Christmas dog treat recipes they’ll love

Taking a true mix and match approach in selecting our favourite Christmas dog treat recipes, Nose to Tail would like to thank some of the best doggie chefs around for providing some tasty recipes:

• Pretty Fluffy
• Pet Guide
• Dog Hill Kitchen

We hope you enjoy cooking these delicious treats for your Christmas dog. More importantly, we hope your pup loves them!

Gingerbread “mailmen”

Taking a traditional classic (gingerbread men) and spinning it to your pup’s delight, these treats are sure to go down as a huge hit. Put your gingerbread cookie cutter to extra use this year!

YOU’LL NEED

1 and 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup molasses
2 tablespoons honey
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

TO MAKE

1. Get two large bowls. In one bowl combine the water, olive oil, molasses and honey. In the second bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, cloves and finely chopped ginger.
2. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Mix until all are combined.
3. Divide the dough into two, wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 3.5 hours.
4. Once chilled, remove dough from fridge and roll out dough to less than a centimetre of thickness.
5. Preheat oven to 180 C.
6. Use your Gingerbread Cookie Cutter to cut out the biscuits. Place on baking tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

If you really want to run forward with the mailmen idea, you can also find an additional cookie cutter to create a gingerbread mail bag!

Peppermint holidog treats

Perfect for Christmas (and treating bad breath), these peppermint treats are certain to become a holiday tradition with your family. Made with peanut butter and molasses, this treat will be irresistible to any dog.

This dog treat recipe will approximately make 25 medium-sized cookies

YOU’LL NEED

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup water
1 teaspoon molasses
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

TO MAKE

1. Preheat oven to 180 C.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, molasses, peanut butter, water, olive oil and peppermint extract until smooth.
3. Knead flour on a floured surface and roll out to less than a centimetre of thickness. Cut with festive cookie cutters and place on nonstick cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Store treats in a sealed container and refrigerate or freeze.

Nutty bacon bites

Two of most dog’s favourite things in the world are bacon and peanut butter. So what happens when you combine the two?

A dog treat perfect for Christmas that will have you pup begging for them all year round.

YOU’LL NEED

3 slices of bacon, diced
1 egg
1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup soy flour
1/2 whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup wheat germ

TO MAKE

1. Preheat oven to 150 C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Fry the diced bacon until crispy. With a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon but save the fat. Allow the fat to cool slightly (2-5 minutes)
3. Add the egg, peanut butter, maple syrup and water to the bacon fat and mix thoroughly.
4. Add in the flours and wheat germ and mix until combined. Stir in the crispy bacon pieces.
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about less than a centimetre of thickness.
6. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
7. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.
8. Let the treats cool

Do you have any holiday dog recipes that you would like to share? Remember, especially during the holiday season, that sharing is caring. Give us a bell in store on 09 448 2227