Frozen Recipes

10 Dog-Approved Christmas Recipes

Ten festive, dog-safe fills for a Freezbone, from turkey and sweet potato to cranberry yogurt swirl.

By 5 min read
10 Dog-Approved Christmas Recipes – Freezbone

Christmas is a feast for everyone except the dog, who spends the day watching plates go by. You want your dog to join in, but most of the holiday table is off-limits, and a handful of scraps is a quick route to an upset stomach.

These 10 Christmas dog treat recipes give your dog their own festive menu: simple, dog-safe ingredients, packed into a Freezbone and frozen so the treat lasts while the house is full.

Mix a dog-safe base (shredded turkey, sweet potato, pumpkin or plain yogurt) with something festive (cranberries, apple, blueberries, carrot), pack it into a Freezbone and freeze for a few hours or overnight. Keep chocolate, grapes, raisins, onion, garlic, nutmeg and anything with xylitol away from your dog.

Christmas foods to keep away from your dog

  • Chocolate
  • Grapes and raisins
  • Onion and garlic, including in gravy and stuffing
  • Nutmeg
  • Xylitol, found in some peanut butters and sugar-free products

Why are frozen treats good for dogs at Christmas?

  • A calm job in a busy house. Licking and working at a frozen fill gives your dog something to focus on while guests come and go.
  • Mental stimulation. Getting the food out keeps your dog entertained and engaged.
  • It suits any dog. You can adjust every recipe for your dog's size and dietary needs.

From turkey blends to veggie mashes, there is a treat here for every dog on Santa's nice list.

1. Santa's turkey and sweet potato surprise

Turkey and sweet potato Christmas dog treat

Base: turkey · Freeze: a few hours · Good for: a Christmas dinner of their own

Your dog's version of the big dinner, and the one to make first.

You'll need

  • 1 cup cooked turkey, shredded
  • ½ cup mashed sweet potato
  • 1 tbsp low-fat plain yogurt
  • 1 tbsp parsley, optional

Method

  • Mix the turkey and sweet potato
  • Stir in the yogurt until combined
  • Add a sprinkle of parsley if you like
  • Pack into your Freezbone and freeze for a few hours

2. Pumpkin peanut butter sleigh bites

Pumpkin and peanut butter frozen dog treat

Base: pumpkin · Freeze: until solid · Good for: peanut butter fans

Creamy, simple and a guaranteed hit with most dogs.

You'll need

  • ½ cup canned pumpkin, unsweetened
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter, unsweetened and xylitol-free
  • 1 tbsp honey, optional

Method

  • Mix the pumpkin and peanut butter until smooth
  • Add honey if you want a little sweetness
  • Fill the Freezbone and freeze

Plain pumpkin is a staple in these recipes. Our guide to pumpkin for dogs covers portions and the one tin to avoid.

3. Apple cinnamon jingle oats

Apple cinnamon oat frozen dog treat

Base: oats · Freeze: until solid · Good for: a warm, festive smell

The only cooked recipe here, and worth the extra few minutes at the stove.

You'll need

  • 1 small apple, peeled and chopped
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ cup water

Method

  • Cook oats, apple, cinnamon and water over medium heat, stirring
  • Stop when the apple is soft and the oats are tender
  • Let it cool completely
  • Stuff into the Freezbone and freeze

4. Cranberry snow swirl delight

Cranberry and yogurt swirl frozen dog treat

Base: Greek yogurt · Freeze: until solid · Good for: creamy lickers

A pink-and-white swirl that looks as festive as it tastes.

You'll need

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup fresh cranberries, crushed
  • 1 tbsp honey, optional

Method

  • Crush the cranberries
  • Swirl them into the yogurt with the honey
  • Pour into a Freezbone and freeze until solid

5. Rudolph's banana carrot mix

Banana and carrot frozen dog treat

Base: banana · Freeze: until solid · Good for: Christmas playtime

Sweet, crunchy and made from things already in your kitchen.

