The holidays are synonymous with baking cookies, and Santa isn’t the only one who can enjoy them this Christmas! Many ingredients in traditional Christmas cookies are unsafe and potentially toxic for your pets. Chocolate, xylitol, sugar, spices, certain nuts and any toppings they might choke on are all dangerous.
During the holidays, your pets are often interested in eating the things you are making. Now, you can make something that is safe for them so that they can enjoy the holidays too!
This is a super easy recipe for your pet and is great to do with kids. Kids love to bake cookies for their dogs or cats. And I can tell you, my Mini Golden Retrievers and cats love them!
Recipe:
½ cup of water
¼ cup of oil
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 360 degrees.
- Pour into a bowl the Gourmet Baking Mix, water and oil. Three options for the Gourmet Baking Mixes are PB&J, Gingerlicious, or Snicker’doodles’. I like to use coconut oil as it is a little bit healthier for your pets.
- When I make these cookies for cats I like to add a little extra protein. You can simply mix in some cooked tuna or chicken for them.
- Mix it up to form a thick dough.
- Roll your dough out on the counter and flatten with a rolling pin.
- Use cookie cutters to press your desired shapes to the rolled out dough and peel away the excess dough.
- Place the shaped cookie dough on your baking sheet.
- Put some sprinkles on them (be sure to press them in a little) to add a little bit more love. At Big Hearted Breeders, love is what it is all about. Now the sprinkles are where you can have a little bit more fun. Feel free to make each cookie unique for your fur baby.
- You can use the crumbles at the bottom of their pawTree treats.
- Broken up CBD Chews also make a great topping. *CBD can help relax your pet during parties or other stressful times around the holidays. However, you need to be careful that you know how much you are putting in each cookie. Do not give more than the recommended amount to your pet.*
- pawTree has a whole line of pawPairings which are mostly a dehydrated protein. They also have some vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in them. They have tons of different protein sources including bison, duck, lamb, chicken, turkey, ocean fish, salmon, chicken liver. That is another fun way to just give it a little bit of love and sprinkles.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
These homemade dog treats are super simple. You can make them in about 30 minutes, including cook time. You don't need a food processor or any fancy tools.
They are even better than the store bought cookies. And my dogs love them!
These cookies last well in an airtight container for up to two weeks. You can make them in advance so that they are ready when your guests come to distract your furry friends as you have company as well. Baking cookies for your pets is a great activity to do with your family and your kids.
Making these with your kids has an added bonus. If you are like me, no one needs to know which cookies you made and which ones your kids made!
In addition to being a fun family event, these cookies can also help your pet in other ways. The holidays can often be a stressful time for pets. Parties, new people, new schedules and new decorations around the house can all create stress. However, there are many natural supplements that can help your pet relax.
pawTree's Chillax was made by vets with all the relaxation supplements and can help your pet find their zen. I recommend it because it contains chamomile, melatonin, and hemp seed oil and powder, among other natural supplements.
If you add Chillax or CBD to your cookies, give them to your pet about 30 minutes before you want them to be relaxed.
Health and relaxation both start from the inside out. Give your pet these natural supplements to help them feel good inside and enjoy this magical time of year.
If you're interested in learning more about your pet's nutrition, please complete the form below and let's set up a time to chat! How we feed our pets is such a crucial part of their health and wellbeing. I want to help all pets live the healthiest and longest lives that they can.
I hope you will enjoy baking these cookies and I know your pets will love them! If you make these cookies, please share how it went below. Happy Holidays!