tsp red food colouring (see tips)

• 1/2 tsp peppermint oil flavouring (optional)

• 1 large egg (for an egg wash)

• Additional flour for kneading

Combine ingredients to make a dough then separate in half, and make a well in one piece and mix in food colouring and peppermint flavouring. Cool in the fridge for two hours or the freezer for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350° and divide each ball of dough into tablespoon sized balls. Work into worm shapes and twist together to make candy canes then bake for 10 minutes.

Check out the full recipe by Dog Treat Kitchen here.

4. Apple Mint Christmas Dog Bones

• 1½ cups whole wheat flour

• 1 cup unbleached flour

• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

• 1/3 cup oat bran

• 2 tablespoons dry milk

• 1 ½ teaspoons dry baking yeast

• 2 tablespoons chopped spearmint leaves

• 1/2 cup applesauce

• 2 teaspoons green or red food colouring or spinach powder (to get the colour desired)

• 7/8 cup water

Create dough with ingredients in a mixer or a bread machine. When ready, roll out and cut into bone shapes with a cutter. Bake at 250° for an hour, making sure they don't get too brown. Turn off the oven and let the cookies completely dry - this works best overnight.

Check out the full recipe by Best Dog Treat Recipes here.

5. Bac’n Call Biscuits

• 2 slices of bacon, diced

• 1 cup pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 3 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350° then cook bacon until brown and crisp, keeping the fat. Mix the rest of the ingredients with the fat in a bowl whisk for unified consistency, adding flour to ensure it does not get sticky. Roll out and cut into shapes and add bacon bits. Cook for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Check out the full recipe by Wagabonding here.