13 Dog Cookie Recipes: DIY Desserts for Your Doggo!

Few activities are as fun as baking for our dogs. Not only is it fun to try new recipes, but you get to see your four-footer enjoy the fruits of your labor. 

While whipping up canine creations is fun, there are some safety precautions to be mindful of, including dangerous ingredients.

We’ll list the best DIY dog cookies and desserts, discuss what foods are safe for dogs, and share some canine cooking tips below.

Our Very Favorite Dog Cookie Recipes

Dog cookies aren’t one-size-fits-all. There are all sorts of recipes to tempt your dog’s taste buds, from peanut butter-based cookies to super savory salmon bites. Here are some awesome dog-safe treat recipes to make for your doggo.

1. Cookie Rookie’s Peanut Butter Dog Treat

About: Cookie Rookie’s Peanut Butter Dog Treat is a simple wafer recipe that’s dog and people-friendly, so you and your doggo can share goodies if you’d like. Made with limited ingredients and no meat, it’s an excellent choice for dogs suffering from food sensitivities. 

Ingredients:

Treats

• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons honey

Optional icing

• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3-4 tablespoons hot water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Combine flour and egg in a large bowl.
3. Add peanut butter, honey, and water and stir until dough stiffens. This will be a very firm dough, so you may want to do this step by hand. 
4. Roll out dough until ½ inch thick on a lightly floured surface. 
5. Use a cookie cutter of your choice or freehand cut into desired shapes.
6. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes (until golden). The baking time may be slightly less for smaller cookies, so adjust accordingly.
7. Set aside cookies to cool.
8. To make the icing, combine peanut butter and honey in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second increments to melt. Stir between heatings to ensure a silky texture.
9. Stir the melted mixture into cornstarch.
10. Slowly add 1 tablespoon of hot water and stir until you reach your desired consistency. The more water, the thinner the icing.
11. Add mixture to a piping bag to decorate or spoon over into your desired design.
12. Safe to serve once the icing has cooled.

The recipe’s author explains that these cookies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 8 weeks, or you can freeze them for up to 8 months. But to be honest, we think that may be a bit long – you’d probably want to use them sooner than that. 

2. Love from the Oven’s Dog Cookie

About: Love from the Oven’s Dog Cookie combines the deliciousness of peanut butter with hardy oats for a satisfying cookie with crunch. This cookie – which can actually be shared by humans and dogs alike – lacks meat, making it a safe pick for most dogs suffering from protein sensitivities.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oats
• ¾ cup peanut butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 ¼ cups hot water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Using your hands may be best, as this mix is thick.
3. Tear off portions and roll them into 1-inch balls.
4. Place portioned dough balls onto a cookie sheet in uniform rows, leaving enough room to smash.
5. Using a fork, press down on each dough ball in a crosshatch pattern, leaving it flattened.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Remove and allow to cool completely before serving.

These cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days. Refrigerated cookies last up to 10 days, while frozen cookies last 2 months.

3. Kol’s Notes Valentine Heart

About: Kol’s Notes Valentine Hearts are meaty morsels that will tempt even the pickiest of canine consumers. Containing chunked, cooked chicken and rice, this recipe yields  a more savory, satisfying flavor and mouthfeel than traditional baked dog cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced cooked chicken
• ½ cup cooked and mashed rice (brown or white)
• 3 tablespoons rice flour
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 egg

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Spoon mixture into silicone molds. 
4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cookie tops are browned.
5. Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from the molds and serving.

These cookies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

4. Kitchen Confidante’s Homemade Dog Biscuit

About: Kitchen Confidante’s Homemade Dog Biscuits are rich in omega fatty acids thanks to the included flaxseed, making them a good choice for doggos with skin and coat issues. Also containing bone broth and peanut butter, the deep, meaty flavor will leave your woofer more satisfied than some boring box cookie. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oats
• ½ cup flaxseed
• ½ to 1 cup bone broth
• ¼ cup peanut butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350℉.
2. Combine the flour, oats, and flaxseed in a medium bowl.
3. Slowly mix in the peanut butter and ½ cup bone broth until it forms a thick dough. If the mixture is too thick, add in additional bone broth as needed.
4. Knead the dough into a ball.
5. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into ¼ inch thickness.
6. Cut your cookies out into your desired shapes using cookie cutters or a knife.
7. Place the cutouts on a cookie sheet, leaving 1 inch between morsels.
8. Bake for 10 minutes and flip, then bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown.

You can store these cookies in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

5. Golden Woof’s Cheesy Bone Dog Treat

About: Golden Woof’s Cheesy Bone Dog Treat is the perfect snack for cheese-obsessed canines with its cheddar-rich recipe. Perfectly crunchy, these yummy snacks are meat-free yet still pretty tempting for a cookie, keeping your pup’s palate tingling for more.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup oil
• 1 ⅓ cups water
• 1 egg (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Combine flour and cheese in a large bowl.
3. Slowly stir in water and oil until incorporated. Adjust accordingly until the dough is stiff.
4. Roll out the dough on a flour-coated surface into ⅜ inch thickness.
5. Cut into desired shapes.
6. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake until dried.

