Don't forget about your furry friends this holiday season! These Gingerbread Cookies for Dogs are packed with nutritious human-grade ingredients and spices and can be cut out into any shapes you desire. Your pup is going to love these special treats!
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Years ago I made gingerbread cookies for dogs to pair with my Gingerbread Puppuccinos. But when I went back to make the cookies for my pup this year, I realized they were a little boring and needed more pizazz.
So, I revamped the recipe and am giving it its own post. Because if you ask my dog and her friends, it totally deserves it! These new and improved gingerbread cookies for dogs are still packed with healthy human-grade ingredients, but have lots more flavor and fun.
Happy holidays to your dog!!
🍪 Can dogs eat gingerbread cookies?
Much to the disappointment of my dog Winnie, you really shouldn't feed your dog gingerbread cookies made for humans since they're most often packed with lots of sugar and preservatives.
But since I know Winnie loves the cookies so much, I decided to make a special version that's dog-friendly!
As always, remember that every dog is different and you should always check with your vet before introducing new foods into his or her diet. But for most pups, these gingerbread dog treats will be a great snack!
Not only is a small amount of ground ginger safe for most dogs, but it can actually help them with stomach issues and inflammation (source).
I chose to sweeten the cookies with a little bit of molasses. A small amount of molasses is generally thought of as a great sugar alternative for dogs (source).
Eggs add some protein and the whole wheat flour adds some additional nutrients and fiber.
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
If you like to include your dog in your holiday fun, these gingerbread cookies for dogs are a fun way to do it. They're festive and tasty and your dog will love them!
They're easy to make and can be cut into any shapes you want. I like making little dog cookies and bigger dog bone cookies.
You can feel good about feeding them to your pup because they're made with all human-grade ingredients.
And if you need an extra host or hostess gift for a household with a dog, these cookies are the perfect little addition.
🗒 Ingredients
Gingerbread cookies for dogs are made with pretty simple ingredients. Here's everything you need (be sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- Whole wheat flour
- All-purpose flour
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
- Large eggs
- Molasses
- Water
🥣 Equipment
One of the great things about this dog cookie recipe is that you don't need a mixer to make it. To mix the ingredients, you just need a bowl and a wooden spoon!
You'll also want the cookie cutters of your choice. The dog cookie cutters I use are no longer available, but these dog-shaped cookie cutters are similar. And this is the dog bone cookie cutter I use.
Other than that, you just need a baking sheet and parchment paper (or a Silpat if you prefer).
🦴 How to make gingerbread cookies for dogs
These Christmas dog cookies are super easy to make with just a few steps!
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together both whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, ginger, and cinnamon.
Add eggs, molasses, and water to the flour mixture.
And using a wooden spoon, mix until just combined.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough a couple times by hand until it all comes together.
Then roll it out to about ¼" thickness.
And cut shapes out with cookie cutters.
Be sure to gather any leftover dough, knead together, roll out again, and cut out more cookies.
Place the cookies cut-outs on the prepared baking sheet about 1-inch apart (they won't really spread much).
And bake them for 10-12 minutes, until they're just starting to turn golden at edges.
Let cool on baking sheet for a couple minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
How cute are these gingerbread cookies for dogs??
I love the fun shapes... And they also ensure that no humans will get confused and eat these cookies.
Though, of course, they're perfectly fine and safe for humans to eat. I always try the food I make for my pup and I was very happy with the spice level of these cookies.
However, if I was making them for human consumption, I'd definitely want them to be a lot sweeter.
But now for the true test... from a dog that I sometimes call Sugar Monster because she loves sugar so much...
She got all dressed up in her Christmas jammies to enjoy these homemade holiday treats for dogs.
And she loved them!
I will admit that I gave her way more than what is probably the proper serving size, but it made me so happy that she kept asking for more.
Winnie's bestie, Josie, was visiting, so of course, she got treated, too
And she was also a fan!
That makes me think that your dog will love them, too!
⏲️ How to store
Once gingerbread cookies are completely cooled, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week.
You can refrigerate them to keep them fresh a bit longer, but they will get a bit soggy in the fridge. But your dog might not mind!
🎉 Variations on recipe
These gingerbread cookies for dogs are a simple cookie that's packed with gingerbread flavor. But there's lots you can do to customize them to your dog's taste.
Here are some fun ideas:
- Add pumpkin puree or sweet potato puree for additional flavor and nutrition.
- Add a little peanut butter if your dog is a fan.
- Incorporate fresh ginger into the cookies instead of just ground ginger.
- While we would probably not love chicken or cheese in our gingerbread cookies, dogs pretty much always welcome that extra protein, so add if you think your dog will enjoy it.
- On that same note, you can add fresh mint or parsley to the gingerbread to help act as a breath freshener for your pup.
- If you want to make grain-free gingerbread cookies, you can try making these with almond flour, but be aware that you may need to alter the quantities since you can't use almond flour as a 1:1 swap.
- Frost the cookies with a sour cream icing.
- Add sprinkles for a fun look. I recommend using naturally colored sprinkles.
🐶 More holiday treats for dogs
I love making Winnie homemade dog treats all year round, but I especially love cooking and baking for her during the holiday season. Here are some of her favorite dog-friendly treats:
I'm always developing more pup treat recipes, so be sure to come back for more!
👩🍳 More gingerbread recipes (for humans)
If you happen to be a human who loves gingerbread or you just want some of your own treats to enjoy alongside your pup, here are some of my favorite gingerbread recipes:
This gingerbread coffee creamer is also delicious when added to hot or iced coffee. And this gingerbread syrup can make any drink even better!
And now I'm wondering if it would be smart to leave a few of these gingerbread cookies for dogs on the plate with Santa's cookies. Do you think reindeer enjoy the same treats that dogs do?
How do you treat your dog extra special during the holiday season?
📖 Recipe
Gingerbread Cookies for Dogs
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ tablespoon molasses
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, ginger, and cinnamon.
- Using a wooden spoon, mix eggs, molasses, and water into flour mixture until combined.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead dough a couple times by hand until it all comes together. Roll dough out to about ¼" thickness and cut shapes out with cookie cutters. Gather any leftover dough, knead together, roll out again, and cut out more cookies.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until they're just starting to turn golden at edges. Let cool on baking sheet for a couple minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
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