Beet Cookies for Dogs

Doesn't your dog deserve an extra special treat this Valentine's Day? These heart-shaped Beet Cookies for Dogs are easy to make and your dog will go wild for them!

The other day, I almost bought myself a shirt that said "My dog is my Valentine" on the front of it. But then I worried that my husband would be insulted.

But see, the thing is... my husband doesn't like beets. He just flat out won't eat them and says, "can't I just have one food I don't like?!" (I say yes, but he also doesn't like cauliflower, squash, and several other things, so...).

While I still love to enjoy beets when out at restaurants, I don't prepare them often at home since I know I'm the only one who will eat them. Until now.

Now? My dog likes beets, too. And I'm sorry, but I think that totally gives her Valentine status for this year.

Can Dogs Eat Beets?

Yes, most dogs can eat beets, in moderation. As always, remember that every dog is different and it's always best to talk to your vet if you're not sure whether or not you should be feeding them a certain food.

In general, beets are low in calories and high in water content. They have lots of vitamins and minerals, though I wouldn't recommend adding beets to your dog's diet for the health reasons (they'd have to eat a ton to get the benefits).

Beets do have a lot of oxalates in them, so be aware of this if your dog is prone to kidney stones. Also, since canned beets have a lot of sodium in them, it's recommended that you stick to fresh (source).

Are Beet Cookies Messy?

When I first told my husband I was making beet cookies for Winnie, he was worried a) I was going to turn our dog into a beet lover and b) that the beets would make a huge mess in her fur.

But don't worry; once you bake the beets into the cookies, they won't leave any coloring behind.

I probably wouldn't feed my dog plain beets (though I did give her a little taste just to make sure she was interested before I made the cookies), but in dog baked goods? They're going to be a regular ingredient.

How to Make Beet Cookies for Dogs

Not only are these beet cookies going to make your dog pretty happy, but they're VERY easy to make.

You'll start with cooked beets. Of course, you can cook the beets yourself, but I like to buy Love Beets. I know I just told you to use fresh beets for feeding to your dog, but Love Beets are as good as fresh and don't have added salt or preservatives.

Just make sure you buy the original kind and not "pickled" or "smoked" or anything like that.

In any event, you'll want about 8 oz. of beets for this recipe, which is about a cup pureed (I like to use Love Beets because I can just keep out a little bit of the puree and use it in the icing).

Pop beets in a food processor or blender and process until pureed.

Scoop them out into a mixing bowl with the whole wheat flour, baking powder, honey, and coconut oil.

You can either use a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer or wooden spoon/spatula.

Mix the ingredients until just combined, taking care not to over-mix.

Look at that natural red color! It's way better than adding red food coloring to dough.

Roll cookie dough out to about ¼" thick on a lightly floured surface. And then use whatever kind of cookie cutter you want to cut shapes out.

Since I was making these beet cookies for a Valentine's Day treat, I decided to make heart-shaped cookies.

I used a small cookie cutter and got about 24 cookies. But obviously the amount of cookies you'll get with this recipe depends on how big you're making them. I do recommend keeping them on the smaller size since they're for your dog!

Place cookie dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or Silpat, about 1 inch apart.

And bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking pan for a few minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely.

Honestly, these beet cookies are so pretty as is, thanks to the natural beet coloring!

But in my opinion, cut-out cookies need a little frosting or something to add a little jazz. I opted for a sour cream icing since I know my dog goes wild for sour cream.

How to Make Dog-Friendly Cookie Icing

This icing is super easy to make and simply requires mixing sour cream, honey, cornstarch, and water in a small bowl.

The cornstarch will make help thicken the icing a bit (normally I'd use confectioners' sugar, but not in treats for dogs).

If you have any remaining beet puree, you can mix a little in to get a pretty natural pink color. If you don't, you can use a little food coloring. I recommend using a natural one, like this one (affiliate link).

Then frost your beet cookies! You can spread the icing on with a spatula or use a pastry bag to pipe it on.

I piped the outline and then flooded the middle, like I would if decorating a sugar cookie.

I couldn't even get my photos taken before Winnie tried barging in to grab one of these cookies. She has a sixth sense for knowing when I've made something for her and really does not care if it's ready for her or not.

If it smells delicious, it's ready. And apparently these beet cookies smelled delicious.

Can Humans Eat These Cookies?

Yes, humans can eat these beet cookies for dogs! I wouldn't say they're my favorite cookie in the world as they're not super sweet and the consistency is a little chewy, but you might like them just fine!

And what was most important to me with this recipe is that dogs like them and they're relatively healthy for dogs to eat.

I always joke that I'm way more conscious and careful about the food I'm feeding my dog than I am about the food I feed myself and I'm not really sure what that says about me.

For my pup, I check the nutritional facts on everything, only use natural food dyes, don't use white sugar, and use whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose.

And I get ridiculously happy when I create a dog treat that Winnie ends up loving (she's a super picky dog!).

Yup, you could definitely say she loved these beet cookies for dogs. Hooray!

More Homemade Dog Treats Your Pup Will Love

Whether you're looking for a special treat to make for your dog for Valentine's Day, their birthday, or just an every day snack, I've got you covered! All of my homemade dog treats are picky dog approved! Here are some of my (and Winnie's) favorites:

• Chicken Dog Treats
• Berry Egg Oatmeal for Dogs
• Chicken Jello
• Ham and Cheese Sweet Potato Egg Cups
• Egg, Apple, and Banana Pancakes for Dogs
• Peanut Butter Banana Pupcakes
• Banana Doughnuts for Dogs
• Sweet Potato and Oatmeal Dog Treats (from For the Love of Cooking)
• Strawberry Banana Dog Treats (from The Cozy Cook)

Not only did I make a homemade dog treat that my pup loves, but guess what else? Much to my husband's dismay, I've fully converted her into a beet lover!

Therefore, my dog is my valentine this year. My apologies to my husband. If you want to make your dog your valentine, too, make him or her these heart-shaped beet cookies for dogs!

Does your dog like vegetables?

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