Note that the recipe author doesn’t provide a recommended baking time, aside from “until dried.” We’d suggest you start checking on them at about 15 minutes, and play it by ear from there. 

These cheesy cookies can last up to 5 days if refrigerated, or you can freeze for 2 months in a sealed container.

6. Two Little Cavaliers’ Apple Cinnamon Dog Treat

About: Two Little Cavaliers’ Apple Cinnamon Dog Treat is a festive fall cookie made with digestion-friendly apple and oatmeal. Free of peanut butter and meat, this limited-ingredient snack is a good choice for dogs with food sensitivities.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry quick cook oatmeal
• ½ cup cinnamon applesauce OR ½ cup applesauce w/ a sprinkle of cinnamon
• 1 large egg

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350℉.
2. Mix the applesauce and oatmeal together in a large bowl.
3. Once combined, mix in the egg.
4. Spoon cookie-sized globs onto a greased cookie sheet (or line with parchment paper!)
5. Bake for 22 minutes or until golden.

These cookies will last for several days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also freeze them for 2 to 3 months.

7. Pook’s Pantry Banana Pumpkin Dog Treat

About: Pook’s Pantry Banana Pumpkin Dog Treat is a belly-friendly snack made with fiber-rich pumpkin and mashed banana (in case you were wondering, yes — dogs can eat pumpkin). Containing only four ingredients you likely already have lying around, there’s no need to tear your pantry apart when baking this simple, delicious cookie.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 mashed banana

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Mix together eggs, pumpkin, and mashed banana in a large bowl.
3. Slowly add the flour into the mixture while stirring until combined.
4. Roll dough into ⅛ inch thickness on a flour-dusted surface with a four-dusted roller.
5. Cut out treats using your favorite cookie cutter.
6. Place cookies on a baking sheet, leaving 1 inch between treats.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.

These banana-pumpkin cookies can last up to 5 days when refrigerated, or they can be frozen for several months.

8. AllRecipes Liver Dog Treats

About: AllRecipes Liver Dog Treats contain nutrient-rich organ meat, giving your pup a dose of vitamins and fatty acids along with her snack. With the treats’ spongey, easy-to-chew consistency and strong, tempting smell, they’re a good option for older dogs.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup whole wheat flour
•  2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups beef liver, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Pulse liver in a food processor until finely chopped. 
3. Mix in the flour and eggs until smooth.
4. Transfer mix to a parchment-lined 10×15 inch jelly roll pan and spread evenly.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the center of the mixture is firm.
6. Cool the treats and cut into bite-sized cubes with a knife or pizza cutter.

These treats must remain refrigerated and will keep for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container.

9. Kol’s Notes Salmon & Sweet Potato Dog Brownie

About: Kol’s Notes Salmon & Sweet Potato Dog Treat is a doggo’s dream dessert with its savory fish flavor and crumbly, soft texture. These won’t be terribly tempting to human palates, but even the pickiest pooches will want a bite of these smelly squares, and the softer texture works great for older dogs and puppies. The wheat flour-free formula is a good choice for dogs with allergies, too.

Ingredients:

• 1 can salmon
• 1 medium sweet potato, baked in its skin
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup coconut flour
• Coconut oil for greasing the baking dish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl until fluffy.
3. Fold coconut flour and salmon into the eggs.
4. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes while the flour absorbs the moisture.
5. After removing the sweet potato from its skin, mash it until smooth.
6. Gently fold the mashed sweet potato into the salmon mixture after it has rested.
7. Press the mixture into a greased 9×9 baking dish.
8. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Let the brownies cool and cut into squares to serve.

These salmon brownies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.

10. The Lazy Pit Bull’s Heart-Shaped Cranberry Cookies

About: The Lazy Pit Bull’s Heart-Shaped Cranberry Cookies pack a pop of fiber and antioxidants. Meat-free and limited in ingredients, they’re a solid choice for doggos with food sensitivities, though they may be a bit tart for pickier palates.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 to 4 tablespoons coconut flour
• ½ cup dried cranberries 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325℉.
2. Beat eggs in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Add wheat flour, coconut oil, and cranberries to a large bowl and mix together.
4. Mix in the eggs, using your hands to knead the mixture into a dough.
5. Add the coconut flour one tablespoon at a time until the dough forms a ball that is not overly sticky.
6. Roll out the dough into your desired thickness.
7. Section with cookie cutters or by using a butter knife.
8. Place cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. 
9. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are crisp.

These cookies can only be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week, but your pooch probably won’t view this as a “problem.”

