As the holidays approach, many of us find ourselves spending extra time in the kitchen making delicious treats for our families. 

Why should humans be the only ones to enjoy home-baked goodies during the holidays? Give your pet something special (and yummy) this holiday season by making one of these great holiday pet treat recipes.

Safety Tip: When adding peanut butter to homemade dog treats be sure that it doesn't contain any xylitol or other artificial sweeteners. Xylitol is toxic to dogs and can be fatal.

Candy Cane Dog Treats

This candy cane dog treat recipe is easy to make, and they’re a great way to give your dog something extra special (and super cute) this holiday season.

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups All Purpose Flour
• ½ Cup Nonfat Powdered Milk
• ½ Tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Cup Warm Water
• 1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
• 2 Large Eggs
• 2 Tsp Red Food Coloring
• 1 Large Egg, for egg wash
• Additional flour for kneading

Directions:

1. Whisk together the flour, powdered milk, and baking powder in a large bowl. In a small bowl pour the warm water over the chicken bouillon and stir until dissolve. Whisk the eggs into the chicken water.
2. Form a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until combined.
3. Knead the dough until no longer sticky.
4. Separate the dough in half. Wrap one half in wax paper and place in the fridge.
5. Add red food coloring to the other half and continue to knead until it has changed color. Recommended to knead on a piece of wax paper or baking sheet so you don’t get food coloring all over the counter. Also recommended to wear rubber gloves to not stain your hands. Once the dough has turned red, wrap it in wax paper and place in the fridge. Allow to chill for 2 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 350 and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
7. Divide each ball of dough into Tbsp sized balls, equal number of balls per dough. Gently rollout each ball into strips, about 5 inches long and fairly thin.
8. Twist one of each colored strips together and curl the top as you place on the baking sheet, in a candy cane shape.
9. Whisk the extra egg and coat each candy cane with the egg wash.
10. Bake for 10 minutes and cool completely.

Christmas Morning Bacon Nut Treats

Start your dog’s Christmas day off with a delicious bacon nut treat and let them enjoy the deliciousness that is a cooked Christmas morning breakfast. 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
• ½ cup soy flour
• ½ cup wheat germ
• 1/3 cup all-natural peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp. natural maple syrup
• 3 tbsp. water
• 1 egg
• 3 rashers of bacon chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Skillet fry the bacon until done and set the fat aside.
3. Combine the peanut butter, egg, maple syrup, water, and slightly cooled bacon fat and stir. 
4. Add in wheat germ, flours, and cooked bacon and stir. Roll out the dough. and cut cookies out. Bake for 15 min until brown.

 Apple Mint Christmas Dog Bones

These Christmas dog treats are simple to mix and bake, and they make great gifts for the dogs in your life. The cute little mint flavored mini bones are made with applesauce, and, in addition to being tasty, the mint aids digestion and helps to control bad dog breath. 

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 cup oat bran
• 2 tablespoons dry milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons dry baking yeast
• 2 tablespoons chopped spearmint leaves
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 teaspoons green or red powdered food coloring or spinach powder (to get the color desired)
• 7/8 cup water
  
  

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together.
2. When the dough is ready, roll it to 1/4” thick with a non-stick rolling pin.
3. Using a mini bone cookie cutter, cut the dough into mini dog bone shapes.
4. Bake at 250 degrees F for about an hour. Check to make sure that they don't get too brown.
5. Turn off the oven and let the mini dog bones dry completely in the oven—This works best overnight.
6. If you'd like to dress up your dog bones, why not try a little dog treat icing?

Gingerbread Dog Cookies

Gingerbread cookies are a staple during the holidays, and this great recipe adapted for dogs is an easy way to include your dog in this year’s festivities.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ cup oat flour (made from rolled oats)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground clove
• Pinch of allspice
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Combine the flours, baking powder, and spices in a bowl and mix to combine.
3. Add the molasses and applesauce and mix to combine.
4. Add the egg, vanilla, and coconut oil and mix to combine, adding more flour if necessary.
5. Roll out gingerbread and cut into gingerbread men or your choice of shapes.
6. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes or until just starting to get golden around the edges for a soft cookie, or until crunchy for longer shelf life.

Chicken and Pumpkin Jerky Treats For Cats or Dogs

This two-ingredient treat recipe is super simple and packed with protein. Cats and dogs love jerky treats, so this one is perfect for a household with both. If your oven has an option to use a convection fan, use it to speed up the jerky drying process.

Ingredients:

• ½ lb ground chicken (or turkey)
• ¼ cup canned pumpkin puree

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature setting, or 150 °F.
2. Mash the ingredients together and spread onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet with a large spoon until the mix is about ¼” thick.
3. Dry in the oven for about 4 hours or until dry. Cut into small pieces when done. 

Crunchy Tuna and Dried Catnip Cookies

Catnip and tuna are two of a cat's favorite things. These simple yet tasty treats will leave your kitty purring for joy. 

Ingredients:

• 140 grams of drained tuna
• 125 grams of oat flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of dried catnip

Directions:

1. Put all the ingredients in the mixer or in a bowl.
2. Blend all of them, or in alternative, just the tuna, adding then little by little the flour.
3. Mix to obtain a homogeneous mixture, to be spread with a rolling pin.
4. Cut out the biscuits and bake at 180° C for 10-12 minutes.
5. Keep them up to a week in a vacuum container, for storing in the refrigerator.