Article: 5 easy recipes for Christmas cookies for dogs
5 easy recipes for Christmas cookies for dogs
When the house smells of cinnamon and cookies, your four-legged friend gives you that very special look. But classic Christmas cookies are off-limits for dogs. The good news: with a few simple ingredients, you can quickly bake your own Christmas dog biscuits that your furry friend will love and that are easy to digest.
In short: You bake Christmas cookies for dogs from rolled oats or spelt flour, egg and a little fruit or vegetables. Sugar, chocolate, preservatives and Christmas spices stay out. The recipes are meant for all dog owners who want to share a Christmas tradition with their dog without putting its health at risk.
In this article you will find 5 tried-and-tested recipes for Christmas cookies for dogs: three to bake, one without an oven and one from the freezer.
Contents
- Allowed and forbidden ingredients
- Salmon oil in dog biscuits: bake it in or not?
- 5 recipes for Christmas dog biscuits
- Storage and shelf life
- Frequently asked questions
What belongs in Christmas cookies for dogs – and what doesn't?
The basis for Christmas dog biscuits is simple: rolled oats or flour, an egg, a little liquid and one ingredient that adds flavour. You don't need sugar, salt or typical Christmas spices. Pay attention to good quality for all ingredients, because snacks are also part of your dog's diet.
| Well suited | Off-limits for dogs |
|---|---|
| Rolled oats, spelt flour, wholemeal spelt flour | Chocolate and cocoa powder |
| Apple (without the core), banana, pumpkin, carrot | Raisins and grapes |
| Egg, low-fat quark, cottage cheese, natural yoghurt, cheese | Xylitol (birch sugar), e.g. in some peanut butters |
| Salmon, unseasoned liver sausage, peanut butter (pure, without xylitol) | Nutmeg, cloves, gingerbread spice |
| Coconut oil, rapeseed oil, a pinch of Ceylon cinnamon | Bitter almonds, macadamia nuts, sugar and salt |
If your dog doesn't tolerate grain, you can replace the flour with rice flour, corn flour, buckwheat flour or potato flour. For cinnamon: use only Ceylon cinnamon and no more than a pinch per baking tray, because the cheap cassia cinnamon contains a lot of coumarin.
Salmon oil in dog biscuits: bake it in or better not?
Many dog biscuit recipes contain a tablespoon of oil. Technically, you can replace it 1:1 with Lax oil, as the dough becomes just as smooth. We still don't recommend it: omega-3 fatty acids are sensitive to heat and oxygen. At 160 to 180 °C in the oven they oxidise, the valuable fatty acids are lost and the biscuits go rancid more quickly. The same applies to linseed oil and BARF oil.
Our rule of thumb: for baking, use rapeseed or coconut oil. Lax oil, linseed oil and BARF oil are added cold, i.e. in no-bake treats, in frozen snacks or as a topping just before feeding.
5 recipes for Christmas dog biscuits
1. Apple stars
The classic among Christmas cookies for dogs: slightly fruity, without sugar. Makes about 40 stars.
Time: 15 min. preparation, 25–30 min. baking
Ingredients:
- 200 g wholemeal spelt flour
- 100 g fine rolled oats
- 1 small apple, finely grated (approx. 120 g)
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp low-fat quark
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or coconut oil
- 1 pinch of Ceylon cinnamon (optional)
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 180 °C top/bottom heat (160 °C fan). Knead all ingredients in a bowl into a dough and leave it to rest for 10 minutes. If it is too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Roll out the dough (approx. 5 mm), cut out stars and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, then leave to dry for an hour with the oven door slightly open. The biscuits should cool down completely before your dog gets them.
2. Salmon stars with Lax oil topping
For all fish fans. The salmon goes into the dough, the Lax oil only when serving. Makes about 35 biscuits.
Time: 20 min. preparation, 25–30 min. baking
Ingredients:
- 150 g salmon fillet without skin and bones, steamed without seasoning
- 200 g spelt flour
- 50 g fine rolled oats
- 1 egg
- 3 to 5 tbsp water
Preparation: Mash the salmon finely with a fork or briefly purée it. Knead with the flour, rolled oats and egg and add enough water to form a firm dough. Roll out, cut out stars and bake at 160 °C fan for 25 to 30 minutes.
Tip: Drizzle the daily portion of biscuits with a few drops of Lax oil just before feeding. This way your dog gets the full flavour and the omega fatty acids unheated.
3. Green Christmas trees with spinach
The green colour comes naturally from the spinach, without artificial food colouring. Makes about 30 little trees.
Time: 15 min. preparation, 20 min. baking
Ingredients:
- 100 g leaf spinach (frozen, thawed and squeezed out well)
- 250 g spelt flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Water as needed
Preparation: Chop the spinach finely and knead with the other ingredients. Roll out the dough and cut out Christmas trees. Without a cookie cutter, you can simply cut the dough into small pieces with a knife, for example. Bake at 160 °C fan for about 20 minutes. Spinach contains oxalic acid, so these biscuits are an occasional reward and not a permanent snack.
4. No-bake snowballs with Lax oil
This is where our Lax oil fits perfectly, because nothing is heated. Makes about 20 balls.
Time: 15 min. plus 15 min. chilling time
Ingredients:
- 150 g low-fat quark or cottage cheese
- 150 g fine rolled oats
- 80 g pumpkin purée (Hokkaido, cooked, unseasoned) or 1/2 banana
- 1 tsp Lax oil (5 ml)
- 3 tbsp desiccated coconut for rolling
Preparation: Stir together the quark, pumpkin purée and Lax oil, then fold in the rolled oats. Leave the mixture to swell in the fridge for 15 minutes. If it is still too soft, add rolled oats one spoonful at a time. Form walnut-sized balls and roll them in desiccated coconut.
Variation: Crush 2 brewer's yeast tablets and mix them into the desiccated coconut. This adds a savoury note that many dogs love.
Dosage checked: One ball contains only around 0.25 ml of Lax oil. With 2 to 3 balls a day, there is still plenty of room for the normal portion in the food.
5. Frosty stars made from yoghurt and pumpkin
A cool snack for the Christmas season. Pumpkin is easy on many dog stomachs. Ideal for warm living rooms or as a reward after a walk. Makes about 15 stars.
Time: 5 min. plus 3 hours in the freezer
Ingredients:
- 250 g natural yoghurt without sugar
- 100 g pumpkin purée or 1 ripe banana
- 1 tsp Lax oil or linseed oil
Preparation: Purée everything until smooth so that the oil combines well. Fill into a silicone mould with stars and freeze for at least 3 hours. If your dog doesn't like fish, use linseed oil.
Storage and shelf life
| Type | Storage | Shelf life |
|---|---|---|
| Apple stars, Christmas trees | Tin, dry | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Salmon stars | Refrigerator | 3 to 5 days |
| Snowballs | Refrigerator | 2 to 3 days |
| Frosty stars | Freezer | up to 4 weeks |
The shelf life depends on the thickness and the baking time: the drier the biscuits, the longer they keep. Always store them in an airtight container. You can also freeze all baked varieties in portions.
How many Christmas treats can my dog eat?
Treats are a reward, not a meal. As a rule of thumb, snacks should make up no more than 10% of the daily amount of food. Simply deduct the biscuits from the main meal over the holidays so that your darling doesn't gain weight too quickly.
Giving dog biscuits as a Christmas gift
Homemade dog biscuits are a great Christmas surprise for fellow dog owners. Instead of stars, you can also cut out fir trees or paws. Fill the baked varieties into a decorated screw-top jar with a ribbon. For a dog Advent calendar, wrap small portions in paper bags so that a biscuit is waiting behind every door. Because they need to be kept cool, snowballs and frosty stars are better kept at home.
You can find even more ideas for the holidays in our article Christmas with a dog. More recipes for the whole year can be found in our dog biscuit recipes.
Frequently asked questions about Christmas dog biscuits
Can dogs eat normal Christmas cookies?
No. Christmas cookies and other baked goods for humans often contain sugar, chocolate, raisins, nutmeg or xylitol. These ingredients can be dangerous for dogs.
Can dogs eat cinnamon?
In very small amounts yes, ideally Ceylon cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon from the supermarket contains a lot of coumarin and is not suitable.
Can I bake salmon oil into dog biscuits?
It works, but it doesn't make sense. Omega-3 fatty acids can't withstand heat. It is better to add Lax oil to no-bake treats or drizzle it over the biscuits after baking.
Which flour is suitable for dog biscuits?
Spelt flour, wholemeal spelt flour and rolled oats are easy to digest. Gluten-free alternatives are rice flour, corn flour, buckwheat flour and potato flour.
Conclusion: Homemade dog biscuits make Christmas complete
Dog biscuits, Christmas and a happy four-legged friend simply belong together. Baking them yourself is quick and you know exactly what's inside. Bake with rapeseed or coconut oil and always add Lax oil, linseed oil or BARF oil cold. This way your four-legged friend has a festive season full of joy, and you have a good feeling about it. Merry Christmas and have fun baking!