11. Talent Hounds’ Fruity Frosty Hearts

About: Talent Hounds’ Fruity Frosty Hearts are the perfect snack for a warm day and don’t require any baking, letting you and your doggo both beat the heat. Made with fresh fruits and yummy yogurt, these doggy ice cream cookies provide a nice burst of fiber in a creamy, sweet bite.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 seeded chunks fresh watermelon
• 1 handful raspberries (can swap in blueberries if you’d like)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

Instructions:

1. Place the fruit and yogurt in a large bowl and mash with a fork until you form a chunky paste. (You can also mix the ingredients in a blender until smooth if your dog prefers creamier textures.)
2. Pour the mixture into freezer-safe molds.
3. Cover the molds with plastic wrap. 
4. Freeze for at least 4 hours. 
5. Offer to your pup once hardened, or stick them into her favorite kong or chewy. 

You can store these fruity frosty treats in the freezer for up to 2 months.

12. Southern Bytes’ Crunchy Dog Treat

About: Southern Bytes’ Crunchy Dog Treats give your doggo a burst of antioxidants (and sweetness) with its inclusion of yummy blueberries. Also featuring oats and peanut butter, these cookies have a little more crunch than other recipes and can also be enjoyed by you too if you’d like.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup blueberries (fresh, frozen, or dried)
• ¾ cup oats
• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ to ½ cup warm water (moisten mixture until it reaches your desired texture)
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Place the blueberries and oats into a large mixing bowl and mash together.
3. Add in the flour, eggs, salt, peanut butter, and cinnamon and mix until combined.
4. Slowly add in the ⅛ cup water until the mixture forms a ball. More water may be needed if the mixture is exceedingly dry.
5.  Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it’s ½ inch thick.
6. Cut out the cookies into your desired shapes with cookie cutters or by freehanding with a butter knife.
7. Place the cutouts on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving 1 inch between cookies.
8. Bake for 40 minutes or until crunchy.

These cookies can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze the cookies for 2 to 3 months.

13. Clean Eating’s Mango Chicken Dog Cookie 

About: Clean Eating’s Mango Chicken Dog Cookie is a chewy treat that is sweet and savory. Made with real chunky chicken and chopped mango, it has more flavor than traditional dry cookies, giving your doggo a moist, tasty goodie to snack on.

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped
• 1 cup fresh mango, chopped
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands. 
3. Knead mixture into a ball.
4. Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface until ¼ inch thick.
5. Using a cookie cutter, section out desired cookies.
6. Place cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 1 inch between them.
7. Bake until golden for 10 to 15 minutes.

You can store these savory-sweet treats for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Creating Your Own Recipe? Avoid These Dangerous Ingredients 

Crafting your own dog cookie recipe can be loads of fun and a great bonding experience. It’s also a way to control what goes into your pup’s belly and avoid any sensitivities she may have. With an eye on the process from start to finish, you don’t need to worry about hidden ingredients or scary recalls.

While coming up with your own recipe is beneficial in many ways, there are dangerous pantry items to avoid, including:

Always opt for recipes that are low in fat, salt, sugar, and milk to avoid upsetting your dog’s stomach. Use caution with peanut butter, as xylitol is commonly used in many brands today (just check out our article about dog-safe peanut butters for some pooch-friendly options).

Canine Cookie-Making Tips

When baking goodies for your doggo, there are some things to keep in mind to make it the best experience ever, including: 

• Use fun molds: Not only do molds make dog snacks more visually appealing, but they can also make them more entertaining to eat and gnaw. Hearts, bones, humans, and canes are just some of the fun shapes available. 
• Save some for later: You can always freeze extra dough or cookies to enjoy another day. Nothing beats finding surprise cookies in the freezer, after all. Just make sure you clearly label them with the date, so you don’t accidentally feed your fur kid ancient artifacts in the future.
• Size accordingly: Keep your doggo’s size in mind when selecting a recipe. Yes, bigger-than-your-face banana cookies look awesome, but they’re way too much for a Maltese to eat. At the same time, your mastiff might be upset if you bake her a peewee peanut butter wafer.
• Monitor calories: Treats like cookies are fine in moderation, but some recipes are calorie bombs that can leave your woofer extra wide if you’re not careful. If you know your pup struggles with her weight, check out recipes that are lower in calories and include healthier ingredients like lean meat over calorie-dense options like peanut butter.
• Substitute as needed: Don’t be afraid to swap out ingredients for something your dog will enjoy or can have. Different flours are available if your dog has allergies (whole wheat, coconut, almond, and oat, for example) and different fruits can be exchanged for one another (such as blueberries for raspberries). You can also swap out eggs for applesauce if your pup has allergies (use ¼ cup applesauce for each egg in the recipe). You can also swap one egg for half of a mashed medium banana.
• Store properly: Always label cookies and doughs with the date before storing them in airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags. Pay close attention to recipe storage remarks, too, as you don’t want to accidentally forget to refrigerate something. If you ever doubt an item’s safety, err on the side of caution and toss it.
• Spread the joy: Homemade dog cookies make great gifts for the pup parents in your life. As with any treat, make sure you include a list of the ingredients just in case any fur kids have allergies.
• Get creative. Once you’ve mastered the basic dog cookie recipe, consider leveling up with some more canine treats like dog cake pops, dog cupcakes, or dog birthday cakes!

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Have you tried any of these cookie recipes with your dog? Do you have another dog-friendly cookie you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments.