Updated July 2026
Christmas brings tempting food into almost every room of the house.
There may be chocolate on the coffee table, mince pies in the kitchen, presents containing sweets and plates of leftovers waiting to be cleared away.
Understandably, you may also want to make something special for your Dog. However, a dog-friendly Christmas treat does not need to contain lots of ingredients, sugar, spices or rich leftovers.
Simple is usually better.
The recipes below use plain ingredients that many healthy dogs can enjoy in small amounts. They are treats rather than complete meals and will not be suitable for every Dog.
For broader Christmas advice, including food, visitors, decorations and changes to routine, read my Dogs and Christmas guide.
Check whether homemade treats are suitable for your Dog
Before making any recipe, consider your individual Dog.
Homemade treats may be unsuitable when your Dog:
- has a diagnosed food allergy
- is completing a veterinary food trial
- has pancreatitis
- has diabetes
- has kidney or liver disease
- follows a prescribed veterinary diet
- needs strict weight management
- has difficulty chewing or swallowing
- has previously reacted badly to one of the ingredients
A food that is acceptable for one Dog may be entirely unsuitable for another.
Dogs undergoing a veterinary food trial should not receive ordinary treats or human food because even a small extra ingredient can affect the results. (PDSA)
Speak to your veterinary practice when you are unsure.
Ingredients to keep out of homemade dog treats
Never add:
- chocolate or cocoa
- raisins
- sultanas
- currants
- grapes
- onions
- garlic
- leeks
- shallots
- chives
- macadamia nuts
- alcohol
- coffee or other caffeinated ingredients
- xylitol or birch sugar
- raw bread dough
- cooked bones
- heavily seasoned leftovers
Chocolate, dried vine fruits, members of the onion family and xylitol can all cause serious illness in dogs. Some dogs may become ill after amounts that appear very small.
Check every ingredient label.
Xylitol may be found in some sugar-free products and nut butters. It may also appear on a label as birch sugar.
Do not assume that a product is suitable simply because it is described as natural, low sugar or healthy.
Why I have removed the old recipes
The original version of this article included dried cranberries, stock, molasses, honey, cinnamon and cloves.
Those ingredients made the recipes unnecessarily complicated.
Dried fruit mixtures can contain raisins or added sweeteners. Stock may contain onion, garlic or large amounts of salt. Molasses and honey add extra sugar without providing any necessary benefit to the Dog.
The updated recipes use fewer ingredients, making them easier to check and adapt.
Treats should remain a small part of the diet
Homemade does not automatically mean low calorie.
Treats include:
- homemade biscuits
- shop-bought treats
- chews
- training rewards
- food used in enrichment
- table scraps
- food used to give medication
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association recommends that treats provide less than 10 per cent of a dog’s daily calories. The remainder should normally come from a complete and balanced diet.
Make each Christmas treat small.
For a smaller dog, one biscuit from an ordinary human-sized cutter may be far too much. You can break treats into several pieces or use a tiny cutter.
Read my Dog Food and Nutrition Hub for more advice about portions, treats, complete diets and feeding individual dogs.
Equipment you will need
You do not need specialist baking equipment.
Useful items include:
- a mixing bowl
- a wooden spoon
- a fork or potato masher
- a baking tray
- baking parchment
- a rolling pin
- a small biscuit cutter
- a wire cooling rack
- a clean airtight container
- freezer bags or containers
Choose a small cutter or divide the finished treats into smaller pieces.
Wash equipment and work surfaces thoroughly before and after handling meat or eggs.
Recipe 1: Turkey and sweet potato mini bites
These soft bites use plain cooked turkey and cooked sweet potato.
PDSA lists small pieces of lean cooked turkey and cooked, peeled sweet potato among foods that can be offered as occasional treats to many dogs.
Ingredients
- 150g plain cooked turkey breast
- 150g cooked and peeled sweet potato
- 100g oats, ground into flour
- 1 small egg
- a little water if required
The turkey must be:
- fully cooked
- boneless
- skinless
- unseasoned
- free from gravy, stuffing, onion and garlic
Do not use turkey taken from underneath seasoned skin or cooked with onion, garlic or stuffing.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, or 160°C for a fan oven.
- Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
- Chop the cooked turkey very finely.
- Mash the cooked sweet potato until smooth.
- Place the turkey, sweet potato, oat flour and egg into a bowl.
- Mix until the ingredients form a firm dough.
- Add a small amount of water if the mixture is too dry.
- Form the mixture into small balls.
- Flatten each ball gently on the baking tray.
- Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
- Check that the treats are firm and fully cooked.
- Transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
The cooking time will vary according to the thickness and size of the treats.
Do not give one to your Dog while it is still hot.
