Get ready to make this holiday season extra special for your pup with my homemade Christmas dog treats that are as festive as they are drool worthy!
Our Christmas treats for dogs are a paw-some way for your pup to join in the celebrations. With just a few yummy ingredients, these tail-wagging goodies will add a touch of festive charm to your dog’s Christmas experience.
So whether you’re baking for your own pup or as thoughtful gifts for fellow dog lovers, this Christmas dog treats recipe is bound to put everyone in the holiday spirit – because nothing says “Merry Christmas” like a batch of homemade Christmas dog cookies made with love!
This article is based on research and personal experience as a Vizsla owner. I’m not a qualified dog trainer, Vet or dog behaviourist.
Why You Need To Make These Homemade Christmas Dog Treats
I love to include our pets in the festive celebrations and these homemade doggie treats for Christmas are such a quick and easy way to treat your dog.
They are perfect for rewarding your pup after they’ve endured a photo session in their Christmas costume and treating them during this special holiday.
Plus they are great to make for Christmas treat bags for dogs – gift them to your friends and neighbours or even feed them to your doggie friends who visit during the holidays.
Homemade dog treats are simply the best way to treat your dog – with all natural ingredients and no preservatives you know exactly what you’re feeding your dog with homemade treats.
And don’t worry if you’re not a confident baker – this recipe for DIY Christmas dog treats is really simple to follow. And let’s be honest, our dogs are NOT going to care what they look like!
Shapes like Christmas trees, stars and gingerbread men are fun for Christmas, but I guarantee your pup will love them regardless of their shape.
Ingredients For Christmas Dog Cookies
You really don’t need many ingredients to make these fun Christmas shaped dog treats.
Ingredients include:
- Bacon pieces– strips of bacon fried and cut into small pieces are what make these dog biscuits so drool worthy!
- Whole wheat flour – I like to use whole wheat flour (wholemeal flour) as it contains more fibre, vitamins and minerals than regular flour.
- Cheddar cheese – shredded hard cheese for a delicious cheesy taste.
- Eggs – essential to help bind the mixture before rolling.
- Water
You can find the exact measurements and detailed steps in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How To Make Homemade Dog Treats For Christmas
I step through the high level steps for making these cheese and bacon dog treats below to give you an overview of the process.
Be sure to head to the recipe card at the bottom when you’re ready to bake for all the detailed steps.
The first step is to fry your bacon strips in a fry pan until crispy. Remove from the pan and chop into small pieces.
Then in a large bowl whisk the eggs, then add the water, bacon pieces and shredded cheese. Mix until combined.
Next add the flour and mix until combined. You may need to knead with your hands to combine all the ingredients in well.
If the mixture seems very sticky add a little more flour, but remember you will probably add some flour when rolling, so don’t add too much more.
Next you want to lightly flour your rolling surface and tip your dough out onto the floured surface.
Lightly sprinkle your dough and rolling pin with flour then roll the dough out to about 1/2″ thick (1.25cm).
Using your Christmas cutters (or any cutter for other times of year), cut your cookies out of the dough and place them on your lined cookie sheet / baking tray.
You want to place cookies that are of similar size on the one tray so they cook at the same rate.
If you have two different sized cutters, split the cookies onto two trays.
Keep rolling out any leftover dough until you’ve used it all to make your cookies.
Bake in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden.
Remove from the oven, leave for 10 minutes to cool then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool before giving to your dog.
How To Serve DIY Christmas Treats For Dogs
The best way to serve these homemade doggie treats is right after they cool! I recommend giving your dog only a couple at a time.
You can also make cute little Christmas treat bags for dogs. Put a few dog biscuits in each gift bag to give to your friends’ and neighbours’ dogs when you visit them over the festive season!
How To Store Christmas Dog Biscuits
Store left over dog biscuits in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Be sure the container is out of reach of your dog, who may just decide they’d like a few more when you’re not looking!
If you live in a humid hot area, store the container in the fridge. Otherwise it is fine stored in the pantry.
You can also freeze the treats in a freezer safe container or bags for up to 4 months.
I recommend defrosting them before serving to your dog. Note they may not be as crunchy when defrosted.
Christmas Dog Treats Recipe FAQ
Can I Use All Purpose Flour?
Yes you can substitute all purpose flour for whole wheat flour if your dog does not suffer from any allergies. If unsure, always check with your Vet before giving new foods to your dog.
Can You Freeze Christmas Bacon Dog Treats?
Yes, you can freeze these bacon Christmas treats for dogs. If you have leftover treats, simply store them in a freezer safe container for up to 4 months.
How Many Treats Will The Mixture Make?
The quantity will vary depending on the size of the cutter used. You should get around 60 small treats using a 2″ cutter and 30 with a large 4″ cutter.
Before You Go
Looking for more Christmas ideas for your dog? Read this guide to celebrating Christmas with your vizsla and find a fun costume that fits in our guide to the best Christmas dog costumes.
And if your pup enjoyed these homemade bacon dog treats, they may also like these easy pumpkin dog biscuits too.
Liked this post? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest to see more guides like this one in your feed.
More Dog Treat Recipes
- Best gluten free dog treat recipes
- Halloween dog biscuits recipe
- Frozen Kong Filler Ideas
- 25 Homemade dog treat recipes
Or, browse all the food guides here.
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Homemade Christmas Dog Treats
With just a few ingredients, this Christmas dog treats recipe is easy to make and a fun way to treat your dog during the festive Christmas season.
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon
- 3 cups whole wheat (wholemeal) flour (note 1)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup water
- Extra flour for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C (160°C fan) and line a large sheet pan / baking tray with parchment paper.
- Fry the strips of bacon in a fry pan until crispy. Drain on paper towel then chop into small pieces.
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs then add water, bacon pieces and shredded cheese. Stir to combine.
- Add the flour and mix to combine. Knead with hands if required to combine and form dough.
- Lightly flour your rolling surface and rolling pin. Tip the dough out of the bowl onto your rolling surface.
- Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick.
- Cut the cookies with your Christmas shaped cookie cutters and place onto your lined tray, leaving a little space between.
- Re-roll and left over dough and cut more cookies.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes (depending on cookie size) or until golden.
- Remove tray from oven, leave for 10 minutes to cool then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Notes
- Whole wheat flour - also known as wholemeal flour, is less processed than all purpose flour. You can substitute regular flour if you don't have whole wheat flour.
- Rolling your dough - if your dough is very sticky, sprinkle with a few tablespoons of flour before rolling.
- Cook time - smal treats will cook faster than large ones, so put all cookies of the same size on one tray.
- Yield - the number of cookies will vary depending on the size of your cutter. You should get around 60 small treats using a 2" (5 cm) cutter and 30 large treats with a 4" (10 cm) cutter.
- Storage - Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or store in the freezer in a freezer safe container for up to 4 months. Defrost before giving to your dog.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 60 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 34Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 28mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g
Please note that nutrition information is a computer generated estimate and should not be interpreted as a dietitian's advice. Values can vary greatly among brands, amounts and ingredients used.