You'll need

  • 1 ripe banana, mashed
  • 1 small carrot, grated
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil, optional

Method

  • Mash the banana and mix in the carrot
  • Stir in the coconut oil
  • Spread into your Freezbone and freeze

6. Snowy chicken and rice pudding

Chicken and rice frozen dog treat

Base: chicken · Freeze: until solid · Good for: gentle, plain tastes

A soft, pudding-like fill that keeps your pup entertained.

You'll need

  • ½ cup cooked chicken, shredded
  • ¼ cup cooked rice
  • ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth

Method

  • Mix the chicken and rice
  • Add the broth gradually until smooth
  • Fill the Freezbone and freeze

7. Holly berry yogurt bites

Blueberry yogurt frozen dog treat

Base: Greek yogurt · Freeze: until solid · Good for: a light, fruity treat

Blueberries turn plain yogurt into something your dog will lick to the last drop.

You'll need

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup fresh blueberries, mashed
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds, optional

Method

  • Mash the blueberries into the yogurt
  • Add the chia seeds
  • Fill the Freezbone and freeze

Wondering about dairy? Our guide to Greek yogurt for dogs covers lactose, sugar and what freezing changes.

8. Festive veggie mash

Sweet potato and green bean frozen dog treat

Base: sweet potato · Freeze: until solid · Good for: a colorful, meat-free option

A bright, simple mash for the veggie lovers.

You'll need

  • ½ cup sweet potato, boiled and mashed
  • ¼ cup green beans, chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

  • Mix the sweet potato and green beans
  • Stir in the olive oil for a smooth texture
  • Fill the Freezbone and freeze

9. Turkey and cranberry Christmas blend

Turkey and cranberry frozen dog treat

Base: turkey · Freeze: until solid · Good for: using up plain leftover turkey

The classic pairing, minus everything that makes it unsafe for dogs.

You'll need

  • ½ cup cooked turkey, shredded
  • ¼ cup fresh cranberries, crushed
  • 1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt

Method

  • Mix the turkey, cranberries and yogurt
  • Fill your Freezbone
  • Freeze until solid

10. Sweet potato snowy purée

Sweet potato purée frozen dog treat

Base: sweet potato · Freeze: until solid · Good for: a smooth, satisfying finish

Smooth, simple and easy to make in a big batch.

You'll need

  • ½ cup cooked sweet potato, mashed
  • ¼ cup green beans, cooked and mashed
  • 1 tbsp low-sodium chicken broth

Method

  • Mix the sweet potato and green beans
  • Add the broth for a smooth texture
  • Fill the Freezbone and freeze

Freezbone tip

Adjust the amounts to your dog's size. A small dog only needs a partly filled toy, and honey is always optional: leave it out for puppies.

Which ingredients are safe in Christmas dog treats?

Used in these recipes

  • Plain cooked turkey and chicken
  • Sweet potato and plain canned pumpkin
  • Plain yogurt and Greek yogurt
  • Xylitol-free, unsweetened peanut butter
  • Apple (peeled), banana, blueberries, cranberries
  • Carrot and green beans
  • Rolled oats, cooked rice, chia seeds
  • Low-sodium chicken broth

Keep off the menu

  • Chocolate
  • Grapes and raisins
  • Onion and garlic
  • Nutmeg
  • Xylitol
  • Salty, seasoned leftovers

Hosting this year? Our guide to keeping a dog settled when the house is full pairs well with a freezer full of these. For more festive ideas, try our healthy homemade Christmas dog treat recipes.

They are family too. Prefer to watch? The Freezbone recipe videos show fills step by step.

Frequently asked questions

  • Plain cooked turkey and plain sweet potato are fine in small amounts. Skip anything with onion, garlic, gravy, stuffing, raisins, chocolate, nutmeg or xylitol, and anything heavily salted or seasoned.

  • Most need a few hours, until solid. Freezing overnight gives a firmer fill that lasts longer.

  • A small amount is optional in a few of these recipes for adult dogs. Leave it out for puppies and dogs watching their weight; the treats work just as well without it.

  • Any fillable Freezbone works. Pick a size that suits your dog, and only fill it partly for small dogs.

  • Yes. Fill and freeze them the night before, or a few at once, so there is always one ready when guests arrive.

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Written by Freezbone Team

We make freezable, refillable chew toys in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and test every fill and routine on our own dogs before we write about it.

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