Recipe 2: Carrot and oat Christmas stars
Carrots can be offered to many dogs as an occasional treat. They should still be cut into a suitable size and counted within the Dog’s daily food intake. (Dogs Trust)
Ingredients
- 150g rolled oats
- 100g finely grated carrot
- 1 small egg
- 2 to 4 tablespoons of water
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, or 160°C for a fan oven.
- Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
- Blend or grind the rolled oats into a coarse flour.
- Place the oat flour and grated carrot into a bowl.
- Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
- Add the water one tablespoon at a time until a firm dough forms.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of baking parchment.
- Cut it into small stars or simple squares.
- Place the treats on the prepared tray.
- Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove them when they are firm and lightly coloured.
- Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
The carrot should be finely grated so that large pieces do not fall from the biscuit.
A simple square cut with a knife is just as good as a Christmas shape.
Your Dog will not be judging your biscuit decoration.
Recipe 3: Apple and oat mini biscuits
Apple can be offered to many dogs as an occasional treat, but the core and seeds should be removed. (Blue Cross)
Ingredients
- 1 small apple
- 150g oats, ground into flour
- 1 small egg
- a little water if required
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, or 160°C for a fan oven.
- Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
- Wash the apple.
- Remove the stalk, core and every seed.
- Grate the remaining apple flesh.
- Place the grated apple, oat flour and egg into a bowl.
- Mix until a dough forms.
- Add a small amount of water only if needed.
- Form the dough into very small, flat biscuits.
- Place them on the lined baking tray.
- Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
- Allow them to cool completely before serving.
Do not add:
- sugar
- syrup
- dried fruit
- nutmeg
- sweeteners
- chocolate
- icing
The finished treat does not need to taste like a human apple pie.
A very simple alternative using your Dog’s normal food
You do not have to bake a new recipe.
For many dogs, the safest seasonal treat is part of their normal food presented differently.
You could:
- reserve part of their usual dry food
- use it in a simple scent search
- place it inside an appropriate food toy
- scatter it around one familiar room
- hide a few pieces in open cardboard boxes
- use it as training rewards
This avoids introducing unfamiliar ingredients and makes it easier to manage the Dog’s overall intake.
Blue Cross recommends using part of a dog’s usual food for activities such as scatter feeding. (Blue Cross)
Read my Dog Enrichment Guide for more calm food and scent activities.
How many homemade treats can your Dog have?
There is no single number that suits every Dog.
The appropriate amount depends on:
- the size of the Dog
- the size of the treat
- the ingredients
- the Dog’s normal diet
- body condition
- activity
- age
- health
- other treats eaten that day
A tiny dog and a large, active dog should not automatically receive the same portion.
Begin with a very small amount and make sure the ingredients agree with your Dog.
Do not give several treats simply because they are homemade.
Treats should remain below 10 per cent of the Dog’s daily calories, and the amount of normal food may need to be adjusted.
My Dog Treats: How to Choose Healthier Options guide explains how treats can quietly add a substantial number of calories.
Introduce new ingredients gradually.
Christmas Day is not the best time to discover that your Dog cannot tolerate eggs, oats, turkey or a particular vegetable.
Make the recipe in advance and offer one small piece.
Watch for:
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
- excessive wind
- itching
- skin irritation
- ear irritation
- unusual discomfort
- refusing normal food
Stop feeding the treats and contact your vet if your Dog becomes unwell.
Do not introduce several new recipes on the same day. It can make it harder to work out what caused a reaction.
How to store homemade dog treats
Homemade treats do not contain the preservatives used in many commercial products.
Make small batches.
Once the treats have cooled completely:
- place them in a clean, sealed container
- keep meat-based treats refrigerated
- freeze anything you will not use promptly
- separate batches with baking parchment
- label the container with the ingredients and date
- Discard treats that smell unusual or show signs of mould
Do not leave soft or meat-based treats in a Christmas stocking overnight.
Thaw frozen treats in the refrigerator rather than leaving them on a warm kitchen surface.
Never give your Dog mouldy food. Mould can produce toxins capable of causing serious illness.
Keep recipes plain
Avoid trying to improve the smell or appearance with human seasonings.
Do not add:
- salt
- gravy granules
- stock cubes
- stuffing
- meat seasoning
- garlic purée
- onion powder
- spice mixtures
- butter
- sugary icing
Onion and garlic remain toxic whether they are fresh, dried, powdered or cooked. (PDSA)
A dog-friendly treat should be prepared separately from the family’s seasoned Christmas food.
Can you use Christmas dinner leftovers?
Take care.
Food that looks plain may have been:
- cooked beneath seasoned meat skin
- mixed with gravy
- roasted with onions or garlic
- covered in butter
- cooked with stuffing
- mixed with raisins
- left at room temperature for too long
- in contact with cooked bones
Do not scrape a mixture of Christmas leftovers into your Dog’s bowl.
Set aside any dog-safe ingredients before adding seasoning, sauces or fat.
Small amounts of plain, skinless turkey and suitable plain vegetables may be acceptable for some healthy dogs, but the portion should remain modest. Blue Cross advises avoiding rich, salty foods and adjusting the Dog’s normal food when extra treats are given.
Read Can Dogs Eat Christmas Dinner? before sharing festive food.
Making treats with children
Making simple dog treats can be a pleasant family activity, but an adult should remain responsible for the ingredients and oven.
Children can help with:
- measuring oats
- grating carrot with supervision
- stirring the mixture
- using simple cutters
- arranging cooled treats in a container
- making an ingredient label
Children should not:
- feed raw mixture containing egg
- place food directly into the Dog’s mouth
- crowd the Dog while they eat
- take a treat back from the Dog
- repeatedly feed extra biscuits
- disturb a dog who is guarding food
Give the dog space and manage the treats yourself.
In a multi-dog home, feed dogs separately if there is any risk of competition or resource guarding.
Do not wrap edible treats and leave them under the tree
A dog may smell food through paper, card and fabric.
Do not leave homemade treats:
- beneath the Christmas tree
- in an accessible stocking
- on a low coffee table
- inside an unattended gift bag
- beside chocolate presents
- in a room where the Dog is unsupervised
Dogs may swallow wrapping paper, ribbon, plastic bags or parts of containers while trying to reach food.
Keep the treats in a secure kitchen cupboard or refrigerator.
My 12 Christmas Hazards That Could Ruin Your Dog’s Christmas guide covers food, presents, decorations and other seasonal risks.
What should you do if your Dog eats something unsafe?
Contact your vet promptly if you know or suspect that your Dog has eaten:
- chocolate
- raisins
- sultanas
- currants
- grapes
- onions
- garlic
- xylitol
- macadamia nuts
- alcohol
- raw dough
- cooked bones
- a large amount of rich food
Do not wait for symptoms to appear.
Keep the packaging or recipe details and tell the vet:
- what was eaten
- approximately how much
- when it happened
- your Dog’s weight
- whether symptoms have appeared
- whether other ingredients were involved
Do not try to make your Dog vomit unless a veterinary professional specifically instructs you to do so.
Blue Cross advises contacting a vet immediately after suspected ingestion of toxic food, even when the amount appears small. (
Read Chocolate and Dogs: What to Do if chocolate may have been eaten.
Frequently asked questions
Are homemade Dog treats healthier than shop-bought treats?
Not automatically.
Homemade treats allow you to see the ingredients, but they can still contain too many calories or be unsuitable for an individual dog. A properly labelled commercial treat may sometimes be easier to portion and store.
Can dogs eat plain turkey?
Many healthy dogs can have a small amount of fully cooked, plain, skinless and boneless turkey.
Do not give turkey cooked with gravy, stuffing, onion, garlic, heavy seasoning or large amounts of fat.
Can dogs eat sweet potato?
Cooked and peeled sweet potato can be an occasional treat for many dogs. It should be plain and given in a modest amount.
Can dogs eat carrots?
Many dogs can have small pieces of plain carrot as an occasional treat. The size should be suitable for the Dog to reduce choking risk.
Can dogs eat apples?
Many dogs can have a small amount of apple. Remove the core, stalk and seeds and cut the flesh into an appropriate size. (
Can I put peanut butter in homemade dog treats?
Peanut butter is high in calories, and some products contain xylitol. Check the complete ingredient list and avoid any product containing xylitol or birch sugar.
The recipes on this page do not require peanut butter.
Can dogs eat dried cranberries?
I have removed dried cranberries from the original recipe.
Some products contain added sugar, sweeteners or mixtures with raisins. Using a simpler recipe removes the need to check a complicated dried-fruit product.
How long do homemade dog treats last?
It depends on the ingredients, moisture and storage.
Because homemade treats lack commercial preservatives, make small batches, refrigerate perishable treats and freeze surplus portions. Discard anything that smells unusual or develops mould.
Can dogs on a prescription diet have these treats?
Do not assume so.
Speak to your vet before giving additional food to a dog on a prescribed diet or veterinary food trial.
Are these recipes complete meals?
No.
They are occasional treats and are not formulated to provide a complete and balanced diet.
A Christmas treat does not need to be complicated.
Your Dog does not know whether their biscuit looks like a Christmas tree, star or slightly wonky square.
They care about the smell, the experience and the fact that you are sharing a calm moment with them.
Use plain ingredients. Keep portions small. Avoid toxic foods and introduce anything new gradually.
A piece of your Dog’s normal food used in a simple scent game can be just as enjoyable as a complicated homemade recipe.
Christmas should not become a competition to give your Dog more food.
It should be a safe, comfortable time that still respects their normal diet and routine.
For broader seasonal guidance, visit Dogs and Christmas.
This guide provides general information and does not replace veterinary or nutritional advice. Speak to your veterinary team before changing the diet of a dog with allergies, illness, weight concerns or specialist feeding needs.
