Christmas dog treats let your dog join the holiday baking without the chocolate, raisins and nutmeg that make so many festive foods dangerous. Here are two homemade Christmas treats for dogs: gingerbread-style Christmas dog cookies with a simple yogurt icing, and chewy cranberry sweet potato bites. Both use pantry ingredients, come with calories per treat, and make a lovely gift for the dogs on your list.
Recipes: gingerbread-style Christmas dog cookies with yogurt icing, cranberry sweet potato bites • Prep: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour for icing to set • Cook: 20–25 minutes • Yield: about 45 cookies or 30 bites • Difficulty: easy • Storage: iced cookies 1 week in the fridge, plain cookies 2 weeks airtight, 3 months frozen
Holiday rule: no nutmeg, chocolate, raisins, currants, macadamia nuts or xylitol in anything you share.
Table of Contents
What Makes Christmas Dog Treats Safe?
Many classic holiday flavors are risky for dogs. Before baking, know which ingredients to keep and which to swap. The ASPCA’s holiday safety tips flag the same foods:
| Holiday Ingredient | Safe for Dog Treats? | Use Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, allspice blends | No | A pinch of plain cinnamon and ground ginger |
| Chocolate and cocoa | No | Carob powder, in small amounts |
| Raisins, currants, sultanas | No, never | Fresh cranberries or blueberries |
| Molasses, sugar, icing sugar | Avoid | Pumpkin, banana or applesauce for sweetness |
| Butter frosting, royal icing | Avoid | Plain yogurt and tapioca starch icing |
| Sugar-free sweeteners | No; some contain xylitol | Nothing; dogs don’t need sweeteners |
A small amount of plain cinnamon is fine for most dogs; see our guide on cinnamon for dogs. Raisins are the one to watch most closely, since even small amounts can cause kidney failure; our grapes and raisins guide explains why.
Recipe 1: Christmas Dog Cookies With Yogurt Icing
This Christmas cookie recipe for dogs makes crunchy gingerbread-style shapes without sugar or nutmeg.
For the cookies:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra for rolling (or oat flour)
- ½ cup plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter, no xylitol
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2–4 tablespoons water
For the icing: ¼ cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt (no xylitol) mixed with 1 tablespoon tapioca starch. Tint with a teaspoon of beet juice (pink) or a pinch of spirulina (green) if you like.
Gingerbread-Style Christmas Dog Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two trays with parchment.
- Mix the pumpkin, peanut butter, egg and spices. Stir in the flour, adding water a spoonful at a time until the dough holds together.
- Roll to 1/4 inch and cut with small gingerbread, star or tree cutters.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes until firm. Cool completely.
- Mix the yogurt and tapioca starch, tint if you like, then pipe or drizzle onto the cookies.
- Refrigerate 1 hour to set. Keep iced cookies in the fridge.
Notes
The batch is about 1,370 calories with icing, or roughly 30 calories per cookie.
Recipe 2: Cranberry Sweet Potato Christmas Bites
Cranberry Sweet Potato Christmas Dog Bites
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix everything into a soft dough and roll into about 30 small balls.
- Flatten slightly on a lined tray and bake 18 to 20 minutes.
Notes
Each bite has about 23 calories. Fresh cranberries are tart, so the sweet potato balances them nicely. More ideas are in our sweet potato dog treats guide.
How Many Holiday Treats Can My Dog Have?
Holidays bring lots of extra snacks, so it’s worth counting. Keep all treats under about 10% of daily calories, as the WSAVA treat guide recommends:
| Dog’s Weight | Daily Treat Budget | Christmas Cookies (30 kcal) | Cranberry Bites (23 kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lb (4.5 kg) | ~35 kcal | 1 | 1 |
| 25 lb (11 kg) | ~70 kcal | 2 | 3 |
| 50 lb (23 kg) | ~115 kcal | 3 | 5 |
| 75 lb (34 kg) | ~160 kcal | 5 | 6 |
Our estimates for neutered adult dogs, using USDA FoodData Central ingredient values. On days your dog gets these, skip other treats.
Storing and Gifting Christmas Dog Treats
- Plain cookies: up to 2 weeks in an airtight tin.
- Iced cookies: in the fridge for up to 1 week; yogurt icing isn’t shelf-stable.
- Cranberry bites: fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: un-iced cookies and bites keep about 3 months.
- Gifting tip: give plain, un-iced cookies in a jar with a label listing the ingredients, so the recipient can check for allergies. Add a note to refrigerate if they’re iced.
Planning a party for your pup? Our dog cake recipe and dog cupcake recipe are easy to dress up for the holidays.
What holiday foods cause the most problems? Chocolate, raisins, xylitol and fatty leftovers like ham and turkey skin, which can trigger pancreatitis.
Is a little cinnamon or ginger okay in dog cookies? A small pinch is fine for most dogs. Avoid nutmeg and spice blends.
Any advice for the holidays? Keep treats small, tell guests not to share food, and keep plates and gifts out of reach.
— Dr. Sarah Miller, DVM
Christmas Dog Treats: Quick Guide
✓ Do
- Use pumpkin, sweet potato and fresh cranberries
- Ice with plain yogurt, then refrigerate
- Count holiday treats in the daily budget
- Label gifted treats with ingredients
✕ Don’t
- Use nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice
- Add raisins, chocolate or xylitol
- Share fatty ham, skin or gravy
- Leave cookie plates within reach
Every dog is different. Dogs with allergies, pancreatitis or diabetes should get their vet’s okay first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can dogs eat gingerbread cookies?
Not the human kind. They usually contain sugar, molasses, butter and nutmeg. Make the dog-safe version above instead.
How do I make dog-safe icing for Christmas cookies?
Mix plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt with a little tapioca starch until thick enough to pipe. Color it naturally with beet juice or spirulina, and keep iced cookies refrigerated.
Are xmas dog biscuits from the store safe?
Treats made for dogs are generally safe, but read the label for sugar, artificial colors and the calorie count. Never share human holiday biscuits.
Can dogs have cranberries?
Plain fresh or frozen cranberries are fine in small amounts. Skip cranberry sauce, which is very sugary, and trail mixes that may contain raisins.
Can I give my dog a bit of Christmas dinner?
A small piece of plain, skinless turkey breast with no bones or seasoning is usually fine. Skip ham, gravy, stuffing (often with onion), and anything rich or fatty.
How far ahead can I bake Christmas dog treats?
Bake plain cookies up to 2 weeks ahead, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Add icing a day or two before giving them.
Want more ideas? See the full collection of homemade dog treat recipes.
The Bottom Line
Christmas dog treats can be festive and safe: pumpkin and peanut butter cookies with a yogurt icing, or cranberry sweet potato bites, all without nutmeg, raisins, chocolate or xylitol. Keep portions small during a treat-heavy season and keep human holiday foods out of reach. Find more recipes in our Homemade Treats section. This article is general information, not veterinary advice; see our Veterinary Disclaimer.
References & Sources
Written by CPD Nutrition Desk using the sources below. We are not affiliated with these organizations, and this guide is not a substitute for advice from your veterinarian.
- ASPCA — ASPCA's holiday safety tips
- WSAVA — WSAVA treat guide
- ASPCA — ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center